You can edit your age in Facebook's settings, but Facebook limits how often you can change it

To change your age on Facebook, go to your profile, click the three-line menu icon, select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." Find "Personal information" in the left menu and click "Basic information." Your birth date appears there — click on it to edit. Facebook will let you change your age, but you can only do this once every 60 days. If you need to change it more frequently, you'll have to wait out the cooldown period.

The reason for this limit is that Facebook uses your birth date for account security and to enforce its age rules. Accounts must belong to people 13 or older. If you're trying to change your age because you made a mistake when you created your account, or because you've had a birthday and want the date current, the 60-day rule still applies — you'll just have to wait if you've changed it recently.

Key Takeaways

  • Edit your age by going to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Basic information, then clicking on your birth date.
  • Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between age changes, even if you made a typo when you created your account.
  • Your birth date is visible only to you and people you've shared it with in your privacy settings — you can control who sees it.
  • If you cannot change your age because of the cooldown, you'll see a message telling you when you can try again.

Why Facebook limits age changes

Facebook's 60-day rule exists because your birth date is tied to your account's legal status. Facebook is required by law to keep accounts belonging to people under 13 off the platform. The company uses your birth date to enforce this rule and to apply age-appropriate settings to your account — for example, accounts for people under 18 have different privacy defaults than adult accounts.

The cooldown period also reduces account takeover risk. If someone gains unauthorized access to your account, they cannot immediately change your age to hide the account or make it harder to recover. The waiting period gives you time to notice the change and regain control.

Controlling who sees your birth date

Your birth date is not automatically visible to everyone on Facebook. By default, only you can see it. If you want to share it with friends or make it public, you control that through the same "Basic information" section where you edit your age.

Next to your birth date, you'll see a privacy icon (usually a lock or a person icon). Click it to change who can see your birth date — your options are usually "Only me," "Friends," or "Public." Many people keep their birth date private to reduce the information available to advertisers and to lower the risk if their account is compromised. If you share your full birth date publicly, anyone can see it, including people not on your friends list.

What to do if you cannot change your age right now

If you've changed your age in the last 60 days, Facebook will show you a message saying you cannot change it again yet. The message includes the date when you'll be able to change it next. You'll have to wait until that date passes before you can edit your age again.

If you made a significant error — for example, you entered a birth year that makes you appear to be 8 years old when you're actually 28 — and you cannot wait 60 days, you can contact Facebook through the "Help" menu and explain the situation. Facebook does not always override the cooldown, but they may review your account if the age is clearly incorrect and affects your account's functionality.

How your age affects your Facebook experience

Your age determines which privacy settings Facebook applies to your account by default. If your account shows you're under 18, Facebook restricts who can contact you, limits who can see your posts, and controls which ads you see. If your account shows you're 13 to 17, your default audience for new posts is "Friends only" rather than "Public." These are defaults — you can change them yourself in your privacy settings.

Your age also affects which features you can use. Some features, like certain advertising options or the ability to create a business account, are restricted to people 18 and older. If you change your age from under 18 to 18 or older, you may suddenly see new options in your settings that were previously hidden.

Changing your age on other devices and apps

You can edit your age on Facebook's website, on the mobile app for iPhone or Android, or through Facebook's mobile website. The steps are the same on all platforms: go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Personal information, then Basic information. If you change your age on one device, the change appears on all your devices within a few minutes.

If you use Facebook through a third-party app — for example, a game or a shopping app that lets you log in with your Facebook account — that app cannot change your birth date. Only Facebook itself can edit your age. If a third-party app is showing incorrect age information, the problem is usually that it's pulling outdated information from when you first connected it to your Facebook account. You may need to disconnect and reconnect the app to refresh the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my age more than once every 60 days?

No. Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between age changes. If you need to change your age again, you'll have to wait until the cooldown period ends. The exact date when you can change it next appears in the message Facebook shows when you try to edit your age.

What happens if I set my age to something obviously wrong, like 150 years old?

Facebook will let you save it, but your account may be flagged for review. If Facebook detects that your age is impossible, they may ask you to correct it or may restrict your account until you do. It's better to set your age to something close to correct rather than use a placeholder.

If I change my age from under 18 to 18 or older, will my old posts become public?

No. Your privacy settings do not change automatically when you change your age. Posts you made when your account showed you were under 18 keep their original privacy settings. However, new posts you make after the age change will use the default privacy settings for an 18+ account, which is usually "Public" instead of "Friends only."

Can I hide my birth date completely so nobody sees it?

Yes. In your Basic information section, click the privacy icon next to your birth date and select "Only me." This hides your birth date from everyone except you. Facebook will still use your birth date internally for account security and age verification, but no one else will see it.

What if I forgot my birth date and cannot remember what I entered?

Go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Basic information. Your current birth date is displayed there. If it's wrong and you cannot change it because of the 60-day cooldown, you'll have to wait until the cooldown expires. If the date is so wrong that it affects your account (for example, it shows you're under 13), contact Facebook's Help Center and explain the situation.