Where to find and edit your birthday
Your birthday lives in the "About" section of your Facebook profile. To change it, open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Profile" from the menu. On your profile page, look for the "About" tab below your cover photo — click it to open your profile details.
Once you're in the About section, scroll down until you see "Basic Information." Your current birthday appears here. Click the pencil icon next to the date to edit it. Facebook will open a small window where you can change the month, day, and year.
Key Takeaways
- Your birthday is stored in the About section of your profile under Basic Information, and you can change it anytime by clicking the pencil icon next to the date.
- You control who sees your birthday — you can make it visible to everyone, friends only, or hide it completely from your privacy settings.
- If you change your birthday, Facebook does not send a notification to your friends, so only people who check your profile will notice the change.
- You can change your birthday as many times as you want, but Facebook limits how often you can change the year to prevent misuse.
Choosing who can see your birthday
After you update the date itself, you need to set who can see it. In that same Basic Information section, look for the privacy icon next to your birthday — it usually shows a small globe, lock, or people symbol. Click it to choose your privacy level.
Facebook gives you three main options: "Public" (everyone on and off Facebook can see it), "Friends" (only your friends see it), or "Only Me" (nobody else sees it at all). Many people choose "Friends" as a middle ground — your friends get reminded on your birthday, but strangers cannot see it. If you select "Only Me," your birthday will not appear on your profile, and Facebook will not send birthday reminders to your friends.
What happens if you change your birthday year
If you need to change the year you were born, Facebook has a restriction: you can only change your birth year a limited number of times. This is to prevent people from repeatedly changing their age to bypass age restrictions on content or accounts. The exact limit varies, but Facebook typically allows a few changes per year.
If you've already changed your birth year recently and Facebook won't let you change it again, you'll see a message saying you've reached your limit. In that case, you'll need to wait before making another change. If you made a genuine mistake entering your birth year when you created your account, you can contact Facebook's support team through the Help Center to request a manual adjustment, though they may ask you to verify your identity.
Changing your birthday on mobile
The process on Facebook's mobile app is nearly identical to the desktop version. Open the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, scroll down and tap "Settings & Privacy," then tap "Settings." Scroll to "Personal Information" and tap "Basic Information" to find your birthday.
Tap the pencil icon next to your birthday to edit it, change the date, and adjust the privacy settings the same way you would on a computer. The mobile app uses the same restrictions and privacy controls as the desktop site.
Why Facebook asks for your birthday
Facebook requires a birthday when you create an account primarily to verify you're old enough to use the platform — the minimum age is 13 in most countries. Your birthday also helps Facebook prevent fraud and enforce its age policies. Additionally, Facebook uses your birthday to send reminders to your friends and to show you birthday-related content and ads.
Your birthday is also used to calculate your age for age-restricted content, games, and ads. If you set your birthday to make yourself appear older or younger than you actually are, you may lose access to certain features or face account restrictions if Facebook detects the discrepancy.
Fixing a birthday you entered incorrectly
If you entered the wrong birthday when you created your account and now want to correct it, the process is the same — go to About, find Basic Information, and click the pencil icon. However, if you've already changed your birth year multiple times, you may hit Facebook's change limit.
When that happens, visit the Facebook Help Center, search for "Change birthday," and look for the option to contact support. Explain that you entered an incorrect birth year and need it corrected. Facebook may ask you to provide identification or other proof of your actual date of birth. The review process can take several days, so be patient while they verify your request.
What your friends see when you change your birthday
If your birthday is set to visible to friends, they will see your birthday on their Facebook calendar and may receive a reminder on that day. However, if you change your birthday to a different date, Facebook does not send a new notification to your friends announcing the change. Your friends will only know your birthday changed if they visit your profile and notice the new date.
If you change your birthday to a date that has already passed this year, your friends will not receive a birthday reminder for that date. If you change it to a future date this year, some friends may still see the old date in their cached information until Facebook updates their view, which usually happens within a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide my birthday from everyone on Facebook?
Yes. In your Basic Information section, click the privacy icon next to your birthday and select "Only Me." Your birthday will be hidden from your profile, and Facebook will not send birthday reminders to your friends. You can change this setting anytime.
What happens if I change my birthday multiple times?
Facebook limits how often you can change your birth year to prevent misuse. If you hit the limit, you'll see a message telling you to wait before making another change. You can change the month and day more freely, but the year has stricter restrictions.
Will my friends know I changed my birthday?
No, Facebook does not notify your friends when you change your birthday. They will only know if they visit your profile and see the new date. If you change your birthday to a date that has already passed this year, they won't receive a reminder for the new date.
Can I change my birthday on the Facebook app?
Yes, the process is the same on mobile. Open the app, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, find Personal Information, and tap Basic Information. Click the pencil icon next to your birthday to edit it.
What if Facebook won't let me change my birth year?
You've likely reached Facebook's limit on birth year changes. Wait a few weeks before trying again, or contact Facebook support through the Help Center and explain that you need to correct an error. They may ask for identification to verify your actual birth date.