How to Change Your Email on Facebook
Your Facebook email address is an important part of your account. It‘s used to log in, reset your password if you forget it, and receive important notifications from Facebook.
If you‘ve got a new email address you want to use or you‘re concerned about security, you may want to change the email associated with your Facebook account. Fortunately, Facebook makes it easy to update your email address right from your account settings.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk through the full process of changing your email on Facebook, using best practices to ensure a smooth transition.
Key Reasons Facebook Users Change Their Email
According to 2021 consumer surveys, approximately 37% of Facebook users update the email associated with their accounts every 2-3 years. But what prompts this email churn?
The top reasons are:
- Getting a new personal email address (56%)
- Work/personal email separation (31%)
- Concerns about email security and privacy (28%)
- Losing access to an old email account (22%)
- Job change with email update (16%)
For Facebook‘s 1.96 billion active monthly users, that means over 700 million users change their Facebook email annually. Understanding why informs the best way to change emails.
Step 1: Add New Email to Facebook Account
The first step to change your Facebook email is adding the new address in your account settings:
- Click down arrow > Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Go to Contact in left menu
- Click Edit beside your email
- Choose Add Another Email
- Enter new email and click Add
- Copy 6-digit code sent to new email
- Return, paste code, click Submit
Once added, confirm your new email before removing old address.
Email Addition Issues
If adding your email fails, common causes include:
- Incorrect confirmation code entered
- Code expired (valid only 10 minutes)
- Entered wrong new email address
- Email typed differently than verification (Case, periods usage)
Corrective actions:
- Redo process ensuring no typos in email
- Request new Facebook verification code
- Check spam folder for verification code
- Copy-paste code rather than typing
Getting the new email properly added is crucial – you won‘t fully change your account email until this step finalizes error-free.
Step 2: Remove Previous Facebook Email
With your new email confirmed on your account, you can now remove the outdated email:
- From Contact settings, click Remove by old email
- Confirm Remove Email in popup
And done! As long as your new email is verified, removing the old one seamlessly designates your new address as the primary login email.
Removal Considerations
- Both emails may work temporarily to login during propagation
- Password resets will only send to new email
- Expect full switchover within 48 hours
Essential – Verify Your New Email Address
Verifying your new email confirms ownership. Until verified, your new email won‘t be fully usable to login or reset your password.
To verify:
- Open verification email sent by Facebook
- Click link in email body to confirm address
- Facebook will confirm verification
Once verified, your new email can fully function as your Facebook login.
Email Change Risks and Safeguards
Changing account emails does introduce minor security risks. To mitigate:
Enable login approvals
- Added layer to enter code from mobile app during login
- Alerts you to unrecognized logins
Login notifications
- Facebook emails you when your account is accessed
- Let‘s you know about suspicious activity
New password
- Reset password after email change
- Prevents access via previously known passwords
Review privacy settings
- Limit info visible to public during email switch
- Tighten down privacy levels if concerned
With safeguards like two-factor authentication and login alerts, you can change emails seamlessly while keeping your account secured.
How Facebook Email Changes Compare to Other Platforms
Email change difficulty comparison:
Platform | Difficulty |
---|---|
Easy | |
Gmail | Moderate |
Apple ID | Hard |
- Facebook: Straightforward email update via account settings
- Gmail: Migrate using Google Admin console with some complexity
- Apple: Requires complex account recovery process
So fortunately, Facebook makes it among the easiest to modify your login email pain-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I revert my email change?
No – once you complete the email change, it cannot be undone. The old email is permanently removed from your account.
What if I don‘t receive the verification email?
Check spam folders. Still not there? Attempt resending. Otherwise, Facebook support can investigate missing emails.
Can I add multiple emails?
Yes! You can associate unlimited email addresses with your account. But only 1 designated as the primary login email.
What if I lose access to my new email?
If you can still login, revert back to a different verified email via the same change process. Otherwise, account recovery is required.
Is changing my Facebook email risky?
There is minor security risk during the short transition period after changing emails before adaptive login safeguards fully propagate.
Best Practice Guide for Changing Account Emails
Follow this industry best practice checklist when changing login emails:
Before initiating the email change:
☑️ Have access to both old and new email accounts
☑️ Backup any old email data you want to retain
☑️ Use a password manager to update credentials
When adding new email address:
☑️ Mark verification email from Facebook as "Not Spam"
☑️ Save Facebook confirmation as reference
On removal of previous email:
☑️ Sign out of all active Facebook sessions
☑️ Clear browser history and cookies
Post email change security steps:
☑️ Enable secondary login protections
☑️ Reset your password
☑️ Review and limit public profile content
Going forward:
☑️ Use new email exclusively for Facebook login
☑️ Monitor Facebook notification emails for suspicious activity
☑️ Periodically review account privacy settings
By adhering security best practices around transition periods, users can confidently change Facebook emails with minimal risks.
Key Takeaways
Switching your Facebook email is straightforward, but does require care during the changeover period:
- Always verify new email first before removing old address
- Temporarily have two valid login emails as change fully propagates
- Enable secondary login protections like two-factor authentication
- Reset your password and review privacy settings
- Ensure proper email hygiene and security practices post-change
With over 700 million Facebook email changes annually, following this guide and Facebook‘s built-in security safeguards facilitates a smooth and risk-free transition to your new email address.