How to Change Login Email on Facebook

Changing your Facebook login email is a crucial step for keeping your account secure, but finding the right settings can feel like navigating a maze. This guide breaks down the process completely, showing you exactly how to update your primary email on both desktop and mobile. We’ll also cover what to do if you’ve lost access to your old email and how to troubleshoot common issues along the way.

Why It's a Good Idea to Update Your Facebook Email

Before we get into the step-by-step instructions, it’s worth understanding why this is more than just a simple settings change. Your primary email address is the digital key to your Facebook kingdom, especially if you manage business pages or creator accounts. Neglecting it can lead to serious headaches down the road.

Enhanced Security

Your main email address is Facebook's go-to contact point for any suspicious activity. If someone tries to reset your password or log in from an unrecognized device, the security alert will land in that inbox. If that email is an old, abandoned account you never check - or worse, one that has been compromised - you're giving potential intruders an open back door to your personal and professional life.

Staying in Control of Your Account

People change email addresses all the time. Maybe you left a company and lost your work email, graduated from school and no longer have your .edu address, or simply switched to a different provider. If your login email is tied to an address you can no longer access, you’re in a tough spot if you ever get logged out or forget your password. Updating your contact info ensures you always have a direct line to recover and manage your account, no matter what.

Receiving Important Notifications

Facebook uses your primary email to send more than just birthday reminders. You’ll receive need-to-know information about privacy policy updates, changes to your Page admin roles, monetization notifications, and advertising alerts. Directing these messages to an active inbox guarantees you won’t miss time-sensitive information that could impact your brand or business.

How to Change Your Facebook Login Email on a Computer

The process for updating your email is managed through Meta’s central “Accounts Center,” which now links your Facebook and Instagram profiles. The steps are straightforward once you know where to look.

Step 1: Log In and Navigate to Settings

First, log in to your Facebook account on a web browser. In the top right corner of the screen, click on your profile picture. From the dropdown menu, select Settings & Privacy, and then click on Settings.

Step 2: Open the Accounts Center

At the very top of the left-hand navigation menu, you will see a large blue box labeled Accounts Center. Click on this to manage your connected Meta accounts.

Step 3: Go to Personal Details

Within the Accounts Center menu on the left, find and click on Personal Details. This section houses your contact information, birthday, and identity confirmation details.

Step 4: View and Add Your New Email

Click on Contact info. Here you'll see any email addresses and phone numbers currently linked to your account. To start the process, click the blue button that says Add new contact, then select Add email address.

Step 5: Enter and Verify Your New Email Address

A window will pop up asking you to enter your new email address. Type it in carefully and select the Facebook account you want to associate it with. After you click "Next," Facebook will send a six-digit confirmation code to your new email inbox to prove you own it. Open your email, find the message from Facebook (check your spam folder if you don't see it), copy the code, and enter it into the prompt on Facebook.

Step 6: Remove the Old Email Address (Recommended)

Once your new email is verified and added, you'll be taken back to the "Contact info" page. We strongly recommend removing the old, unused address to tighten up security. Click on your old email address from the list, then click the red Delete email button. For security, Facebook will ask you to re-enter your password to finalize the deletion. Once done, your new email is officially your primary contact on the account.

How to Change Your Facebook Email on the Mobile App (iOS & Android)

Changing your email on the Facebook mobile app is just as simple, as it also uses the same Accounts Center interface. The steps will feel very familiar if you've done it on a desktop before.

Step 1: Open the Menu and Find Settings

Open the Facebook app and tap on the Menu icon in the bottom right corner (it looks like your profile picture and a hamburger icon). Scroll down and tap on Settings & Privacy to expand the selection, then tap on Settings.

Step 2: Access the Accounts Center

Just like on the desktop, the Accounts Center will be displayed prominently at the top of the Settings screen. Tap on it to continue.

Step 3: Dive into Your Personal Details

Under the "Account settings" heading, tap on Personal Details. Then, tap Contact info to see the emails and phone numbers associated with your account.

Step 4: Add and Verify the New Email

Tap the Add new contact button at the bottom of the screen, and then select Add email. Enter your new email address, select your profile, and tap "Next." Head over to your email client to grab the confirmation code Facebook sends, then enter it back into the app to complete the verification.

Step 5: Delete the Old Email Address

After your new email is confirmed, you'll be returned to your contact list. Tap on the old email address you no longer want to use, select Delete email, and enter your Facebook password when prompted to complete the change.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, things don't go as planned. Here are solutions to some of the most common hiccups people run into when trying to change their Facebook email.

What If I Can't Access My Old Email Address?

This is probably the most stressful scenario. If you're logged out and can't get into your old email for a password reset, you still have options. Don't panic.

• Use another recovery method: When you request a password reset, look for a link that says something like "Try another way." If you've added a phone number to your account, you can opt to receive a security code via SMS instead of email.
• Use Trusted Contacts: If you previously set up Trusted Contacts, this is the moment that feature shines. You can ask your designated friends to provide you with a special recovery code to regain access.
• Verify your identity with Facebook: As a last resort, Facebook offers a process to verify your identity by uploading a government-issued ID. This can be slow and isn't guaranteed, but it's an option if all else fails. You can start this process by going to Facebook's account recovery page (facebook.com/login/identify).

"This Email is Already in Use"

This error message is becoming more common with the integrated Accounts Center. It means the email address you're trying to add is already linked to another Instagram or Facebook account. You cannot use the same email for two different Facebook profiles. The solution is either to choose a different, unused email address or to log into the other account that is using the email and remove it from there first.

Not Receiving the Confirmation Email?

Nothing is more frustrating than waiting for a confirmation code that never arrives. If this happens, here’s a quick checklist:

• Check your junk or spam folder. This is the most common culprit. Emails from services like Facebook can sometimes be incorrectly flagged as spam.
• Wait a few minutes. There can sometimes be a delay of up to 10-15 minutes, especially during peak times.
• Double-check for typos. Go back and make sure you typed your new email address perfectly. A single misplaced character will send the code into the void.
• Use the "Resend code" option. If you’ve waited a while and checked for typos, click the option on Facebook to have the code resent.

Keeping Your Account Secure: Beyond Just Your Email

Changing your login email is a great first step, but true account security for a professional or brand account involves a few more layers. As a social media manager, protecting your digital assets is part of the job.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you do one thing today to secure your account, make it this. Two-factor authentication requires a second piece of information (usually a code from an app on your phone) in addition to your password. This means that even if someone steals your password, they still wouldn't be able to log in. In your "Password and security" settings, choose an authentication app like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator, it's far more secure than receiving codes via SMS.

Regularly Review Authorized Logins

It's good practice to periodically check which devices are logged into your account. You can find this list under Password and security > Where you're logged in. If you see any old phones, forgotten work computers, or devices you don’t recognize, log them out immediately.

Use a Strong, Unique Password

It’s timeless advice for a reason. Avoid common words, birthdays, or reusing passwords from other sites. The best strategy is to use a password manager (like 1Password or Bitwarden) to generate and store long, complex, unique passwords for every single one of your accounts. These tools make strong security effortless.

Final Thoughts

Taking a few minutes to update your login email and review your security settings is one of the smartest investments you can make in your online presence. Keeping your contact details current is a simple but powerful way to ensure you always have control over your account, whether it's for personal use or for the brand you represent.

As a content creator or marketer, you know account security is non-negotiable. Once your login details are locked down, you can shift your focus to the fun part: creating and sharing amazing content. We built Postbase to streamline everything that comes next. Instead of wrestling with clunky schedulers or worrying if your video will actually publish, we provide a clean, reliable platform for planning your calendar, scheduling posts, and analyzing what’s working - all in one place. It’s the modern, headache-free SMM tool we always wanted for ourselves.