How to Reset Email on Facebook

Lost access to the email tied to your Facebook account? Or maybe you’re just trying to update your digital life and want a new primary contact. Whatever the reason, resetting your Facebook email is surprisingly straightforward once you know the steps. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add a new email address, make it your primary contact, remove the old one, and what to do if you’re completely locked out of your account.

Why Update Your Facebook Email?

Before jumping into the how-to, it’s worth quickly covering the why. People change their Facebook email for a handful of common reasons. Understanding these can help you better secure your account for the future.

• You lost access to your old email account. This is the most common and urgent reason. If you can no longer sign in to your registered email (maybe it was from an old school or job), you can’t receive security notifications or password reset links, leaving your Facebook account vulnerable.
• Your old email was compromised. If your email account has been hacked, it's a major security risk. Changing the associated email on all your important accounts, including Facebook, is a critical step to regain control.
• Rebranding or going professional. An old, slightly embarrassing email from a decade ago (we’ve all been there) might not fit your current professional brand. Updating to a business email address makes your Meta Business Suite and communication look much more polished.
• Switching primary email providers. Maybe you’re moving from Yahoo to Gmail or consolidating all your digital life under one roof. Updating Facebook is just part of the digital spring cleaning process.

How to Add a New Email Address to Facebook (and Set it as Primary)

You can’t just swap your old email for a new one in a single step. First, you need to add the new email address to your account and confirm it. Only then can you make it the primary contact and remove the old one. Let's walk through it.

On a Desktop Browser (The Easiest Method)

Using a computer makes this process a bit easier since you’ll have a full keyboard and a larger screen to navigate the settings.

1. Log in and go to Settings: Sign in to your Facebook account. Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner, then select "Settings &, Privacy," followed by "Settings."
2. Navigate to Accounts Center: On the left-hand menu, you’ll see Meta’s "Accounts Center." Click on that. It's the central hub for managing your personal details across Facebook and Instagram.
3. Find Personal Details: Inside the Accounts Center, look for "Personal Details" under the "Account Settings" section. Click it.
4. Go to Contact Info: Here you'll see your current contact information, including your email and phone number. Click on "Contact Info."
5. Add New Contact: Click the blue "Add new contact" button at the bottom and select "Add email."
6. Enter and Confirm Your New Email: Type in your new email address, select the Facebook account you want to associate it with, and click "Next." Facebook will send a confirmation code to that new email address.
7. Verify Your Email: Check your new email inbox for a message from Facebook containing a confirmation code. Enter this code into the pop-up on Facebook to prove you own the address.

Once your new email is confirmed and added, it will appear on your list of contact methods. But you're not done yet. You now need to make it your primary contact.

Unfortunately, Facebook's Accounts Center has streamlined things to the point where setting a "primary" email is less explicit. Instead, your login email and contact emails are managed as a group. By adding a new email and removing the old one, the new one effectively becomes your primary point of contact for login and notifications.

On the Facebook Mobile App (iOS or Android)

The steps are nearly identical on your phone, just in a slightly different layout.

1. Open the App and Menu: Launch the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (your profile picture and three horizontal lines) in the bottom-right corner.
2. Go to Settings: Scroll down and tap "Settings &, Privacy," then tap "Settings."
3. Open Accounts Center: At the very top, you'll see the Meta Accounts Center banner. Tap it.
4. Find your Details: Just like on desktop, tap on "Personal Details," followed by "Contact Info."
5. Add a New Email: Tap "Add new contact" and choose "Add email address."
6. Enter and Verify: Type in the new email address, select your profile, and tap "Next." Go to your email app, find the verification code from Facebook, and enter it in the Facebook app to complete the process.

How to Remove an Old Email from Facebook

After you’ve successfully added and confirmed your new email address, you can safely remove the old one. It’s important to do this to secure your account - otherwise, your old, potentially insecure email could still be used to access it.

Whether you're on a desktop or mobile, the steps are the same from the "Contact Info" screen:

1. Navigate to "Contact Info": Follow the steps from the previous section to get back to the Accounts Center &rarr, Personal Details &rarr, Contact Info screen.
2. Select the Old Email: You will now see both your new and old email addresses listed. Click on the old email address you want to get rid of.
3. Delete Email: A new screen will appear with a big red "Delete email" button. Click it.
4. Confirm Deletion: Facebook will pop up a confirmation asking if you're sure. Click "Delete" one more time, and you may be prompted to enter your Facebook password to finalize the change.

That's it! Your old email is gone, and the new one is now the main address associated with your account. All notifications, password resets, and login verification messages will now go to your new inbox.

What If You're Completely Locked Out? Regaining Access

This is the scenario that causes the most stress: you can’t remember your password, and you no longer have access to the email or phone number on file. Is your account lost forever? Not necessarily.

Facebook has an automated account recovery process, but you need to prove your identity. Here’s what you can do.

Step 1: Use the "Find Your Account" Page

First, head over to Facebook's account recovery page: facebook.com/login/identify.

• You can search for your account using an old email address (even one you can't access), a phone number, or your full name.
• If you use your name, Facebook may show you several profiles. Pick the one that’s yours. Be sure to look at the profile photo carefully.

Step 2: Try Other Login Methods

Facebook will show you the methods it has on file to send a reset code (email, phone, etc.). If you still have access to a phone number linked to your account, you’re in luck. Select that option and get a code sent via SMS.

But what if you can’t access any of them? Look for a link near the bottom that says something like, "No longer have access to these?"

Step 3: Begin Identity Verification

If you click that link, Facebook will guide you through its identity verification process. This typically involves:

1. Providing a New Contact Email: You'll be asked to provide a new, secure email address that you currently have access to. This is where Facebook can communicate with you about your account recovery. This email cannot already be associated with another Facebook account.
2. Uploading Your ID: To prove you are who you say you are, Facebook will require you to upload a photo of a government-issued ID. This could be a driver's license, passport, or national identity card. The name and photo on the ID must match the details on your Facebook profile.
   • Use your phone or a scanner to get a clear, well-lit photo of your ID. Make sure all four corners are visible and there's no glare.
   • This process is automated and handled securely. Facebook states that IDs are encrypted and stored for 30 days to confirm your identity, after which they are deleted.

Step 4: Wait for a Response

After you submit your ID, the waiting game begins. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to a couple of days for Facebook's team to review your submission. You will receive an email at the new contact address you provided. This email will contain a special link to regain access to your account and set a new password. Once you're back in, immediately follow the steps at the beginning of this article to add that new email address to your account settings and remove all the old ones.

Best Practices for Your Facebook Account Security

Changing your email is a great time to do a quick security audit. Taking 5 minutes now can save you a huge headache later.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This is the single best thing you can do to protect your account. Go to "Settings &, Privacy" &rarr, "Settings" &rarr, "Accounts Center" &rarr, "Password and security" &rarr, "Two-factor authentication." Set it up with an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator or Authy) for the strongest protection.
• Review Active Logins: In the same "Password and security" section, you can check "Where you're logged in." If you see any devices or locations you don’t recognize, log them out immediately.
• Keep Contact Info Updated: Always make sure you have at least two up-to-date contact methods on your account (e.g., a current email and a phone number). This gives you a backup option if one method fails.

Final Thoughts

Updating your email on Facebook is a simple but important part of managing your online identity, whether you're securing an old account or rebranding for a business. By following the steps to add, verify, and remove email addresses through the Accounts Center, you can keep your profile safe and accessible for years to come.

Streamlining one account's contact info often inspires a bigger cleanup. As marketers and creators, a lot of our mental energy is spent juggling different platforms, passwords, and schedules. At Postbase, we built our tool around the idea of simplifying that chaos. Getting everything - from planning content on our visual calendar to scheduling posts across all your profiles reliably - into one central place gives you time and energy back. When your tools work for you instead of against you, it’s easier to sweat the small details and focus on what you're actually trying to build.