How to Change Your Age on Facebook
Here’s where I got stuck—trying to update my birthdate on Facebook isn’t as straightforward as clicking an “edit” button somewhere prominent. It’s kinda buried in layers, especially these days with the Meta Account Center replacing the old Profile info section. Honestly, my first few attempts felt like searching for a needle in a haystack, so I figured I’d share what finally worked because I bet I’m not the only one frustrated with this.
Navigating to Your Facebook Settings
First off, you need to get to your Settings – whether on mobile or desktop. On mobile, it’s that three horizontal lines icon—called the hamburger menu—bottom right for Android, top right for iPhone. On desktop, it’s that little arrow at the top right corner of Facebook. Clicking there gets you into the main menu. Now, look for Settings & Privacy and then select Settings. Sometimes this menu is oddly labeled or tucked away, especially after app updates, so if it seems hidden, just poke around a bit.
Getting to Meta Account Center
This is where Facebook really sneaks in the personal controls now. From Settings, scroll down until you see Meta Account Center. Don’t be surprised if it’s barely noticeable or set under a submenu, especially if you’re on the desktop. On my older ASUS device, it was buried under “Account Settings” in a dropdown, and on some Facebook versions, it’s accessed through your profile picture menu—click that, then maybe “Manage Your Profile” or “Account Center.” It’s all a bit inconsistent, and I’ve found that Google searches specific to your device/browser often help. For clarity, on desktop, it might look like:
- Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Scroll to or click on Account Center
- Or from your profile: Profile Picture > Manage Profile > Personal Details
If it’s not there, try searching “Facebook change date of birth” in Google, or check Facebook’s Help Center for the latest steps. Facebook seems to change this pathway every few months, which is annoying but what can you do?
Editing Your Date of Birth
Once you’re in the right spot, locate the section called Personal Details within the Profiles or Identity area. You should see your current Name, Date of Birth, and Gender. Next to Date of Birth, there’s usually a small Edit (pencil icon). Click on that, and a menu pops up—sometimes a sidebar, sometimes a small window—where you can adjust your birth date using dropdown menus for day, month, and year. It’s not a free text box, so don’t try to type in your birthday unless you want to get flagged.
A word of warning: Facebook is pretty strict here—often, you are limited to changing this info only a couple of times. After a certain number of edits, if you try to change it again, Facebook might lock you out or ask you to verify your identity. So, make sure you set the right date before saving—because I found myself going back and forth trying to correct a typo, which then triggered their review process. Fun times.
Sometimes, if you’ve previously turned on features like Timeline Review or have two-factor authentication enabled, it might influence how smooth the change goes. Be patient, because Facebook does hold some account restrictions especially around sensitive info like your date of birth.
Saving and Final Checks
Once you’ve selected a new date, click Save. Expect a little spinning icon or loading indicator, and then give it a few moments. Sometimes it takes a refresh or two, or even logging out and back in, to see the new info reflected on your profile. If your changes don’t show immediately, don’t panic—Facebook often updates slowly or caches data. Just revisit your profile after a few minutes and check if it’s updated.
Heads-up: Facebook might flag your change if it looks suspicious—like switching from a really old birth date to a new, younger one—and then you’ll get prompted to verify your identity. This means uploading a government-issued ID, like a driver’s license or passport. This process is a bit of a pain, but if you’re trying to appear younger or older, it’s sometimes unavoidable. To do that:
- Visit Facebook Help Center
- Navigate to Account Issues > Verify Your Identity
- Follow the prompts and upload your ID for review
Be cautious with this step—only upload through official links, double-check the URL, and avoid phishing sites. The review can take a few days, sometimes longer, so patience is key.
Extra Tips and Things to Watch Out For
If changing your DOB directly hits a snag—say, options are grayed out or it says you’ve reached a limit—you might have to wait a bit or reach out to Facebook support. Actually, in some cases, providing proof of age is the only way to get it changed if Facebook’s automated system blocks further edits. So, having a scanned ID handy helps.
In my experience, the whole process is pretty convoluted and can feel like a game of hide-and-seek. Just remember to double-check your new date before clicking Save—and don’t get trigger-happy on multiple edits, because that can trigger review limits or verification requests.
Wrapping it up
Honestly, it took me longer than it should have to find the right menus. The journey through Settings, the Meta Account Center, then personal info, all while watching for Facebook’s limited edit window is a lesson in patience. But once it’s done, it feels great to finally have your profile’s age correct.
So, quick recap: Double-check you’re in the right menu, expect some inconsistent navigation, be cautious about changes—because Facebook’s pretty serious about verifying if you make too many—and have an ID ready if needed. Hope this helps — it took way too long to figure out this whole process myself. Anyway, good luck, and here’s to finally showing the right age on your profile!