- Change your Facebook password from a computer
- Updating the password inside the Facebook phone app
- Forgotten your current Facebook password?
- Why Facebook blocks some password resets
- Picking a stronger Facebook password
- Password changes for small business owners and Page admins
- Someone else tried to reset my Facebook password
- Quick reference: where each password option lives
- Frequently asked questions
To change your Facebook password, open Settings & privacy, then Settings, click Accounts Center and choose Password and security, then Change password. Pick your account, enter your current password and a new one, and save. Forgotten the old one? Use the Forgot your password? link on that same screen instead.
A Facebook password tends to get set once and then forgotten for years, until something odd happens: a login alert from a town you've never visited, or a friend asking why you sent them a strange link. I'd rather you change it calmly before that day comes. If you run a business Page, your personal login is the key to that Page too, so a weak or reused password puts your customers' trust at risk as well as your own profile.
Facebook has moved most account controls into Accounts Center, which it shares with Instagram and Messenger. Facebook's help pages say it's gradually moving people to what it calls Meta Account settings, so you may see either name. The steps below follow Facebook's help article Change your password.
Change your Facebook password from a computer
- Log in to Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right.
- Choose Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Click Accounts Center, then Password and security. If you don't see Accounts Center, click Password and security directly.
- Click Change password and pick the account you'd like to update.
- Type your current password, then your new one twice, and save the change.
Facebook may ask for a confirmation code that it sends to your email before it lets the change go through. Keep that inbox open in another tab so you're not hunting for it.
Updating the password inside the Facebook phone app
The app uses the same Accounts Center screens, so the route is almost identical. Menus vary by app version, but the path generally looks like this:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the menu (your profile picture or the three lines).
- Tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center, then Password and security.
- Tap Change password, choose your account and enter the old and new passwords.
If you can't spot Accounts Center, Facebook's help page on finding your settings says you can use the search box inside Settings. Typing password usually takes you straight there.
Forgotten your current Facebook password?
You don't need the old password to set a new one. On the Change password screen there's a Forgot your password? link, and Facebook's help article says you can use it if you can't remember the current one.
If you're logged out completely, start from the login screen instead:
- Tap or click the forgotten password link under the login box.
- Enter the email address, mobile number, full name or username linked to your account.
- Follow the on-screen steps to receive a code and choose a new password.
Facebook has a separate recovery route for people who've lost access to the email on their account. I've walked through what to do when a business login goes wrong in my guide to getting a Facebook Page back after losing admin access.
Why Facebook blocks some password resets
- Too many attempts. Facebook's help article says you can only reset your password a certain number of times a day, to keep the account safe. If you hit the limit, wait and try again later.
- Two-factor authentication. If two-factor authentication is on, Facebook says you can't use the phone number tied to it for the reset. You'll need to add a different mobile number or email address first.
- A code that never arrives. Check spam, and check that the email or number on the account is one you still use.
Picking a stronger Facebook password
Facebook has a help article called Make a strong Facebook password. The ideas in it are the ones I'd give any client: make it long, don't reuse it from another site, and avoid anything someone could guess from your profile, like a pet's name or your birthday. A password manager makes this painless because it remembers the long random string for you.
It's also worth turning on two-factor authentication once the new password is in place. It's in the same Password and security area, and it means a stolen password on its own isn't enough to get in.
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Password changes for small business owners and Page admins
Pages don't have their own password. You manage a Page through your personal profile, so changing your Facebook password protects every Page you look after. A few habits help:
- Never share your personal login with a freelancer or assistant. Give them their own access to the Page instead.
- Change your password straight away when someone who once knew it leaves the business.
- Check the devices that are logged in to your account under Password and security, and log out any you don't recognise.
If you keep getting thrown out of your account after a change, that's usually a session or browser issue rather than a security problem. I've covered the common causes in my guide to why Facebook keeps logging you out.
Someone else tried to reset my Facebook password
Getting a reset email you didn't ask for is unsettling. Facebook has a help article for exactly this, titled What to do if someone is attempting to reset your password on Facebook. If you didn't request it, don't click the link in the email. Log in the normal way, change your password from Settings, and turn on two-factor authentication. If you think someone's already got in, report it to Facebook through the Help Centre.
While you're in Accounts Center tidying things up, you might also want to check your public profile address. Here's how to change your Facebook username if the current one no longer suits you.
Quick reference: where each password option lives
| What you want to do | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Change a password you know | Accounts Center, Password and security, Change password |
| Reset a password you've forgotten | Forgot your password? link on the same screen |
| Get in when you're logged out | Forgotten password link on the login screen |
| Add extra protection | Two-factor authentication in Password and security |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my old password to change my Facebook password?
No. If you've forgotten it, use the Forgot your password? link on the Change password screen, or the forgotten password link on the login screen if you're logged out.
Why can't I find Accounts Center?
Facebook's help article says to go straight to Password and security if Accounts Center isn't showing. Some people see Meta Account settings instead, because Facebook is moving accounts over gradually.
Will changing my password log me out of other devices?
Facebook's help article I read doesn't say exactly, so I won't promise it. You can check where you're logged in under Password and security and log out any device you don't recognise.
Does changing my Facebook password change my Instagram password?
Accounts Center lets you pick which account you're updating when you click Change password, so check which one you've selected before you save.
How often should I change my Facebook password?
Facebook doesn't set a schedule. Change it whenever you suspect someone else knows it, when a team member leaves, or when the same password has been used on another site.
