Recovering access to a Facebook account is an important process for any user who finds themselves locked out of their account. The recovery email address set up with a Facebook account serves as an important backup mechanism to help users regain access if they forget their password or get locked out for other reasons.
For many users, the email address they initially used to create their Facebook account years ago may no longer be active or accessible. Naturally, this leads to the question – can you change the recovery/backup email address for your Facebook account if needed?
The Short Answer
Yes, it is possible to change the recovery/backup email address associated with your Facebook account. Facebook provides a specific process that allows you to add a new email address, verify it, and then designate it as the primary recovery option for your account.
Why You May Need to Change Your Facebook Recovery Email
There are a few common reasons why you may need or want to update the recovery email for your Facebook account:
- You no longer have access to the old email account. For example, it was a work email you no longer use, a school email address that expired, or an email tied to a service that no longer exists.
- You want to update the recovery email to a new personal email you check more regularly. Using an active and regularly monitored email ensures you will actually receive any alerts about unusual activity on your Facebook account.
- You want to use a more secure email that offers two-factor authentication as the recovery method for enhanced account security.
- The previous recovery email was entered incorrectly when you first created your Facebook account.
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Facebook Recovery Email
Follow these steps to update or change the recovery/backup email address for your Facebook account:
- Log into your Facebook account and click on the arrow in the top right to access the drop down menu.
- In the drop down menu, look for the “Settings & Privacy” option and select it.
- This will open your Facebook Settings page. On the left side column, click on the “Settings” link.
- In the Settings page, look for the “Security and Login” section and click on “Edit” next to the “Recovery Email” option.
- This will open a page allowing you to enter a New Recovery Email address. Type in the new email you want to use and click “Save Changes.”
- Facebook will send a 6-digit confirmation code to that new email address. Check your email inbox, copy that code, and paste it into the confirmation prompt on Facebook.
- Once you enter the correct confirmation code, Facebook will confirm the new recovery email is verified.
- At this point, the previous recovery email will be removed and disconnected from your account. The new email address will now be set as the primary/verified recovery email for your account moving forward.
And that’s it! Those steps allow you to seamlessly change the recovery email for your Facebook account to a new address in just a few minutes.
Tips for Updating Facebook Recovery Email
Keep these tips in mind when changing your Facebook recovery email:
- Double check that you typed the new email address correctly before confirming the change. A typo could prevent you from accessing the confirmation code.
- Check the inbox of the old recovery email one last time after changing it for any additional account activity alerts from Facebook.
- Consider enabling two-factor authentication with the new recovery email for extra security.
- Don’t reuse old or inactive email addresses that you no longer control or monitor regularly.
- If you don’t receive the confirmation code in your new email inbox, check spam and junk folders before attempting the process again.
What Happens When You Change the Recovery Email?
When you change your recovery email, here’s what happens:
- The old recovery email will be removed as a backup verification mechanism and no longer tied to your account.
- You can immediately start using the new email as the account recovery option if needed.
- Any alerts about login attempts or other activity will be sent to the new email.
- The new email will be visible in your account settings under “Recovery Email.”
- Your Facebook password itself does not change.
In essence, the new recovery email replaces the old one completely across all account security and verification features.
What if You No Longer Have Access to the Old Recovery Email?
If you no longer have access to the old recovery email currently associated with your Facebook account, you can still change it through the following steps:
- Attempt to login to your Facebook account and click “Forgot Password?” on the login page.
- Facebook will prompt you to enter your old/current recovery email. Click the link that says “No longer have access to these?”
- This will initiate the account recovery flow. Select the “I can no longer access this email address” option.
- Facebook will then prompt you to provide details to verify your identity such as phone number, locations you’ve logged in from, etc.
- Once your identity is verified, you will be able to set a new recovery email and regain access to your account.
While more complex, this process allows you to update the recovery email even without access to the old email.
Can You Change the Recovery Email Back to the Old One?
If for some reason you need to revert back to using a previous recovery email for your Facebook account, you can change it back through the same process.
Just follow the steps to add and verify the old email again. Once confirmed as active, you can then designate it as the primary recovery method again.
There are no limits on how many times you can update your recovery email. Just keep in mind that only one email can be set as the active recovery option at any given time.
How Long Does it Take to Change the Recovery Email?
Changing your Facebook recovery email is a quick process that only takes a few minutes to complete provided you have access to the new email address.
Here is an overview of how long each step takes:
- Enter new email – 1 minute
- Check email inbox for confirmation code – 1-2 minutes
- Enter confirmation code on Facebook – 1 minute
- Receive confirmation from Facebook – Instant
So in total, expect the entire process to take 3-5 minutes. The key steps happen right on Facebook, with just a quick break to switch over to your email for the verification code.
Can You Use the Same Recovery Email for Multiple Facebook Accounts?
Yes, you can use the same recovery email address for multiple Facebook accounts you own and control. The recovery email itself is not specifically tied to just one account.
However, keep in mind that if you reuse the same recovery email across accounts:
- The email inbox may receive security alerts about multiple accounts
- Resetting the password for one account will not automatically reset it for other accounts
- You will need to log in separately to each account to change the recovery email
So while allowed, it may be smarter to use unique recovery emails per account to avoid confusion if you need to recover access to any specific account.
Can You Remove the Recovery Email Altogether?
Facebook requires a confirmed and valid recovery email to be associated with every account. This is an important security measure.
There is no setting to simply remove or delete the recovery email from your Facebook account altogether. Your only options are:
- Keep the current email as the recovery method
- Change it to a different email address
You can technically enter a fake or invalid email and then confirm it. But this is not recommended, since it eliminates your backup account access option.
Is It Safe to Change the Facebook Recovery Email?
Yes, it is completely safe to change your Facebook recovery email address as long as you follow the official process.
Facebook has robust security measures in place to protect your account when you update sensitive information like your recovery email. These include:
- Requiring your Facebook account password to initiate the change
- Sending a unique 6-digit confirmation code to your new email to verify access
- Confirming the code matches before changing the email
- Sending alerts about the change to any already confirmed emails or devices
As long as you personally initiate the email change process through the official Facebook flows, there are no risks involved.
Can Someone Else Change Your Facebook Recovery Email?
It is extremely unlikely that someone else would be able to access your Facebook account and change the recovery email maliciously. This would require them to:
- Gain your Facebook login credentials, AND
- Have access to your personal email inbox, AND
- Intercept the notification alerts sent to your devices and existing emails
Achieving all three at the same time would be incredibly difficult for any cybercriminal or hacker. Furthermore, Facebook actively monitors for suspicious activity and will flag or revert unauthorized changes.
So you can feel confident that the only way your Facebook recovery email will change is if you intentionally do it yourself through the proper steps.
Conclusion
Being able to update your Facebook recovery/backup email address is important to maintain access to your account. Facebook makes it straightforward to change the address linked to your profile in just a few minutes.
Remember to only use current, active inboxes you control and monitor for your recovery email. Avoid old or shared email addresses that could be compromised. Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible for an added layer of security.
With the proper recovery email set, you can feel confident you will be able to securely regain access to your Facebook account if ever locked out.