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Can you change your anniversary date on Facebook?

Can you change your anniversary date on Facebook?

Facebook allows users to display their anniversary date on their profile as a way to commemorate important milestones and relationships. However, sometimes users may want to change or edit their anniversary date after it’s been set. Here’s what to know about changing anniversary dates on Facebook.

Why Would You Want to Change Your Facebook Anniversary Date?

There are a few common reasons someone may want to change their anniversary date on Facebook:

  • The original date entered was incorrect: Perhaps the date was entered incorrectly by accident or there was confusion about the exact anniversary date.
  • The relationship status changed: If a relationship ends, users may no longer want to display the anniversary date for that relationship.
  • New information came to light: Sometimes people realize a relationship milestone happened earlier or later than originally thought.
  • The displayed date doesn’t reflect the “real” anniversary: Some users prefer to show the date they first became a couple rather than the date they married.

In these cases, being able to modify the anniversary date displayed on your profile is important to accurately represent your relationship status and milestones.

Can You Edit Anniversary Dates on Facebook?

Yes, it is possible for users to change their anniversary date displayed on Facebook, though the process is not straightforward. There is no direct way to edit an anniversary date within the Facebook interface once it’s been set.

However, there is a workaround that allows you to modify the date that appears on your profile and in your relationship status.

The Anniversary Date Workaround

To change your Facebook anniversary date, you need to temporarily change your relationship status, change the anniversary date, then switch your status back.

Here are the steps:

  1. Go to your Facebook profile and click on your relationship status in the intro box.
  2. In the pop-up box, click “Edit” and change your relationship status to any status other than the current one. For example, change from “Married” to “In a Relationship.”
  3. Remove your previous anniversary date completely.
  4. Click “Done” to apply the changes.
  5. Once again click the relationship status in your intro box and re-open the pop-up.
  6. Change your status back to the accurate one (ex. “Married”) and enter the correct anniversary date.
  7. Click “Done” to save the changes.

This effectively resets your anniversary date without having to delete your entire relationship status history. Once you complete these steps, the new anniversary date will be displayed.

Does Changing the Date Impact Past Posts?

When you change your anniversary date using this workaround, it only impacts the date displayed on your profile going forward. Any previous posts, check-ins, photos, etc. that you shared regarding a past anniversary will still show the original date.

The new date you set will only apply for newly created content mentioning your anniversary after the date change. So you don’t have to worry about any legacy posts being impacted or shown with the wrong date.

What If You Don’t Remember the Exact Date?

If you can’t remember the precise anniversary date you want to display, here are some tips:

  • Check older social media posts you may have created around that time celebrating your anniversary.
  • Look back through old photos that may be dated around your anniversary date.
  • Reach out to close friends or family who are likely to remember significant relationship milestones.
  • Review emails, cards, or gifts exchanged on recent anniversaries that may include date information.
  • Look up dates of weddings, engagements, or dating milestones you want to commemorate.
  • If you know the month and year but not exact date, you can enter the first or last day of the month instead.

If you still can’t pinpoint the exact anniversary date, enter your best approximation or reach out to your partner to confirm the special date.

Relationship Changes After Setting an Anniversary Date

What happens if you enter an anniversary date on Facebook and then your relationship status changes? For example, if you break up with your significant other after displaying an anniversary date for your relationship.

In this situation, you have a few options:

  • Remove the date entirely – Using the steps above, you can remove the anniversary date from your profile after changing your status to single or another non-anniversary status.
  • Keep the date with an adjusted status – You can change your status to something like “Separated” or “Divorced” and keep the anniversary date as a record of your past relationship.
  • Change the date – If you want to commemorate a different relationship, you can keep your status and use the workaround to modify the anniversary date displayed.

It’s up to you how you want to manage anniversary dates after a breakup – you can delete the date, preserve it as a memory, or change it to reflect a new relationship.

What Happens if You Enter Multiple Dates?

Facebook only allows users to display one anniversary date at a time on their profile. If you attempt to enter multiple anniversary dates for different relationships, only the most recent date will be shown.

When you add a new anniversary date using the status workaround, it will override any previously set dates. Facebook does not store or display past anniversary dates anywhere once they are removed or changed.

So entering alternating anniversary dates as your relationships change will display only the newest date on your profile. Older anniversary dates from previous relationships will not remain visible after changing your status and date.

Is There a Way to Add Multiple Anniversary Dates?

Unfortunately, Facebook does not have a built-in feature for showcasing multiple anniversary dates for different relationships or milestones simultaneously. The platform only allows displaying a single anniversary date at once.

Some potential workarounds if you want to commemorate multiple relationships/dates include:

  • Creating custom anniversary frame photos with different dates for different relationships. You can upload these as separate photos.
  • Mentioning additional anniversaries in your bio or relationship status description text.
  • Creating a customized Friends/Family list with the names of different partners and anniversary dates in the list description.
  • Writing individual posts on each anniversary with the relevant date mentioned.

But there’s no way within the Facebook interface to display two anniversary dates side-by-side for different relationships at the same time. You can only actively display one date on your profile.

Is There a Limit to How Far in the Past or Future You Can Set an Anniversary Date?

There are no official limitations on past or future dates when entering your anniversary date on Facebook. You can enter any date you choose, regardless of how long ago or far into the future it is.

However, dates extremely far in the past or future may look unrealistic and be confusing to your friends and connections viewing your profile. Most people commemorate anniversaries within a few decades.

Here are some guidelines on anniversary date ranges:

  • Past dates: Entering an anniversary date up to 50 years ago is reasonable if commemorating a very long-lasting marriage or historical relationship.
  • Future dates: You can enter an anniversary date up to 1 year in the future if you want to commemorate a milestone before it happens, like an upcoming wedding anniversary.

Extremely old (centuries ago) or distant future (year 2200) anniversary dates are not recommended since they will look implausible on your profile. But technically there are no limits other than choosing a realistic date others will understand.

Tips for Changing Your Facebook Anniversary Date

Here are some top tips to help modify your anniversary date on Facebook:

  1. Use the relationship status workaround to reset your anniversary date.
  2. Verify the new accurate date from sources like old posts or photos.
  3. Check with your partner to ensure you have the right anniversary date.
  4. Remove past anniversary dates before entering new ones.
  5. Enter realistic, recent dates that friends will understand.
  6. You can commemorate previous relationships/marriages with custom frame photos if you want to display multiple anniversaries.
  7. Remember only the most recent anniversary date will appear on your profile.

Conclusion

While Facebook doesn’t have a direct edit function for anniversary dates, users can change the date displayed in their relationship status through a relatively simple workaround. By temporarily changing your relationship status and anniversary date, then switching it back, you can modify the date shown on your profile. This allows you to display the accurate anniversary date commemorating your current or past relationships after initially entering an incorrect date. Keep in mind only one date will appear at once, so enter the most recent relevant anniversary you want visible on your profile.