How do I change my Facebook page info?

I checked all of the Pages I admin, and the option to change the Page URL was readily available. Here’s how.

UPDATED for 2023! Current and correct for “New Page Experience.”

• Rules for your Facebook Business Page username.
• Best practices and cautions when changing your URL.
• Exactly how to change your Facebook URL in 2023, whether you have the Classic or New experience.
• Troubleshooting tips.

If you insist on skipping the rules and cautions, you can jump directly to the instructions.

What’s my Facebook Page URL?

Your Facebook Page URL is the part of your web address after the https://www.facebook.com/. So in the case of my Fan Page, we’re talking about the LouiseMcom.

Facebook calls this your username. It’s also often referred to as your vanity URL.

NOTE: Here are the instructions if you need to change your Facebook Page NAME, instead of URL.

Important Rules for your Facebook Page URL aka Username

Not surprisingly, Facebook has a host of rules about usernames.

• You can only have one username for your Page or profile.
• You can’t claim a username someone else is already using.
• Usernames can only contain alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period (“.”).
• They can’t contain generic terms or extensions (.com, .net). However I was able to append “com” with no problem.
• Periods (“.”) and capitalization don’t count as a part of a username. For example, johnsmith55, John.Smith55 and john.smith.55 are all considered the same username.
• Usernames must be at least 5 characters long.
• Your username must adhere to Facebook’s Terms. source

Keep in mind that you must be an admin to create or change the username for a Page.

You may not be able to immediately create a username for a new Page if you’ve recently created several new Pages.

Can I Reserve a Facebook Page Username for Later?

Don’t rely on “reserving” a Facebook URL and username!

A Page’s username can also be removed because of inactivity. YES, this happened to me! I set a URL and didn’t use the Page.

Now that URL belongs to someone else!

So if you want to hold a Facebook Page URL for later, post on the Page – or Facebook may release your username for someone else to snatch up.

Keep active! READ: How to Find Viral Facebook Posts.

Can I Switch Facebook Page Usernames?

So you want to remove a username / URL from one Page to use it on another.

Or maybe you want to change your personal profile URL so you can use it on your business page.

Will it be available? How long will it take before you can reuse that name?

This has become a frequently asked question here. People either want to know if they can switch immediately, or ask:

Why is my old Facebook username not available when it’s not taken?

I’m sorry to say that Facebook does not reveal their practices for releasing previously-used usernames and URLs.

Many years ago, it seemed like Facebook never released them. But they probably realized that their growing userbase made that unsustainable.

Then I had some people tell me the release of an old username was immediate. They could apply the name to another Page right away.

I also have people say they’ve waited months and the old username still says not available.

I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you what will happen when you try it.

But I don’t.

What I suspect about switching usernames

Facebook may have initiated a cooling off period as was noticed with changing Instagram usernames. It’s said to be 14 days.

Some usernames will never be made available again because the Business Page or personal profile broke Facebook’s ToS.

Facebook will change their mind on their policy whenever they feel like it.

I wouldn’t rely on anything you find online as gospel truth. I don’t think anyone really knows how it will work today, in your country, with your specific situation.

So what should I do if the old username says not available?

Keep checking!

On the chance it becomes available, which I think is a reasonable chance, you want to be the one to grab it.

And if it doesn’t within two weeks to a month, you can report an issue with Facebook Pages here.

I can’t promise anything, but it’s worth a shot.

Of course, like all things Facebook for Business, if you have an Ad Manager, s/he should be your first go-to.

More Facebook Page Username Best Practices

In addition to FB’s rules, here are my suggestions to get the best Facebook username:

Choose a username you’ll be happy with for the long term. It may or may not be changeable in the future!

Keep your username as short and memorable as possible, yet…

Make it as close as possible to your true name or the name of the business or person your Page represents (ex: John.Smith, YourCompanyName).

Regarding periods and capitalization, decide how you want it to look in the address bar, because users can type it in with or without periods and capitals.

This also means you can’t claim a URL someone else is using by adding periods or caps.

I did see one article claiming that periods between words makes your URL more SEO friendly, as Google likes delimiters between words. I decided to forgo periods to be more user-friendly.

If the username you want isn’t available, you’ll need to pick a new one that’s not taken yet. A username may be unavailable if it’s already claimed, even if the Page or profile it’s associated with isn’t published or used yet.

However, the username may be released if the Page remains inactive (see note above).

Cautions on Changing a Facebook Page URL That’s Already Set

Maybe you’ve decided your URL is too long, or you want to make it match your Page Name.

Changing your Page URL won’t change your Page name – the title that appears under your cover photo. However, be aware that once you’ve set a vanity URL, changing it will mean that any links to your Page will no longer work.

If you don’t search out and change the old links, when clicked, they’ll lead to this cute message:

Not so cute when it means people searching for you won’t find you!

I have some suggestions to help Google stop sending traffic to your old URL, but there is no such thing as a Facebook Page that redirects from one URL to another.

See the “Timeline for changing” section below to avoid the missing Page problem.

Also be aware: previously, Facebook allowed to change your Page URL only one time. So don’t make a change lightly – you’re might have to live with this one, or start a new Fan Page.

When it comes to social media, there are no guarantees that what works today will work tomorrow!

Can I Make Google Change the URL on my Facebook Page?

“When I google my FB name, the old URL appears and says the link is broken.”

Trying to get Google to do what you want is about as fruitless as trying to get Facebook to bow to your wishes. It just doesn’t happen.

There’s no way to submit your new URL on Facebook to search engines. You have to wait until they re-crawl the Page.

I’m stretching here, but it’s possible you’re seeing a cached version of your search. Try a different browser, an incognito window, or clear your cache.

It will take time though. Here’s one thing that no one reported was instantaneous.

How to get Google to update your Facebook Page URL faster

Update all links to your Facebook Page as detailed below. Google loves to see incoming links.

Request Google remove your old URL.

Keep your Page active with lots of relevant content. Google will love the keywords, and the activity.

What You MUST Do Before Changing your Facebook Page Username

If you’ve had your Facebook business Page for any length of time, and you’re active in promoting it, you’ve got that link posted in a lot of places.

I ran a search of my blog posts for my then-current “howtographics” username and was surprised to find over a dozen links.

You’ve probably linked your FB Page in at least one sidebar, header, or footer widget (I had three).

If you’ve guest posted, consider whether you left links there, and how you can access them to make the change. The last thing you want is to impress your reader, then send them to a dead page!

If you’ve linked to your Facebook Fan Page from other social accounts, you’ll need to update those too.

You may have saved a Pin on Pinterest with a link to your Facebook Business Page. You can change the URL on a Pin that you yourself pinned (but it won’t populate to repins). And if you have an Instagram account, you might have dropped a link there. Or on your Twitter profile. Find ’em all!

Check your email signature, as well as any printed materials – business cards, brochures, anything else? These will need to be addressed first 😉

As far as search engines like Google, you can ask them to deindex your old Facebook Page URL. They should eventually notice regardless. The length of time probably depends on how big or active your page is/was.

If people search for your Facebook page outside Facebook, a search engine such as Google will send people to a broken Facebook Page link for some amount of time – even if you request they remove the obsolete URL.

For me, I was doubtful many people were searching for my FB page on Google. If you feel that’s true for you, try not to worry about it ? 

Work on the ones things you can control – read on for the timeline.

Timeline for Changing Your Facebook URL

Now that you’ve figured out where you’ve placed your old username, it’s time to prepare.

Before investing time or money in the following steps, ensure that you have the option to change your username! Then proceed.

Most steps are optional and some may not apply to you. Use your best judgement. These are suggestions only.

1. Printed materials? Get ready to order new ones ASAP.
2. Post a heads-up on your FB Page that you’ll be changing your username. Explain why.
3. Reach out to blogs where you’ve guest posted and ask if they will make the URL change for you, if you don’t have admin privileges to do it yourself.
4. Prepare an image or video to post on Facebook when you complete the name change.
5. Set aside one to several hours (depending on how much you need to change) to do steps 6 to 9 in quick succession.
6. Open all the blog posts, widgets, and social media accounts that you need to change in separate tabs. Enter the change, but don’t save/update yet.
7. Go into your Facebook Fan Page and make the change following the steps below.
8. Got a new username secured? NOW complete everything from steps 1, 3, 4 and 6.
9. Change your email signature.
10. If needed, change your Facebook Page NAME to match the new username.
11. If needed, rebrand your FB Page graphics (more info on this towards the end of this article).
12. If desired, inform followers on your other social accounts, blog, and email list of your change.
13. Apply to Google for removal of the obsolete URL: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals
14. If needed, request assistance from Facebook. Go to your Page> Assistance> dig up to find the item “Need more help? Contact support.” I can’t give you a link for this page because it doesn’t exist, it’s a form that appears inside https://www.facebook.com/business/help

Thanks to reader Marco for the last 2 pointers.

How to Change a Facebook Page Username That’s Already Set

I highly recommend you read the rules and cautions above to know what you’re in for, but if you’re ready to jump in…

To change username in Facebook’s New Page Experience:

1 | On a computer, click the avatar at top right of any Facebook page and be sure you’re logged in as your Page, not your profile.

2 | Click Settings & privacy, then click Settings.

3 | Now you should see the General Page Settings. Click on Edit to the right of your username.

4 | Click into your Username area. Enter a new username. If it’s available, you’ll see a green checkmark and it will say Username is available.

5 | Click Save changes.

To change username in Facebook Classic:

1 | Log into Facebook as the personal profile that’s an Admin of the Page you wish to change on a computer.

2 | Go to your Page and click Edit Page info near the bottom left side (see image).

3 | Click into your Username area.

4 | Enter a new username. If it’s available, you’ll see a green checkmark.

If it’s not, you’ll get a red warning message to that effect, and the username will revert to your current one.

5 | Review your new username and then click outside the box. A message will pop up in a small black box at the lower left of your browser saying, Your changes have been saved.

And that’s it!

Can You Change a Facebook Page URL on Mobile?

You can change your business Page URL if you can bring up the desktop version of your Facebook Page in your mobile browser.

I’ve read several articles and watched a few videos saying you can do it through the Messenger app. Sorry, that’s for personal profiles only.

Can you change your username in Meta Business Suite? Sorry, that’s a nope as well.

Unfortunately, the option is NOT appearing anywhere on mobile. I’ve poked around everywhere. While there IS an option in the Page Settings that says Edit profile name and username, it turns out that you can change your Page Name but not your username.

For now, desktop browser is the only way.

Why Can’t I Change my Facebook Page URL?

My readers keep me on my toes! Just after updating this article, Jaz commented:

I had originally been able to change it but I did not click “Request Change” since I was still deciding what I wanted the new name to be.

Now when I click to Edit the Page Name, a pop-up comes up that says “You can’t change your Page name.”

I could not find anything definitive about NOT being able to change usernames except that you must be an admin. Nonetheless, here are some things to check:

1 | Are you logged into a FB account that has full admin privileges?

2 | Have you changed your URL recently? Wait at least 3 days before trying again.

3 | Have you engaged in spammy behavior? Start over with a new Page if you can commit to NO spam!

4 | Have you ever used the Page? Inactivity could prevent you from making this URL change.

5 | Do you have hardly any, or a ton of, Page Likes? Once again, a possibility.

If you still don’t have the option to change your URL/username, you can report a problem, but don’t expect a reply (sorry).

However, if you’ve run ads and have an ad manager, contact them as they should be eager to help.

Next Steps for your Facebook Fan Page

Does your FB Page cover photo match your new brand?

Facebook’s cover photos are a bit tricky to size correctly to look good across devices!

Use my template in the article below! Or try the fast and easy way to optimized cover photos for every major social network. Design one, and optimize for another use in a couple clicks.

READ: Facebook Page cover photo template for desktop and mobile

If you need to update your profile picture, this article is full of great tips and ideas.

READ: Facebook profile picture size and ideas

This article covers just about every Facebook Page image and video size known to mankind, even ads and job postings. It’s all here!

Here are the Facebook image and video dimensions 

Plan to run ads to promote your rebranded page? Great idea! Make sure they work for you so you don’t waste money.