How to Create a Facebook Account on a Computer, Phone, or Tablet

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Learn to create a Facebook account on desktop or mobile in a few simple steps

Co-authored by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: May 28, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using the Mobile App

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Using a Computer

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Setting up a Facebook account is easy. All you need to do is visit the Facebook website in a browser or download the mobile app, then enter some personal information. Once your account is verified, you can build your profile and add friends. This wikiHow article teaches you how to create a new Facebook account on mobile or using a desktop computer.

Quick Steps

Open the Facebook app and tap Create New Account.
Tap Get Started and enter your name.
Enter your birthday and gender.
Enter your phone number or email.
Choose a password and agree to the terms and policies.
Verify your email or phone number.
Follow the guided instructions to set up your profile.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using the Mobile App

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1
Open the Facebook app and tap Create New Account. The icon looks like a white lowercase F against a blue background. Tap the icon to launch Facebook. If you are not logged into a Facebook account, you will see "Create New Account" at the bottom of the page.^{[1]
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- If you don’t already have the Facebook app, download it from the Google Play Store on Android, or App Store on iPhone and iPad.
- If you are already signed in to a different Facebook account, tap your profile picture in the upper-right or lower-right corner. Then tap ∨ in the upper-right corner to select a different profile. Tap Create in the upper-right corner.
- To log out of an existing Facebook account.
It's the blue button in the middle of the page.

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3
Enter your name and tap Next. Type in your first and last name. When you’re done, tap Next.
- Make sure the name you enter follows Facebook’s name guidelines.
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Fill in your date of birth and tap Next. Tap the date, use the sliders to select the day, month, and year of your birth, and tap Set.
- You must be at least 13 years old to sign up for a Facebook account.
- Tap Next when you are done.
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Select your gender. You can choose from Female, Male, and More options. When you’re done, tap Next.
- If you select "More options," you can select "They" from the drop-down menu or enter your own pronoun.
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Enter your phone number or email address. Next, you’ll be prompted to enter your mobile number. Type it in and tap Next, or tap Sign Up with Email Address to use email instead.
- If you are asked if you want to allow Facebook to access your contacts, you can tap Allow or Deny. If you allow Facebook to access your contacts, it will suggest profiles from your contacts for you to add as friends. Not allowing Facebook to access your contacts will help protect your privacy.
On the next screen, type in a password that you’ll be able to remember. You can use a password manager to generate a secure password for you. Tap Next once you’re satisfied with your chosen password.
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Agree to Facebook's terms and policies. Read through the Terms and Policies page and then tap I agree to continue. You can read the individual policies by tapping the blue links in the text.
Before you can use Facebook, you’ll need to verify your account. Depending on how you signed up, you’ll either need to enter a code that was texted to your phone number or click a verification link in an email sent to your chosen email address.^{[2]
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Set up optional profile features. The next three pages are optional profile features you can turn on or skip:
- Add a profile picture. If you want to add a profile picture, tap Add picture. You can then tap Choose from Gallery/Camera Roll to choose an existing photo or Take photo to take a new one with your phone's camera. When you're finished, tap Done.
- If you don't want to add a photo now, tap Skip instead.
- Turn on contact uploading. If you want to upload your contacts to receive friend suggestions, tap Turn on. If you do not want to use this feature, tap Not now instead.
- Turn on Notifications. If you want to receive Facebook notifications, tap Turn on notifications. If you don't want to turn on notifications, tap Skip instead.
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Edit your profile. When you create a new account, the Facebook app may guide you through setting up your profile. You can also make changes later by tapping your profile icon at the top of the home screen (next to "What’s on your mind?"). Then tap the icon with three dots (⋯) and tap Edit. From there:
- Tap Edit next to your profile picture to upload a new profile picture.
- Tap Edit next to "Avatar" to edit your Facebook avatar.
- Tap Edit next to "Cover photo" to select a new cover photo.
- Tap Edit next to "Bio" and then write a brief description of yourself.
- Tap Edit next to "Details" to edit your information, then tap the pencil next to each item to personalize them. You can add information about your current location, work history, education, hometown, relationship status, etc.
  - Tap Save when you are done.
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Set your account and privacy settings. Privacy is a major concern with Facebook, as most of your profile will be public by default. To adjust your privacy settings, tap the ☰ Menu button or profile picture in the upper-right or lower-right corner and tap Settings & Privacy. From here, you can adjust things like:^{[3]
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- Your name and contact information
- Your password and account security settings
- Your privacy settings (e.g., who can see your profile and posts)
- What kinds of ads and notifications you see on Facebook

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Computer

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1
Visit https://www.facebook.com in your browser. Open a browser on your desktop and visit the Facebook website.
- If you already have a Facebook account, log out so you can create a new one.
This is a green button at the bottom of the Log In box on the right side of the page.
3
Fill out your personal information. A dialog box will pop up, prompting you to answer a few questions. You’ll need to provide:
- Your first and last name. While you don’t technically have to use your legal name, make sure you follow Facebook’s name guidelines.
- Your birthdate (month, day, and year). You must be at least 13 to sign up for a Facebook account.
- Your gender (you can choose Female, Male, or Custom).
- Your mobile phone number or email address.
- The password you want to use.
It’s a green button at the bottom of the dialog box.
5
Confirm your email address or mobile number. Before you can use Facebook, you’ll need to verify the phone number or email address you used to create the account. Facebook will prompt you to do one of the following:^{[4]
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- If you signed up with a mobile phone number, you’ll get a text message the first time you try to log in. A dialog box will pop up asking you to enter the code from the text message. Type in the code and click Confirm.
- If you used an email address, you’ll get an email with a verification link. Click the link to verify your account.
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Fill out your profile information. Once you’ve verified your account, have fun building your profile! Click your profile picture (which will look like a blank silhouette if you haven’t uploaded a picture yet) in the top right corner of the main Facebook page, click your name at the top of the dropdown menu, then click Edit at the top to edit your profile. From there, you can:
- Click Edit next to your profile picture to upload a new profile picture.
- Click Edit next to "Avatar" to edit your Facebook avatar.
- Click Edit next to "Cover photo" to select a new cover photo.
- Click Edit next to "Bio" and then write a brief description of yourself.
- Click Edit your About info at the bottom to edit your information. Click the icon with three dots (⋯) and then the pencil next to each item to make changes. You can add information about your current location, work history, education, hometown, relationship status, and more.
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Adjust your account and privacy settings. To fine-tune your Facebook experience even more, click your profile icon in the top right corner of the page. When the dropdown menu opens, click Settings & privacy. From there, you can edit things like:
- Your display name and contact information
- Your password and login security settings
- Your privacy settings (e.g., who can see your posts and which information on your profile is visible to the public)
- What kinds of notifications you receive

Community Q&A

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Question

I was not aware that I was supposed to use my real name. My account has been blocked. Is there anything I can do?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Facebook has changed its policies about name use. You no longer necessarily have to use your real (legal) name, but your name must conform to Facebook's guidelines (e.g., it can't contain any numbers or special symbols, offensive words, or titles), and you can't impersonate someone else by using their name. You may need to fill out Facebook's Appeal Profile Disable form to get your account restored.

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Do you have to provide an ID card to sign up?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

No. There are a few situations where Facebook may ask you to provide an ID (for instance, if you've been reported for impersonating someone and they're trying to verify your identity), but you don't need to provide one when you start your account.

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How do I add my existing Facebook account to this phone?

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Download and launch the Facebook app, then enter the email address or phone number you used to sign up for your account. You can also use a username, if you have one. Then, enter your password and tap Log In.

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Tips

A Facebook Page is different from a personal Facebook account. You’ll need to create a personal account before you can set up a page.

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Warnings

Technically, it is against Facebook’s rules for one person to have multiple personal Facebook accounts.^{[5]
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Facebook has a rule that you use the name you’re known by in everyday life (but not necessarily your legal name) when you sign up for an account. While you technically can sign up for Facebook using a fake name, your account may be blocked if you break the site’s name use guidelines.^{[6]
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