How to Change Your Age or Birthday on Instagram

Instagram, one of the world’s leading social media platforms, requires users to provide their birthdate as part of their profile. This helps the platform ensure that users comply with age regulations and receive age-appropriate content. However, circumstances may arise where you need to update your birthdate—whether due to an error during account creation or a need to correct outdated information. Unlike some social platforms, Instagram doesn’t make this change as straightforward as editing your profile biography. Here’s a trustworthy and step-by-step guide on how to change your age or birthday on Instagram.

Why Instagram Requires Your Birthday

Since 2021, Instagram has strengthened its youth protection policies, making it mandatory for all users to provide their date of birth. This update was primarily implemented to:

• Prevent underage users from accessing the platform
• Offer age-relevant content and privacy settings
• Enhance digital safety for teenagers and younger audiences

Choosing to provide a false birthdate can not only jeopardize your experience on the app, but it might also lead to account suspension if the discrepancy is ever discovered.

How to Change Your Birthday If Your Instagram Account Is Connected to Facebook

If your Instagram is linked to your Facebook account, your birthday is likely pulled directly from the information on your Facebook profile. In that case, changing your birthday on Instagram means you must update it on Facebook first.

1. Open Facebook and log in with your credentials.
2. Go to your profile and select the “About” section.
3. Click “Contact and Basic Info”, then find your birthdate field.
4. Click on the edit icon next to your birthdate.
5. Make the necessary changes and click “Save”.

Once your Facebook birthdate has been updated, the change should reflect on Instagram shortly, assuming both accounts are synced properly.

How to Change Your Birthday on Instagram Directly

If your Instagram account is not connected to Facebook, or if you signed up using only your email or phone number, you can try changing your birthday directly within the Instagram app:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Navigate to your profile by tapping the profile icon at the bottom right corner.
3. Tap “Edit Profile”.
4. Scroll to find your birthday. If it’s visible, tap it and make the necessary corrections.
5. Save the changes by tapping the checkmark or “Done” button.

Important Note: In many cases, your birthdate might not be editable directly through this section. If that’s the case, continue to the next method using Meta Accounts Center.

Using the Meta Accounts Center to Change Your Birthday

Instagram, under Meta (formerly Facebook), allows users to manage shared information through the Meta Accounts Center. Here’s how to use this tool to change your birthdate:

1. Open Instagram and go to Settings.
2. Scroll down to find “Accounts Center”.
3. Select “Personal Details”, then tap on “Birthday”.
4. Tap “Edit” and modify your birthdate as needed.
5. Confirm and save your changes.

This method is considered the most reliable way to change your birthdate on Instagram, especially after the integration of Meta’s unified account management system.

Limitations and Restrictions

It’s important to note that you cannot change your birthday on Instagram (or through Meta) unlimited times. Meta has safeguards in place to prevent misuse. Here are some key restrictions:

• You can only edit your birthday a limited number of times over a set period.
• Frequent changes may trigger an account verification prompt.
• Users under the age of 13 (or the age set by local laws) may have their accounts disabled.

What to Do If You Can’t Change Your Birthday

If you’ve reached the limit for editing your birthday or encounter an error, you can reach out to Instagram support to request a manual correction. Be prepared to verify your identity and provide a valid reason for the request.

1. Go to Settings > Help.
2. Select “Report a Problem”.
3. Write a detailed explanation and provide supporting documentation if asked.

Final Thoughts

Changing your birthday on Instagram is not as simple as it might be on other platforms, but it’s certainly possible with the right steps. Always ensure that the information you provide is accurate and aligns with your identification records. Providing false details can hurt your credibility on the platform and may result in unintended limitations.

Use the proper channels, be cautious with how often you request changes, and contact support if you face persistent issues. Keeping your profile details accurate is part of maintaining a trustworthy digital presence in today’s interconnected world.