How to Fix Your Email After Facebook Changed It

Facebook quietly changed every users’ displayed email address earlier this week, resulting in criticism from bloggers, tech wizards and every day users like you and me.

Instead of reading a user’s previous email address, like my Jonathan.Moyniahn@Patch.com, it replaced contact lists with new @Facebook.com addresses.

While users received little or no warning about the change, fans of Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch’s Facebook page generally didn’t seem too upset about the unmentioned shift in their online experience. I asked people if they were bothered by the change and I got a wide range of responses.

Wendy Cronin said, “Big deal—How does it affect anyone?  I don’t email anyone on Facebook anyway.”

Tim McArdle reminded everyone that Facebook was free, and that their terms and conditions state that they can change things without notice.

“Yes it is annoying—even more so when they reset your privacy settings. But then again, as a computer guy I’m amazed Facebook even works considering the magnitude of what it does.”

Both Lila Perilloux and Mayra Camden felt the switch was actually a good thing—keeping their personal emails hidden and preventing “random people” from looking up their contact information.

“I’m fine with it. Rather have my Facebook email up there than my own personal one,” Camden said.

A few readers were frustrated by the change and said they had trouble switching it back. So I decided to create a step-by-step guide on how to change your listed email back to the previous one—if you so desire.

Step 1: Log in to Facebook and click on your name, going to your own personal Facebook page. Your picture should be in the top left corner.  

Step 2: Click “About" found underneath your name and list of personal info, like birthday, hometown, etc. This will take you to a new page.

Step 3: Once on your personal info page, scroll down to “Contact Info” and click “Edit.” (It will be on your right near the bottom of the page.)

Step 4: A box will drop down and show “Emails” at the top. There you will see your new Facebook email, “John.Smith@Facebook.com,” and your previous email, JSmith@gmail.com. To the right of the email addresses, you will see two circles, one open and one with a slash through it. Simply click the circle that corresponds with your actual email address to say “Show on Timeline.”

Step 5: Next, click on the circle that corresponds with the Facebook email address and click it so it says “Hidden from Timeline.” Then scroll down and hit “Save.” It will not work if you don’t click “Save.”

That’s it. Not too hard at all.

Were you bothered by the unannounced change to your contact information? Tell me in the comments. 

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