If you have Facebook fatigue, you might be ready to walk away from the social media behemoth forever. Luckily, it’s as easy as following a few steps.
Here’s how to permanently delete your Facebook account.
- Log into Facebook.
- Click on the Account button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy > Your Facebook Information.
- Scroll down to Deactivation and Deletion and click View.
- Tap Delete Account and follow the prompts.
Your account will be immediately suspended and unavailable in Facebook’s search results. However, the actual account deletion can take a while longer. Facebook gives you a 30-day grace period to change your mind and reactivate your account.
Read our full article to learn how to delete your Facebook account permanently, even if you forget your password.
You might think the Facebook account deleting process is complicated. Fortunately, you only have to follow a few simple steps to remove your Facebook account permanently.
There are several reasons why you might want to remove your Facebook account. The social media giant has been mired in several data privacy and tracking scandals. Not to mention, Facebook scams and frauds have become all too common.
In this guide, we’ll show you easy-to-follow steps so you can delete your Facebook account in no time. Be sure to check out other helpful sections on how to temporarily deactivate your Facebook account, how to delete a Facebook profile you don’t have access to, and what you need to know before deleting your account.
How to Delete Facebook Account Permanently Immediately
We’ll walk through simple steps to permanently delete Facebook. Note that the steps might be slightly different depending on the device you’re using. That’s why we’ve split the steps into two sections: one for desktop users and another for mobile users. Let’s delve in.
How to delete Facebook account on a computer (Windows/Mac)
- Log into your Facebook account through the website or the app on your device.
- Click on the “Account” button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings” > “Privacy” > “Your Facebook Information.”
- Scroll down to “Deactivation and Deletion” and click “View.” You will see the following screen.
- Click the “Download Info” button before you proceed. This will save all the photos and other important content you’ve contributed to Facebook while you used it.
- Once that process is complete, tap “Delete Account” and follow the prompts.
Your account will be immediately suspended and unavailable in Facebook’s search results.
How to delete a Facebook account on iPhone or Android
For mobile users, the steps to delete a Facebook account permanently are slightly different. We’ve outlined them below:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone and log in.
- Click on the menu button in the top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on “Settings” (the gear icon at the top-right corner of your screen).
- Select “Access and control.”
- Tap “Deactivation and deletion.”
- Select “Delete account” and click on “Continue to account deletion.” Facebook will ask you to choose why you want to leave from a list of options. You can ignore this.
- Before allowing you to delete your account, Facebook will give you various options, including deactivating your account, saving posts in your archive, and downloading your information. Click the “Delete Account” button at the bottom to complete the process.
Do you have to wait 14 days before Facebook deletes your account?
Many guides online will tell you “how to delete your Facebook account permanently without waiting 14 days.” However, the truth is that this is, currently, not possible.
When you go through the process to delete your Facebook account, Facebook won’t permanently delete it until after 30 days. This is to give a grace period for users who change their minds and later want to reactivate their accounts. Facebook’s grace period used to be 14 days, and has now been extended to 30 days.
Unfortunately, there’s no way around this. When you hit delete, Facebook will suspend your account, and you will have to wait 30 days to pass without logging in before your account is gone.
How to Delete Facebook Account Without a Password
There are a few reasons why you might want or need to close a Facebook account you cannot log into. Below are the most common reasons and how to proceed for each.
Deleting the account of a deceased person
When someone close to you passes away, Facebook offers two options: memorialize the account or delete the account.
Memorializing an account freezes it, leaving it in place for others to find and make public posts. However, no one can log in to a memorialized account. The only person who can manage a memorialized account is a legacy contact selected by the deceased prior to their passing.
To memorialize an account, you’ll have to fill out a form, providing the following information:
- Who passed away
- When they passed away
- A photo or scan of the deceased’s obituary, death certificate, memorial card, or any other document proving the death
- Your email address
To delete a loved one’s Facebook account, you’ll also have to fill out a form and supply the following information:
- A document to provide proof of authority (Power of attorney, birth certificate, last will and testament, or an estate letter)
- A document to provide proof that your loved one has passed away (obituary or a memorial card)
How to set up a legacy account on Facebook
You can set up a legacy account right now. Simply go to “Settings and Privacy” > “Settings” > “Memorialization settings” > “Your legacy contact.”
Closing a Facebook account you can no longer access
Can’t remember your Facebook login credentials for an old account you want to get rid of? That presents a problem since Facebook requires you to first log in to an account before you can delete it.
Under all circumstances, you must first regain login access to the old account, before you can delete it. Facebook used to have a Trusted Friends feature that allowed any of three trusted friends to supply a reset code. However, Facebook no longer supports that feature.
To access your account, you’ll have to recover your password. Here’s how:
- From the Facebook home screen, click “Forgot Password?”
- You can search for your account via an email address or mobile number.
- Once Facebook locates your account, it will offer to send you a password reset code by email or SMS to a verified mobile number.
If you do not have access to any of those options, you can explore several recovery options. Once you’ve recovered access to your account, you can delete it by following the instructions above.
How to Regain Access to a Deleted Facebook Account
If you get cold feet after you delete your account, Facebook allows you to cancel the account deletion and recover it.
Note that you only have 30 days after your deletion request to recover your account. If you exceed the 30-day timeframe, you’ll need to create a new Facebook profile.
To reactivate your deleted Facebook account, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Facebook in a web browser or open the app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Enter the email address and password for your deleted account.
- Click Log In, and you’ll see a message noting the date scheduled for your account’s deletion, plus options to “Cancel Deletion” or “Confirm Deletion.”
- Choose “Cancel Deletion,” and your account will immediately be reinstated.
How to Deactivate Your Facebook Account
If you have doubts about deleting your Facebook account permanently, deactivating your account is the way to go. Deactivating your account doesn’t delete it. This means you can disable your Facebook account temporarily and then return to it at a later date without any consequence.
Just like deleting your Facebook account, deactivating your Facebook account is slightly different on desktop and mobile.
How to temporarily deactivate Facebook on PC
Here are the easy-to-follow steps if you’ve decided to deactivate your Facebook instead.
- In Facebook, click on the “Account” button in the screen’s upper-right corner.
- Tap “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings” > “Privacy” > “Your Facebook Information.”
- Go to “Deactivation and Deletion” and click “View.”
- Click “Delete Account” and click “Continue to account deactivation” to complete the deletion process.
You’ll be walked through a few additional steps to deactivate your account. When you’re ready to reactivate your Facebook account, log in, and your account will be active again.
How to deactivate your Facebook page on mobile
To deactivate your Facebook account on iPhone or Android, there are some steps to follow.
Note that before allowing you to deactivate your account, Facebook will ask you to give a reason. The service will also offer other options, including logging out and reactivating your account within one to seven days.
- Open the Facebook app on your phone and log in.
- Click on the menu button in the top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on “Settings” (the gear icon at the top-right corner of your screen).
- Select “Access and control.”
- Click on “Deactivation and deletion.”
- Select “Deactivate account” and click on “Continue to account deactivation.” Facebook will ask you to re-enter your password for confirmation.
Downloading Your Facebook Information
It’s vital to download your Facebook information because once you delete your Facebook account, you’ll lose all your information forever, including posts, photos, and videos.
You can still download your information even if you don’t want to delete your Facebook account. Here are the steps to follow:
- Log into Facebook and click on your profile picture.
- Navigate to “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings” > “Privacy” > “Your Facebook Information.”
- Click “View” next to “Download Profile Information.” You will have a variety of options for the Facebook data to include in your download file. They are all pre-selected for your convenience. If you don’t want certain information, just untick the checkbox for each. You must also choose your preferred file format, media quality, and date range.
- Click “Request a download.”
Seven Things to Know Before You Permanently Delete an Account on Facebook
Facebook makes it relatively easy to delete your account. What Facebook doesn’t explain, though, is what happens when you decide to leave.
Before your account is permanently deleted, you should take these seven important things into consideration.
1. Deleting the app on your device doesn’t delete your account
First things first. While it might feel cathartic to delete the Facebook app from your device, you should know that it doesn’t delete your account itself. It just puts the app out of sight and out of mind.
You’ll need to log in to Facebook and follow certain steps to fully delete your account. Afterward, you can easily delete your account on your iPhone, Android, or tablet.
If you have already removed the app from your device or are using a computer, you can reinstall the app to delete your account or use the web version of Facebook to delete your account.
2. You might lose access to other accounts
Many apps offer the convenience of logging in with your Facebook account. If you took advantage of that convenience, change your login methods on those apps before deleting your account.
If you can’t remember which apps you use Facebook to log into, you can easily check. Here’s how:
- In Facebook, click on the “Account” button in the screen’s upper-right corner.
- Tap “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings” > “Security and Login” > “Apps and Websites.”
You’ll see a list of all the places you’ve logged in using your account. Before deactivating your Facebook account, change your login credentials for each to ensure you can still access them.
3. Facebook keeps your log data forever
There are two types of data that Facebook collects about you: user-generated content (the pictures you post, the status updates you share) and log data (a record of what you do on Facebook, e.g. when you log in, post comments, etc.).
User-generated content is eventually erased (although it may take up to 90 days). However, your log data is preserved forever. Facebook removes your name from the activity to anonymize the data, but the data itself is forever retained.
4. Deleting your account doesn’t erase your Facebook existence
Even when you delete your account, much of your past activity on the social networking app stays visible. This includes any Messenger chats you sent to friends and any content shared by others about you.
While the pictures and status updates you posted disappear, your presence on Facebook doesn’t disappear entirely.
5. You need to save a copy of your data before you delete your Facebook account
All that user-generated content you’ve contributed to Facebook over the years is probably quite valuable to you. If you’re like many people, Facebook has become a photo album of sorts, where you saved countless irreplaceable images over time.
Before you delete your account, take a minute to download a copy of your data, as we’ve shown in the “Downloading Your Facebook Information” section above.
6. Any Facebook pages you manage will go away once you delete your Facebook account
If you created any pages and are the sole administrator, those pages will disappear once you permanently delete your account.
To avoid this, you need to give someone else full administration rights to the page before you go.
7. You can temporarily leave with the Deactivate Facebook Account option
Facebook fatigue is real. Many people want to take a break but aren’t sure the nuclear option of deleting their account permanently is right for them.
Don’t worry. Facebook offers a temporary solution – account deactivation. When you deactivate your account, your data stays put, your profile remains undisturbed, and you can still use Facebook Messenger. You just temporarily hide all your profile information from view.
The best thing is that there is no time limit on how long you can keep your Facebook account in deactivated status. If and when you decide to return, you log back in to reactivate your account, and your social media life goes on as if nothing happened.
If you go this route, make sure to keep track of your deactivated account’s login credentials.
Final Thoughts: Delete and Deactivate Your Facebook Account
If you’re unsure about deleting your Facebook account, you can always temporarily deactivate it and then reactivate it whenever you like. However, if you’re convinced about removing your account, be sure to download your data first, so you don’t lose out on any important memories
The step-by-step guides in the article are simple enough, but if you encounter any challenges, you can reach out to Facebook’s support team.
If you’re considering deleting other social media, here are articles you’ll find useful:
- How to Delete Your Twitter Account or Temporarily Deactivate It
- How to Delete Snapchat Fast
- How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account or Delete Instagram
- How to Delete Your Tinder Account Permanently
Do you have any remaining questions about Facebook accounts and how to delete them? Our FAQ below will provide the answers!
Follow these steps to completely delete your Facebook account:
- Log into Facebook.
- Click on the “Account” button.
- Go to “Settings & Privacy,” then choose “Settings.”
- Click “Privacy” and then “Your Facebook information.”
- Scroll down to “Deactivation and Deletion” and click “View.”
- Click “Download Info” to save all your Facebook content, so you don’t lose it completely.
- Click “Delete Account” and follow the prompts.
For a full step-by-step, read our article on how to delete your Facebook account.
Whether you’re seeking online privacy or you’re just tired of the social media platform, you need to weigh your reasons for account deletion first. If deleting Facebook feels like too big a step, you can always temporarily deactivate your account instead. We outline the steps in our guide to deleting and deactivating Facebook.
You can reactivate your Facebook account within 30 days of deleting it. After that period, there is no way to recover your account. Read this post to learn how to recover your Facebook account.
You can delete your Facebook account immediately, but Facebook provides you with a 30-day grace period in which to retrieve it. Facebook also holds onto all of your data for up to 90-days after deletion. Learn more in our post on how to delete your Facebook account.
