{"id":181083,"date":"2021-12-10T11:59:25","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T10:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=181083"},"modified":"2025-07-01T20:59:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T03:59:31","slug":"how-to-delete-facebook-account","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/how-to-delete-facebook-account\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Delete Facebook Account"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/facebook-com.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a> has long been one of the most popular social media sites. However, it&#8217;s not a platform for everyone. As such, you may wish to <strong>delete your Facebook account<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you are concerned about your online privacy or are just tired of the toxicity in some of these platforms, it is a <a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.en.softonic.com\/articles\/this-is-how-facebook-spies-on-you-even-if-you-dont-use-facebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">good idea to completely deactivate or delete<\/a> your Facebook account rather than just leaving it online. By leaving your Facebook profile online, others can still see and find some of your data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Deleting Vs. Deactivating a Facebook Account<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re tired of Facebook and decide you <a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.en.softonic.com\/articles\/quitting-facebook-7-essential-tips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">don\u2019t want to use it anymore<\/a>, you have two options. You can <strong>deactivate or delete your account<\/strong>. Let\u2019s take a look at the differences between these two options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"How to Delete Facebook Account\" class=\"wp-image-181093\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-b-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Deactivating Facebook<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By deactivating your account, you are basically <strong>freezing it<\/strong>. This means your account will no longer be visible in searches, and friends will no longer be able to view your timeline. The benefit of deactivating your account is that the account still exists, and if you ever decide to get back on Facebook, you can reactivate your account and continue from there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By <strong>deactivating your account<\/strong>, you\u2019ll also still have access to all your posts, photos, videos, and messages once you reactivate the account. If you deactivate your Facebook profile, you\u2019ll still be able to use Messenger if you have the app installed. You will still be able to chat and connect with your friends through Messenger, and your profile picture in Messenger will be the same profile picture on your Facebook account at the time of deactivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"601\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-1.jpg\" alt=\"How to Delete Facebook Account\" class=\"wp-image-181085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-1.jpg 601w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-1-300x256.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-1-150x128.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Deleting Facebook<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By deleting your Facebook account, the <strong>entire profile will be permanently deleted<\/strong>, including any photos, videos, and chats. If you choose to delete your account, you will have a grace period of 30 days, in which you can change your mind and reinstate your account. However, after the grace period, everything will be removed. You will also <a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.en.softonic.com\/articles\/delete-facebook-keep-messenger\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no longer be able to use Messenger<\/a> as the two are linked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will also <strong>no longer be able to use Facebook login<\/strong> to gain access to other apps. It is important to note that even by deleting your Facebook account, some messages sent to friends will still be visible in their profiles as a copy is saved to the recipient\u2019s inbox. Also, it could take up to 90 days from deleting your account for every trace of your profile to be completely removed from Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-2.jpg\" alt=\"How to Delete Facebook Account\" class=\"wp-image-181086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-2.jpg 840w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-2-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-2-768x412.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-Delete-Facebook-Account-2-150x81.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Delete Facebook?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now that we understand the different options available let\u2019s look at how you can delete your Facebook account.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"howto_container schema-howto-acf-block\"><ol><li><div class=\"howto_item\"><h2>Open the More Options Menu<\/h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-delete-your-Facebook-Account-step-1.jpg\" alt=\"How to delete your Facebook Account step 1\" width=\"549\" height=\"502\"><p>Once logged in to your Facebook account, click on the downward-facing arrow in the top right section of the screen to open the \u2018<strong>More Options<\/strong>\u2019 menu.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><li><div class=\"howto_item\"><h2>Navigate to Your Facebook Information<\/h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-delete-your-Facebook-Account-step-2.jpg\" alt=\"How to delete your Facebook Account step 2\" width=\"1200\" height=\"669\"><p>Click on \u2018<strong>Settings and Privacy<\/strong>&#8216; and then select \u2018<strong>Settings<\/strong>\u2019 in the list. In the left column that appears, you can click on \u2018<strong>Your Facebook Information<\/strong>.&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><li><div class=\"howto_item\"><h2>Delete Facebook Account<\/h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/How-to-delete-your-Facebook-Account-step-3.jpg\" alt=\"How to delete your Facebook Account step 3\" width=\"1200\" height=\"669\"><p>Click on &#8216; <strong>Deactivation and Deletion<\/strong>&#8216; in the new list of options available. This new window is where you can choose to either delete or deactivate your Facebook account.<\/p>\n<p>Choose \u2018<strong>Delete Account<\/strong>\u2019, and a message will pop-up asking if you want to continue to delete your Facebook account. By pressing on \u2018<strong>Delete Account<\/strong>\u2019, you confirm this action, and the platform will request your password before finally deleting your account.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ol><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t.howto_container {\n\t  margin: 0 auto;\n\t}\n\t.howto_container img {\n\t\theight: 100%;\n\t\tmargin-bottom: 30px;\n\t}\n\t\n\t\t  .howto_container h2 {\n\t\t\t  clear: none !important;\n\t\t  }\n\t\t  .howto_container ol {\n\t\t\t  list-style: none !important;\n\t\t  }\t\n\t.howto_container ol li::before {\n\t\tcolor: #ffffff !important;\n\t\tbackground:#0073aa !important;\n\t}\n<\/style>\n\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Download Your Data from Facebook?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before deleting your Facebook account, we recommend downloading<a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.en.softonic.com\/articles\/how-to-download-all-of-your-facebook-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> a copy of your Facebook data<\/a>. From the \u2018Your Facebook Information\u2019 page, which you find in your settings, you have the option to download your current Facebook information. You can also choose what information you want by entering dates and choosing to download photos, videos, and any other media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve chosen what you want to backup, you can submit the download request. Next, Facebook will compile everything for you, which may take several days. Once everything is compiled, you\u2019ll get a notification informing you that you can download your data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alternatives to Facebook<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you consider deleting your Facebook account, you might also be looking for alternatives. There are many <a href=\"https:\/\/facebook.en.softonic.com\/articles\/the-best-social-networking-sites\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">great social media sites<\/a> that you can look at instead of Facebook. However, if you\u2019re looking for something new, you can consider Diaspora, Path, or Ello.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Facebook has long been one of the most popular social media sites. However, it&#8217;s not a platform for everyone. As such, you may wish to delete your Facebook account. Whether you are concerned about your online privacy or are just tired of the toxicity in some of these platforms, it is a good idea to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/how-to-delete-facebook-account\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Delete Facebook Account&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9221,"featured_media":181088,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":12},"categories":[2441],"tags":[2353],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-181083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-app-subdomain-redirectionfacebook"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=181083"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":324532,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/181083\/revisions\/324532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=181083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=181083"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=181083"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=181083"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=181083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}