With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become one of the largest social media platforms in the world. Many users sign up for Facebook without realizing how much personal data they are sharing with the company and other Facebook users. This has led some people to want to delete their Facebook account permanently.
Deleting your Facebook ID permanently is possible, but the process is not straightforward. Facebook does allow you to deactivate or delete your account, but it still retains some of your data in their systems. In this article, we’ll explore how to maximize the removal of your Facebook presence and information.
Can You Fully Delete a Facebook Account?
When you delete your Facebook account, it is not immediately erased from Facebook’s servers. According to Facebook’s Data Policy, it can take up to 90 days for Facebook to delete all stored data associated with your account. Even after the 90 days, some information may remain in backup storage that is difficult to fully access and delete.
So in a technical sense, it is not possible to instantly and permanently delete a Facebook account. However, by following the proper steps, you can delete the account and remove the vast majority of your data from Facebook’s active systems. Essentially, your account will be deactivated and eventually deleted to a degree that makes the data inaccessible for most purposes.
How to Delete a Facebook Account
If you wish to delete your Facebook account as fully as possible, these are the steps to take:
- Log into your Facebook account
- Click on Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Click on Your Facebook Information in the left sidebar
- Click on Deactivation and Deletion
- Choose Permanently Delete Account, then click Continue to Account Deletion
- Select an option for why you’re deleting your account
- Enter your password to confirm your identity
- Click Delete Account
Once you complete these steps, your account will be scheduled for deletion. It may take up to 90 days for all of your data to be removed from active systems and backups. You will not be able to reactivate your account once you have confirmed for permanent deletion.
How to Delete Specific Facebook Data
In addition to deleting your entire account, you can delete specific types of data from your account while still keeping it active. Here are some options for removing personal data:
- Delete old posts: You can delete individual posts by clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the post and selecting Delete.
- Unlike pages: Unlike or unfollow pages so you don’t receive updates from pages you don’t want.
- Remove friends/followers: Unfriend people or remove followers to control who sees your profile and content.
- Delete Facebook searches and browsing history: Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information > Activity Log and click on Clear History.
- Delete location data: Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Location to manage your location history on Facebook.
Cleaning up your old posts, friends/followers list, interests, and online history can help shrink your digital footprint on Facebook without fully deleting your account.
How to Download Your Facebook Data
Before deleting your Facebook account, you may want to download a copy of your Facebook data for your records. Here are the steps to download your Facebook data:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Click on Your Facebook Information
- Select Download Your Information
- Choose JSON as the format for the most complete data download
- Select the data types you want to download such as posts, photos, videos, etc.
- Enter your password and click to confirm your identity
- Click to request the download of your data archive
Facebook will assemble your data archive and email you a link to download it when it’s ready. This can take a few minutes up to a few days depending on how much data you are downloading. Make sure to download and save your data archive before deleting your account.
How to Delete Facebook Messenger Conversations
Many people use Facebook Messenger for communicating with friends and family. When deleting your Facebook account, you’ll also want to delete your Messenger history and conversations.
On mobile:
- Open the Messenger app
- Tap your profile icon in the top left
- Tap Privacy & Data > Clear Messages
- Select Clear Messages to delete all recent conversations
On desktop:
- Go to Messenger.com and log in
- Click your profile icon at the top left
- Click Privacy & Support > Activity Feed
- Click Clear History to erase your chat history
You can also delete entire conversations by swiping right on mobile or hovering over a conversation on desktop and clicking the X icon. Be sure to clean up your Messenger before deleting Facebook.
How to Delete Instagram Account Connected to Facebook
Many Facebook accounts are linked to Instagram accounts since Facebook owns Instagram. When preparing to delete your Facebook account, you should also delete any associated Instagram accounts if you no longer want them.
To delete your Instagram account:
- Go to your Instagram profile
- Tap Edit Profile > Temporarily disable my account in the bottom right
- Select an option for why you are disabling your account
- Re-enter your password to confirm
- Tap Temporarily Disable Account
Your Instagram account will be disabled for 30 days, after which it will be permanently deleted. You can also manually delete it right away by submitting a deletion request.
Does Deactivation Delete Facebook Account?
If you choose to deactivate your Facebook account instead of deleting it, your information is retained in Facebook’s systems. Deactivating your account hides your profile and removes some data, but everything is recoverable if you choose to reactive your account.
When deactivating an account:
- Your profile is hidden
- Your name and photos are removed from most places
- Friends cannot see your timeline or search for you
- Some personal data remains in Facebook’s systems
Deactivation is reversible – you can quickly reactivate your account by logging back in. It essentially just puts your account on pause. If you want a more permanent removal, choose the full account deletion option.
Is Deleting Facebook Account Permanent?
Deleting your Facebook account permanently removes your account and associated data from Facebook’s platforms. However, as mentioned previously, data may continue to exist in backups for up to 90 days before being fully deleted.
Once your account has been permanently deleted:
- Your profile, photos, posts, and info are removed
- Friends cannot search for or view your account
- Your data is deleted from active Facebook systems
- You cannot reactivate or retrieve your account
In most cases, deletion is permanent and irreversible once your deletion request is processed. However, some data may remain in complex systems and backups that are difficult to scour. So while permanent, deletion does not literally erase every trace of your existence on Facebook.
Can You Tell if Someone Deleted Their Facebook?
If someone you know has deleted their Facebook account, you will notice their profile and posts disappearing from the platform. Specifically, here is how you can tell if someone has deleted Facebook:
- Their profile page says “Sorry, this content isn’t available right now”
- You cannot search for their profile on Facebook
- Your mutual friends list no longer shows them
- You are no longer Facebook friends or followers
- Their name disappears from group member lists
- Posts, photos, and history they shared are removed
Essentially, the person’s Facebook presence will entirely vanish. You will not be able to find any trace of their account or access any of the content they had posted or shared.
What Happens When You Delete Facebook Account?
Here’s an overview of what happens when you choose to delete your Facebook account:
- Your profile is removed from Facebook
- Friends can no longer search for or view your account
- Shared content like photos, posts, videos are deleted
- You are disconnected from Facebook groups
- Your Messenger history and conversations are erased
- You lose access to your Facebook account, Oculus device history, and more
- Most data is deleted from Facebook’s servers within 90 days
Essentially, deleting your account cuts ties with Facebook and begins removing your data from their systems. However, some data may persist in backups. You will lose access to any Facebook-connected services.
Can You Recover a Deleted Facebook Account?
Recovering a deleted Facebook account is very difficult, if not impossible in most cases. After confirming your intent to permanently delete an account, Facebook begins the deletion process and does not allow account recovery.
Facebook’s help pages state that accounts cannot be regained after being permanently deleted. The only option they suggest is creating a new account.
Some potential recovery options include:
- Contacting Facebook support: Facebook is unlikely to restore accounts after confirmed deletion.
- Finding account in hacked database: Stolen Facebook data may contain some deleted account info, but accessing is illegal.
- Checking web archives: Sites like Archive.org store old webpage copies, but won’t have full account info.
- Reaching out to friends: If someone shared your posts or tagged you, some data may remain, but account cannot be restored.
In most cases, permanent deletion is final. Your best option is to create a new account and start fresh if you regret deleting your old Facebook account.
Can You Restore Deactivated Facebook Account?
If you deactivated your Facebook account instead of deleting it, restoring your account is simple. Just log back in with your credentials, confirm your identity, and your account will be fully reactivated.
To reactivate a deactivated Facebook account:
- Go to Facebook.com and click Log In
- Enter your email or phone number and account password
- Complete any identity confirmation steps Facebook prompts
- Your account will be restored with all previous data intact
Deactivating an account through the Privacy Settings essentially just puts your account on pause. You can bring it out of deactivation at any time by logging back in. Deletion is permanent, but deactivation is easily reversible.
Should You Notify Contacts When Deleting Facebook?
It’s a good idea to let close friends and family members know if you plan to delete your Facebook account. This avoids confusion if they try to interact with your account after deletion.
Ways to notify contacts about deleting Facebook:
- Post about it – Post a status update explaining you are deleting your account.
- Send messages – Directly message close connections that you are leaving.
- Email – Email your contacts notifying them you are deleting Facebook.
- Text message – Text friends and family to let them know.
- Other social media – Post about your Facebook deletion on other platforms like Instagram.
Consider any friends or family you frequently interact with on Facebook and ensure they are aware. This will prevent confusion if they tag you or try to view your profile after deletion.
What to Do If You Change Your Mind After Deleting Facebook
Once your Facebook account has been permanently deleted, it is gone for good in almost all situations. However, you do have options if you change your mind later on:
- Sign up for a new account – This gives you a fresh start while letting you access Facebook again.
- Use an alternative account – If you manage a business Page or secondary account, switch to logging in there.
- Rejoin Facebook groups and pages – Follow or rejoin any pages and groups you want to keep up with.
- Let friends share old posts – If friends shared your old posts, you may be able to view them.
- Reconnect on other platforms – Link up with friends again on sites like Instagram, WhatsApp or Messenger.
While your original account is likely gone forever, you can still reestablish connections and a Facebook presence by starting a new profile.
Is There a Pending Delete Period on Facebook?
When you delete your Facebook account, there is a pending delete period before the account is removed from the system entirely.
- Immediately – Your profile and info become inaccessible to other users
- Days – Most data is deleted from active Facebook systems
- Weeks – Backups and residual data are deleted
- 90 days – Full deletion completed in most cases
So while deletion begins instantly, full removal of all your data takes around 90 days. During this pending delete period, it becomes increasingly difficult to recover or restore the deleted account.
Can You Use Facebook Without an Account?
Facebook does require an account in order to access most functionality. However, there are some parts of Facebook you can use without logging in:
- View public profiles and pages – See profiles and Pages without an account.
- Share public posts – Share posts published as public by other users.
- Watch public videos – Watch videos shared publicly on Facebook.
- See location pages – View Facebook business location and restaurant pages.
But core functions like posting, messaging, following friends and groups, and viewing private content do require a Facebook account. So Facebook access is very limited without an active account.
Conclusion
Deleting your Facebook account permanently is possible, but takes deliberate action on your part. Facebook wants to keep you active on their platform, so account deletion requires intentionally navigating through menu options to request permanent removal.
The most thorough way to maximize deletion is to first download your data for personal records, then manually delete posts, conversations, and other info you don’t want stored on Facebook’s servers. Finally, proceed through the steps to permanently delete your account when you are ready.
While Facebook will retain some data in backups even after deletion, removing your active account and requesting permanent deletion is the closest solution available for complete removal of your Facebook presence. Going through informed and intentional steps can help free you of Facebook’s systems for good.