With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. However, some users decide they want to take a break from Facebook or deactivate their account entirely. This raises an important question – if you deactivate your Facebook account, will you lose everything?
What happens when you deactivate your Facebook account?
When you deactivate your Facebook account, it is not deleted but rather put into an inactive state. Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and other data are saved but are no longer visible to other users on Facebook. You will need to log back into your account to reactivate it and regain access to everything. Here are some key things to know about deactivating your Facebook account:
- Your profile and posts will be hidden
- You will not show up in searches on Facebook
- You cannot post content, react to posts, or interact with other users
- You will be logged out of Facebook services like Messenger and Instagram
- Friends will no longer be able to tag you or invite you to events
- You can reactivate your account at any time by logging back in
So in summary, deactivating your Facebook account hides your information and prevents you from using the platform, but does not delete anything.
Will you lose your photos, posts, and other data?
No, deactivating your Facebook account will not cause you to lose your posts, photos, videos or other information you have shared on the platform. All of that data remains saved and associated with your account, it is just no longer publicly visible. When you choose to reactivate your account by logging back in, everything you had previously posted will reappear just as it was before deactivation.
Some key points about your data when deactivating your account:
- Your photos, videos, posts, and profile info are preserved
- Friends, followers, and your network connections remain intact
- Messages, comments, and your messaging history are retained
- You do not lose any purchased games, apps, subscriptions or other transactions
- Reactivating your account restores full access to your data
In other words, no content or information is deleted. Your data remains safely stored so that it can be fully restored if you choose to reactivate your Facebook account.
Can you download your Facebook data before deactivating?
Yes, before deactivating your Facebook account it is highly recommended that you download a copy of your Facebook data for your own records. Here are steps to download your Facebook data:
- Click on the downward arrow in the top right and select “Settings & Privacy”
- Go to “Settings” and click on “Your Facebook Information”
- Select “Download Your Information” and choose your preferences
- Enter your password when prompted to request the download
- Facebook will assemble your data and email you when it is ready, which may take a few days
- Download the file(s) and save your Facebook data to your computer or other devices
Downloading this data lets you have a permanent backup of your Facebook history even after deactivating your account. The download includes your posts, photos, videos, messages, profile info, and more. Saving this data locally means you have your own long-term record of your Facebook presence.
What about my Facebook Messenger chats?
Deactivating your Facebook account also logs you out of Facebook Messenger. However, your Messenger chats and message history remain saved and can be accessed if you reactivate your account later on. You can also download your Messenger data separately before deactivating your Facebook account:
- Open the Messenger app and go to your profile
- Tap on “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”
- Scroll down and select “Download Your Information”
- Select the data you want to download including messages
- Enter your password when prompted to request the download
- Facebook will email you the Messenger data file to download
This lets you retain a copy of all your Messenger content and conversations outside of Facebook’s platform so you will never lose your message history.
Can I delete my Facebook account permanently?
If you want to permanently delete your Facebook account and all of its data, you can request account deletion rather than just deactivating it. Here is how account deletion works:
- Your profile, posts, photos, videos, and other data are permanently erased
- You cannot reactivate or regain access to a deleted account
- It may take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully process the deletion
- You can log back in within 30 days to cancel a deletion request
- Facebook may retain some data for legal reasons after deletion
Keep in mind account deletion is permanent – you cannot retrieve anything once it is gone. Make sure to download your data before requesting deletion.
What are the risks of deactivating your Facebook account?
While no data or content is lost when deactivating your Facebook account, there are some risks and things to consider:
- You lose access to stay in touch with friends and family
- It can be harder to get invitations, notices, or coordinate plans
- You miss out on photos, updates, and shared memories from your connections
- Groups you are a member of will no longer see your activity and posts
- Pages and businesses you follow will no longer reach you with updates
- Disconnecting from friends and networks can lead to feelings of social isolation
Deactivation prevents you from participating actively in your social circles on Facebook. For avid Facebook users, this can result in missing out on social interactions and shared experiences.
Risks for pages, businesses, creators
There are additional risks related to losing access to your audience and revenue streams:
- Creators, businesses, brands lose connections with followers
- Unable to promote content, products, services or events
- Page growth and engagement grinds to a halt during deactivation
- Revenue decreases from lack of reach, ads, and new customers
- Competitors or other pages become more visible in your absence
- Harder to build presence, traffic, and conduct marketing
For accounts depending on Facebook for business, deactivation can be very harmful if done for extended periods. Staying in touch with your audience is key.
Conclusion
Deactivating your Facebook account does not make you lose your information, content, or connections. However, it does prevent you from accessing Facebook’s platform features to interact with friends, family, creators, businesses, and more. Make sure to download your data for safekeeping before deactivating. While no permanent damage is done, an extended absence from Facebook can impact personal relationships and business success.