Can you transfer ownership of a Facebook group page?

Facebook groups allow people to come together around shared interests or experiences. Group admins have control over various settings and can add or remove members. Sometimes a group admin may need to step down from their duties and transfer ownership of the group page to someone else.

Can group ownership be transferred?

Yes, it is possible to transfer ownership of a Facebook group to another person. The current admin of the group has the ability to assign a new admin who will then take over the group. This can be done through the Facebook website or mobile app.

Requirements for transferring group ownership

Here are the requirements for transferring ownership of a Facebook group:

You must be the current admin of the group in order to transfer it.
The person receiving ownership must be an existing admin or moderator in the group.
Groups can only have a single owner. Ownership can only be transferred from one person to another.

Step-by-step guide to transfer ownership

Follow these steps to transfer ownership of your Facebook group:

Log into Facebook and go to your group page.
Click on the Members tab at the top of the page.

Find the name of the person you want to make the new owner. Hover over their name and click Make Group Admin.
A pop-up will appear. Click Confirm to make the selected person an admin.
Now hover over the name of the current group owner (yourself) and click Remove Admin.

Confirm that you want to remove yourself as an admin. This will automatically make the other admin the new owner.

Once these steps are completed, the other admin will become the new group owner with full permissions. You will no longer have access to admin tools.

What happens when group ownership is transferred?

Transferring ownership of a Facebook group passes on all admin capabilities to the new owner. Here’s what happens:

The previous owner loses all admin access and becomes a regular member.
Only the new owner can now add or remove admins and moderators.
The new owner takes over managing settings, membership, and content approval.

Group members, name, and other details remain the same.

Things to keep in mind

When planning to transfer ownership, here are some things to keep in mind:

Choose a new owner you trust since they’ll have full control over the group.

Inform group members that a new person will become the admin.
Make sure the new owner understands how to manage group settings and permissions.
Set up a new co-admin first if you want to retain some admin abilities.

Can a group owner claim back ownership?

Once group ownership has been transferred, the previous owner cannot simply take back control. Here are the options for a former owner:

Ask the new owner to voluntarily make you an admin again. But they are not obligated to do this.
Report to Facebook that your admin access was removed without consent. Facebook may be able to restore access.

Start a new group and invite members. But you cannot regain the old group itself.

To avoid losing a group you created, it’s best to choose successors carefully or set up co-admins instead of relinquishing all control.

What happens if a group owner’s account is disabled?

If a Facebook group admin’s account gets disabled or deactivated, it can cause disruption for their groups. Here’s what to expect:

The disabled account will automatically be removed as admin from their groups.
Ownership will transfer to another admin in the same group if there is one.
If there are no other admins, the group will remain active but unmoderated until the original owner returns.

Members will be unable to post or join the group since admin approval is required.
Facebook will not assign a new owner or delete groups of disabled accounts.

To prepare for this scenario, always have multiple admins for a group. You can also designate a successor admin who can assume ownership if you become disabled.

Reclaiming ownership after re-enabling account

If your disabled Facebook account gets re-enabled, here are some options to regain group ownership:

If no new owner was assigned, you will regain admin rights automatically.
If ownership transferred to another person, you must ask them to add you back as an admin.

As a last resort, try contacting Facebook support for help with reinstating your access.

Can you delete a group if you are no longer the owner?

Unfortunately, only current group admins have the ability to delete Facebook groups. If you’ve transferred ownership, you can no longer delete that group.

As the former admin, you have two options:

Request the new owner to delete the group for you.
Report the group to Facebook for removal if you believe it violates policies.

However, the new owner is not obliged to delete the group. Once you’ve given up admin rights, you also lose the ability to remove that group.

Why Facebook prohibits former owners deleting groups

Facebook does not allow former admins to delete groups they created for a few key reasons:

The new owner may have invested time into managing the group.
Members may continue to actively participate in the community.

Deleting could be misused for sabotage by bitter former admins.
Facebook prefers limited interference and letting groups evolve organically.

To summarize, once ownership is transferred the original admin gives up all control over that group’s existence. Negotiating removal with the new owner is the only option.

Can you backup a group before transferring ownership?

Since the original owner loses all administrative access after transferring a Facebook group, it’s a good idea to back up the group first. Here are some ways to preserve a copy:

Download member list: Export a list of all current members to retain connections.
Save photos/files: Download shared photos, documents or other media.

Archive discussions: Use a tool to create an archive of group conversations.
Record details: Note down group name, members, rules and other info.

Having this backups means the outgoing owner retains some of the group’s history. This data can also help rebuild the community elsewhere if needed.

Third-party tools for backups

Manually downloading data from a Facebook group can be tedious. Some third-party tools simplify the process:

Tool	Key Features
Social Analytics	Exports member details, posts, comments, etc. to Excel or PDF reports
Groups Analytics	Archives group data and content for analyzing trends
Quick Export for Groups	Downloads entire group content including posts, photos, videos and events

The outgoing owner should evaluate these platforms to determine which tool best suits their backup needs before transferring the group.

Best practices when transferring ownership

To ensure a smooth transition when handing over the reins to a Facebook group, the current and new admins should keep these best practices in mind:

Discuss in advance and set a transfer date to plan properly.
Inform members of the upcoming change in leadership.
Have the new owner shadow the old one to learn ropes.

Review group settings, posting rules and moderation policies.
Exchange info like login credentials or tools used for the group.
Clarify if former owner will remain as member or depart.

Check that new owner has admin rights and former owner access is removed.

Following these steps helps make the ownership transfer smooth, organized and transparent for everyone involved.

Avoiding conflict during transfer

To prevent disputes, here are some things outgoing and incoming owners should keep in mind:

Discuss decisions rather than make unilateral changes near transfer date.
Agree to a transition process instead of sudden abandonment.
Show appreciation for the time invested by former admins.

Honor the group origins and purpose rather than radically transforming.
Respond promptly and civilly to any member concerns arising from the switch.

Handling the ownership transfer collaboratively and diplomatically prevents complications between former and new admins during this sensitive phase.

Conclusion

Transferring ownership of a Facebook group page involves carefully selecting a successor and following the platform’s admin controls. While group creators permanently lose administration rights afterwards, proper planning and backup can still make this a smooth transition.

The new owner takes on full responsibilities for managing and shaping the community. Meanwhile, the previous admin has the option to stick around as a regular member if they wish to see the group continue to thrive.