Many Facebook users reach a point where they want to take a break from the platform or leave it permanently. Deactivating your Facebook account is an option for temporarily disabling it without deleting all your information and contacts. But does deactivating Facebook permanently delete your account? The short answer is no, deactivation is not the same as permanent deletion. Your account and all its data remain in Facebook’s systems even when deactivated. There are steps you must take if you want to permanently delete your Facebook account and all its contents.
What happens when you deactivate your Facebook account?
When you deactivate your Facebook account, it is disabled and hidden but not erased. Here’s an overview of what deactivating your account does:
– Your profile and photos will be hidden from other users on Facebook.
– You will not show up in searches on Facebook.
– You cannot log in to your account while it is deactivated.
– You will be removed from Facebook groups that you had joined.
– No one will be able to tag you or invite you to events.
– Your messages will be disabled, so you cannot receive or send any messages.
– Your contacts will no longer see your account on Messenger.
So in summary, deactivating makes your account invisible and inaccessible to you and others on Facebook. However, all your information remains stored in Facebook’s systems. Your profile, photos, posts, friends list, and other data are retained by Facebook even as your account sits deactivated.
Why does Facebook keep your data when your account is deactivated?
Facebook holds on to all your account information during deactivation for several reasons:
– In case you decide to reactivate your account. Restoring your account brings back all your prior data.
– To maintain connections between you and your friends for purposes of recommendations, suggestions, and ad targeting.
– To analyze deactivated accounts and user data as part of their ongoing research and product development.
– To comply with legal requests for user account and activity data.
Essentially, Facebook considers deactivated accounts as dormant or inactive rather than closed. Deactivated accounts can be easily reactivated at any time by simply logging back in. Facebook wants to preserve your information for if and when you return to using their platform.
How long does Facebook keep your data after deactivating?
Facebook stores all data from deactivated accounts indefinitely. There is no set time limit after which Facebook deletes or erases your information once you deactivate your account.
Your data remains in Facebook’s systems unless you take steps to specifically request permanent deletion of your account. Facebook’s data policy states that they keep data until it is no longer necessary for business purposes or as required by law.
In practical terms, this means Facebook retains data from deactivated accounts forever unless the user specifically asks for its removal. Don’t expect Facebook to automatically delete your information after a certain period of deactivation.
What happens when you permanently delete a Facebook account?
Permanently deleting your Facebook account is a different process than deactivation. Here is what happens when you permanently delete a Facebook account:
– Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other account contents are deleted.
– Your Messenger conversations and messages are deleted.
– You lose connections to all your Facebook friends and contacts.
– Your account is removed from all Facebook Groups you had joined.
– Facebook removes data it has collected about your interactions, activities, interests, and usage habits on its platforms.
– Your account is erased from Facebook’s systems and cannot be recovered or reactivated.
– Some data including log records and analytics data may remain in Facebook’s databases for various reasons. But all personal identifiable information is deleted.
So in summary, permanent deletion closes your account and removes all your personal information and connections on Facebook to the fullest extent possible. But some technical records about your account may persist.
How to permanently delete your Facebook account
If you want to completely erase your Facebook presence instead of just deactivating it, you must go through an account deletion process. Here are the steps to permanently delete your Facebook account:
Step 1: Download your Facebook data for your records
Before deleting your account, consider downloading a copy of your Facebook data for your own records. This allows you to retrieve photos, posts, and other personal information you have shared on Facebook over the years.
To download your Facebook data:
- Click on the down arrow at the top right of any Facebook page and select “Settings”.
- On the Settings page, click on “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar.
- On the Your Facebook Information page, click on “Download Your Information”.
- Select the data types you want to download such as Photos, Posts, Reactions, etc.
- Click on the blue “Create File” button.
- You will receive a notification when your download file is ready. This may take a few minutes up to a few hours depending on how much data you are downloading.
- Once ready, you can go back to the Your Facebook Information page and click on “Available Copies” to access and download your data.
Step 2: Request permanent account deletion
Once you have downloaded any personal data you want to retain, you can request permanent deletion of your account:
- Click on the down arrow at the top right and select “Settings”.
- Click on “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar.
- Click on “Deactivation and Deletion”.
- Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and click “Continue to Account Deletion”.
- Select “Delete Account” to confirm you want permanent deletion.
- Enter your password and click “Continue” to proceed.
- Click “Delete Account” to complete the permanent deletion request.
Facebook will now process your account for permanent deletion. This may take up to 90 days to complete. In some cases deletion happens faster than 90 days. You cannot reactivate or restore your account once deletion is complete.
Can you retrieve your Facebook account after permanent deletion?
No, once Facebook completes the permanent deletion process, your account and all its data is gone for good. Some records of your account’s existence may remain in Facebook’s systems for legal compliance or research purposes. But all personal information is erased.
There is no way to recover or restore a Facebook account after it has been permanently deleted. Unlike deactivation, deletion is irreversible. If you change your mind later and want a Facebook account again, you will have to sign up for a brand new account.
What is the difference between deactivating and deleting Facebook?
Here is a summary of the key differences between deactivating and permanently deleting your Facebook account:
| Deactivate Account | Delete Account Permanently | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to account | You cannot log in or use the account while deactivated. | Account is erased and cannot be accessed again. |
| Visibility to others | Your profile and account are hidden from other users. | Your account is completely removed from Facebook. |
| Personal information | All your data remains stored by Facebook. | All personal data is deleted by Facebook. |
| Friends & contacts | Your connections are retained but hidden. | You are disconnected from all friends on Facebook. |
| Account recovery | You can easily reactivate your account. | Your account is gone forever and cannot be restored. |
In summary, deactivation is temporary, maintains your account in inactive state, and allows reactivation at any time. Deletion is permanent, erases your account info, and prevents any possibility of recovering your account.
Should you delete Facebook or just deactivate it?
Whether to permanently delete your Facebook account or temporarily deactivate it depends on your specific reasons and intentions:
– If you need a short break from Facebook but may come back, deactivating makes sense. Your account will be waiting for you when you are ready to return.
– If you are unsure about leaving Facebook and want to take some time to consider it, deactivating can give you that space while preserving your account.
– If you do not see yourself ever using Facebook again and want to permanently sever ties, account deletion is the way to go.
– If you have serious privacy concerns about Facebook’s data practices, permanent deletion allows you to have your information completely removed.
– If you are switching to another social media platform and do not need access to your Facebook account anymore, deletion can provide a clean break.
So assess your motivations and future needs. But keep in mind deactivation alone will not address privacy concerns since your data remains with Facebook. Permanent deletion is the only way to fully remove your account details and information.
Can closing your Facebook account affect your other logged in apps or sites?
Yes, deleting your Facebook account can impact your access to other websites or apps where you used Facebook Login.
Many apps and sites allow logging in with your Facebook credentials. If you delete your Facebook account entirely, this can cut off access to any third-party apps that rely on Facebook for authorization or account management.
Some impacts you may encounter when closing a Facebook account linked to other sites:
- Getting logged out of apps where you used Facebook Login.
- Losing access to content you shared via Facebook to other apps.
- No longer being able to use Facebook credentials to log in to certain sites.
- Loss of contacts, messages, or other data from third party apps synced with your Facebook account.
To avoid sudden loss of access, unlink your Facebook account from any critical apps beforehand. And download data from integrated apps that you want to retain.
You will have to use alternative login methods or create new accounts for apps that relied on your Facebook account. But removing Facebook credentials can help strengthen privacy and reduce third party data sharing.
Is it advisable to delete your Facebook account permanently?
Here are some pros and cons to weigh when considering permanent Facebook account deletion:
Reasons to delete your Facebook account
- You want to minimize data collected about your online activities.
- Privacy concerns related to Facebook’s handling of user data.
- You spend too much time on Facebook and want to break the habit.
- You encountered harassment or bullying on Facebook.
- You no longer find value in using Facebook.
- You want a clean separation from ex-friends and past relationships.
- You need a fresh start for your mental health and wellbeing.
Reasons not to delete your Facebook account
- You still find Facebook useful for keeping up with friends and family.
- You rely on Facebook groups and events to stay connected with communities.
- Many of your contacts are only on Facebook rather than other platforms.
- You want to retain access to photos and memories you shared on Facebook.
- You use Facebook for logging into other apps and websites.
- You may lose contact details that are only stored in your Facebook account.
- You are not ready to lose access to support groups on Facebook.
Assess your personal reasons and weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to take the permanent deletion route. Consider downloading your data for nostalgia’s sake before deleting your account forever.
Conclusion
Deactivating your Facebook account does not permanently delete any of your information. It simply hides your account until you are ready to reactivate it again. If you want to completely erase your presence and data from Facebook, you need to permanently delete your account through the deletion process. Once your account is deleted, there is no way to retrieve or restore it. Deletion cuts ties with your Facebook contacts and removes your personal data from their systems. Consider downloading your Facebook history before deletion if you want to retain copies of photos, posts, or conversations. Determine your specific reasons for leaving Facebook as you decide between deactivation versus permanent deletion.