If you delete a Facebook shortcut from your bookmarks bar or favorites list, but it doesn’t actually disappear, there are a few things you can try to get rid of it for good:
Refresh the Page
After deleting a Facebook shortcut, the change may not be immediately reflected in your bookmarks/favorites. Try refreshing the page and see if the shortcut has been removed. This forces your browser to reload all resources, including your list of bookmarks/favorites.
Clear Your Browser Cache
Browser caches can sometimes store old data even after you’ve deleted it. Clearing your cache wipes this outdated data and forces your browser to redownload everything fresh on the next load.
To clear cache in Chrome:
1. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner.
2. Hover over “More tools” and select “Clear browsing data”.
3. Select “Cached images and files”.
4. Choose the timeframe for deleting cached files. Select beginning of time to clear everything.
5. Click “Clear data”.
To clear cache in Firefox:
1. Click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Scroll down to “Privacy & Security” and click “Clear Data”.
4. Check the “Caches” box.
5. Click “Clear”.
To clear cache in Safari:
1. Click “Safari” in the top left corner.
2. Select “Preferences”.
3. Go to the “Privacy” tab.
4. Click “Manage Website Data”.
5. Click “Remove All”.
Try Deleting in Incognito/Private Mode
Incognito or Private Browsing starts you off with a clean slate with no cache. Try deleting the Facebook shortcut in an Incognito/Private window and see if that makes the change stick.
To enter Incognito mode in Chrome:
1. Click the three dots in the top right corner.
2. Select “New incognito window”.
To enter Private Browsing in Firefox:
1. Click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
2. Select “New Private Window”.
To enter Private Browsing in Safari:
1. Click “File” in the top left corner.
2. Select “New Private Window”.
Restart Your Browser
Restarting your browser closes all tabs/windows and reopens it completely fresh. Any cached data is wiped in the process. Try fully closing out of your browser, restarting it, and checking if the Facebook shortcut persists.
Try Deleting from Another Browser
If the Facebook shortcut won’t go away in your primary browser, try opening a different browser and delete it there. For example, if you normally use Chrome, open Firefox or Safari and remove the shortcut there. A different browser will have a separate cache from your main one.
Remove from Your OS Bookmarks
On desktop browsers, bookmarks are often synced with your operating system’s bookmarks/favorites system outside the browser. You’ll need to delete it both in the browser and OS:
On Windows:
1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
2. Click “Favorites” in the left sidebar.
3. Right click the Facebook shortcut and select “Delete”.
On Mac:
1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner.
2. Select “System Preferences” > “Internet Accounts”.
3. Select the Facebook account with the shortcut.
4. Uncheck “Bookmarks” and click “Remove”.
Reset Browser to Default Settings
If all else fails, reset your browser to factory default settings. This will wipe all your data and customized settings including bookmarks. To reset:
Chrome:
1. Click the three dots in the top right corner.
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Scroll to the bottom and click “Restore settings to their original defaults”.
Firefox:
1. Click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
2. Select “Help” > “Troubleshooting Information”.
3. Click “Refresh Firefox” on the right side.
Safari:
1. Click “Safari” in the top left corner.
2. Select “Preferences” > “Advanced”.
3. Check “Show Develop menu in menu bar”.
4. In the Develop menu, select “Empty Caches”.
This should wipe any trace of the Facebook shortcut. You’ll have to re-add all your other bookmarks too.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still see the Facebook shortcut after trying all the troubleshooting steps, reach out to Facebook Support. There may be an underlying browser bug or account issue causing the problem.
Explain precisely when the shortcut started persisting and all steps you’ve tried. Provide screenshots showing the bookmark/favorite still present after deletion. The support team can investigate further based on your details.
With some debugging help from Facebook, you should be able to purge the stubborn shortcut for good.