Having multiple Facebook accounts can be confusing and unnecessary. If you have created a duplicate account by mistake or no longer need your extra accounts, you can delete them to clean up your online presence.
Why do I have a duplicate Facebook account?
There are a few common reasons you may end up with more than one Facebook account:
- You created a new account because you forgot your login details for your existing account.
- You made a test account or dummy account when you first joined Facebook.
- You created separate personal and business accounts.
- Someone else created an account pretending to be you.
Regardless of how it happened, having multiple accounts can be a nuisance. Your connections and information are split across different accounts. It’s better to consolidate everything into one primary account.
Should I delete my extra Facebook accounts?
In most cases, yes, you should delete your extra or duplicate Facebook accounts. Here are some of the benefits of deleting extra accounts:
- Your information and connections are consolidated in one place.
- You only have one news feed and profile to manage.
- You reduce the risk of security issues or hacked accounts.
- Your online presence is more authentic with one real account.
Unless you have a specific need for multiple accounts, it’s best practice to delete your dummy, test, and other duplicate accounts.
How to find your duplicate or extra Facebook accounts
To delete your extra accounts, you first need to find them. Here are a few ways to locate duplicate or secondary Facebook accounts:
- Think back to when and why you created other accounts. Look for old login emails or usernames you may have used.
- Check the Facebook login page – it may show other accounts you’ve recently used.
- Look for emails from Facebook to different accounts you own.
- Use Facebook’s Find Your Account page by entering your name and email or phone number.
Once you’ve identified your extra accounts, you can move on to merging or deleting them.
How to merge duplicate Facebook accounts
If you want to consolidate two accounts and keep your information intact, you can merge your extra account into your primary account:
- Log into the account you want to be your main account.
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click “Merge Accounts” on the General Account Settings page.
- Enter the email address and password for the account you want to merge.
- Confirm that you want to merge the accounts.
Merging will bring all of your friends, photos, posts, and other info into your primary account. The secondary account will be deleted once the merge is complete.
How to delete a duplicate Facebook account
If you just want to outright remove your extra account, follow these steps:
- Log into the duplicate account you want to delete.
- Click on the account menu (top right corner) and select Settings & Privacy.
- Go to Settings and click “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
- Choose “Deactivation and Deletion.”
- Select “Continue to Account Deletion” and follow the steps to permanently delete the account.
It can take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully delete your information. In the meantime, the account will be deactivated and inaccessible.
What happens when you delete a Facebook account?
Here’s an overview of what happens when you delete a Facebook account:
- Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other account information is scheduled for deletion.
- You immediately lose access to the account and any information in it.
- For the next 30 days your account is in deactivated mode, and can be reactivated if you change your mind.
- After 30 days, all your data is permanently deleted from Facebook’s servers over the following 90 days.
- Your friends will no longer see your account or be connected to it.
- Your Messenger conversations will be deleted.
- You can create a new Facebook account at any time with the same email address.
In summary, deleting a Facebook account is a quick process but can take months for your info to be fully erased from their systems. Use caution before deleting an account you may want to recover later.
Tips for managing your Facebook accounts
To avoid ending up with duplicate accounts again, keep these Facebook management tips in mind:
- Bookmark your primary account login page.
- Make sure you remember your username and password.
- Set up two-factor authentication for extra security.
- Link your account to your main email address.
- Don’t create new accounts unless absolutely necessary. Try recovering your login first.
- Merge duplicate accounts instead of deleting where possible.
Staying on top of your Facebook presence will prevent most issues with duplicate accounts in the future. But if you do end up with an extra profile, now you know how to remove it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a Facebook account after deleting it?
If it has been less than 30 days since the account was deleted, you may be able to recover and reactivate it by logging in. After 30 days, deleted accounts are permanently disabled and cannot be restored.
What happens to my Facebook messages if I delete my account?
When you delete your Facebook account, all of your Facebook messages are also deleted and disappear from your contacts’ inboxes. Your friends will see a “Facebook User” in place of your name.
Can I create a new Facebook account with the same email after deleting an account?
Yes, you can create a brand new Facebook account using the same email address as your old, now deleted account. Your email address is dissociated from your old account once it is deleted by Facebook.
Does deleting my Facebook account delete Messenger?
Yes, deleting your Facebook account also deletes your Messenger account and all your Messenger conversations. Your contacts will no longer be able to find or message you on Messenger.
What if I don’t remember which email I used for my extra Facebook account?
If you can’t remember the email for your secondary or duplicate account, use Facebook’s Find Your Account tool. Enter your name, phone number, usernames, or other info to locate the lost account.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining duplicate Facebook accounts is rarely necessary and just creates extra work. If you’ve accidentally accumulated extra profiles, the best course is to delete or merge these accounts to get back to a single account.
By following Facebook’s account deletion process, you can permanently remove duplicate or unneeded accounts. Just be certain before you delete, as it’s impossible to undo once the 30-day window has passed!
With your Facebook presence streamlined, you can focus on connecting with friends and family from one dedicated account. Plus, you’ll avoid potential security risks and privacy issues that crop up when you have multiple accounts.
So do yourself a favor – prune any unnecessary profiles and get your Facebook life back to one single account. Your online self will thank you!