Facebook has become an integral part of many people’s lives, with over 2 billion active users worldwide. However, some users eventually decide they want to delete their Facebook account and start fresh. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to permanently delete your Facebook account, the effects of deactivation versus deletion, and tips for starting over after leaving Facebook.
Should I deactivate or delete my Facebook account?
There are two options for removing your presence from Facebook – deactivation and deletion. Here’s how they differ:
| Deactivation | Deletion |
|---|---|
| Temporarily disables your account but does not delete it | Permanently deletes your account and all associated data |
| Your profile and info remain but are hidden | All your info and content is erased from Facebook |
| You can easily reactivate your account | Reactivation is not possible after account is deleted |
| Deactivation takes effect immediately | It takes up to 90 days for deletion to fully process |
As you can see, deactivation is like putting your account on pause, while deletion is permanent. If you think you may want to return to Facebook someday, deactivation allows you to easily reactivate your account later. However, if you are certain you want to permanently remove all traces of your Facebook presence, deletion is the way to go.
How do I permanently delete my Facebook account?
If you want to completely remove your account from Facebook, here are the steps to delete your account:
- Log into your Facebook account and click on the arrow in the top right to access the menu.
- In the menu, select “Settings & Privacy” then click “Settings”.
- In the left sidebar, click “Your Facebook Information”.
- Look for the “Deactivation and Deletion” heading and click “View”.
- Click the button that says “Continue to Account Deletion” and re-enter your password when prompted.
- Facebook will now show you some consequences of deleting your account. Review them and click “Delete Account” to confirm you want to proceed.
- Enter your password one last time to verify account deletion.
Once you complete these steps, your account is scheduled for deletion. It can take up to 90 days for Facebook to completely delete all your data from their systems. During this time your profile and content will remain inaccessible to other users.
What happens when I delete my Facebook account?
Here are the key effects of deleting your Facebook account:
- Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other personal data is permanently erased.
- You lose access to Oculus devices and games linked to your Facebook account.
- You can no longer use Facebook Login for other accounts and services.
- Your Facebook Messenger chats and messages are deleted.
- You lose administrative access to Facebook Pages and Groups you managed.
- Friends will no longer be able to search for you or view your profile on Facebook.
Essentially, deleting your account completely removes your presence from the Facebook platform. You’ll have to start building your connections and community from scratch if you join Facebook again with a new account.
What data does Facebook retain after account deletion?
While most of your personal information is deleted when you permanently delete your account, Facebook does retain some data for the following reasons:
- To comply with legal obligations.
- To deter malicious account activity.
- To preserve product integrity.
- To complete payment transactions.
Data that may be retained includes:
- Registration date.
- Data from automated technologies like cookies, log files, and device identifiers.
- Records of any past safety incidents or harmful behavior.
- Payment and financial information.
- Sublicensed data from advertising partners.
However this retained data is disassociated from your identity and only exists for record-keeping and security purposes.
How do I download my Facebook data before deleting my account?
Before deleting your Facebook presence for good, you may want to download a copy of your personal data for your records. Here’s how to download your Facebook data:
- Go to your Facebook Settings and select “Your Facebook Information” in the left menu.
- Click “Download Your Information” on the next page.
- Choose the data types you want to download, such as photos, posts, reactions, etc.
- Select the date range for the data.
- Choose HTML or JSON file format.
- Enter your password and click “Request Download”.
- You’ll receive a notification when your download is ready, which may take a few minutes to many hours depending on how much data is involved.
- Once ready, click “Available Copies” and select “Download” to retrieve your Facebook data archive.
This downloads a ZIP file containing your selected Facebook data categorized in json or html format, which you can view on your computer. Be sure to download before your account is permanently erased.
Can I reactivate my account after deleting it?
No, once your Facebook account is permanently deleted you cannot retrieve or reactivate it. The deletion process cannot be reversed. This is why you may want to download your data before deleting your account.
If you change your mind in the future and want to join Facebook again, you’ll have to sign up for a brand new account using a different email and go through the registration process from scratch.
What should I do before deleting Facebook?
Here are some things you should do to prepare before deleting your Facebook account forever:
- Download your data – Preserve memories, photos and other personal info by downloading your Facebook data archive.
- Notify friends – Let close connections know you’re leaving Facebook and share other ways to contact you.
- Remove or transfer apps – Delete third-party apps connected to your Facebook account and transfer Oculus purchases.
- Download photos – Save any photos you’ve directly uploaded to Facebook that aren’t in your archive.
- Export contacts – Download your contacts from Facebook to store in another address book.
- Remove Facebook Login – Disconnect Facebook Login from any sites and switch to another sign-in method.
Taking care of these items ensures you have your most important data backed up before your account is gone. You’ll also avoid losing access to apps, games, contacts, photos and more.
What are some Facebook alternatives?
Leaving Facebook means losing your connections to friends, family, coworkers, brands and more. Here are some Facebook alternative sites to consider instead:
- Instagram – Photo and video sharing app owned by Meta (Facebook), so you can keep in touch with many of the same people.
- Twitter – Microblogging site for sharing short thoughts, links and having conversations.
- Snapchat – Popular app for sharing ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after being viewed.
- Reddit – Network of online communities where users post text, images, videos and engage in discussion.
- Tumblr – Blog-style social site focused on community among users sharing photos, GIFs, videos and more.
- LinkedIn – Social network designed for career networking and corporate connections instead of friendships.
While no platform can completely replace everything Facebook offers, exploring alternative social sites can provide new ways to stay in touch after leaving Facebook behind.
How do I stay in contact with friends without Facebook?
Losing connection with friends is a major concern when deleting Facebook. Here are some tips for staying in touch outside of Facebook:
- Let close friends know you’re leaving Facebook and share your contact details like phone number, email or other social profiles.
- Use other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal to chat with friends one-on-one or in groups.
- Send periodic mass emails or letters to update friends and family on your life happenings.
- Host in-person events like parties, game nights or outdoor activities to see people face-to-face.
- Organize video call catch-up sessions over Zoom, FaceTime or Google Hangouts.
- Join hobby-based groups on sites like Meetup to connect with like-minded people.
While staying in touch will take more effort without Facebook, focusing on your closest connections in more personal ways can ultimately be very rewarding.
How do I transfer my Facebook photos?
To preserve your Facebook photos before deleting your account, here are a few options:
- Download your entire photo archive when downloading your Facebook data.
- Individually save photos you manually uploaded by right clicking and “Save as”.
- Use a third party Facebook photos saver tool or Chrome extension.
- Transfer photos to another platform like Google Photos or iCloud.
- Save photos to a storage device like an external hard drive or USB flash drive.
Be sure to transfer or save all your photos before deleting Facebook, as you’ll no longer have access to them after your account is gone.
Should I delete or deactivate my Facebook account?
Whether to delete or temporarily deactivate your Facebook account depends on your intentions:
- Deactivate if: You need a social media break but may return to Facebook someday.
- Delete if: You want to permanently remove yourself from Facebook and start fresh.
Deactivation pauses your account while deletion erases it forever. If you need a temporary clean break, deactivate. But if you’re certain you want to move on from Facebook entirely, account deletion is the way to go.
What happens to my Oculus content if I delete Facebook?
If you delete your Facebook account, you also lose access to any Oculus VR devices and content linked to your account, including:
- Purchased Oculus games and apps
- Achievements and progression in Oculus games
- Friends connections through Oculus
To avoid losing your Oculus purchases and data, you must transfer your Oculus account to another Facebook account before deleting your Facebook account. The option to “Transfer Oculus Account” is available in the deletion page of your Facebook settings.
Can I still use Instagram if I delete Facebook?
Yes, you can continue using your Instagram account normally even after deleting Facebook. Instagram is owned by Meta (Facebook) but operates as a completely separate platform.
When you created your Instagram account, you had the option to sign-up with Facebook or independently using an email or phone number. Unless you specifically signed into Instagram using Facebook, your Instagram is not tied to your Facebook account in any way.
No changes will happen to your Instagram if you delete Facebook. You will not lose any followers, photos or other data. The only exception is if you created your Instagram through Facebook login, in which case you will lose access when your Facebook is deleted.
Conclusion
Deleting your Facebook account is a big decision that breaks your connection to friends, family, coworkers and brands across the Facebook ecosystem. However, if you are committed to moving on from Facebook for privacy, mental health or other reasons, permanent account deletion ensures your data is erased from the platform forever.
Be sure to download your Facebook data, transfer your photos, notify close connections, remove Facebook Login associations, and unlink Oculus before deleting your account. While it takes effort to maintain relationships outside of Facebook, focusing on your closest friends and finding alternative online communities can ultimately help you move forward after leaving Facebook behind.