Facebook groups allow users to connect with others who share similar interests and engage in discussions on focused topics. While joining groups can be worthwhile, your feed can become cluttered with unwanted updates from groups you no longer wish to follow. Fortunately, Facebook makes it easy to leave groups or adjust your settings so you see less of their content.
Leaving Facebook Groups
If you want to completely remove yourself from a group, you can leave it by following these steps:
- Go to the group’s page
- Click the Members option on the left side of the page
- Find your name in the list of members and hover over it
- Click the Leave Group button that appears
You will immediately be removed from the group and no longer see any of its posts in your News Feed. The group administrators will not be notified that you left.
Leaving groups on mobile
The process is very similar in the Facebook mobile app:
- Go to the group page
- Tap the Members option
- Scroll down and tap your name
- Tap Leave Group when prompted
Once you leave a group, you can no longer view its content or participate in discussions. If you later decide you want to rejoin, you’ll have to submit a request to the group administrators for approval.
Unfollowing Facebook Groups
If you don’t necessarily want to leave a group but don’t want to see its posts, you can unfollow the group instead. Doing this will keep you as a member so you can reengage with the group in the future, but its updates will no longer be shown in your News Feed.
To unfollow a group:
- Go to the group page
- Click the Joined button near the top
- Select Unfollow Group from the drop-down menu
On mobile:
- Go to the group page
- Tap the Joined button
- Choose Unfollow Group
Unfollowing is better than leaving a group if you think you may want to check back in on the group occasionally. The group creators also won’t be notified that you unfollowed, so it won’t appear that members are losing interest.
Re-following a group
To start seeing posts again from a group you unfollowed, go to the group page and click Followed instead of Joined. Select Follow Group from the menu.
Adjusting Group Notifications
Rather than leaving or unfollowing, you can also adjust your notification settings for a group to control how often posts show up in your feed:
- Go to the group page
- Click the Joined button near the top
- Select Notification Settings
This will bring up options like Normal, Off, and Highlights. Choosing Off will keep you in the group but prevent any posts from entering your News Feed. Highlights will only show posts fromadmins or popular posts.
You can also enable/disable email and push notifications for the group here. Email and push notifications are enabled by default when you join a group.
How to Hide a Group from Your News Feed
In addition to the above options, you can take steps to hide a group’s content from your News Feed without leaving or unfollowing:
- Hide individual posts – Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of any group post and select Hide Post to remove that specific update from your feed.
- Snooze group – Facebook allows you to snooze groups for 1 day, 7 days, or 30 days. Just go to the group page, click the three-dot menu and choose Snooze [Group name].
- News Feed Preferences – Adjust your News Feed preferences to see more or fewer posts from groups. Go to Settings > News Feed Preferences and adjust Groups to your liking.
How to Remove Yourself Completely from a Facebook Group
If you want to erase all traces of your membership in a Facebook group, you can fully remove yourself so it’s like you never joined in the first place:
- Go to the group page
- Click Members in the left sidebar
- Find your name and hover over it
- Click More
- Select Remove Me from Group
This will immediately take you out of the group, delete any of your posts, and remove your name from the member list as if you had never joined. Use this option carefully, as there is no way to undo it.
Removing yourself from private groups
The process is slightly different for private groups:
- Go to the group page
- Click the More tab
- Choose Remove Me from Group
Since private groups are, well, private, you won’t be able to access the member list. But you can still fully remove yourself through the More tab.
How to Delete a Facebook Group You Created
If you are the admin of a Facebook group you no longer wish to manage, you can delete the group entirely:
- Go to the group page
- Click Members in the left sidebar
- Click the More tab and select Delete Group
- Confirm that you want to delete the group
Once a group is deleted, it is gone forever along with all its content. Members will no longer be able to access any part of the group.
Considerations before deleting a group
- Let group members know in advance that you plan to delete the group so they can save anything they want to keep.
- Delete any private or sensitive information that members may have shared in the group.
- Download a copy of the group for your own records.
- Appoint another member as a new admin so the group can live on under their leadership.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Your Facebook Account
If you need an extended break from Facebook in general, you can temporarily deactivate your account while keeping it available to reactivate later. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings
- Click on Your Facebook Information in the left sidebar
- Select Deactivation and Deletion
- Choose Deactivate Account and confirm
Your profile will disappear until you log back in with your credentials. You can also reactivate by simply logging in. Groups you created will remain intact while your account is deactivated.
What happens when you deactivate
- Your profile and photos will be hidden
- You’ll stop getting emails and notifications
- You won’t show up in searches
- Your messages will be deleted
Keep in mind that deactivation is intended for temporary breaks, not permanent account deletion.
How to Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account
If you wish to permanently delete your Facebook account and all associated data, you can completely remove it from Facebook:
- Go to Settings
- Click on Your Facebook Information
- Select Deactivation and Deletion
- Choose Delete Account and Continue
- Select Delete Account to confirm
Once your account is deleted, it cannot be retrieved. Facebook will remove all your information, posts, photos, conversations, and groups you created.
Downloading your Facebook data
Before permanent deletion, consider downloading a copy of your Facebook data for your records:
- Go to Settings
- Click Your Facebook Information
- Select Download Your Information
- Select date range and media types to download
- Click Create File
This will allow you to archive any photos, posts, or other content you want to keep before deleting your account.
Conclusion
Facebook groups can provide valuable connections and information, but over time your interests may change. Fortunately, Facebook offers settings to tailor your group memberships and feeds to your liking. You can leave or unfollow groups, adjust notifications, hide group posts, or even delete groups altogether. With the right settings, you can optimize your Facebook experience to showcase the groups that matter most to you.