How do I find my old Facebook account by my name?

Quick Answer

There are a few ways to find your old Facebook account using your name:

Search for your name on Facebook – This will show all accounts associated with your name, including old accounts.
Use the email address or phone number associated with the old account – Search for the account using the email or phone number you used to sign up.

Check the Facebook login page – If you’ve logged into the account before on that device, it may show up under “Use Another Account”.
Recover the account if you don’t remember the password – Use the “Forgot Password” option and recover access via email or phone number.

Knowing key details about the account like the email/phone number used or approximated timeframe it was created can help narrow down the search. If you still can’t locate the account, you may need to contact Facebook support for further help.

Searching Facebook by Your Name

One of the easiest ways to find an old Facebook account is to simply search for your name on Facebook. Here are the steps:

Go to www.facebook.com and log into your current Facebook account if you have one.
Click on the search bar at the top of the page and type in your full name in quotes (e.g. “John Smith”)

Hit enter. This will bring up all Facebook accounts that have your name associated with them.
Browse through the results to see if you can find the old account you’re looking for. Look for profile pictures or other identifying details.
If you see the account, you can send a friend request to gain access.

Searching your name on Facebook is often the quickest way to uncover old accounts. However, it’s possible you may have used a slightly different name, nickname, or spelling which could make it harder to find. Let’s look at some other options.

Using Email Address or Phone Number

If you remember the email address or phone number associated with your old Facebook account, you can search for the account using this identifying information.

To find your account by email address:

Go to Facebook login page
Click “Forgotten password?”
Enter the email address for the old account

Facebook will send a password reset link to that email address if an account exists
Reset your password via the emailed link to gain access

To find your account by phone number:

Go to Facebook login page
Click “Forgotten password?”
Click the link for “No longer have access to these?”

Enter your phone number and click Search
Facebook will send a code to your phone to verify your number
Enter the code and you’ll be able to reset your password

If you no longer have access to the email or phone number associated with the old account, you may need to contact Facebook support for help recovering it.

Checking the Facebook Login Page

If you’ve previously logged into your old Facebook account on a particular browser or device, the account may still show up as an option to log into.

Here’s how to check:

Go to the Facebook login page
See if your old account name or profile pic shows up under “Use Another Account”
If so, click on it and simply enter your password to log back in

Facebook stores login credentials for accounts you’ve used before on a particular device. So if you’ve ever logged into the old account on your current computer or phone, checking the login page is worth a try.

Recovering Account if You Don’t Remember Password

If you can find your old Facebook account but don’t remember the password, you can recover access to it using Facebook’s account recovery options.

Here are the steps:

Go to Facebook login page and enter your username
Click “Forgotten password?”
Choose to reset password via email or mobile number verification

Enter the email or phone number on file for the account
Facebook will send a password reset link or code
Follow the instructions to reset your password

Log into the account with your new password

As long as you have access to the email address or phone number associated with the old account, you should be able to reset the password successfully.

If neither recovery option works, it’s possible the email/number are out of date and you’ll need to contact Facebook support to regain access. Provide any identifying details you have about the account.

Contacting Facebook Support

If you cannot locate your old Facebook account through any of the above methods, you may need to reach out to Facebook support directly for help.

Here are some tips for contacting Facebook support:

Go to the Facebook Help Center and select the option for account access issues.

Choose the contact method – live chat, request a call back, etc.
Be prepared to provide details like your full name, approximate age of the missing account, email/number previously associated with it, locations where used, key profile info, etc.
Make it clear you are the legitimate account owner and trying to regain access to your own account.

If successful, they can help you recover the account so you can log back in.

Facebook has a process to verify identity and re-secure access to accounts. The more key details you can provide about the missing account, the better chance their team can locate it and help you out.

Be patient as it may take a few days or weeks to hear back on the status of your request.

Preventing Lost Accounts in the Future

Losing access to your Facebook account can be frustrating. Here are some tips to keep it from happening again:

Update your recovery email/phone number – Make sure they are current so you can reset the password if needed.
Note your username – Many people forget their exact Facebook usernames over time so keep it written down somewhere.

Set reminders to use the account – If you don’t use Facebook often, set calendar reminders to login periodically so it doesn’t get permanently deactivated.
Enable two-factor authentication – This adds an extra layer of security to your account for account access and logins.
Watch for suspicious logins – Check the activity log and stay alert for any unusual account access indicating a potential hack.

Staying proactive about account security is just as important as knowing how to recover your account if you lose access. Enable all of Facebook’s security features and stay on top of your account to keep it safe.

Can I Completely Delete a Facebook Account?

If you have an old Facebook account you want to permanently delete, it is possible to fully remove it from Facebook’s records. Here is an overview of how to delete a Facebook account:

Log into the Facebook account you want to delete.

Click on the down arrow at the top right and select “Settings”.
Go to “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
Click on “Deactivation and Deletion”.

Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and click “Continue to Account Deletion”.
Enter your password and click “Permanently Delete Account”.

Once you fully delete your Facebook account:

Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and everything else is erased.
You lose access immediately and the account cannot be recovered.
It may take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully process the account deletion.

You can sign up for a new account at any time using the same name.

So unlike deactivating which just hides your profile, permanent deletion erases everything in the account completely. Delete old accounts you don’t need anymore to improve your privacy.

Recovering Deactivated Facebook Accounts

If you have a Facebook account that you previously deactivated but now want to access again, the recovery steps are relatively simple:

Go to Facebook.com and click Create New Account.
When prompted, click the link “Find your account” below the signup box.
Enter the email address or phone number associated with the deactivated account and click Search.

If a match is found, click “Reactivate” to restore access.
Log into the account as usual once it’s reactivated.

A few things to keep in mind:

Facebook keeps deactivated accounts for 30 days before permanent deletion.
You can only search for and recover a deactivated account once.
The account name, friends, photos, etc. will still be there when you restore access.

Make sure you remember the password or reset via email/phone recovery.

Act quickly if you want to regain access to a deactivated Facebook account. And be sure to download any data or photos you want to save beforehand as they will be gone after 30 days.

Should I Delete or Deactivate my Old Facebook Account?

When it comes to an old Facebook account you no longer use, you have two main options:

Deactivate the account – This hides your profile but retains all data.
Delete the account – This permanently erases all account data.

Here is an overview of how deactivating and deleting Facebook accounts compare:

Action	Deactivate	Delete
Profile visibility	Hidden from other users	Removed completely
Account recovery	Can reactivate within 30 days	Impossible to recover
Data retention	All data saved for reactivation	All data permanently erased
Time to take effect	Immediate account deactivation	Can take up to 90 days for full account removal

In general, deactivating is temporary while deleting is permanent. If in doubt, deactivate first in case you need the data or change your mind. But delete old accounts eventually for better privacy.

Should You Delete Old Facebook Accounts?

Here are some of the key considerations when deciding whether to delete your old Facebook accounts:

Pros of Deleting Old Accounts

Improves privacy by erasing old posts, photos, info, etc.

Prevents identity theft or hacking of unused accounts.
Stops notifications and emails to unused accounts.
Frees up the account name to be used again.

Allows for a fresh start if you want to sign up again.

Cons of Deleting Old Accounts

Permanently lose access to memories and data.
Lose ability to look up old connections and friends.

Have to start over building followers/connections.
Can’t revert if you later change your mind.

In summary:

Delete if the account hasn’t been used in years and serves no purpose.
Deactivate if you may eventually want the memories or data.
Do nothing if you still actively use the account in any way.

Evaluate your specific reasons for wanting to delete Facebook accounts before taking action. In some cases, deactivation may be the safer option if you are unsure.

What to Do if You Can’t Delete a Facebook Account

In some cases, people run into issues while trying to permanently delete a Facebook account. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure you are logged into the account you want to delete.

Double check that the account does not have any pending friend requests or account merges.
Try deleting through both the mobile app and desktop site.
Make sure your account email and password is up to date.

Check if you have Facebook Login set up for any other apps or services.
See if there are any Facebook Pixel associations with business accounts.
Retry the deletion steps after a few hours or a day.

If you still cannot delete the Facebook account, submit a request to Facebook support. Explain in detail the issues faced while trying to delete.

As a last resort, you can submit a Facebook account deletion request. However, this does not guarantee the account will be deleted.

If you have tried all troubleshooting tips, deactivating the account may be your only option until you can resolve the issues preventing permanent deletion.

What Happens When You Delete Facebook Account?

Here’s an overview of key things that happen after deleting your Facebook account:

Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other data is erased.
You immediately lose access to the account and all its contents.

Your Facebook Messenger chats are also deleted.
You are logged out of all Facebook-linked sites and apps.
It can take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully delete everything.

Friends will no longer see you on Facebook or be able to search for you.
You can sign up for a new Facebook account anytime using the same name.
There is no way to recover or reactivate the account after deletion.

Essentially, permanent account deletion erases your entire existence on Facebook as if you never signed up. All content and connections are erased. So be absolutely certain before deciding to delete your Facebook account.

Conclusion

Finding and managing old Facebook accounts is important for both security and nostalgia. Search by name, email address, or phone number to uncover forgotten accounts. Reactivate or permanently delete based on your needs. And be sure to take steps to avoid losing access to accounts in the future. With the right tools and techniques, you can easily find and take control of your old Facebook profiles again.