If you are trying to find someone who has deactivated their Facebook account, there are a few options you can try to get in contact with them again. However, since they have chosen to deactivate their account, it’s important to respect their privacy if they do not respond or seem interested in reconnecting.
Search for Them on Other Social Media Platforms
One of the first things you can do is search for them on other major social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok etc. There’s a good chance they may still be active on some other social networks. You can search for them by name, username, email address or phone number if you have that information.
For example, if you know their Instagram handle you can go to Instagram.com and search for their profile. If their account is public, you’ll be able to see their posts and send them a direct message even if you don’t follow them. If their account is private, you can still send a follow request and direct message to try and get in touch.
You can also search on Twitter by going to Twitter.com and searching their name or handle. Send them a tweet or direct message to try reaching out. Just keep in mind they may not be monitoring the account actively if they’ve stepped away from Facebook.
Sites like LinkedIn, Snapchat and TikTok have search functions you can use as well. Look up their name, username or other details like school or workplace if you have that information. Reaching out on multiple platforms gives you a better chance of getting a response.
Look for Contact Information on Their Other Social Profiles
When searching for the person on other social networks, look for any contact information available on their profiles. For instance, their LinkedIn page may have an email address or alternate phone number listed. Their Instagram bio might have an email address or link to a personal website. Twitter profiles sometimes have an email address or link in the bio too.
If you find any contact information, reach out to them through those means. Email and phone are more personal ways to get in touch rather than social media messages. Keep your message brief and casual, mentioning you noticed they deactivated Facebook and wanted to say hello to catch up.
Search Public Records and People Search Engines
If you don’t have any luck finding them on other social networks, your next step is searching public records and people search engines. Sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, PeopleFinder and MyLife compile public data to help you find contact details for people. You can search by name, previous addresses, phone numbers, usernames or email addresses.
These sites pull data from public records like phone books, property records, court documents and more. They may show you a phone number, email address, current or past street addresses, relatives, jobs and other information to help track the person down. Just keep in mind some of the data may be outdated or incorrect if they have moved.
Ask Mutual Friends and Family Members
If you have mutual friends or family members with this person on Facebook, reach out to ask them for any updated contact information they may have. Explain you noticed this person deactivated their Facebook and want to get in touch again outside of social media.
Even if they don’t have the person’s email or phone number, they may know details like where they work, if they recently moved or have other social media profiles. Any information helps increase the chances you can find a way to contact them.
Check Community Message Boards and Forums
For additional possibilities, you can scan community message boards and forums related to the person’s interests, alma mater or places they used to live. Check if their name comes up in any recent posts or listings. For example, you may find they started a new business that’s listed on a local forum, or enrolled in a class through a community college.
These community spaces are other places where you might uncover an email address, website or updated location for the person if mentioned by others who know them in real life. It helps provide more context clues for your search.
Look for New Accounts Under the Same Name
It’s also a good idea to periodically search their name on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other networks to check if they end up creating new accounts. The person may decide to reactivate their Facebook account or start fresh accounts on other sites. Searching their name helps you spot if any new profiles pop up you can try connecting with.
You can also try searching variations of their name, like first and middle initials, maiden names, nicknames etc. People sometimes use slightly different versions of their names across social media.
Send a Message to Their Facebook Account
If the person fully deactivated their Facebook rather than deleting it, it can be reactivated at any time. Accounts are preserved in deactivated status for 30 days. This gives the person a month to change their mind and restore the account if they want.
You can try sending a Facebook message to their old account and see if they reactivate it to read the message. They would receive an email notification of your message to their alternate email on file. Make sure your message clearly conveys you just want to connect in a polite, non-intrusive way.
Search Facebook Groups You Have in Common
Check Facebook groups that you and this person are both members of. Even if they deactivated their account, they may still be listed as members of groups they joined in the past. You can try making a post in one of the groups asking if anyone has a way to get in touch with the person outside of Facebook.
Fellow group members who know them in real life may see the post and be able to share updated contact info. It’s another avenue to find a way to reach them if you have common groups.
Use Facebook Ads Manager to Send a Message
Facebook’s advertising platform can also be used creatively to try sending a message. You can use Facebook’s Ads Manager to target an ad specifically to the individual person featuring a simple text image with your message.
To do this, go to Facebook’s Ads Manager and select the option to “Create Ad.” Choose the objective “Messages” and then enter the person’s name, email address or phone number to target them specifically. Upload an image with your message and set the budget at the minimum $1 per day.
The ad will be delivered to their Facebook message inbox like an automated message. Again, focus on a polite message just asking them to get in touch at an alternate number or email address.
Ask Facebook to Look Up Their Account
As a last resort, you can try reporting their inactive account to Facebook and asking for assistance reaching the person. Go to Facebook’s Help Center and select the Contact Us form. Explain you are trying to get in touch with someone who deactivated their account for an important personal matter.
While Facebook won’t simply hand out someone’s private contact information, their security team can look up an account and potentially relay a message on your behalf. However they may decline to help maintain the person’s privacy if they cannot confirm your relationship.
This method is less likely to work but may be worth a shot if you have a compelling reason to need to contact them and have exhausted all other options.
Tryearching on a Periodic Basis
Keep in mind that finding someone who has deactivated Facebook relies heavily on luck and timing. The person may reactivate their profile after a break, create brand new accounts you don’t know about, or post updated contact details on various sites that aren’t there yet today.
Your best option is to search on a periodic basis across all the platforms mentioned. Check every month or two for any new leads. Over time information could surface that gives you a way to message or call them. Persistence and patience are key when searching for someone who has chosen to deactivate their Facebook presence.
Respect Their Privacy and Consent
If your search efforts to contact the person prove unsuccessful, make sure to respect their privacy and choice to deactivate Facebook. Avoid contacting their family members, showing up uninvited at their workplace or home, or taking any other intrusive measures to force communication. If they wish to reconnect, they will do so on their own terms when ready.
It’s important not to come across as overeager or invasive when trying to find someone who has deliberately removed their social media presence. Take the person’s lack of response as indication they prefer not to resume contact for the time being.
When to Stop Searching
If you have exhausted all the above options and still have not been able to reach the person after several months, it may be time to stop actively searching. Continuing to aggressively look for ways to contact someone who doesn’t seem receptive could border on harassment.
Everyone has a right to disconnect from certain social circles or take a break from online spaces if they choose. If your repeated contact attempts go ignored, it’s usually best to let it go and allow the person to reach out to you if and when they are ready.
Conclusion
Searching for someone who has deactivated their Facebook account can be challenging but is possible in some cases. Tap into other social networks, public records, mutual connections and community forums to uncover alternate ways to reach them. Send messages through creative channels like Facebook groups, ads and the Help Center.
Ultimately you may need to make peace with not being able to find the person if they wish to remain off the grid. Be sure to maintain respect for their privacy and boundaries above your desire to reconnect. With time and luck, updated contact information or a reactivated profile may eventually surface.