Deleting your Facebook account from your iPhone is a simple process that only takes a few steps. However, before deleting your account, it’s important to understand what permanently deleting your Facebook account really means.
What happens when you permanently delete your Facebook account?
When you permanently delete your Facebook account, all of your information, photos, posts, videos, comments, likes, and friends will be completely removed from Facebook. This cannot be undone. Here’s exactly what happens when you permanently delete your account:
- Your profile, photos, posts, videos, comments, likes, and friends will be permanently deleted. This cannot be recovered.
- You will no longer be able to login to your account or recover any of the content.
- Your Messenger conversations will be deleted.
- Your Facebook Page will also be deleted if you are an admin.
- You will stop seeing notifications from Facebook.
- Your Facebook events you created or were invited to will be removed from Facebook.
- You will stop receiving Facebook emails.
- Facebook will remove you and your information from features and apps like Marketplace, Facebook Login, and more.
So in summary, permanently deleting your Facebook account means all of your information will be completely removed and you will no longer have access to your account. It’s important to download any photos or other content you want to keep before deleting your account.
How to download your Facebook data
Before deleting your Facebook account, it’s recommended you download a copy of your Facebook data so you have a record of your posts, photos, videos, messages, and more. Here’s how to download your Facebook data:
- Go to your Facebook settings and click “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
- Click “Download Your Information” at the top.
- Choose your date range and media quality.
- Select “Deselect All” and only check the boxes for the information you want to download. This includes photos, posts, reactions, comments, messages, etc.
- Click “Create File” to start your download request.
- Facebook will email you when your download file is ready. This usually takes a few hours up to a few days.
- When ready, go back to “Your Facebook Information” and click “Available Copies” to download your information.
Your data will download as a ZIP file to your computer. You can then view your photos, posts, and other Facebook content on your device before deleting your account.
How to temporarily deactivate your Facebook account
If you’re not quite ready to permanently delete your Facebook account, you can temporarily deactivate it instead. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook settings and click “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
- Click “Deactivation and Deletion”.
- Choose “Deactivate Account” and click “Continue to Account Deactivation”.
- Select either “I’d like to take a break” or “I’m concerned about privacy” as your reason for deactivating.
- Click “Deactivate”.
Your profile and information will be hidden until you choose to reactivate your account by logging back in with your password. Keep in mind your information is not deleted, it’s just hidden from other users.
How to permanently delete Facebook account on iPhone
Ready to permanently delete your Facebook account from your iPhone? Here are the steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone.
- Tap the three horizontal lines menu icon in the bottom right.
- Scroll down and tap “Settings & Privacy”.
- Tap “Settings”.
- Scroll down and tap “Account Ownership and Control”.
- Tap “Deactivation and Deletion”.
- Tap “Permanently Delete Account” then tap “Continue to Account Deletion”.
- Select your reason for deleting your account and tap “Continue”.
- Re-enter your password and tap “Permanently delete account”.
It may take up to 90 days for Facebook to delete all of your data from their systems. But your profile and account will become permanently inaccessible immediately after confirming deletion.
Alternative: Delete Facebook app from iPhone
If you don’t want to fully delete your Facebook account, you can simply delete the Facebook app from your iPhone:
- Hold your finger down on the Facebook app icon until the icons start wiggling.
- Tap the “X” that appears in the corner of the Facebook app icon.
- Tap “Delete” to confirm.
This will remove the Facebook app from your home screen. Your account and information will still exist on Facebook.com. You can simply redownload the app later if you change your mind.
Do you need to delete Facebook Messenger too?
When you delete your Facebook account, your Facebook Messenger account and messages will also be deleted. You do not need to delete Messenger separately.
However, if you only want to delete Facebook Messenger from your iPhone, here’s how:
- Hold your finger down on the Messenger app icon until the icons start wiggling.
- Tap the “X” that appears in the corner of the Messenger app icon.
- Tap “Delete” to confirm.
Your Facebook account will remain active, but the Messenger app will be deleted from your iPhone. You can redownload it later if needed.
Pros of deleting Facebook from your iPhone
Here are some of the benefits of deleting your Facebook account and app from your iPhone:
- Increased privacy and control over your information
- No more ads or sponsored content in your feed
- More free time without getting sucked into the Facebook scroll
- Increased productivity and focus
- Encourages real-life connections vs. social media connections
- Peace of mind knowing your data has been deleted
Cons of deleting Facebook from your iPhone
Here are some potential downsides of deleting Facebook from your iPhone:
- Lose connections with friends and family on Facebook
- Unable to access Facebook groups and events
- Lose access to your Facebook photos and videos
- Can’t use Facebook Login for other apps
- Miss out on notifications, events, and birthdays
- Deletion is permanent – cannot recover account or data
Facebook alternatives
If you enjoy social media but want an alternative to Facebook, here are a few options to consider:
| Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Photo and video sharing app owned by Meta (formerly Facebook). More focus on visual content. | |
| Microblogging platform for sharing short text, photo and video posts. | |
| Visual discovery engine for finding ideas and inspiration. Allows saving content with boards and pins. | |
| Nextdoor | Local social networking app to connect with nearby residents and neighborhoods. |
| Snapchat | Messaging app where photos/videos disappear after viewing. Features augmented reality filters. |
Each platform has its own pros and cons to weigh. Non-Meta owned options like Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat may be preferable if privacy from Facebook is your main concern.
Conclusion
Deleting your Facebook account from your iPhone is a relatively straightforward process – simply go into your account settings and choose the “Permanently Delete Account” option. However, be sure to download any photos or other data you want to keep for your records before deleting.
While there are valid reasons for deleting Facebook, like privacy concerns or productivity, there are also disadvantages to consider like losing connections and photos. Weigh the pros and cons carefully to decide if fully deleting your account is the right choice for you. Temporarily deactivating is an option if you want to take a break from Facebook but aren’t ready to fully close your account yet.
If you do decide to delete Facebook, be prepared to lose access to your account and all of its data permanently. However, you may find increased peace of mind in no longer having your personal information stored on Facebook’s servers. Just be sure any important connections are maintained outside of Facebook if you do decide to fully delete your account.