Facebook has become an integral part of many people’s lives, allowing us to stay connected with friends and family, share life events, and find communities. However, there may be times when you post something on Facebook that you later regret and want to permanently remove. Deleting content from Facebook seems straightforward, but content you remove is not immediately erased. It can remain on Facebook’s servers for up to 90 days. Within this period, the content can be restored if your account is reactivated. So how do you permanently delete something from Facebook?
Can you permanently delete something on Facebook?
Yes, it is possible to permanently delete content from Facebook so that it is erased from their servers and cannot be restored. However, the process involves more steps than simply removing or deleting the content.
When you remove something from Facebook, it is at first only sent to the “trash” section of your account. It remains here for up to 30 days and is still recoverable during this time. To instantly and permanently delete content from Facebook, you need to manually clear it from your trash folder.
How to permanently delete Facebook posts
Here are the steps to permanently delete a post on Facebook:
- Log into your Facebook account
- Go to your profile page and click on the three horizontal dots at the top right corner of your post
- Select “Move to Trash” from the dropdown menu
- This will move the post to your trash folder. Now click on the three horizontal dots again
- Choose “Delete” to permanently erase the post
Once you empty the post from your trash folder, it will be permanently gone from Facebook and cannot be recovered.
How to permanently delete Facebook photos
To permanently delete a photo from Facebook:
- Go to your profile and click on “Photos”
- Hover over the photo you want to delete and click on the three dots icon
- Select “Move to Trash”
- Go to the trash folder and click the three dots icon on the photo again
- Choose “Delete”
This will instantly and permanently erase the photo from Facebook’s servers.
How to permanently delete Facebook comments
Deleting a comment you made on someone else’s post or photo takes a few more steps:
- Go to the post or photo where you commented
- Hover over your comment and click the “X” icon
- Choose “Delete Comment”
- Now go to your profile and click on “Activity Log”
- Click “Comments” at the top
- Find the deleted comment and click on the three dots icon
- Select “Move to Trash”
- Open trash and click the three dots icon on the comment
- Choose “Delete” to permanently erase it
This removes your comment from the original post and deletes it from your account and Facebook’s records.
How to permanently delete your Facebook account
If you want to take the most drastic step of removing your entire Facebook presence, you can permanently delete your account:
- Click on the down arrow at the top right and choose “Settings”
- Go to “Your Facebook Information” in General Account Settings
- Click on “Deactivation and Deletion”
- Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and click “Continue”
- Select “Delete Account”
Facebook gives you a 30-day window to reactivate your account before permanently deleting it. After the 30 days, your profile, photos, posts, comments, and everything else will be erased.
Important things to know about permanently deleting Facebook content
Here are some key points to keep in mind when permanently deleting something from Facebook:
- Deleted content may still appear in searches for a short while until search engine caches are refreshed
- Other users may still have copies or screenshots of content you shared previously
- Deactivating your account temporarily hides it but does not delete any content
- It can take up to 90 days for Facebook to delete content after you permanently remove it
- You can download a copy of your Facebook data before permanently deleting your account
How to delete Facebook content on mobile
The process of permanently deleting content works similarly on the Facebook mobile app:
- Tap the three dots next to a post and choose “Move to Trash”
- Open trash and tap the three dots again, then select “Delete”
- For photos, tap the three dots on the photo and choose “Move to Trash”
- For comments, tap the X icon and confirm deletion, then go to your comments in Activity Log to delete
Conclusion
While Facebook does not make it obvious, you can permanently erase posts, photos, comments, and even your entire account if you wish. Just be aware that content may still exist in external searches and other users’ accounts even after you delete it. But following the steps to remove content from your trash folder will ensure Facebook permanently deletes it from their servers within 90 days.