If you no longer have access to your Facebook account but want to delete it, there are a few options you can try. However, deleting an account you can’t access poses some challenges.
Can you delete a Facebook account without access?
Yes, it is possible to delete a Facebook account you no longer have access to. However, you will need to go through Facebook’s account deletion process for accounts you don’t have access to.
Facebook requires you to confirm your identity when requesting account deletion. So if you no longer have access to the email or phone number associated with the account, or don’t remember your password, you won’t be able to complete the normal deletion process through your account settings.
Submitting a request to delete the inaccessible account
To delete the Facebook account, you will need to submit a request to Facebook to remove the account for you. This allows Facebook to confirm your identity outside of having access to the account you want to delete.
To submit an account deletion request without access:
- Go to Facebook’s contact form for account deletion issues.
- Fill out the form with as much information as possible about the account you want deleted.
- Include your full name and any email addresses or phone numbers associated with the account.
- Explain why you no longer have access to the account.
- Request that Facebook delete the account due to your lack of access.
Once you submit the deletion request, Facebook will investigate and see if they can confirm your identity and ownership of the account another way. This process takes around one month, according to Facebook.
Providing proof of identity to Facebook
To increase the chances that Facebook grants your account deletion request, it helps to provide additional proof of your identity.
Documents you can send to help Facebook confirm you are the account owner include:
- A scan of your government ID.
- Profile pictures where you are tagged.
- Screenshots of emails received from Facebook to the account’s email address.
- Screenshots showing posts on the Facebook account.
Any evidence you can provide to show you are the legitimate owner of the account will make it more likely Facebook honors the deletion request.
If you can’t prove account ownership
If you are unable to provide adequate proof of identity and account ownership, Facebook may reject your deletion request. Without enough evidence you own the account, Facebook will be unable to proceed with deletion.
If Facebook denies your request, they recommend trying to regain access to the account through the account recovery process. This involves resetting your password or regaining access to the associated email or phone number.
How long account deletion takes
If your deletion request is approved, it takes around 1 month for Facebook to fully delete the inaccessible account.
Here are the steps Facebook takes to delete an account:
- Account is deactivated within 24 hours of deletion approval.
- Deactivated for 1 month before permanent deletion.
- Within 1 month, all account information is erased.
- After 1 month, the account is completely gone.
You will not get notification of when the permanent deletion happens. The account is simply removed from Facebook’s records after about one month.
Getting someone else’s inactive account deleted
If the inactive Facebook account you want deleted belongs to someone else, the process involves a few extra steps.
To request deletion of someone else’s account, you need to provide proof you are an authorized representative. Documents can include:
- Power of attorney documentation.
- Birth certificate proving next of kin relationship.
- Executor of estate paperwork.
Facebook also requires verification that the original account holder has passed away. This involves providing an obituary or death certificate.
Can you recover a Facebook account after deletion?
No, it is not possible to recover a deleted Facebook account. Once your account is completely deleted after around 1 month, all account data is eradicated from Facebook’s systems.
There is no way to retrieve the account or any of its data once permanently deleted by Facebook.
Steps to take before deleting your Facebook account
Since you can’t recover a Facebook account after deletion, it’s important to take steps before requesting removal.
- Download your data – Use Facebook’s download your information tool to save photos, posts, and other account data.
- Save conversations – Copy or screenshot any conversations you want to keep.
- Notify friends – Let close connections know you are deleting your account.
- Delete your content – Remove posts, photos and other info you don’t want lingering after you delete your account.
- Download Facebook data from other apps – Save info connected apps have permission to access.
Taking these steps lets you save anything important before permanently closing your Facebook account.
Conclusion
It is possible to delete a Facebook account you no longer have access to by submitting a deletion request to Facebook. However, the process can be challenging if you cannot adequately prove your identity as the account owner.
Provide as much documentation as possible to show you own the inactive account. And take steps to save account data before requesting deletion, since accounts cannot be recovered once removed from Facebook’s system.
With the right verification, Facebook can permanently delete accounts that account owners no longer have access to. Just be sure to follow the proper protocol and have patience as the account deletion process takes around one month.
Here is a table summarizing the key points on deleting inaccessible Facebook accounts:
| Steps to Delete Inaccessible Facebook Account |
|---|
| Submit account deletion request to Facebook |
| Provide proof of identity like ID or profile pictures |
| Wait 1 month for account to be permanently deleted |
| Account cannot be recovered once deletion finishes |
| Take steps like downloading data before deletion |
Being unable to access a Facebook account you no longer use can be inconvenient. With Facebook’s account deletion process, you can request removal of old accounts you can’t log in to anymore.
Just be sure to follow all steps closely, like providing documentation, so Facebook can confirm your identity. Then you can ensure the inactive account gets permanently deleted from their systems.
Thank you for reading! I hope this article provided useful information on how to delete a Facebook account you no longer have access to. Let me know if you have any other questions!