If Facebook deletes your account, there are a few key things that will happen:
You will no longer be able to log in or access your profile
Once Facebook deletes your account, you will immediately be logged out and will no longer be able to log back in. Any attempt to access your profile page or any content you have posted will fail. Essentially, it will be like your account never existed.
Your profile and content will be removed
All of your profile information, photos, posts, videos, and other content you have shared on Facebook will be permanently removed from Facebook’s servers. Your profile page will cease to exist. This removal happens quickly after account deletion.
You will stop appearing in friends’ News Feeds
Since your account and all your activity will be deleted, you will no longer show up in any of your friends’ News Feeds. Any future posts, likes, or comments from your friends will not be associated with you in any way.
Your Facebook messages will be deleted
All of your Facebook messages, both sent and received, will be erased. Friends will no longer be able to view conversations they have had with you.
You will lose access to any Facebook apps or games
If you used your Facebook account to log in to any third-party apps or games, you will be logged out of these services and lose access. This includes apps like Spotify, Pinterest, Tinder and Farmville among many others.
Facebook can retain some data
According to its Terms of Service, Facebook can retain some data for certain purposes even after account deletion. This includes data needed for legal issues, data processing, and security purposes. But all of your main account information and profile data is deleted.
Most data is unrecoverable
In most cases, once your Facebook account is deleted the data is completely erased from Facebook’s servers and cannot be recovered. However, some data may still exist in backup copies for a certain period of time before being permanently deleted.
It could take up to 90 days for full deletion
While most account data is deleted immediately upon cancellation, it can take up to 90 days for all of your data to be fully wiped from Facebook’s systems. So some data could linger for a short time after deletion.
You can never reactivate the same account
Once an account is deleted by Facebook, there is no way to reactivate or reinstate that same account. The only option is to create an entirely new account with a new email and username.
Some external links and references may remain
If other Facebook users have interacted with your account, some traces may still remain even after deletion. For example, messages you sent could still be visible in other users’ inboxes. And external websites that linked to your Facebook profile may still have those inactive links.
What kinds of data does Facebook delete?
Here are some examples of the specific types of data and content that Facebook deletes when your account is canceled:
- Your profile info (bio, photos, interests, etc)
- Your posts and other content
- Your photos and videos
- Your comments and reactions to posts
- Your messages and chats
- Your friends/followers and group affiliations
- Your account settings and preferences
- Your login/password info
- Your Facebook search and browsing history
- Your location check-ins
- Your app settings and activity
Why would Facebook delete an account?
There are a few reasons why Facebook may initiate the deletion of an account:
- Prolonged inactivity – If the account has been inactive for an extended time
- Violations of Facebook’s terms – Such as spam, fake accounts, bullying, illegal activity etc.
- User request – The account holder specifically asked Facebook to delete the account
- Legal issues – Court orders or other legal/privacy issues
- Security concerns – Compromised or hacked accounts may be deleted
Can you recover a deleted Facebook account?
It is very difficult to recover a Facebook account that has been permanently deleted. Usually it is impossible, but here are some options you could try:
- Contact Facebook support – Explain your situation and request account reinstatement
- Find emails sent to your account – Contains links you can try clicking to recover
- Use account recovery options – Reset password or security questions if still active
- Retrieve data from external sites – Messages, photos etc. you shared outside Facebook
- Check web archives – Sites like Archive.org may have old pages saved
However, with no guarantees these methods will work once the account is gone. Your best bet is to back up any important data before deletion.
Can you deactivate instead of fully deleting?
Yes, deactivating your Facebook account is different than fully deleting it. Deactivation retains all your information, and the account can easily be reactivated at any time by logging back in.
Advantages of deactivating instead of deleting:
- Your information is saved so you can restore it later
- You can take a break from Facebook without losing your data
- It’s easy to reactivate your account whenever you want
Disadvantages of deactivating instead of deleting:
- Your information remains available to Facebook
- Your profile may still show up in some places on Facebook
- Harder to break Facebook habit if account remains
Conclusion
Having your Facebook account forcefully deleted can be disruptive, causing permanent loss of photos, conversations, connections, and more. But it’s relatively rare unless you violate Facebook’s policies. In most cases, deleting your account is a choice you have to initiate yourself.
Overall, while Facebook account deletion is drastic and irreversible, the core benefits are enhanced privacy and forcing yourself to break an internet addiction. Carefully consider all options before choosing to delete your account.