Removing your Facebook account is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. When you remove your account, it is permanently deleted along with all the information you’ve shared on Facebook. Here’s a quick overview of what happens when you remove your Facebook account from the account center:
- Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and everything else you’ve added to Facebook will be permanently deleted.
- You won’t be able to retrieve anything you’ve shared on Facebook.
- Your messages on Facebook messenger will be deleted.
- You’ll stop seeing notifications and won’t be able to use Facebook services.
- Pages and groups you created or managed will continue to exist without you.
- Your Facebook friends will no longer see you in their friends list.
- Some information may still be visible in Facebook searches for a few days before it’s permanently deleted.
So in summary, removing your account permanently deletes all your Facebook information and activity. There is no going back once your account is removed.
Why Would You Want to Remove Your Facebook Account?
There are several reasons why someone may want to remove their Facebook account entirely:
Privacy Concerns
Many people have concerns about their privacy and data security on Facebook. By removing your account, all your personal information is deleted from Facebook’s servers. This gives you peace of mind that your data is no longer being stored and used by Facebook.
Too Much Time Spent on Facebook
Some find themselves spending too much time scrolling and posting on Facebook. Deactivating your account can help break the habit and free up more time.
Too Many Distractions
Similarly, Facebook can be distracting and make it harder to focus on work or school. Removing your account eliminates the temptation to check Facebook constantly.
Want a Fresh Start
For some, removing their Facebook account can represent a fresh start socially or professionally. It allows you to present yourself in a new way offline rather than relying on your old Facebook persona.
Disagree with Facebook’s Values
There are also ethical and political reasons why someone may not want to support Facebook anymore. Deleting your account withdraws your data and participation from the platform.
Fallout with Friends/Family
In some cases, a major conflict may make someone want to delete their Facebook to cut ties or avoid unwanted contact from people they know.
How to Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account
If you are sure you want to remove your Facebook account, here is a step-by-step guide to permanently deleting it:
- Log into your Facebook account
- Click on the arrow in the top right and go to “Settings”
- In the left column, click on “Your Facebook Information”
- Select “Deactivation and Deletion”
- Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and click “Continue to Account Deletion”
- Select “Delete Account”
- Enter your password and click “Continue”
- Click “Delete Account”
Once you complete these steps, your account will be scheduled for deletion. It usually takes up to 90 days for Facebook to fully delete all your data from their systems.
During this period, your profile and posts will become inaccessible to other users. You can still cancel and reactivate your account if you change your mind.
But once those 90 days are up, your account removal will be final.
What Exactly Gets Deleted When You Remove Your Account?
When you decide to permanently delete your Facebook account, here are all the things that will be removed:
Your Profile
Your profile page with your bio, photos, interests, etc will be deleted. Other users will no longer be able to search for and view your profile.
Your Posts & Activity
All your posts, photos, videos, likes, comments, and other activity will be removed from Facebook. Your entire contribution to Facebook will disappear.
Your Contacts List
Your friends list and contact information for everyone you’ve connected with will be erased. Friends will no longer see you on their friends list either.
Your Messages
All your conversations and messages on Facebook Messenger will also be permanently deleted.
Notifications & News Feed
You will stop receiving notifications, news feed updates, and emails from Facebook. Your news feed itself will be gone.
Your Groups
Any Facebook groups or events you created will continue to exist, but you will be removed as the admin. Any groups you joined will no longer show you as a member.
Linked Apps or Websites
Any third-party apps or websites you logged into with your Facebook account will be disconnected. You may have to sign back into them using a different account.
Payment Information
Any payment information you had stored on Facebook for purchases will be erased.
So in summary, everything you’ve contributed to Facebook and all personal account information will be permanently removed.
What Happens to Things You’ve Purchased on Facebook?
If you have made any purchases on Facebook, such as buying a virtual gift or donating to a fundraiser, here is what happens when you delete your account:
- One-time purchases like virtual gifts are non-refundable and will not be recovered.
- Recurring subscriptions like Facebook Live donations will be automatically canceled when your account is deleted.
- Purchases made in games like Facebook Credits will be forfeited.
- You cannot transfer purchased items or Facebook Credits to another account.
- Transaction records and purchase history will be deleted along with your account.
So you will lose access to anything you’ve paid for on Facebook when your account is removed. Make sure you spend any unredeemed Facebook Credits and cancel any recurring donations before deleting your account.
What About Your Oculus Devices and Games?
If you have any Oculus virtual reality devices or games linked to your Facebook account, here’s what happens when you delete your account:
- Your Oculus device will enter a disabled, standalone mode.
- You will lose access to any apps, games, or content purchased through your Facebook account.
- Your friends list and social features will no longer work.
- You won’t be able to make new Oculus purchases.
- You can factory reset your Oculus device to use with a new Facebook account.
So your Oculus hardware will still function, but all the social features and any purchased content will no longer work unless you create a new Facebook account and reset the device.
What Happens to Your Facebook Business Pages?
If you are a business owner with Facebook pages and ad accounts, here is what happens when you delete your personal Facebook account that manages those pages:
- Your Facebook business pages will remain active.
- Admin privileges for those pages will be removed along with your account.
- Other admins can still manage the pages you created.
- Your advertising accounts and campaigns will continue running.
- You will no longer be able to access Facebook analytics and insights.
So your business pages, ads, and campaigns can remain unaffected if other admins are in place. However, you will lose the ability to access the data and analytics for your business activities on Facebook.
Can You Recover a Deleted Facebook Account?
Once your Facebook account is permanently deleted, there is no way to recover it. Facebook does not keep or archive disabled accounts. Some data may still be on their servers up to 90 days before being deleted, but there is no way to reactivate the account.
Here are the only ways you could get back on Facebook after deleting your account:
- Create a brand new account with your name and email address.
- Have someone send you a new invitation to join Facebook.
- Log back in using your old login info within the 30-day grace period before permanent deletion.
But your original account, along with all its data and activity, will be gone forever once permanently deleted. There is no account recovery option.
Can You Backup Your Facebook Data Before Deleting?
Before removing your Facebook account, you do have the option to download a copy of your Facebook data for your own records. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Your Facebook Information
- Select “Download Your Information”
- Choose date range and media types to download
- Click “Create File”
- Once ready, click “Download”
- Save downloaded .zip file to your computer
This zip file will contain your posts, photos, videos, messages, lists, and other Facebook activity. Note that you cannot re-upload this data to reactivate your account once deleted. But it serves as a nice memento of your time on Facebook.
Some things the backup does NOT include:
– Friends’ info and full conversations with others
– Your search history
– Login details
– Activity from apps and websites off Facebook
So the backup is not a complete record of your Facebook presence and conversations. But it does help preserve your own posts, media, and conversations initiated by you.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Deleting Facebook?
Before taking the big step of removing your Facebook account, consider these potential pros and cons:
Pros
- Increased privacy and control over your data
- No risk of embarrassing old posts or photos resurfacing
- More free time back in your schedule
- Avoid social comparisons and envy when seeing others’ posts
- Make a fresh start socially or professionally
- Pursue real-world relationships instead of just online ones
Cons
- Lose connections with friends, family, coworkers, etc.
- Miss out on events, messages, and shared content from your network
- Disappear from classmates or colleagues you’ve reconnected with
- Lose access to memories like photos and posts
- No longer able to access business tools and analytics (for business owners)
- Can’t login anywhere using Facebook account credentials
It’s a very personal decision with reasonable arguments on both sides. Make sure to carefully consider the pros and cons before deleting your account.
Conclusion
Deleting your Facebook account erases all personal information from the platform permanently. Your profile, posts, media, messages, and connections will all be removed. Business pages can remain active but you’ll lose access to tools and insights.
Think seriously about your reasons for leaving and if you can live without Facebook access. Download any data you may want to keep. And know that once your account is gone, there’s no way to restore it.
Removing your Facebook is ultimately about taking back control of your privacy and time. But also recognize what you may miss out on when cutting yourself off from that network. Weigh the pros and cons before making your decision.