Can I reactivate my Facebook account after deactivating it?
Yes, you can reactivate your Facebook account at any time after deactivating it. When you deactivate your account, Facebook saves all your information and profile data. All you need to do is log back into your account using your email and password to reactivate it. Your profile, photos, posts, friends, etc. will be restored.
What happens to my Facebook profile when I deactivate my account?
When you deactivate your Facebook account, your profile is hidden from other users on the platform. Other users will not be able to search for you or view your profile while your account is deactivated. Your profile picture, cover photo, and all other profile information will no longer be visible.
Essentially, it will appear as if you no longer have a Facebook account. However, all your data, contacts, photos, etc. remain saved on Facebook’s servers and will be restored if you choose to reactivate your account.
Can people see my Facebook profile if I deactivate my account?
No, other Facebook users will not be able to see or access your Facebook profile if you deactivate your account. Your profile will essentially disappear from Facebook until you reactivate it again.
Neither your Facebook friends or the general public will be able to search for you or view any part of your profile. You will be invisible on Facebook while deactivated.
What happens to my photos and posts if I deactivate my Facebook account?
Your photos and posts will all be temporarily hidden from view when you deactivate your Facebook account. Other users will not be able to see or access any of your existing photos or posts while your account is deactivated.
However, Facebook continues storing all your photos, posts, videos, etc. They will all be restored if you choose to login and reactivate your account in the future.
Can people tag me in photos if I deactivate my Facebook account?
No, you cannot be tagged in any new photos or posts while your Facebook account is deactivated. Since your profile is invisible, other users will not be able to tag you in anything new.
If someone attempts to tag you in a new photo or post, they will get an error saying your account is unavailable. However, any old photos or posts you were previously tagged in will remain on Facebook even while deactivated.
What happens to my Facebook messages if I deactivate my account?
When you deactivate your Facebook account, you will no longer be able to read or respond to any new incoming messages. Both your inbox and outbox will be temporarily disabled.
However, Facebook will continue storing all your previous message history, including whole conversations. If you reactivate your account, you will regain access to all old messages.
But you will miss any new messages received while your account was deactivated. People who messaged you will have to resend any unread messages.
Can I use Facebook Messenger if I deactivate my Facebook account?
Unfortunately, deactivating your Facebook account also deactivates Facebook Messenger. You will not be able to use Messenger to chat with friends until you reactivate your main Facebook account.
When you deactivate Facebook, it signs you out of all associated apps as well including Messenger. Your Messenger chats and message history remain saved, but you cannot access Messenger.
What happens to my Facebook groups if I deactivate my account?
When you deactivate your account, you are automatically removed from all Facebook groups that you are a member of. Once deactivated, you will no longer appear on any group member lists.
If you reactivate your account, you can request to re-join any groups you were previously a member of. However, group administrators will have to manually approve your request to re-join each group.
Can I still use Facebook Marketplace if I deactivate my account?
No, deactivating your Facebook account also removes your access to Facebook Marketplace. You will not be able to browse listings, communicate with buyers/sellers, or purchase items on Marketplace until you reactivate your account.
Any existing listings you had posted will also be hidden from view. However, all your listing data will be restored when you choose to reactivate your Facebook account.
What happens to my Facebook business page if I deactivate my personal account?
Deactivating your personal Facebook account does not affect any business pages that you manage. Your business pages will remain active and online even while your personal profile is deactivated.
You can continue managing your business pages as normal through their independent login credentials. Deactivating your personal account does not impact your business presence on Facebook.
Can I use Facebook Pay and purchase credits if I deactivate my account?
No, deactivating your account temporarily disables Facebook Pay and any associated payment information you had stored on the platform.
You also cannot purchase any Facebook credits to use for games, apps, or other services while your account is deactivated. All payment-related functionality gets disabled alongside your main account.
What happens to my Oculus/Meta VR account if I deactivate Facebook?
If you choose to deactivate your Facebook account, this will also deactivate any Oculus/Meta VR accounts associated with your Facebook profile. You will be logged out of all VR services until you reactivate Facebook.
Your VR gaming information, achievements, app data, and device associations will be retained. But you will not be able to use your Oculus headset or access Meta’s VR platform while your Facebook account is deactivated.
Can I permanently delete my Facebook account instead of deactivating?
Yes, you can choose to permanently delete your Facebook account instead of temporarily deactivating it if you do not plan to use Facebook again. Deleting your account is permanent and all your information is removed.
Here are the key differences between deactivating and deleting Facebook:
| Deactivating | Deleting |
|---|---|
| Temporary | Permanent |
| Can reactivate account whenever | Account is gone forever |
| Data is saved | All data is erased |
So deactivating just hides your account temporarily whereas deleting it erases all your data and closes your account permanently.
How long does Facebook keep my data after I delete my account?
When you permanently delete your Facebook account, it can take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully delete all your data stored on its servers. This grace period allows you to reactivate and recover your account if you change your mind.
After those 90 days, Facebook will permanently erase all your personal data including profile info, posts, photos, messages, contacts, etc. from its storage systems. All your data will be unrecoverable at that point.
Can I backup my Facebook data before deleting my account?
Yes, before deciding to permanently delete your Facebook account and lose access to all your data, you can download a backup archive:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Click on Your Facebook Information in the left menu
- Select Download Your Information
- Choose Create File
Facebook will compile all your account data including photos, posts, profile info, messages, etc. into a downloadable .ZIP file that you can save as a backup.
What are the pros and cons of deleting my Facebook account permanently?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Permanently removing personal info from Facebook | Lose access to all Facebook services |
| No risk of compromising your data in the future | Unable to recover any data in the future |
| No ads or tracking of your online activity | Disconnected from friends and family on Facebook |
| More privacy and control over your data | Can’t rejoin groups you were part of |
The pros include enhanced privacy, security, and control over your information. The cons are losing access to Facebook services, content, connections with difficulty reconnecting.
What should I do before deactivating or deleting my Facebook account?
Before deactivating or deleting your Facebook account, it’s recommended you take the following steps:
- Download a copy of your Facebook data for backup
- Notify friends and family that you plan to deactivate/delete your account
- Save or download photos you want to keep
- Export your Facebook contacts
- Remove your Facebook Login from any connected apps or sites
- Publish a farewell post or send goodbye messages to close connections
This will allow you preserve any important data, notify your network, and tie up loose ends before closing your Facebook account.
Can I sign up for Facebook again after deleting my account?
Yes, it is possible to create a brand new Facebook account using a different email address after deleting your previous account. Facebook allows people to sign up for new accounts after leaving the platform.
However, you will be starting completely fresh – none of the data from your old account will be carried over or restored when creating the new profile. You will have to build up your network and profile information again from scratch.
Conclusion
Deactivating your Facebook account temporarily hides your profile and removes access to services, but all data remains saved for whenever you want to reactivate. Deleting the account permanently erases all your Facebook presence and information after 90 days.
Consider downloading a backup, notifying your network, and removing login associations before deactivation. Although you can sign up for Facebook again after deleting, all prior data will be lost. Weigh the pros and cons before making your decision.