Deactivating your Facebook account can have advantages and disadvantages depending on your reasons for doing so and how you use the platform. Here are some key questions and answers about what happens when you temporarily deactivate Facebook.
Why would someone temporarily deactivate their Facebook account?
There are several common reasons someone may want to take a break from Facebook for a set period of time:
- Reduce distractions – Facebook can be addictive and time-consuming. Deactivating allows you to focus without it.
- Take a mental health break – Facebook can impact mental health due to social comparison, negative interactions, excessive politics, etc. A break can help.
- Reassess use – Stepping back allows reflection on if you want Facebook in your life and if so, how to use it in a healthy way.
- Temporary need for privacy – If changing jobs or going through a sensitive life situation, deactivating may be preferable to deleting in case you want to reactivate later.
- Protest Facebook policies – Deactivating sends a message of dissatisfaction with something Facebook has done.
What happens to your profile and information when deactivated?
When you deactivate Facebook, here is what happens to your profile and account:
- Your profile is hidden from other users on Facebook – no one can search for you or view your profile or anything you’ve shared.
- You cannot log in to Facebook with your account credentials.
- Your name is removed from your friends’ friends lists.
- Your photos and videos are no longer viewable.
- You stop receiving notifications.
- You are not able to use Facebook messenger.
- You stop getting emails from Facebook.
- Your Facebook events are removed from the calendar.
- You lose access to Facebook apps you use your account to log in to.
However, Facebook does retain some of your data:
- Your profile itself is not deleted, just hidden.
- Your posts, photos, videos, and data remain stored in Facebook’s database but are inaccessible to anyone.
- Facebook messages remain stored but you cannot access them.
- Your Facebook Pixel data remains.
- You remain counted in the audiences you are segmented into for advertising.
Can you reactivate your account and how?
Yes, you can reactivate your Facebook account at any time by simply logging in with your credentials as normal. Facebook keeps deactivated accounts for 14 days before permanently deleting them, so you have at least two weeks to change your mind.
When you reactivate your Facebook account:
- Your profile will be visible and searchable again.
- You regain access to your profile information, posts, photos, videos, messages, etc.
- You will show back up in your friends’ friends lists.
- You will start receiving notifications and emails again.
- You can start using Facebook apps you logged into with your account again.
- You will resume getting invites, calendar reminders, etc. from Facebook events.
Essentially, everything goes back to the state it was in before you deactivated. The process is quick and easy.
What happens to your Facebook business pages when you deactivate your profile?
Deactivating your personal Facebook profile does not affect any Facebook business pages you manage. Those pages remain active and you can still access them:
- Log in directly to the business page using the email and password for that account.
- Use the Facebook business app or Facebook business manager to manage the page.
- Have another admin on the page post content and manage interactions.
The key is your business pages are separate accounts from your personal profile. Their standing does not change when you deactivate your profile since you don’t use your personal credentials to manage them.
What if you are the only admin on a business page?
If you are the only admin for a business page, you need to add another before deactivating your profile to ensure it continues to be managed. If you are the sole admin and deactivate, no one can post or interact on that page until you reactivate your profile.
Can people still tag you or interact with your past content?
When your account is deactivated:
- People cannot tag you in new posts, comments, or photos.
- Your name will not auto-populate when someone starts typing it to tag you.
- You cannot be added to events.
- If someone tags your exact name or tries to interact with your past posts, it will fail since your account is unavailable.
Essentially, people will get an error message if they try to interact with your account in any way while it is deactivated. You become unsearchable and inaccessible on Facebook.
Will deactivating reduce future bans or suspensions if you reactivate?
| Situation | Impact on Future Bans |
|---|---|
| Deactivated before being banned | May help avoid future ban since you took a voluntary break |
| Deactivated after being banned | Typically does not impact future ban chances |
| Deactivated due to policy violations | Generally does not reduce future ban risk |
If you voluntarily deactivated your account as a proactive break due to excessive use or other personal reasons, it can demonstrate to Facebook that you are self-monitoring in a responsible way. This may potentially help avoid a future involuntary suspension or ban.
However, if you were banned before deactivating or Facebook disabled your account due to violations, the suspension risk likely remains when reactivating. Deactivating itself does not generally reduce future bans in those cases.
What happens to your Facebook ad accounts and campaigns?
Deactivating your personal Facebook profile also deactivates any Facebook ad accounts you have:
- Active ad campaigns are paused and cannot be managed.
- You cannot access Facebook Business Manager.
- Any Pages you administer also cannot run ads.
To continue running Facebook ads during a profile deactivation:
- Make another admin on your ad accounts before deactivating.
- Have them manage campaigns while you are inactive.
- Reactivate your profile when ready to manage ads again.
What if you are the only ad account admin?
If you are the sole admin on your Facebook ad accounts, your campaigns cannot run and will remain paused during your deactivation. Add another admin before deactivating if you need campaigns to keep running.
Can you use Facebook Messenger when your profile is deactivated?
When you deactivate your Facebook profile, you also lose access to Facebook Messenger. You cannot:
- Send or receive Messenger messages and calls.
- See your conversations and message history.
- Use Messenger on mobile or desktop.
People who message you will get notices their messages could not be delivered. Your Messenger disappears until you reactive your account.
What about Messenger for business accounts?
As with ads and business pages, deactivating your personal profile does not affect Messenger for any business accounts you manage. Those remain active for conversations with customers and leads.
Can deactivating improve your mental health and well-being?
Taking a break from Facebook can have mental health benefits for some people, but the impact depends on how you use it:
| Situation | Mental Health Impact |
|---|---|
| Addicted to scrolling | Can significantly reduce stress and anxiety caused by compulsive checking |
| Mainly passive user | May reduce social comparison and FOMO from seeing curated posts |
| Experience online bullying | Removes direct source of social stress and harassment |
| Active social connections | May increase isolation and reduce social support |
If you feel Facebook creates unhealthy social comparison or compulsive checking habits for you, deactivating can be beneficial. But for active social interactions, it risks increasing isolation.
What are the risks of deactivating your Facebook account?
While temporarily deactivating Facebook can have advantages, there are also some potential downsides to consider:
- Social isolation – You lose touch with friends and family who connect mainly via Facebook.
- Fear of missing out – You may feel out of the loop on news, events, conversations, etc. happening on Facebook.
- Lost memories – Over years, Facebook becomes a digital scrapbook. Deactivating loses access to this.
- Reduced reach – Pages, creatives, or activists relying on Facebook lose that audience reach when deactivated.
- Less convenience – Facebook can provide conveniences like calendar integration, events, login access to other apps, etc.
The risks depend on how integrated Facebook is into your friendships, interests, and habits. For some, losing Facebook means losing touch.
How to mitigate the risks of deactivating
If you decide to temporarily deactivate your account, there are some ways to reduce the potential downsides:
- Download your Facebook data for memories and records before deactivating.
- Let close connections know you are deactivating and suggest alternative communication channels.
- Link or set reminders for any Facebook events before going inactive.
- Remove Facebook app from your phone to avoid reflexive checking.
- Replace Facebook time with more active social interactions.
Conclusion
Temporarily deactivating your Facebook account can provide a needed mental break for some or the ability to focus without constant notifications and scrolling. It can demonstrate responsible social media management if overuse is an issue.
However, it also comes with the risks of increased isolation, fear of missing out, and losing access to connections, memories, and convenience Facebook provides. Setting up alternative communications, downloading data, and unlinking apps can help mitigate these risks while deactivated.
Overall, the impact depends entirely on how integral Facebook is to your friendships, interests, memories, and habits. Deactivating for a short-term reassessment or mental health break can be reasonable, but permanent deletion requires more caution for those highly engaged on the platform.