Quick Answer
There are a couple reasons why you may not be able to remove an admin from your Facebook group:
- You are not the group creator – Only the person who created the group has the ability to remove other admins. If you were added as an admin by the group creator, you cannot remove other admins.
- The admin you want to remove is the group creator – The group creator cannot be removed as an admin, even by themselves. This ensures the group always has at least one admin.
- You have not logged in as the group admin – Make sure you are logged in to the account that is set as the admin for the group. If you are logged in as a normal group member, you will not have the option to remove other admins.
So in summary, you must be logged in as the original group creator account to be able to remove other admins from a Facebook group. If you are not the group creator, you will need to contact the group creator and ask them to remove the admin you want removed.
Explanation of Facebook Group Admin Roles
When you create a new Facebook group, you are automatically set as the group “Admin”. This gives you full control over the group. As the admin, you can:
- Add, remove or promote other members as admins or moderators
- Approve or deny requests to join the group
- Create, edit or delete posts and comments within the group
- Change the group name, description or privacy settings
- Delete the group entirely
Being the group admin means you have the highest level of permissions in the group.
As the group creator, you can add other Facebook friends as “Admins” to help you manage the group. Admins have the same abilities as the group creator, except they cannot remove the group creator as an admin or delete the group.
You can also add “Moderators” who have limited powers to delete posts/comments and approve join requests. But they cannot add/remove other admins or moderators.
The group creator is always the top admin and the only one who can make changes to other admins. This safeguards against admins making changes without the creator’s consent.
Why Group Creators Cannot Be Removed by Other Admins
When Facebook rolled out its group administration features, they implemented a hierarchical structure to prevent chaos:
- The group creator is the ultimate admin who can control every aspect of the group.
- Admins can help manage the group and do almost everything except removing the creator or deleting the group.
- Moderators have limited powers to only moderate content.
- Members are regular users who can post and interact within the group.
With this structure, the group founder will always remain in control as the top admin. This prevents a scenario where a rogue admin takes over the group by removing the creator and other admins.
Some key reasons why group creators are protected as permanent admins:
- They put in the effort to start the group and build up its membership.
- The group’s purpose and rules were defined by the creator.
- Removing the creator may go against the group’s original aims.
- The creator is ultimately responsible for the group and its content.
- Groups with succession problems may become obsolete.
By keeping the creator permanently as top admin, Facebook maintains order and prevents unwanted changes. The group remains true to its founder’s vision.
Of course, the group creator can still voluntarily add or remove other admins. But the final authority lies solely with the founder to decide the group’s administration.
How to Remove an Admin You Didn’t Appoint
If you want to remove an admin that was assigned by another admin, you have two options:
Ask the Admin Who Appointed Them
The easiest way is to directly contact the admin who made the appointment and request that they remove the admin you want taken off.
As they had the power to assign the admin role originally, they can also retract it. This maintains the hierarchical administrative structure.
Simply send them a private message within the group or on Facebook Messenger politely asking them to revoke the admin status from the user you want removed.
Be sure to give valid reasons why you feel that person should not be an admin. Make your case respectfully and explain how it would be in the best interests of the group.
Most founders will be receptive to feedback from fellow admins about unsuitable appointments. By discussing it maturely, you can hopefully get the unwanted admin removed.
Ask the Group Creator
If the admin who appointed the person is unresponsive or refuses to remove them, your only recourse is to contact the group creator directly.
As the ultimate authority within the group, the founder can override any administrative decision by others. Explain your concerns about the admin and reasons you think they should be demoted.
The group creator can then decide if your request is reasonable and in the group’s best interests. If they agree, they can instantly demote the unwanted admin back to a regular member.
Be aware that the group creator may not always agree with your assessment. But it doesn’t hurt to have an open discussion and voice your concerns.
In the end, the group creator has final say over all administrative appointments. So make your case politely and hope they make the decision you feel is right.
Troubleshooting When You Can’t Remove an Admin
If you find yourself unable to remove an admin from your group, go through this troubleshooting checklist:
Confirm you are logged into the account that created the group
– You can only remove admins when logged in as the group creator. Ensure you are on the correct account.
Use the Facebook website, not the mobile app
– Group management options can be limited in the Facebook mobile apps. Use the desktop website for full functionality.
Navigate to the Group Settings screen
– Click the three dots next to group name > Settings & tools > Members and admins.
See if the user has an even higher role
– You may see a small crown icon indicating they are the group creator and can’t be removed.
Check if you previously made the admin unremovable
– When appointing admins, you can lock them in place permanently.
Confirm the user still has the admin role
– They may have already been demoted or removed by another admin.
Try removing from a different device
– Log in on a computer, tablet or mobile device to test if the issue persists.
Temporarily appoint another admin
– Add a trusted user temporarily as admin to see if they can remove the problematic admin.
Report bugs or issues to Facebook
– If all else fails, file a report with Facebook detailing the problems you’re facing.
Conclusion
Facebook group admins play important roles in managing online communities. But the platform safeguards groups by preventing unofficial admins from removing those above them.
As group founder, only you have full authority to appoint or revoke fellow admins. If you want to demote an admin added by someone else, politely request that the appointing admin remove them or ask the group creator to step in.
With good communication and understanding of Facebook’s hierarchy, group leaders can ensure their communities are managed reliably by those they trust most.