If you’re considering taking a break from Facebook or quitting the platform entirely, it’s essential to know your available options. Deactivating your account is a temporary solution that can be reversed, while deleting your account is a permanent decision. To delete your Facebook account, you need to navigate through a few menus. In this guide, you will learn how to delete your Facebook account permanently.
How to Permanently Get Rid of Facebook
Things to Consider Before Deleting Your Facebook Account:
| Feature | What will happen |
|---|---|
| Photos and videos | You’ll lose access unless you download a copy beforehand. |
| Facebook Messenger | You won’t be able to use Messenger anymore. |
| Logins on other sites or apps | Accounts connected to Facebook might become inaccessible. |
| Games | You may lose your game progress. |
Note: Facebook provides a 30-day grace period after requesting deletion. If you change your mind, you can log back in to cancel the request. After the 30 days, your account and data will be permanently deleted.
Preparing to Delete Your Facebook Account
Before saying goodbye to your Facebook account, taking certain steps ensures you keep what’s important. These actions will streamline the process, allowing for a smoother transition away from the social platform.
Backup Your Data
First off, safeguard your digital memories. This means backing up all your data, including photos, posts, and messages. Facebook provides a straightforward way to download your information:
- Go to Settings & Privacy.
- Click Your Facebook Information.
- Choose Download Your Information.
- Select the data you wish to keep and create the file.
Considerations for Connected Apps and Services
Your Facebook account might be the key to many third-party apps. For instance, you may log into other services using your Facebook credentials. Make a list of these apps:
- Note which apps rely on your Facebook login.
- Change access methods for these services prior to deletion.
Informing Contacts
Lastly, let your friends and network know about your departure. This is particularly relevant if you use Facebook to stay in touch or manage events. Sending a simple message can make a big difference:
- Announce your decision with a post or individual messages.
- Provide alternative ways to keep in contact.
Delete Your Facebook Account (Phone or Tablet)
- Open the Facebook app on your device.
- Tap the three horizontal lines menu button (either top right or bottom right, depending on your device).
- Scroll down and tap “Settings & Privacy” and then the “Settings” option.
- Scroll down and choose “Account Ownership and Control” under the “Your Facebook Information” section.
- Tap “Deactivation and Deletion.”
- Select “Delete Account” and tap “Continue to Account Deletion.”
- Facebook will present some options and information about the process – review these if you’d like.
- Provide a reason for deleting your account (optional).
- Tap “Delete Account,” enter your password when prompted, and hit “Continue.”
Delete Your Facebook Account (Computer)
- Go to Facebook.com and log into your account.
- Click the down arrow in the top right corner of the screen and choose “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”
- In the left-hand menu, select “Your Facebook Information.”
- Click “Deactivation and Deletion.”
- Choose “Delete Account” and then “Continue to Account Deletion.”
- Review the information Facebook provides and tap “Delete Account.”
- Provide your password when prompted and select “Continue.”
Understanding Facebook Account Deactivation vs Deletion
What is Account Deactivation?
Deactivating a Facebook account places it in a sort of hibernation mode. Users can choose to deactivate their account through the Account Settings menu. If someone decides to deactivate their account, here’s what happens:
- Profile Visibility: Their profile becomes invisible to other users on Facebook.
- Reactivation: The user can reactivate the account at any time, restoring all their content, including photos and connections.
Differences Between Deactivation and Deletion
Understanding the core differences between deactivation and deletion helps in making a well-informed decision:
- Temporality: Account deactivation is temporary; deletion is permanent.
- Data Retention: With deactivation, Facebook retains account data; deletion results in the loss of access to all posts and information.
- Recovery: A deactivated account can be reactivated; a deleted account cannot be recovered after a grace period, typically 30 days.
Choosing to permanently delete means accepting that all information, without any option to recover, will be removed from Facebook servers in accordance with their data policy after the grace period has lapsed. Once an account is deleted, it is removed from the platform entirely.
