Now that you’re logged into your Facebook account, and you’ve saved all of your data, it’s time to deactivate your account. Here’s what to do:

Open Facebook and click on the arrow icon in the upper right-hand corner. Then, click on 

‘Settings & Privacy.’

  2. Click on ‘Settings’ again.
  3. Click on ‘Your Facebook Information’ on the left side.
  4. Click ‘View’ next to ‘Deactivation and Deletion.’
  5. Click on the bubble next to ‘Delete.’ Then, click on ‘Continue to Account Deactivation.’

A pop-up window should appear which reads: “If you do not think you will use Facebook again and would like your account deleted, we can take care of this for you. Remember that you cannot reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content or information you have added. If you would still like your account deleted, click “Delete My Account.”

You will now get a pop-up window warning you, once again, that this is a permanent decision. To permanently delete Facebook, re-enter your password. You will also need to enter a CAPTCHA, then click “OK.”

How to delete your Facebook account

4. The cooling-off period

Clicking OK on the delete pop-up isn’t quite the end of the process. The previous pop-up will instead be replaced with this message: “Your account has been deactivated from the site and will be permanently deleted within 30 days. If you log into your account within the next 30 days, you will have the option to cancel your request.”

After clicking OK on this message, you will have 30 days to change your mind. After that time, your account will be gone forever with no way of reactivating it or retrieving any data you didn’t save.

To reactivate your account, sign back into your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Permanently deleting your Facebook account is a big deal. That’s why we’ve included this section to ensure you can make a fully informed decision before clicking the ‘Delete’ button.

How long with Facebook keep my information after I delete my account?

Facebook’s official word on the issue is that they keep your information for 30 days after confirming the account deletion.

Is Facebook safe?

While the website is pretty secure if you have a strong password and two-factor authentication setup, Facebook is not necessarily safe.

The website/app has a few issues that open you to unknown threats (just like nearly everything else on the internet). If you’ve ever read one of our online safety guides for other services, then you’re undoubtedly familiar with the philosophy that your accounts are only as safe as you’ve made them. This means that a lot of your security is in your own hands regardless of the brilliant privacy strategies included by developers.

First, Facebook is less safe because the company does share your information with other companies. While Facebook may not make this information public, the other company could have security vulnerabilities making it easy to access your personal data. This includes information about your location, your devices, and more.

Next, over-sharing can become a serious issue. Perhaps your friend shares that you’re at a local restaurant, or you post a picture with your child’s school in the background. Be mindful of everything you post on Facebook (including in the background of your photos) to reduce the likelihood that someone will know something about you that you’d rather keep private.

How do I delete Facebook Messenger?

As stated above, when you delete your Facebook account, your Facebook Messenger account remains. To delete your Messenger account, do this:

1. Open Facebook Messenger and tap on your profile icon in the upper right-hand menu to access the dropdown options.

2. Click on ‘Legal & Policies.’

3. Click on ‘Deactivate Messenger.’

4. Input your password.

5. Click on ‘Deactivate.’

How do I delete my Facebook account if I can’t log in?

If, for some reason, you can’t log into your Facebook account, the first step is going to be trying to reset your password and gain access. The best-case scenario in this situation is that you can log in and complete the steps above.

However, if your account has been hacked or hijacked, you can regain access by reporting your own account to the Facebook Support team. Visit this website to complete the steps necessary to report your account. Once logged back in, you can follow the steps above to delete your account permanently.

Are you considering permanently deleting your Facebook account? Did our tutorial help you to accomplish your goals? Let us know in the comments below!