There are a series and a number of reasons why someone may choose to delete their Facebook account. It could be that you are concerned about your online privacy, or maybe you’re just getting tired of constant status and updates from old school friends that aren’t actually that cool, well it’s a good thing that deleting your Facebook account is not as hard as you might think.
Deleting your Facebook account is a serious and irreversible decision, so make sure it is something you actually want to do. Social media is deeply rooted in society, and your profile on Facebook can affect friendships, job prospects, and social opportunities. Plus, you may miss out on some of its usefulness for other things like keeping up with friends from abroad and organizing events.
Permanently deleting your Facebook account is a big decision, so see to ensure it’s something you truly intend to do. Whether you like it or you don’t, social media platforms like Facebook are implanted in society, and deleting your Facebook account can affect communicating with friends and potential customers. Bear in mind that there are ways to secure your Facebook Account and make it more private.
This is a guide on how to delete a Facebook account temporarily or permanently. The steps to get this done are outlined with clarity and concision for ease of comprehension and execution.
Deleting a Facebook account has been made less drastic these days. You can now safely download and backup your data before actual deletion. This way, you lose virtually nothing.
The Difference Between Deactivating and Deleting Facebook account
Deactivating your Facebook account: You can reactivate your account whenever you want.
Other Facebook users will not see your timeline or search for you.
Some of your data may remain visible to others (for example, messages you sent).
Deleting your account: You can not regain access immediately; it’s deleted.
Facebook delays deletion a few days after it’s requested. However, a deletion request can be canceled if you log back into your Facebook account during this time.
It takes up to 90 days to delete data stored in backup systems. Your information won’t be accessible on Facebook during this time.
Some information, like messaging history, is not stored in your Facebook account. This implies that Facebook friends may still have access to messages you sent to them after your account has been deleted.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Facebook Account
You can choose to deactivate your account temporarily and choose to come back whenever you want.
To deactivate your account:
- Tap on the arrow sign at the top right of any Facebook page.
- Tap Settings, then tap Your Facebook Information in the left column.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Select Deactivate Account, then tap Continue to Account Deactivation and follow the instructions to confirm.
When your account is deactivated:
- No one can see your profile.
- Some of your data, like messages you sent to your friends, may still be visible.
- Your friends may still be able to see your name on their friend’s list.
- This will only be visible to your friends, and only from their friend’s list.
- Group admins might still be able to see your posts and comments, along with your name.
Be aware that if you keep Facebook Messenger active or are signed in to Messenger when you deactivated your Facebook account, then Messenger will remain active.
If your Facebook account is deactivated, but you are still logged in to Messenger: You can still chat with friends on Messenger.
Your Facebook profile picture will be visible in your conversations on Messenger.
Reactivating your Account
If you want to come back to Facebook after you have successfully deactivated your account, you can always reactivate your FB account by logging back into Facebook or by using your Facebook account to log in somewhere else.
Bear in mind that it is necessary to have access to the email or mobile number you always use to log in to complete the reactivation.
In case you cannot remember your password, you can request a new one. If you also cannot access the email associated with your account, learn how to reactivate your account.
What Happens When You Permanently Delete Facebook Account
- You cannot be able to reactivate your account.
- Your whole profile, photos, posts, videos, and everything else you have added will be permanently deleted. You won’t be able to retrieve anything.
- You will not use Facebook Messenger.
- You will not use Facebook Login for other apps you may have signed up for with your Facebook account, like Spotify or Pinterest. You will have to contact the apps and websites to recover those accounts.
- Some of your information, like messages you sent to friends, may still be visible to them after you delete your account. Replica’s of messages you have sent are stored in your friends’ inboxes.
How to Permanently Delete my Account
Just before deleting your account on Facebook, you may want to sign in and download a copy of your data (like your photos and posts) from Facebook. Immediately your account has been deleted; you will not be able to retrieve anything you have added.
Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data:
- On the top right of Facebook and tap the arrow sign
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Your Facebook Information.
- Select Download your Information and tap View.
- Tap on the boxes on the right side of Facebook to choose the categories of data from your request.
- Select other options, including File Format, Quality of photos, videos, and other media.
- Specific date Range. If you do not select a date range, you will request all the information for the categories you have chosen.
- Tap Create File to confirm the download request.
Immediately after you have made a request to download, the link will then appear as Pending at the Available Files section of the “Download Your Data” Tool. It might take some days for Facebook to finish preparing your download request
Once they have finished preparing your download request, you will get a notification letting you know it’s ready.
To download a copy of the data you requested:
- Navigate the Available Files section of the Download Your Information tool.
- Tap Download and enter your password.
- You may also tap Show more to view information about your download request, such as the format and when it will expire.
How to Permanently Delete your Account
- Tap on the arrow at the top right of any Facebook page.
- Tap Settings, then click Your Facebook Information in the left column.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Select Delete Account, then tap Continue to Account Deletion.
- Input your password, tap Continue, and then tap Delete Account.
If it has been less than 30 days since you initiated the deletion, you can still cancel your account deletion. Once it exceeds 30 days, your account and all its information will be permanently deleted, and you’ll not be able to ever retrieve any of your information.
It may take 90 days from the beginning of the deletion process to delete all the things you have posted on Facebook. While Facebook is deleting your information, your information will not be accessible to other people using Facebook.
Log in to your Facebook account within 30 days of deleting your account.