Facebook gives you two ways to remove your account, and they work differently
You can deactivate your account, which hides it temporarily but keeps your data on Facebook's servers. You can also delete your account, which removes your profile, photos, and posts permanently after 30 days. Deactivation is reversible if you change your mind within that window. Deletion is not — after 30 days, Facebook cannot restore your account.
The choice depends on whether you might want to return. Deactivation takes seconds and leaves the door open. Deletion takes the same time to request, but commits you to losing access to everything tied to that account, including any games, apps, or services you log into using Facebook.
Both processes start in the same place: your Facebook settings. Neither one removes your information from backups Facebook has already made, or from third-party apps and websites that collected your data before you closed the account.
Key Takeaways
- Deactivation hides your profile for as long as you want, but Facebook keeps your data and you can reactivate anytime by logging back in.
- Deletion removes your profile, photos, and posts permanently, but takes 30 days to complete and cannot be undone after that period ends.
- You must read your photos and messages before deleting if you want to keep copies, because Facebook will not send them to you afterward.
- Apps and websites you connected to Facebook will lose access to your Facebook login, but they may have already stored your information separately.
- Facebook keeps backups of deleted accounts for a limited time for legal and security reasons, even though your account will not be recoverable.
How to deactivate your account temporarily
Open Facebook on a computer or phone and go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down to find "Deactivation and Deletion" — it appears near the bottom of the menu. Click or tap it, then select "Deactivate Account." Facebook will ask why you are leaving and offer options to stay in touch. You can skip these or answer them; your choice does not affect the deactivation.
Enter your password to confirm, then choose whether to hide your account from search or let people still find your profile. Click "Deactivate" and your account disappears when ready. Your name and profile picture vanish from comments, posts, and friend lists. Messages you sent remain visible to others, but new people cannot message you.
Your account stays deactivated until you log back in with your password. You can reactivate it days, weeks, or months later without losing anything. If you deactivate and then change your mind within 30 days, straightforward log in again and your account returns to normal.
How to permanently delete your account
Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, and scroll to "Deactivation and Deletion." This time, select "Delete Account" instead of Deactivate. Facebook will ask for your password and show you a warning that deletion cannot be undone. Read it carefully — this is the point where you commit to losing your account.
Click "Delete" and your account enters a 30-day grace period. During these 30 days, your profile is hidden from everyone, but Facebook has not yet erased your data. If you log in during this window, your account reactivates and deletion stops. After 30 days pass with no login, Facebook begins removing your information from its systems.
The deletion process can take weeks or months to fully complete across all of Facebook's servers and backups. Your account will not be recoverable after the 30-day window closes, even if you contact Facebook support and ask them to restore it.
read your photos and messages before you delete
If you want to keep copies of your photos, videos, or messages, read them before you delete your account. Facebook will not send you this information after deletion, and you will lose access to it permanently.
Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Find "Your Information and Permissions" and select "read Your Information." Choose the date range (usually "All of My Information"), then select what you want to read — photos, videos, messages, posts, and more. Facebook will prepare a file and email you a link to read it. This can take hours or days depending on how much data you have.
Save this file to your computer or cloud storage before you delete your account. Once your account is gone, you cannot retrieve this read link.
What happens to apps and services connected to your account
Many apps and websites let you log in using your Facebook account instead of creating a separate password. When you delete your Facebook account, these apps lose the ability to verify your identity through Facebook. You may no longer be able to log into them using your Facebook login.
However, apps that collected your information before you deleted your account will keep that data. Deleting your Facebook account does not force third-party apps to delete the information they already have about you. If you want to remove your data from a specific app, you need to contact that app or service separately and request deletion.
Before you delete your Facebook account, log into any apps or services that use Facebook login and change them to a different password or login method. This prevents you from getting locked out after your Facebook account is gone.
Messenger and other Facebook services after deletion
Deleting your Facebook account also deletes your Messenger account. People will not be able to message you, and you will lose access to all your message history. If you want to keep using Messenger, you cannot delete your Facebook account — Messenger is tied to it.
Instagram and WhatsApp are separate from your Facebook account, even though Facebook owns them. Deleting your Facebook account does not affect your Instagram or WhatsApp accounts unless you used the same email address to create them and want to delete those too.
If you use Facebook to manage an Instagram or WhatsApp business account, deleting your personal Facebook account may affect your access to those business tools. Check your business account settings before you delete to understand what will change.
What Facebook keeps after you delete
Facebook stores backups of deleted accounts for a limited time for legal reasons and to prevent fraud. These backups are not accessible to you or to the public, but they exist on Facebook's servers. Facebook may use them to respond to legal requests or to investigate abuse.
Information you shared with other people — like photos you posted or messages you sent — may remain visible to them even after you delete your account. Deleting your account does not remove posts from other people's timelines or messages from other people's inboxes.
If you were tagged in photos or mentioned in posts by other people, those tags and mentions stay visible. You cannot remove them by deleting your account. You would need to ask the other person to untag you or delete the post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reactivate my account after the 30-day deletion period ends?
No. After 30 days, Facebook permanently deletes your account and cannot restore it. If you log in during the 30-day window, deletion stops and your account reactivates. After day 30, logging in will not work because your account no longer exists.
Will deleting my Facebook account delete my Instagram or WhatsApp?
Only if you used the same email address to create them and they are linked to your Facebook account. Check your Instagram and WhatsApp settings before deleting Facebook. If they are separate accounts with different emails, they will not be affected.
What if I forgot my password and cannot delete my account?
Use Facebook's password recovery tool to reset your password, then follow the deletion steps. Go to facebook.com, click "Forgotten password?", and enter your email or phone number. Facebook will send you a link to create a new password. Once you can log in, you can delete your account.
Do I lose my data when ready when I click delete, or does Facebook keep it?
Your data is hidden from the public when ready, but Facebook keeps it on its servers for 30 days. During this time, you can log in and cancel the deletion. After 30 days, Facebook begins removing your information from its systems, though backups may exist for legal purposes.
Can Facebook support restore my account if I change my mind after 30 days?
No. Facebook support cannot restore accounts after the 30-day deletion period ends. This is a permanent policy. If you think you might want your account back, deactivate instead of delete — deactivation is reversible anytime.