You can cancel a Facebook event you created in three steps, and it takes about two minutes
Open Facebook on a computer or phone, go to your Events, find the event you want to cancel, and select the option to cancel it. Facebook will ask whether you want to notify people who said they were attending. Once you confirm, the event disappears from your page and from the calendars of everyone who was invited. People can still see that the event existed — it shows as "cancelled" rather than vanishing entirely — but they won't receive a new notification unless you choose to send one.
If you created the event but are no longer the organizer (because you transferred it to someone else), you cannot cancel it. Only the current organizer can cancel. If you're trying to remove yourself from an event someone else created, that's different — you just decline the invitation, and you won't see it on your calendar anymore.
Key Takeaways
- Only the person who created the event can cancel it; transferred events cannot be cancelled by the original creator.
- Cancelling removes the event from everyone's calendar, though it shows as "cancelled" in Facebook's record rather than disappearing completely.
- You can choose whether to send a cancellation notice to people who said they were attending.
- If you want to keep the event but change the date or details, edit it instead of cancelling and creating a new one.
How to cancel on a computer
Go to Facebook.com and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Events" from the menu. Find the event you want to cancel in the list — you'll see events you've created, events you're attending, and events you've been invited to, usually in separate sections.
Click on the event name to open it. At the top of the event page, you should see a button or menu (often three dots or a "More" option) that gives you editing options. Click it and look for "Cancel Event" or "Delete Event." Click that option. Facebook will show you a confirmation screen asking whether you want to notify attendees. Choose yes or no depending on whether you want people to receive a message about the cancellation, then confirm.
How to cancel on a phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap "Events." Find your event in the list and tap it to open the event page.
At the top of the page, tap the three dots or menu icon. Scroll down until you see "Cancel Event" or "Delete Event" and tap it. Confirm whether you want to send a notification to people who said they were attending, then tap the final confirmation button.
What happens to people who were invited
Everyone who was invited to the event will see it marked as "cancelled" on their calendar and in their notifications. If you chose to send a cancellation notice, they'll receive a message letting them know. If you didn't send a notice, the event will just change status without a new notification — they'll see it's cancelled if they look at their calendar, but they won't get a separate alert.
People who had marked themselves as "attending" or "interested" will no longer have the event on their calendar. The event won't disappear from Facebook's servers entirely; it will remain in your event history marked as cancelled, which can be useful if someone asks you later whether the event happened.
When to edit instead of cancel
If you're changing the date, time, or location of the event, edit it rather than cancelling and creating a new one. Editing keeps the event in one place and preserves the guest list and comments. Cancelling and starting over can confuse people who were already planning to attend.
To edit, open the event, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Edit Event." Change whatever details you need to change, then save. Everyone will be notified of the changes automatically.
If you can't find the cancel option
The most common reason you can't cancel an event is that you're not the creator. If someone else created the event and added you as a co-organizer or host, you still can't cancel it — only the original creator can. You can remove yourself from the event by declining the invitation.
If you are the creator but don't see a cancel option, try opening the event on a computer instead of a phone, or try a different browser. Older events (more than a few years old) sometimes have limited editing options. If the event is in the past, Facebook may not allow cancellation, though you can usually delete it from your history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel an event after it already happened?
You can mark a past event as cancelled, though it's unusual. Open the event, tap the menu, and select cancel. This is mainly useful if the event was postponed indefinitely and you want to let people know it won't happen.
What if I transferred the event to someone else — can I still cancel it?
No. Once you transfer ownership to another person, you lose the ability to cancel it. Only the current owner can cancel. If you need to cancel, ask the current owner to do it, or ask them to transfer it back to you first.
Will people get a notification if I cancel without sending a message?
No. The event will change to "cancelled" status on their calendar, but they won't receive a notification. If you want them to know, choose the option to send a cancellation notice when you cancel.
Can I undo a cancellation?
No. Once you cancel an event, you cannot restore it. You would need to create a new event with the same details. This is why it's worth double-checking the event name and date before you confirm the cancellation.
What's the difference between cancelling and deleting an event?
On Facebook, cancelling and deleting usually mean the same thing — the event is removed from everyone's calendar and marked as cancelled in your history. Some older events may have separate options, but the result is the same either way.