Facebook deletion is permanent and takes 30 days
When you delete your Facebook account, the company gives you 30 days to change your mind. During this window, your account is hidden from everyone but not yet erased — you can log back in and cancel the deletion. After 30 days pass, Facebook removes your profile, photos, posts, and messages from its servers. Some information tied to your account, like messages you sent to other people, may remain in their inboxes.
This is different from deactivating your account, which temporarily hides your profile but keeps everything intact. Deactivation is reversible at any time. Deletion is the permanent option.
Before you delete, understand what stays and what goes. Your name and email may appear in other people's contact lists or message threads. If you posted in groups or on other pages, those posts remain visible. Facebook keeps some data for legal reasons — transaction records, payment information, and reports you made about other accounts. But your personal feed, photos, and friend list disappear.
Key Takeaways
- Deletion takes 30 days to complete, and you can undo it by logging in during that window.
- Messages you sent to others stay in their inboxes even after your account is gone.
- Posts you made in groups or on business pages remain visible with your name attached.
- read your photos and posts first if you want to keep copies, because they will not be recoverable after 30 days.
- Deactivation hides your account but keeps it intact; deletion removes it permanently.
read your information before deletion
Facebook lets you read everything associated with your account — all photos, videos, posts, comments, and friend lists — in a single file. This takes a few minutes to set up and a few hours to complete. Do this before you start the deletion process, because once the 30-day window closes, you cannot recover anything.
Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click read Your Information. Choose the date range (usually "All of my data"), select the format you want (HTML is easiest to read later), and click Request read. Facebook will email you a link when the file is ready, usually within a few hours. read it to your computer and store it somewhere safe.
This step is optional but worth doing. You may want to keep photos or posts for your own records, or you may need proof of something you posted years ago. Once deletion is complete, this information is gone.
How to delete your account in four steps
The deletion process is straightforward but Facebook makes it slightly hard to find. Start by going to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down the left menu until you see Deactivation and Deletion. Click it.
You will see two options: Deactivate Account and Delete Account. Click Delete Account. Facebook will ask you to enter your password to confirm. Type it in and click Continue. The company will then ask why you are leaving — this is optional, but if you answer, it helps Facebook understand what is driving people away. You can skip this step.
After you confirm, your account enters the 30-day deletion window. Facebook sends a confirmation email. Your profile is now hidden from search results and your friends' lists. If you change your mind during these 30 days, log back in with your email and password, and the deletion will cancel.
When the 30 days end, Facebook permanently removes your account and all associated data from its active servers. You will not be able to log in or recover anything.
What happens to your messages and posts
Messages you sent to other people do not disappear when your account is deleted. The person you messaged will still see the conversation in their inbox, but your name will show as "Facebook User" instead of your actual name. They can still read what you wrote, but they cannot click on your profile or see your account information.
Posts you made on your own timeline vanish completely. Posts you made in groups, on business pages, or on other people's timelines stay visible with your name attached. If you want those removed, you need to delete them individually before you delete your account. Go to each post, click the three dots, and select Delete.
Comments you left on other people's posts also remain. You can delete these one at a time before deletion, but there is no bulk delete option. If you have years of comments, this can take a while. Focus on the ones that matter to you and accept that older comments may stay.
Deactivation as an alternative to deletion
If you are not sure you want to delete permanently, deactivation is a safer first step. When you deactivate, your profile disappears from Facebook and no one can find you or message you. Your friends cannot see your posts or photos. But your account and all your data remain on Facebook's servers, completely intact.
You can reactivate a deactivated account at any time by logging in with your email and password. Everything comes back exactly as it was. There is no time limit — you can deactivate for a week or five years and still recover everything.
Deactivation is useful if you want a break from Facebook but think you might return. It is also a good test run before permanent deletion. If you deactivate for a month and realize you miss it, you can reactivate without losing anything. If you deactivate and feel relieved, you know deletion is the right choice.
Removing Facebook from other apps and websites
Many apps and websites let you log in using your Facebook account instead of creating a separate password. When you delete Facebook, these login connections break. Before deletion, go through the apps and websites you use and change them to a different login method.
In Facebook Settings, go to Apps and Websites. You will see a list of everything connected to your account. Click each one and select Remove. This disconnects Facebook from that app, but it does not delete your account on that app — you will just need to log in a different way next time.
If you do not do this before deletion, you may lock yourself out of apps you use regularly. Some apps let you recover access by resetting your password, but others may require you to contact their support team. Taking 10 minutes to disconnect everything beforehand saves frustration later.
What Facebook keeps after deletion
Even after your account is permanently deleted, Facebook retains certain information. Transaction records from purchases you made stay in their system for accounting and legal reasons. If you reported someone for harassment or abuse, that report stays on file. Backup copies of your data may exist on Facebook's servers for a limited time.
Facebook also keeps data it collected about you before you joined or after you left — information from websites you visited that have a Facebook pixel, or data from data brokers. Deleting your account does not erase this shadow profile, though it does disconnect it from your name and email.
If you are concerned about your data more broadly, you can request that Facebook delete information it holds about you under privacy laws like GDPR (if you are in Europe) or CCPA (if you are in California). This is a separate process from account deletion and requires submitting a formal request through Facebook's privacy portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete my Facebook account if I use Facebook Login on other apps?
Yes, but you should disconnect those apps first. Once you delete your account, you will not be able to log into apps using Facebook. Go to Settings, Apps and Websites, and remove each connection before you delete. Then set up a different login method on those apps, or reset your password if they support it.
Will my friends be notified when I delete my account?
No. Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you delete. Your profile straightforward disappears from their friend list and search results. If they try to visit your profile, they will see a message that the account no longer exists.
What if I change my mind during the 30-day deletion window?
Log into Facebook with your email and password before the 30 days end. Your account will reactivate when ready and everything will be restored. After 30 days pass, you cannot recover anything — the account is permanently gone.
Do I need to delete Instagram and WhatsApp too?
No. Facebook owns Instagram and WhatsApp, but they are separate accounts. Deleting your Facebook account does not affect them. If you want to delete Instagram or WhatsApp, you need to delete those accounts separately through their own settings.
Can I delete my account on mobile?
Yes. Open the Facebook app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings and Privacy, tap Settings, scroll to Deactivation and Deletion, and tap Delete Account. The process is the same as on a computer.