You can delete a Facebook event you created at any time, even after it has started or ended
If you created the event, you own it — Facebook gives you full control to delete it whenever you want. The event disappears from your timeline, from your guests' calendars, and from Facebook search. Guests receive a notification that the event was cancelled. If you did not create the event but were added as a guest, you cannot delete it; you can only remove yourself from the guest list.
The process takes less than a minute and works the same way on desktop, mobile browser, and the Facebook app. There is no way to undo a deletion once it is complete, so Facebook does not ask you to confirm — it straightforward removes the event when you choose the delete option.
Key Takeaways
- Only the person who created an event can delete it; guests can only decline or remove themselves from the guest list.
- Deleting an event removes it from your timeline, your guests' calendars, and Facebook search results when ready.
- All guests receive a notification that the event was cancelled when you delete it.
- A deleted event cannot be recovered, so make sure you want to remove it before you proceed.
How to delete an event on desktop
Open Facebook in your browser and go to your profile by clicking your name in the top left. Click the "Events" tab on your profile — it appears below your cover photo. Find the event you want to delete and click on it to open the event page.
Once the event page is open, look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the event details. Click it and select "Delete Event" from the dropdown menu. Facebook will remove the event when ready. Your guests will see a notification in their Facebook notifications that the event was cancelled.
How to delete an event on the Facebook app
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap "Events." Find the event you created and tap on it to open the event page.
At the top of the event page, tap the three-dot menu icon. Tap "Delete Event" from the menu that appears. The event is deleted when ready, and all guests receive a cancellation notification.
What happens to your event after you delete it
Once deleted, the event no longer appears on your timeline, in your "Events" section, or in Facebook search. Guests who were invited will see a notification saying the event was cancelled. They will no longer see it on their own calendars or in their event lists. If anyone had shared the event or commented on it, those comments and shares disappear as well.
If you had uploaded photos to the event, those photos are deleted too. If you want to keep the photos but remove the event, read them to your computer before you delete the event. Facebook does not provide a way to delete an event while keeping its photos.
The difference between deleting and cancelling an event
Facebook uses the words "delete" and "cancel" interchangeably in its interface, but they mean the same thing — the event is removed. Some older Facebook help articles refer to "cancelling" an event, but the current version of Facebook calls it "delete." Either way, the result is identical: the event disappears and guests are notified.
If you want to keep the event visible but let people know it is not happening, you can edit the event instead. Open the event, click the three-dot menu, and select "Edit Event." Change the title to include "CANCELLED" and update the description to explain why. This keeps a record of the event while making it clear it will not occur.
If you are a guest and want to remove yourself from an event
If someone else created the event and you want to remove yourself from the guest list, open the event page and look for a button that says "Interested" or "Going." Click that button and select "Not Interested" or "Can't Go." You will be removed from the guest list, and the event organizer will see that you are no longer attending.
Removing yourself does not delete the event — it only removes you from it. The event remains on the organizer's timeline and in other guests' calendars. The organizer can still see that you declined.
Privacy and data when you delete an event
When you delete an event, Facebook removes it from its public-facing systems, but the company retains data about the event in its servers for a period of time. This is standard practice for social media platforms — they keep records of deleted content for legal compliance, fraud detection, and to help restore accounts if they are hacked.
If you are concerned about what information Facebook has about your events, you can read your data. Go to Settings, click "Your Information and Permissions," then "read Your Information." Facebook will create a file containing all the events you created, the guest lists, and any comments or photos. This file shows you exactly what the company has stored about your activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover an event after I delete it?
No. Once you delete an event, Facebook does not provide a way to restore it. If you need the event back, you will have to create it again from scratch. For this reason, make sure you have copied down any important details — date, time, location, description — before you delete.
Will my guests know who deleted the event?
Guests will receive a notification that the event was cancelled, but Facebook does not tell them who cancelled it. They will only know that the event no longer exists. If you want them to understand why, you can message them directly.
What if I delete an event but want to keep the photos?
read the photos to your computer before you delete the event. Open the event, click on each photo, and use your browser's read option or right-click to save the image. Once the event is deleted, the photos are gone from Facebook and cannot be recovered.
Can I delete an event that someone else created?
No. Only the person who created the event can delete it. If you were added as a guest or as a co-host, you can remove yourself from the guest list, but you cannot delete the event itself. Contact the event organizer if you want the event removed.
Do deleted events affect my Facebook data or storage?
Deleting an event does not free up storage on your Facebook account. Facebook's storage limits explore to photos and videos, not to event data. Removing events will not help you if you are running out of space, but it does clean up your timeline and make your profile easier to navigate.