The fastest way to log out on Android
Open Facebook, tap the three horizontal lines (called a menu icon) in the bottom right corner, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Log Out". You will be signed out when ready and returned to the login screen. The app stays on your phone — you are just removing your account access from it.
If you cannot find the menu icon, tap your profile picture in the bottom right instead. This also opens a menu with a "Log Out" option at the bottom. Either path takes about 10 seconds.
Logging out is different from deleting the app. When you log out, Facebook remains installed but no longer has access to your phone while you are not using it. This is useful if you share a device, want to pause notifications, or are concerned about background data use.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the three-line menu icon or your profile picture, scroll to the bottom, and select "Log Out" to sign out when ready.
- Logging out removes your account from the app but leaves the app itself on your phone — you can log back in anytime.
- If you log out on a shared device, the next person who opens Facebook will see the login screen, not your account.
- Logging out stops Facebook from collecting location data and activity information while you are not actively using the app, though some background tracking may continue depending on your phone's permissions.
What happens to your data when you log out
When you log out, Facebook stops actively tracking your activity within the app. However, the company retains all information it collected while you were logged in — your messages, photos, posts, and the record of what you viewed and clicked. Logging out does not delete this data or prevent Facebook from using it.
If you have given Facebook permission to access your location, contacts, or camera, those permissions remain active even after you log out. The app can still collect some information in the background depending on what you allowed during setup. To fully restrict this, you need to change your phone's app permissions separately.
How to check and change Facebook's phone permissions
Go to your phone's Settings, find Apps or process Manager, select Facebook, and tap Permissions. You will see what Facebook is allowed to access: location, camera, microphone, contacts, photos, and others. Tap any permission to change it from "Allow" to "Don't Allow".
The most common permissions to restrict are Location and Camera. If you turn off Location, Facebook cannot pinpoint where you are. If you turn off Camera, the app cannot access your phone's camera even if you try to take a photo within Facebook. These changes take effect when ready and do not require you to log out.
On some Android phones, you can also set permissions to "Allow only while using the app", which means Facebook can access your location or camera only when you have the app open. This is a middle ground between full access and no access.
Logging out versus uninstalling the app
Logging out keeps the app on your phone but removes your account. Uninstalling removes the entire app. If you uninstall, you cannot use Facebook on your phone at all until you reinstall it later. You can still access Facebook through a web browser on your phone even after uninstalling the app.
Uninstalling does stop Facebook from running in the background and using your phone's battery and data. If you rarely use Facebook and want to reduce what the app can track, uninstalling is more effective than logging out. You can reinstall it anytime from the Google Play Store.
What to do if you cannot find the log out button
If the menu icon is not visible, make sure you are looking at the bottom right of the screen — it appears as three horizontal lines stacked on top of each other. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen if the bottom navigation bar is hidden. On some older Android versions, the menu may be in a different location.
If you still cannot find it, try updating Facebook from the Google Play Store. Outdated versions sometimes have interface changes that move buttons around. After updating, open the app again and look for the three-line menu or your profile picture.
As a last resort, you can uninstall and reinstall the app. This clears any corrupted files that might be hiding the menu. Open the Google Play Store, search for Facebook, and tap Install. When you open it, you will see the login screen and can choose not to log back in.
Logging back in after you log out
When you open Facebook after logging out, you will see the login screen with fields for your email or phone number and password. Enter your credentials and tap "Log In". If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you will be asked to enter a code from your authenticator app or a text message.
Facebook will remember your email or phone number if you have logged in before, so you may only need to type your password. If you do not remember your password, tap "Forgotten Password?" and follow the steps to reset it using your email or phone number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does logging out delete my Facebook account?
No. Logging out only removes your account from the app on that phone. Your account, messages, photos, and posts remain on Facebook's servers. You can log back in anytime from any device.
Can someone else see my account if I log out on a shared phone?
No. When you log out, the next person who opens Facebook will see the login screen, not your account. They cannot access your messages, photos, or personal information without your password.
Will Facebook stop tracking me if I log out?
Logging out stops active tracking within the app, but Facebook retains all data it collected while you were logged in. If you have given the app permission to access your location or other phone features, it may continue collecting some information in the background. Change your phone's app permissions to fully restrict this.
What is the difference between logging out and turning off notifications?
Logging out removes your account from the app entirely. Turning off notifications only stops Facebook from sending you alerts — you remain logged in and the app can still track your activity. If you want to pause notifications without logging out, go to Settings in the Facebook app and turn off notifications there.
If I log out, will I lose my saved passwords or payment information?
No. Your saved passwords and payment methods remain stored in Facebook's system. When you log back in, they will be available. If you want to remove a saved payment method, do that in Facebook's settings before logging out.