Delete a Facebook story in three steps
You can delete a Facebook story at any time, even if it has not expired yet. Open Facebook on your phone or computer, find your story in the top left corner of your feed, tap or click the three dots in the corner of your story thumbnail, and select Delete. The story vanishes when ready and no one can see it anymore.
Stories normally disappear on their own after 24 hours, but you do not have to wait. Deleting early is useful if you change your mind about what you posted, if you made a mistake, or if you want to remove something before certain people see it.
The process is the same whether you posted a photo, video, or text. Facebook does not notify people that you deleted a story — they straightforward will not see it if they check your profile after you remove it.
Key Takeaways
- Stories delete when ready when you choose the delete option, and no one receives a notification that you removed it.
- You can delete your own story from the three-dot menu on your story thumbnail, but you cannot delete stories that other people posted to your profile.
- Deleting a story is different from hiding it from specific people — deletion removes it entirely, while hiding keeps it but prevents certain friends from seeing it.
- Once deleted, a story cannot be recovered, so make sure you want to remove it before you confirm.
Delete a story on your phone
Open the Facebook app and look at the top of your feed. Your story appears as a circular thumbnail with your profile picture and your name. Tap and hold on your story thumbnail until a menu appears, or look for a small three-dot icon in the corner of the thumbnail and tap it.
A menu will pop up with several options. Tap Delete or Delete Story. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap Delete again to remove it permanently. The story is now gone and will not appear on your profile or in your friends' feeds.
If you cannot find the three-dot menu, try tapping directly on your story thumbnail. This opens your story in full screen, and the three dots should appear at the top or bottom of the screen. Tap those dots and select delete from the menu that appears.
Delete a story on a computer or web browser
Go to Facebook.com and log in. Look at the top left of your feed for your story thumbnail — it shows your profile picture with your name underneath. Hover your mouse over the thumbnail until a three-dot menu icon appears in the corner.
Click the three dots. A dropdown menu will show options including Delete. Click Delete and confirm when Facebook asks you to verify. Your story is removed when ready and will not appear anywhere on Facebook.
If you do not see the three-dot menu appear when you hover, try right-clicking directly on your story thumbnail. Some browsers show a context menu with delete options when you right-click.
The difference between deleting and hiding a story
Deleting removes your story completely — it no longer exists on Facebook and no one can see it. Hiding a story keeps it on your profile but prevents specific people from viewing it. Use delete when you want the story gone entirely. Use hide when you want to keep the story but do not want certain friends to see it.
To hide a story from specific people instead of deleting it, tap the three dots on your story, select Hide Story From, and choose which friends should not see it. Those people will not be able to view the story, but it remains on your profile for everyone else.
What happens after you delete a story
Once you delete a story, it cannot be recovered. Facebook does not keep deleted stories in a trash folder or archive. If you deleted something by mistake and want to post it again, you will need to create a new story from scratch.
People who already saw your story before you deleted it will remember seeing it, but they will not be able to find it on your profile afterward. Facebook does not send notifications to people telling them you deleted a story, so they may not even notice it is gone.
If you are worried about something you posted being screenshot or shared before you delete it, remember that deleting the story from Facebook does not remove copies that other people may have saved. Deleting only removes it from Facebook itself.
Stories you cannot delete
You can only delete stories that you posted yourself. If someone else posted a story to your profile (sometimes called a story mention or tag), you cannot delete it from your own story feed. You can, however, remove it from your profile by visiting the story and selecting the option to remove the tag or untag yourself.
If someone posted a story that mentions you or includes your name, and you want it removed, you can report it to Facebook or ask the person who posted it to delete it themselves. Facebook has rules about what content is allowed, and you can report stories that violate those rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people see that I deleted my story?
No. Facebook does not notify people when you delete a story, and there is no way for them to know you removed it unless they saw it before you deleted it and noticed it is no longer there. Deleting is silent and private.
What if I deleted a story by accident?
Unfortunately, deleted stories cannot be recovered from Facebook. If you need to post that content again, you will have to create a new story. In the future, you can use the hide feature instead of delete if you are unsure about removing something permanently.
Can I delete stories from other people?
No, you can only delete your own stories. If someone else posted a story that mentions you or tags you, you can ask them to delete it, report it to Facebook if it violates community rules, or untag yourself from it. You cannot remove it directly.
Does deleting a story delete the comments people left on it?
Yes. When you delete a story, all comments, reactions, and replies to that story are deleted along with it. People will not be able to see their own comments on your story once you remove it.
Is there a way to delete all my stories at once?
Facebook does not have a bulk delete feature for stories. You must delete each story individually using the three-dot menu. If you have many stories you want to remove, you will need to go through them one at a time.