What Facebook history you can delete and what stays
Facebook keeps two separate records of your activity. Your activity log is a personal record you can see and delete — it shows every post, comment, like, and search you made. The other record is Facebook's own data about you, which you cannot fully delete but can request in a downloadable file. Most people want to clear their activity log, which is what these steps cover.
When you delete something from your activity log, it removes the record from your account. Other people cannot see it anymore. However, if you commented on someone else's post and then delete that comment, the deletion happens on your end — the other person's post still exists, it just no longer shows your comment.
Facebook also keeps a separate history of websites you visit that have a Facebook button or pixel on them. You can clear this too, though it requires a different process than deleting your activity log.
Key Takeaways
- Your activity log is a record only you can see by default, and you can delete individual items or clear everything at once from your account settings.
- Deleting something from your activity log removes it from your account, but comments you made on other people's posts will no longer appear on their pages.
- Facebook tracks your activity on other websites through tracking pixels, and you can turn off this tracking in your privacy settings.
- Clearing your search history, watch history, and location history each requires a separate action in different parts of the Facebook app or website.
How to delete your activity log on desktop
Open Facebook in a web browser and log in. Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the screen, then select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Your information and permissions, then click Off-Facebook Activity.
You will see a list of websites and apps that have sent information about you to Facebook. Click Clear all activity at the top to disconnect all of them at once. Facebook will ask you to confirm — click Clear again. This removes the record of your activity on those websites from your Facebook account.
To delete your activity log instead (posts, comments, likes, and searches you made on Facebook itself), go back to Settings, then click Your information and permissions again, then Activity log. You will see a list of everything you have done on Facebook. Click the three dots next to any item and select Delete, or use the filter at the top left to show only certain types of activity, then delete in batches.
How to delete your activity log on the Facebook app
Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner (on iPhone) or top right corner (on Android). Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Your information and permissions, then Activity log.
You will see your activity listed by date. Tap the three dots next to any item and select Delete. To delete multiple items at once, tap Filter at the top to narrow the list to a specific type of activity (posts, comments, likes, searches), then delete them one by one. There is no bulk delete option on the app, so this process takes longer than on desktop.
Clearing your search history
Your search history is separate from your activity log. On desktop, click the search bar at the top of Facebook. You will see your recent searches listed. Click the X next to any search to delete it, or click Clear all to remove everything at once.
On the app, tap the search icon at the bottom, then look for your recent searches. Tap the X next to each one to delete it individually. Unlike the desktop version, the app does not have a clear-all button for searches, so you must delete them one at a time.
Clearing your watch history and location history
Facebook tracks videos you watch and locations you check in at. To clear watch history on desktop, go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Your information and permissions > Watch history. Click Clear all to remove the entire list, or click the X next to individual videos.
Location history works the same way. Go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Your information and permissions > Location history. Click Clear all or delete individual check-ins. On the app, tap Settings and privacy > Settings > Your information and permissions, then scroll to find Watch history or Location history and clear them the same way.
Turning off Facebook tracking on other websites
Even after you clear your off-Facebook activity, Facebook continues to track you on other websites going forward. To stop this, go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Apps and websites > Off-Facebook Activity. Click Manage your off-Facebook activity, then toggle Future activity to the off position.
This prevents Facebook from recording your activity on other websites from that point forward. However, websites you visit will still function normally — turning this off does not break anything. You can turn it back on anytime if you change your mind.
What does not get deleted when you clear your history
Deleting your activity log does not delete your actual posts, photos, or messages. If you want those gone, you must delete them separately. Go to your profile, find the post or photo, click the three dots on it, and select Delete.
Messages are also separate. Deleting a message from your inbox removes it from your view, but Facebook keeps a copy on its servers. You cannot fully delete messages, only archive them so they do not appear in your inbox. To archive a conversation, right-click it (on desktop) or swipe left on it (on the app) and select Archive.
Facebook also keeps metadata about you — the fact that you have an account, when you created it, your phone number if you provided one, and payment information if you have made purchases. You cannot delete this information, but you can request a copy of all data Facebook holds about you by going to Settings and privacy > Settings > Your information and permissions > read your information.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I delete something from my activity log, can other people still see it?
If you delete a post or photo you made, other people cannot see it anymore. If you delete a comment you made on someone else's post, your comment disappears from their post. However, if someone took a screenshot or shared your post before you deleted it, they still have a copy.
Does clearing my search history delete my saved searches?
No. Clearing search history removes only the list of searches you have typed. Saved searches (searches you marked as favorites) stay in your account. To remove a saved search, click the star icon next to it to unmark it as saved.
Will turning off off-Facebook activity affect my Facebook ads?
Turning off future off-Facebook activity means Facebook will not track your behavior on other websites to show you ads. You will still see ads on Facebook, but they will be based only on what you do within Facebook itself, not on your activity elsewhere online.
Can I delete my entire Facebook account history at once?
You can clear your activity log, search history, watch history, and location history separately, but there is no single button that deletes everything at once. You must go through each section. If you want to remove your account completely, that is different — you can deactivate or delete your account from Settings and privacy > Settings > Deactivation or deletion.
What happens to my history if I deactivate my Facebook account?
Deactivating your account hides it temporarily but keeps all your data. If you reactivate later, your history returns. Deleting your account is permanent and removes your posts, photos, and messages after about 30 days, though Facebook keeps some data for legal reasons.