Delete a post you wrote yourself

Open Facebook and find the post you want to remove. Look for the three dots or downward arrow in the top right corner of the post — this menu appears when you hover over the post on desktop, or tap it on mobile. Click or tap those dots.

A menu will appear with several options. Select "Delete" from the list. Facebook will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click "Delete Post" and the post is gone when ready. It will no longer appear on your timeline, in your friends' feeds, or anywhere else on Facebook.

Once deleted, the post cannot be recovered. If you think you might want it back later, consider hiding it instead: use that same three-dot menu and choose "Hide from Timeline" to remove it from view without permanently deleting it.

Key Takeaways

  • Find the three dots or arrow menu on the post itself, then select "Delete" to permanently remove a post you wrote.
  • Facebook asks you to confirm the deletion, and the post disappears when ready from all feeds and timelines.
  • Deleted posts cannot be recovered, so use "Hide from Timeline" instead if you might want the post back later.
  • You can only delete posts you created yourself — you cannot delete other people's posts, but you can report them.
  • Deleting a post removes it from Facebook, but screenshots or shares saved elsewhere are not affected by the deletion.

Delete a post on mobile

The process is the same on iPhone and Android. Open the Facebook app and scroll to the post you want to remove. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post card.

The menu will show several options including "Delete." Tap it, then confirm by tapping "Delete Post" when Facebook asks. The post is removed from your profile and from all feeds when ready.

What happens when you delete a post

When you delete a post, Facebook removes it from your timeline, from your friends' feeds, and from any search results. Comments and likes on that post disappear as well. If someone shared your post before you deleted it, the share remains on their timeline, but the original post they shared from is gone.

Deleting a post does not notify your friends that you removed it. They may notice it is no longer there if they were looking at it, but Facebook does not send a message saying "John deleted a post."

Delete a post someone else shared from you

You cannot delete a post that someone else shared on their own timeline, even if it originated from you. You can only delete posts from your own timeline.

If a friend shared something of yours that you want removed, you can message them and ask them to delete it. If the post violates Facebook's rules or contains your personal information without consent, you can report it to Facebook using the three-dot menu on that post and selecting "Report Post."

Recover a deleted post

Facebook does not restore deleted posts. Once you confirm the deletion, the post is permanently gone and cannot be brought back through Facebook's settings or support.

If you deleted a post by accident, your only option is to recreate it by writing a new post with the same content. This is why using "Hide from Timeline" is useful if you are unsure — you can always unhide a post later by going to your timeline, clicking the three dots on the hidden post, and selecting "Show on Timeline."

Delete multiple posts at once

Facebook does not have a built-in tool to delete many posts in one action. You must delete each post individually by finding it, opening the three-dot menu, and selecting "Delete."

If you want to remove a large number of posts, you will need to go through them one by one. Start with your most recent posts and work backward. On desktop, you can keep the menu open in a separate window to speed up the process, but each deletion still requires a separate confirmation.

Difference between deleting and hiding a post

Deleting permanently removes the post from Facebook. It is gone for you and everyone else. You cannot undo it.

Hiding removes the post from your timeline and your friends' feeds, but you can unhide it anytime. Only you can see that the post is hidden — your friends do not know you hid it. Hiding is useful when you want to keep a post but do not want it visible right now.

If you are not sure whether you want to keep something, hide it first. You can always delete it later if you decide you do not want it at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a comment I made on someone else's post?

Yes. Find your comment, tap or click the three dots next to it, and select "Delete." Your comment is removed when ready. The post itself stays on their timeline.

What if I delete a post but someone already screenshotted it?

Deleting the post from Facebook does not remove screenshots or copies that exist outside of Facebook. If someone saved an image or text of your post before you deleted it, that copy is still on their device. Deletion only affects what is on Facebook itself.

Does deleting a post delete the comments people left on it?

Yes. When you delete a post, all comments and replies on that post are deleted as well. The comments do not remain anywhere on Facebook.

Can I delete a post from years ago?

Yes. You can delete any post you created, no matter how old it is. Scroll back through your timeline or use Facebook's search to find the old post, then use the three-dot menu to delete it.

What if Facebook says I cannot delete a post?

This usually means the post was not created by you. You can only delete posts you wrote yourself. If you believe you should be able to delete it, check that you are logged into the correct account. If it is still not working, report the issue to Facebook through the Help Center.