You can delete individual posts one at a time, or use Facebook's archive feature to hide them without deleting

Facebook gives you two ways to handle old posts: delete them permanently, or archive them so they disappear from your timeline but stay in your account. Deleting is final — the post goes away for everyone. Archiving hides the post from your profile and from people browsing your timeline, but you can unarchive it later if you change your mind. Which one you choose depends on whether you want the post gone for good or just out of sight.

Both options work on posts you wrote yourself. You cannot delete or archive posts that other people tagged you in or commented on — only the person who wrote the post can remove it. If someone else posted something you want down, you can ask them to delete it, or you can remove the tag so it stops appearing on your profile.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting a post removes it permanently from Facebook, while archiving hides it from your timeline but keeps it in your account history.
  • To delete a single post, click the three dots in the top right corner of the post and select "Delete".
  • To archive posts in bulk, go to your profile, select "Posts" from the menu, then use the filter options to find old posts and archive them.
  • You can only delete or archive posts you wrote yourself — posts other people wrote about you must be deleted by them or you can ask them to remove the tag.
  • Archived posts can be unarchived anytime, but deleted posts cannot be recovered.

How to delete a single post

Open the post you want to delete. In the top right corner of the post, you will see three dots (called a menu button). Click on those dots. A dropdown menu will appear with several options, including "Delete." Click "Delete," and Facebook will ask you to confirm. Click "Delete Post" in the confirmation box, and the post is gone.

This works the same way whether you are on Facebook's website or using the mobile app. On a phone, the three dots may be harder to spot — they are usually in the top right corner of the post, sometimes next to the timestamp. If you cannot find them, try tapping and holding on the post itself, which often brings up the same menu.

How to archive posts instead of deleting them

Archiving is useful if you want old posts off your timeline but might want to see them later. When you archive a post, it disappears from your profile and from your timeline, but it stays in your Facebook account. You can unarchive it anytime and it will reappear on your timeline.

To archive a post, click the three dots in the top right corner of the post and select "Archive" from the menu. The post will when ready disappear from your timeline. No one else will see it, but you will still be able to find it in your account if you search for it or look through your archived posts.

How to find and manage archived posts

To see all your archived posts, go to your Facebook profile and click on the menu (three horizontal lines). Scroll down and select "Archive." You will see a list of all the posts you have archived. From here, you can unarchive any post by clicking the three dots and selecting "Unarchive," which puts it back on your timeline.

If you want to delete an archived post instead of unarchiving it, you can do that from the archive view too — just click the three dots and select "Delete." Deleting from the archive works the same way as deleting from your timeline: the post is gone permanently.

How to remove posts other people wrote about you

If someone else posted something that tagged you or mentioned you, you have a few options. First, you can ask the person who posted it to delete it themselves — they own the post and can remove it anytime. Second, you can remove your tag from the post, which stops it from appearing on your profile and in your timeline, though the post itself stays on the other person's profile. Third, if the post violates Facebook's rules or makes you uncomfortable, you can report it to Facebook.

To remove a tag, click the three dots on the post and select "Remove Tag." To report a post, click the three dots and select "Report Post," then choose the reason why you are reporting it. Facebook will review it and decide whether it breaks their rules.

What happens when you delete a post

When you delete a post, it is removed from Facebook's servers. No one can see it anymore — not your friends, not people who follow you, not even you. If someone took a screenshot or shared the post before you deleted it, they will still have that copy, but the original post on Facebook is gone. Facebook does not keep a recoverable copy of deleted posts, so deletion is permanent.

Deleting a post does not affect comments or reactions that other people left on it before you deleted it — those disappear along with the post. If you want to keep a record of something before you delete it, take a screenshot or read your Facebook data first.

How to read your posts before deleting them

If you want to keep a copy of your posts before you delete them, Facebook lets you read your data. Go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), select "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." On the left side, click "Your Information and Permissions," then "read Your Information." Facebook will let you choose what data to read — select "Posts" and choose the date range. Facebook will prepare a file with copies of your posts and send it to you, usually within a few hours.

This read includes the text of your posts, photos, and links, but it does not include comments or reactions from other people. Once you have the read, you can delete the posts on Facebook knowing you have a backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete posts from years ago without going through them one by one?

Not directly — Facebook does not have a "delete all posts before this date" button. Your best option is to archive old posts in bulk using the archive feature, which hides them from your timeline. If you want to delete them permanently, you will need to go through them individually or use a third-party tool designed for bulk deletion, though Facebook does not officially support these tools and they carry privacy risks.

If I delete a post, will my friends still see it in their memories or notifications?

No. Once you delete a post, it disappears from Facebook entirely. Your friends will not see it in their memories, on their feeds, or anywhere else. If they had already liked or commented on it, those interactions will disappear too.

What is the difference between deleting and archiving?

Deleting removes the post permanently from Facebook — it cannot be recovered. Archiving hides the post from your timeline and profile, but keeps it in your account. You can unarchive an archived post anytime and it will reappear on your timeline. Archived posts are not visible to other people.

Can I delete a post someone else shared from my profile?

If someone shared one of your posts to their own timeline, you cannot delete it from their profile — only they can delete it. You can ask them to remove it, or you can remove the tag that links it to you, which stops it from appearing on your profile. If the shared post violates Facebook's rules, you can report it.

Will deleting old posts improve my privacy?

Deleting posts removes them from Facebook, but it does not erase copies that other people may have saved or screenshotted. If you are concerned about privacy, archiving is often enough — it hides posts from your timeline and from people browsing your profile, while keeping them in your account in case you need them later.