You can delete your Facebook story anytime, from any device, and it disappears when ready
A Facebook story vanishes the moment you delete it — there is no waiting period, no archive, no way for someone to retrieve it after you remove it. You can delete a story you posted minutes ago or days ago. The process takes about 10 seconds and works the same way on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Stories are different from regular posts. A story disappears on its own after 24 hours anyway, but you do not have to wait. If you change your mind about what you shared, want to remove something before certain people see it, or straightforward do not want it up anymore, you can take it down right now.
Key Takeaways
- Delete a story from your phone by opening Facebook, tapping your story in the top row, tapping the three dots in the corner, and selecting "Delete Story".
- On a computer, right-click your story thumbnail on your profile or in the Stories section and choose "Delete" from the menu that appears.
- Once deleted, the story is gone — no one can see it, and you cannot undo the deletion.
- You can delete only your own stories, not stories other people posted that include you.
- Stories you delete do not affect your regular posts, photos, or any other content on your profile.
How to delete a story on your phone
Open the Facebook app and look at the top of your feed. You will see a row of circular profile pictures — these are stories. Find your own profile picture (usually on the far left) and tap it to open your story.
Once your story is open and filling the screen, look at the top right corner. You will see three dots stacked vertically (called a menu button). Tap those three dots. A small menu will pop up with several options. Select "Delete Story" from that menu. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" again, and the story is gone.
If you have multiple stories posted, this process removes only the one you are currently viewing. If you want to delete another story, go back to your story row, tap the next one, and repeat the steps.
How to delete a story on a computer
Go to your Facebook profile by clicking your name or profile picture in the top left corner. Look for the "Stories" section on your profile — it usually appears near the top, showing thumbnail images of your recent stories.
Find the story you want to remove and hover your mouse over it. A three-dot menu button will appear in the corner of that thumbnail. Click the three dots, and a dropdown menu will show. Select "Delete" from the options. Confirm the deletion when Facebook asks, and the story is removed.
You can also delete a story while it is being viewed. If you click on a story to open it full-screen, look for the three-dot menu button in the top right corner of the screen. Click it and select "Delete Story" from the menu.
What happens after you delete a story
The story disappears from your profile, from the Stories row at the top of the feed, and from anywhere else it appeared on Facebook. No one can see it anymore — not your friends, not people who follow you, not people you sent it to directly. It is as though you never posted it.
Deletion is permanent. Facebook does not keep a deleted story in an archive or trash folder where you can recover it later. If you delete a story and then change your mind, you would have to create and post it again from scratch.
Deleting a story does not affect anything else on your profile. Your regular posts, photos, videos, and other content stay exactly as they were. A deleted story does not remove comments, likes, or messages related to it — those straightforward have nothing to attach to anymore.
Stories you cannot delete
You can delete only stories that you posted yourself. If someone else posted a story that includes you — either because they tagged you or because you appear in their photo or video — you cannot delete their story. You can only ask them to remove it, or you can report it to Facebook if it violates their rules.
If someone else posted a story and you want it taken down, you have two options. You can message them directly and ask them to delete it. Or you can report the story to Facebook by tapping the three dots on their story and selecting "Report Story," then choosing the reason why you think it should be removed.
Reasons people delete stories
Some people delete stories because they posted something by accident — a blurry photo, the wrong image, or something they meant to send privately instead of to everyone. Others delete stories because they changed their mind about sharing something, or because they realize a photo or video makes them uncomfortable.
You might also delete a story because you do not want certain people to see it, even though Facebook stories are visible to your friends (or to everyone, depending on your privacy settings). If you realize you posted something before you had a chance to adjust who could see it, deleting it is faster than changing the privacy settings after the fact.
Some people delete stories to keep their profile looking a certain way, or because they posted something that no longer feels relevant after a few hours. Since stories disappear on their own after 24 hours anyway, deletion is just a way to speed up that process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see my story after I delete it?
No. Once you delete a story, it is gone when ready. Anyone who had not seen it yet will not be able to see it. People who already saw it before you deleted it cannot go back and view it again — the story no longer exists on Facebook.
What if I delete a story by accident?
You cannot undo a deletion. If you deleted a story by mistake, you would need to recreate it and post it again. Facebook does not have a trash or recovery option for deleted stories, so make sure you want to delete before you confirm.
Does deleting a story delete comments or messages about it?
The story itself is deleted, but messages or comments people sent you about that story remain in your messages and comments. The comments just no longer have the story attached to them. If you want to remove those conversations, you would need to delete the messages or comments separately.
Can I delete someone else's story if they tagged me in it?
No, you can only delete stories you posted yourself. If someone tagged you in their story and you want it removed, you can message them and ask them to delete it, or you can report the story to Facebook if it breaks their rules.
Will deleting a story affect my privacy settings?
No. Deleting a story does not change any of your privacy settings. Your story privacy settings (who can see your stories) remain the same for any new stories you post. Deletion only removes that one specific story.