Delete a photo from your timeline or album

Open Facebook and go to your profile. Click the Photos section, then find the photo you want to remove. Hover your mouse over the photo until a three-dot menu appears in the top right corner of the image. Click that menu and select Delete. Facebook will ask you to confirm — click Delete Photo again, and the photo is gone from your profile and from your timeline.

If you posted the photo to your timeline rather than uploading it to an album, you can also delete it directly from your timeline. Find the post, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the post itself, and select Delete. This removes the entire post, including the photo and any caption you wrote.

On mobile, the process is nearly identical. Open the Facebook app, go to your profile, tap Photos, find the image, tap the three dots, and select Delete. The confirmation step is the same.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted photos disappear from your profile and timeline, but Facebook keeps a copy in case you want to restore it within 30 days.
  • If you posted a photo to a group or shared it on someone else's timeline, you can only delete your own copy — the original post stays where the group or person posted it.
  • Photos you were tagged in by others can be untagged (removing your name from the image) but not deleted unless you ask the person who posted it to remove the entire photo.
  • Deleting a photo does not notify the people who liked or commented on it, but they will notice the photo is gone if they look for it.

Restore a photo you deleted within 30 days

Facebook keeps deleted photos in a temporary holding area for 30 days. If you change your mind, go to your profile and click the three-dot menu next to your name. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Your information, then Deactivation and deletion. Scroll down to find Recently deleted and click View. You will see all photos you deleted in the last 30 days. Click the photo you want back, then select Restore.

After 30 days, Facebook permanently deletes the photo and you cannot restore it. If you realize you want a photo back after that window closes, your only option is to re-upload it if you have the original file on your computer or phone.

Untag yourself from photos posted by others

When someone else posts a photo and tags you in it, you cannot delete that photo — only the person who posted it can do that. However, you can remove your name from the photo so it no longer appears on your profile or in your tagged photos section. Find the photo, click the three-dot menu, and select Remove tag. Your name disappears from the image, and the photo no longer shows up when people visit your profile and click on your tagged photos.

Untagging yourself does not delete the photo or notify the person who posted it. The photo stays on their timeline and in their album. If you want the photo removed entirely, you will need to ask them directly to delete it.

Control who can see your photos before you delete them

If you do not want to delete a photo but want to hide it from certain people, you can change who sees it instead. Find the photo on your profile, click the three-dot menu, and select Edit post. Look for the audience icon (usually a globe, a group of people, or a lock symbol) and click it. Choose Friends to show it only to your friends, Only me to hide it from everyone except yourself, or Custom to pick specific people or groups who can see it. Click Done and then Save.

This approach keeps the photo on your profile without permanently removing it. You can change the privacy setting again later if you want to make it visible to more people.

Delete multiple photos at once

If you want to remove several photos, you do not have to delete them one by one. Go to your profile, click Photos, then click the Albums tab. Find the album containing the photos you want to delete. Open the album, then look for a Select button or checkbox icon. Click it to enter selection mode. Check the box next to each photo you want to remove. Once you have selected all the photos, a Delete button will appear. Click it and confirm.

This bulk delete option works best when the photos are already organized in an album. If your photos are scattered across different albums or your timeline, it is usually faster to delete them individually.

What happens to comments and reactions when you delete a photo

When you delete a photo, all the likes, comments, and reactions people left on that photo disappear too. The people who commented or reacted will not receive a notification that the photo is gone, but they will see it is missing if they look for it in their own activity or in your profile.

If you want to keep the photo but remove specific comments (for example, spam or offensive remarks), you do not have to delete the entire photo. Click the three-dot menu on the comment itself and select Delete. Only that comment is removed, and the photo stays up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a photo if someone else posted it?

No, only the person who posted the photo can delete it. You can untag yourself to remove your name from it, but the photo itself stays on their profile. If you want it removed, you need to contact them and ask them to delete it.

What if I delete a photo by accident?

You have 30 days to restore it. Go to your profile settings, click Your information, then Deactivation and deletion, and find Recently deleted. Click the photo and select Restore. After 30 days, it is permanently gone.

Does deleting a photo remove it from search results?

Yes. Once deleted, the photo no longer appears in Facebook search, in your profile, or in your timeline. However, if someone downloaded or screenshotted the photo before you deleted it, they will still have a copy on their device.

Can I delete a photo from a group I am in?

Only if you posted it. If you uploaded the photo to a group, you can delete your copy from your profile, but the group admin or the person who posted it to the group can still see and manage it. If someone else posted it to the group, you cannot delete it — you can only ask the group admin to remove it.

Will people know I deleted a photo?

Facebook does not send a notification when you delete a photo. However, people will notice it is gone if they look at your profile or try to find a photo they remember seeing. If the photo had many comments or reactions, people may wonder where it went.