With the Cambridge Analytica fiasco in 2018 followed by a hack that compromised more than 50 million accounts, it’s no wonder people want to cut ties with Facebook. Thankfully, you can delete an account in a matter of minutes.
Facebook actually provides two options: Deactivate and delete. Deactivating your account merely puts your information on temporary hiatus so you can take a breather without jumping ship. Deleting an account, however, permanently rids the site of your data. That information includes photo albums, likes, status updates, timeline info, and more.
Moreover, when you delete an account, there’s no option for recovery. After 30 days, it will be like you were never there. You’ll need to start over from scratch if you eventually return.
If you’re ready to free yourself from social media fatigue, our guide first shows how to preserve personal data without actually deleting an account. If you’ve really had enough, skip to the second portion detailing how to delete everything for good.
Alternately, follow our handy guide to protect yourself without completely leaving the social network.
How to temporarily deactivate your Facebook account
Here you can “pause” a
Step 1: Click the down arrow button located next to the question mark icon on the navigation bar.
Step 2: Click the Settings option listed on the drop-down menu.
Step 3: The General Account Settings page opens by default. Click the Your
Step 4: Click the Deactivation and Deletion option.
Step 5: On the following page, click the button next to Deactivate Account followed by the blue Continue to Account Deactivation button.
Step 6: Finally,
That’s it! Go on
Deletion, part 1: Pack your bags
There’s always a moment of hesitation before you pull the trigger. We get it. You have an increasing wealth of content that began when you stumbled onto
Luckily, users can download an archival volume of their data for offline use. This data includes photos, shared posts, ads you clicked, and a host of other data not accessible simply by accessing your account. It’s quick and easy to download, and though it won’t be as exciting as navigating your actual timeline, at least it’s there should you want to virtually stroll down memory lane.
Step 1: Click the down arrow button located next to the question mark icon on the navigation bar.
Step 2: Click the Settings option listed on the drop-down menu.
Step 3: The General Account Settings page opens by default. Click the Your
Step 4: Click the Download Your Information option.
Step 5: On the following Download Your Information page, you can pick and choose what specific information you want to download. Click the blue Create File button to begin.
Step 6: Copying your information may take some time. Once
Step 7: Click the Download button.
Step 8:
Deletion, part 2: Sever your ties
With a local copy of your
Remember, once you sign off on your account deletion request,
That’s because third-party apps linked to your
Step 1: Click the down arrow button located next to the question mark icon on the navigation bar.
Step 2: Click the Settings option listed on the drop-down menu.
Step 3: The General Account Settings page opens by default. Click the Apps and Websites option listed on the left.
Step 4: You’ll see a handful of apps listed under the Active tab. To see all connected apps, click the “Show All” option (if available). To delete these apps, click their associated boxes on the right followed by the blue Remove button.
Step 5: A prompt appears on the screen, confirming your action. Click the box to delete all posts, videos, and events associated with these apps. Click the blue Remove button to complete.
Step 6: Rinse and repeat as necessary.
Deletion part 3: Hasta la vista, baby
You downloaded all data and deleted all third-party ties with
Again, there’s no going back once the 30-day grace period expires, so make sure deleting your account is the right decision. Jot down those birthdays and ask your online friends for contact info outside of
Step 1: Click the down arrow button located next to the question mark icon on the navigation bar.
Step 2: Click the Settings option listed on the drop-down menu.
Step 3: The General Account Settings page opens by default. Click the Your
Step 4: Click the Deactivation and Deletion option.
Step 5: On the following page, click the Permanently Delete Account option followed by the blue Continue to Account Deletion button. Enter your password if prompted.
Step 6:
Step 7: Avoid
Again, do not access
If you do log in accidentally within the 30-day grace period, however, repeat the deletion process and verify that you disconnected all third-party apps from
Feeling the social media cleanse? Read our guides on how to delete your Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter accounts.
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