Facebook facebook.com How to delete your Facebook account
Open Settings from your profile picture, go to Accounts Center, choose deactivation or deletion, pick your profile and confirm. You have 30 days to cancel by logging back in. Some content can take up to 90 days to disappear.
View all 112 guides- Platform
- facebook.com
- Type
- Delete an account
- Last updated
Step by step
- 1
Download your photos and posts
Export your information first. Facebook says nothing can be retrieved after deletion.
- 2
Hand over any Pages you run
Deleting your profile also removes Pages you alone control. Give full control of a Page to someone else first if you want to keep it.
- 3
Open your settings
Select your profile picture, then Settings. Depending on your version, you'll see Meta Account or Accounts Center.
- 4
Choose deactivation or deletion
Open the deactivation or deletion option and select your Facebook profile.
- 5
Pick delete and confirm
Choose to permanently delete the profile, not deactivate it, and follow the prompts to confirm.
Watch out for
- You have 30 days to cancel. Log back in and select Cancel deletion. After 30 days the account and its information are permanently removed.
- Some content can take up to 90 days to fully disappear.
- Deactivating hides your profile and can be reversed at any time. Deletion can't be undone once the 30 days pass.
- You won't be able to use Messenger or Facebook Login on other apps. Messages you sent may still be visible in friends' inboxes.
- Menu names vary by version of the settings, so the labels on your screen may differ slightly.
What stays out there
Deleting the account stops new data going to Facebook. It doesn't reach copies that other companies already hold: data brokers and people-search sites often scrape public profiles, and old search results can keep showing a cached page or a username for a while.
If your name, photos or handle were public before you deleted, check where else they show up. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them, but it doesn't delete or change your Facebook account itself. That part stays with you, and the steps above cover it.
Frequently asked
How long does it take to delete a Facebook account?
You get 30 days to cancel. After that the account is permanently removed, and some content can take up to 90 days to disappear.
What's the difference between deactivating and deleting Facebook?
Deactivating hides your profile and you can come back any time. Deleting is permanent once the 30 day window ends.
Will my Facebook messages disappear?
Not completely. Facebook says messages you sent may still be visible in friends' inboxes.
What happens to my Facebook Pages if I delete my account?
Pages you alone control are deleted. Give someone else full control first if you want to keep a Page.
Sources
Related guide Guide: How to Delete Yourself from the Internet Something changed? If these steps no longer match what you see, tell us and we'll re-check it.
