How to Delete Your Facebook Account (and Everything to Do Before You Click Delete)

CodexFuse Team · 2026-10-28T03:20:19.034Z · 10 min read

Delete your Facebook account the right way: download your data first, audit every Facebook Login, and know the 30-day cancel rule if you change your mind.

Deleting your Facebook account for good takes about five minutes of clicking — and about five minutes of preparation that most people skip. To delete your Facebook account permanently, open Settings & privacy → Settings, go to Accounts Center → Personal details → Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion, pick your Facebook profile, choose Delete account, and confirm with your password. Facebook then holds your account for 30 days in case you change your mind; after that, it is gone for good. The catch is everything you do before that click: your photos, your messages, the apps you log into with Facebook, and any Page only you control. This guide walks through the whole job in order — the download-first checklist, the steps on phone and computer, the two menus Facebook now uses, and what happens after you confirm. If you are leaving a Google account behind too, the same save-first logic applies when you delete your Google account.

How do I permanently delete my Facebook account?

To permanently delete your Facebook account, open Settings & privacy → Settings, go to Accounts Center → Personal details → Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion, select your Facebook profile, choose Delete account, and confirm with your password. Facebook waits 30 days before it starts deleting, so you can still cancel by logging back in during that window. After that, clearing everything from its backup systems can take up to 90 days.

1. Download your information first — photos, videos, posts, and messages cannot be retrieved after deletion.
2. Open Settings & privacy → Settings and find Accounts Center (or Meta Account, if your account has the newer menu).
3. Go to Personal details → Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion.
4. Select your Facebook profile — not a connected Instagram profile — and choose Delete account.
5. Confirm with your password, then stay logged out for 30 days so the deletion goes through.

Delete vs deactivate: which one do you actually want?

Delete and deactivate sound similar, but they do opposite things. Deactivation hides your profile and is reversible — you can come back any time by logging in, and you keep Messenger. Deletion is permanent after the 30-day grace period: your profile, photos, posts, and videos are removed and cannot be recovered.

Choose deactivation if you need a break, want to step away from the feed, or are not sure yet. Choose deletion if you want to cut ties with the account and do not need the data later. If you only need a break, deactivate and take your time — the steps below will still be here when you are sure.

Before you delete: the five-minute checklist

Do these five things before you touch the delete button. Every one of them is unfixable afterwards, and together they take about five minutes.

1. Download your information

Facebook lets you download a copy of your information before deleting your account — photos, videos, posts, messages, and other account activity, depending on what you select. In Accounts Center (or Meta Account), go to Your information and permissions → Download your information, pick your Facebook profile, and choose what to save. You will get a notification when the download is ready, so save the file somewhere secure, like your computer or an encrypted backup drive. Facebook's own Help Center puts it plainly: before deleting your profile, you may want to export your information, because after your profile has been deleted, you won't be able to retrieve anything you've added. If your phone holds the only copies of some photos, back up your phone first too — the Facebook download and a phone backup cover different things.

2. Audit the apps and sites you log into with Facebook

Anything you signed into with Facebook — Spotify, Pinterest, some games, news sites, shopping apps — loses access when the account goes. Set up another login for each one first, usually by adding an email address and password in that app's own settings. If you use Facebook to sign in to a Meta Quest, you will lose the apps, purchases, and achievements tied to that login. Check the list in Accounts Center under Password and security → Apps and websites, and work through it before deleting.

3. Hand over any Page or group only you control

Pages that only you control will also be deleted when your account is deleted, according to Facebook's Help Center. If you manage a business Page, a community group, or client assets, assign another admin first and confirm they can get in. For businesses, this step matters more than the delete button itself — losing the only admin can lock a Page permanently.

4. Sort out your passwords

Make sure you can still get into the email address tied to the account, because that is how you would reset the Facebook password if it fails at the confirmation step. If you are locked out of that email, sort that out first — the same recovery thinking applies as when you recover a hacked Gmail account. And if your passwords live only in your head, now is a good moment to use a password manager, so the new logins you set up for your other apps are actually saved somewhere.

5. Tell the people who only reach you there

Messenger stops working when the account is deleted, and messages you already sent may still show on the other person's side — but you cannot send new ones. If anyone only reaches you through Facebook or Messenger, give them another way to contact you before you go.

How to delete your Facebook account on your phone

The phone app is where most people delete their account, and the Accounts Center path is the one to try first. It works on iPhone and Android the same way, with one small difference in how you open the menu.

On iPhone

Tap your profile photo at the bottom right of the Facebook app, then Settings & privacy → Settings. Near the top, tap Accounts Center, then Personal details. Tap Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion. Pick your Facebook profile, choose Delete account, and tap Continue. Facebook will ask why you are leaving — pick any reason — then enter your password and confirm Delete account.

On Android

Tap the menu icon (the three lines) or your profile picture, then Settings & privacy → Settings. Tap Accounts Center — you may see "See more in Accounts Center" or "Go to Accounts Center" — then Personal details, Account ownership and control, and Deactivation or deletion. Select your Facebook profile, choose Delete account, tap Continue, follow the prompts, enter your password, and confirm. If the app looks different from these steps, update it first: an outdated Facebook app is the most common reason the Accounts Center options look different or are missing.

How to delete your Facebook account on a computer

On a computer, Facebook's Help Center gives the newer Meta Account path as the current route. Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook, select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. Click Meta Account at the top left of your screen, then Manage account at the bottom of Meta Account settings, then Manage. Click Deactivation or deletion, follow the instructions, click Continue, and follow the instructions to confirm. If your account still shows Accounts Center instead, use that route: Accounts Center → Personal details → Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion, then pick your Facebook profile and choose Delete account. Either way, check the selected profile twice before confirming — if you have Facebook and Instagram connected, Accounts Center may show both, and deleting the wrong one is a mistake you cannot undo after 30 days.

What if your menu says Meta Account instead of Accounts Center?

Facebook started moving everyone from Accounts Center to a new menu called Meta Account in 2026, and the switch happens account by account — so you might see either one. The destination is the same: Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion. If you see Meta Account, the path is Settings → Meta Account → Manage account → Manage → Deactivation or deletion. If you see Accounts Center, the path is Settings → Accounts Center → Personal details → Account ownership and control → Deactivation or deletion. Still nothing? Use the search bar at the top of Settings and type "deletion" — search jumps straight to it. And if your account has neither label yet, update the app or try from a desktop browser, where the newer menu usually appears first.

What happens after you click delete?

Your account is not instantly erased from every system. Facebook schedules it for deletion, and the 30-day clock starts at that moment.

• 30 days to change your mind. Log back in within 30 days and you can cancel the deletion. After that, your account and all your information will be permanently deleted, and you won't be able to retrieve it. Facebook notes that the exact number of days you can cancel varies by region.
• Up to 90 days to clear everything. It may take up to 90 days from the beginning of the deletion process to delete all the things you've posted. While that cleanup runs, your information is not accessible to other people using Facebook. Copies may remain after the 90 days in backup storage used for disaster recovery, and Facebook may also keep information for legal issues, terms violations, or harm prevention.
• Messenger stops. You can no longer use Facebook Messenger, since it runs on your Facebook account. Messages you already sent may still be visible to the people who received them, because those copies live in their inboxes.
• Facebook Login breaks. Apps and websites you signed into with Facebook will no longer let you in that way. Set up email-and-password logins for them before deleting, or you may be locked out.
• Pages only you control are deleted too. Any Page with no other admin goes with the account.
• Instagram is not deleted. Instagram is a separate account. Deleting Facebook does not remove Instagram, even if the two are linked in Accounts Center.

Changed your mind? How to cancel the deletion

Log into your Facebook account within 30 days of deleting it, then click Cancel deletion. That is the whole process — no form, no waiting period, no support ticket. After the 30 days pass, there is no way back: the account and its content cannot be recovered. One trap to avoid during the window: a saved login can accidentally reactivate the account. Log out of Facebook everywhere and clear saved logins on shared devices, so a stray tap does not cancel a deletion you actually want. If you log back in on purpose to check something, remember that logging in is itself the cancel action — check, then decide, and if you still want out, start the deletion again and stay logged out this time.

Common problems and fixes

Most deletion attempts fail on a menu that moved, not on a real block. These are the fixes that work.

• You cannot find Accounts Center. Update the Facebook app, or try from a desktop browser. If your account has the newer menu, look for Meta Account at the top of Settings instead — Facebook is switching accounts over through 2026. The Settings search bar also works: type "deletion" and it jumps straight to the screen.
• The password fails. Reset your password first, then return to deletion. You will need access to the email address or phone number on the account to get the reset code.
• You see Instagram instead. Go back and select your Facebook profile only. Accounts Center lists every connected profile, and it is easy to tap the wrong one.
• You manage a Page. Add another admin before deleting your personal account, and confirm the new admin can open the Page. A Page with no admin is deleted with the account.
• Facebook keeps showing retention offers. Expect screens that suggest taking a break, changing notification settings, or deactivating instead. Read them, but do not get pulled off course if your decision is final.
• You changed your mind. Log in within 30 days and cancel the deletion request. After that window, recovery is not expected.

Sources

Facebook Help Center, "Deactivating or Deleting Your Account" (facebook.com/help/250563911970368) — the 30-day cancellation window, the up-to-90-day removal period, the Meta Account deletion path, the download-first warning, and what happens to Messenger, Facebook Login, and Pages. Checked 28 October 2026.

NavThemes, "How to Delete a Facebook Account: Facebook Settings vs Account Center" (navthemes.com, updated 24 October 2026) — the Accounts Center path, the classic Settings path, the download-first checklist, and the page-admin warning.

fbpassport, "How do I delete my Facebook account permanently? (2026 Guide)" (fbpassport.com, updated 12 October 2026) — the Meta Account path, the log-out-everywhere tip, the Settings search trick, and the Meta Quest and third-party login effects. Steps re-checked against Facebook's Help Center in August 2026.

Memeburn, "How to Delete Your Facebook Account Permanently" (memeburn.com, October 2026) — the download-first flow, the connected-apps check, and the note that Facebook has more than 3 billion monthly active users.

AddictiveTips, "How to Delete Facebook Account on Phone or Browser" (addictivetips.com) — the phone and browser step lists and the deactivation comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to permanently delete a Facebook account?

Facebook waits 30 days before it starts deleting, so you can still cancel by logging in during that window. After that, clearing everything from its backup systems can take up to 90 days. The exact number of days you can cancel varies by region, according to Facebook's Help Center.

Can I recover my account after deleting it?

Only during the 30-day grace period — log in and choose Cancel deletion. Once that window passes, the account and its content cannot be recovered, and you cannot reactivate the profile.

Will deleting Facebook also delete Messenger?

Yes. Messenger runs on your Facebook account, so it stops working when the account is deleted. Messages you already sent may still show on the other person's side, because those copies live in their inbox.

Does deleting Facebook delete my Instagram?

No. Instagram is a separate account. Deleting Facebook does not remove Instagram, even if the two are linked in Accounts Center — you have to delete each profile on its own.

Can I delete Facebook without losing my photos?

Yes, if you download them first. In Accounts Center, go to Your information and permissions → Download your information and save what you want. Once the account is gone, you cannot retrieve any of it — so download before you delete, not after.