How to Delete Your Facebook Account - Permanently, Step by Step
updated 11 July 2026
Quick answer
To delete your Facebook account, go to Settings & privacy, open Accounts Center, head to Personal details, then Account ownership and control. Choose Deactivation or deletion and select permanent account deletion. The profile disappears for good after 30 days - during that time you can get it back by logging in again.
Step by step
- 1
Download a copy of your data
Before you delete the account, grab an archive of your photos, posts and messages - once it's gone, there's no way to recover them. In Accounts Center you'll find the option to download your information, where you pick the data range and file format. Facebook prepares a download package and notifies you by email when it's ready. Do it ahead of time, because a larger archive can take several hours to prepare.
- 2
Open Accounts Center
Click your profile picture, go to Settings & privacy, then Accounts Center. This panel looks the same in a browser and in the phone app, so the steps are identical whatever the device. It's where you manage the account linked across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
- 3
Go to Account ownership and control
In Accounts Center open the Personal details section, and within it Account ownership and control. There you'll find the Deactivation or deletion entry. Click it and select the profile you want to close.
- 4
Choose deactivation or permanent deletion
The system shows two options: temporary deactivation and permanent account deletion. Select deletion if you want to be rid of the profile for good. Facebook will ask for a reason and may suggest alternatives - skip them and continue.
- 5
Confirm with your password and wait out the 30 days
Finally, confirm the decision with your password and the delete account button. From that moment you have 30 days to change your mind - just log in again and cancel the process. Once that period passes, your profile, photos and posts disappear for good.
Deactivation or permanent deletion - which to choose
Deactivation only hides your profile. Your photos, friends list and entire history wait untouched, and the account comes back in full when you log in again. It's a good way to take a break from the app without losing anything.
Permanent deletion wipes everything: your profile, photos, posts and liked pages. The operation can't be undone after 30 days. If you're looking for how to delete Facebook for good, this is the option, not deactivation.
What happens to Messenger after you delete your account
Messenger is tied to your Facebook account, so after permanently deleting the profile you also lose access to the messaging app. You won't send or receive any more messages under that account.
Your earlier messages may still be visible to recipients, because they were saved to their accounts too. If it's the conversations you care about, without the photos and posts, consider deactivating Facebook while keeping Messenger active - the system offers that choice during deactivation.
Before you hit delete - check these things
Disconnect Facebook from other services you log in to with its credentials. Accounts in apps or shops where you used Facebook login may stop working once the profile is gone. Switch them to email and password logins.
Also check whether you're the only admin of a business page. Without a second admin, the page disappears together with your account. Add someone to manage it if the page is meant to stay online.
Frequently asked questions
›How do I delete my FB account from my phone?
In the app tap your profile picture, go to Settings & privacy, then Accounts Center. From there repeat the same steps as in a browser: Personal details, Account ownership and control, Deactivation or deletion. The path is identical on Android and iPhone.
›How long do I have to cancel the deletion?
You have 30 days from confirming. During that period, logging in to the account cancels the whole process and restores the profile in full. After 30 days the data is wiped and can't be recovered.
›How do I delete my Facebook account if I don't remember my password?
First regain access via the password recovery option on the login screen - you can reset it by email or text message. You can't confirm the deletion without logging in, because Facebook asks for your password at the last step. Once you're back in, follow the standard path through Accounts Center.
›Will deleting Facebook also remove my Instagram?
No, as long as the accounts aren't linked in one Accounts Center. If you added Instagram to the same Accounts Center, the deletion only covers the profile you select. You delete Instagram separately in its own settings.
›What's the difference between deleting and deactivating an account?
Deactivation hides the profile temporarily and it comes back when you log in, with no data lost. Deletion wipes the account with its photos and posts after 30 days, with no way back. To get rid of the profile permanently, choose deletion.