People worldwide use Facebook to connect with friends and family, and to engage in pointless debates with strangers over moderately amusing cat videos. But while some feel that the social media platform is an essential part of life, others find the data scandals and privacy issues disconcerting. For those who wish to take a break from Facebook either temporarily or permanently, instructions for deleting or deactivating your account are below.
Deleting your Facebook account
How to delete your Facebook account from a browser
Removing Facebook for good is easier than you think. Follow this link to the page that allows you to end your account permanently. Click Delete Account, enter your password, and your account is gone forever. But before you do, consider downloading a copy of the information you have stored on Facebook, including photos, videos, and more. Here is an official guide from Facebook that can help.
How to delete your Facebook account from the iPhone app
- Start the Facebook app on your iPhone.
- Tap the three-lined icon (hamburger menu).
- Tap Settings & Privacy.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Account Ownership and Control.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Tap Delete Account.
- Delete your Facebook app for good measure.
How to delete your Facebook account from the Android app
- Start the Facebook app on your Android device.
- Tap the three-lined icon (hamburger menu).
- Tap Settings & Privacy.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Account Ownership and Control.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Tap Delete Account.
- Delete your Facebook app for good measure.
The cons of deleting your Facebook account
Deleting your Facebook account can certainly feel liberating. You don’t have to worry about managing your privacy or consuming seemingly endless social media content. But rather than a permanent deletion, some people prefer to take a break from Facebook by deactivating their account for the following reasons:
- You won’t be able to access Facebook again unless you create a new account.
- It’s impossible to use Messenger without a Facebook account.
- Some accounts that you entered through Facebook Login may malfunction. You may need to contact those apps and websites or create new accounts.
- You’ll permanently lose your data unless you download a copy.
- You’ll lose your app purchases, achievements, and more related to your Facebook login on Oculus.
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Can you undelete Facebook if you change your mind?
Facebook says that it needs up to 90 days from the start of the deletion request to remove everything you’ve posted permanently. It may even keep some data in backup storage for legal issues as part of its data policy. It also offers a 30-day grace period after you erase your account. Here is how to cancel your account deletion within 30 days:
- Log in to your Facebook account.
- Hit Cancel Deletion.
Deactivating your Facebook account
Deactivating your Facebook is a temporary measure. After you deactivate your account, your Facebook page, including your intro, photos, friends, and posts, is hidden. No one can send you friend requests either. However, your messages are still visible to their recipients. Here are some advantages of deactivating your Facebook instead of deleting it:
- Your photos, videos, and posts are hidden but not permanently deleted.
- Facebook Messenger is still fully accessible.
- You can still access accounts through Facebook Login.
- You can reactivate Facebook whenever you please by logging in.
How to deactivate your Facebook account from a browser
The same link that allows you to erase your account also allows you to deactivate your account. Hit Deactivate Account and then enter your password to lose access to Facebook temporarily. Alternatively, you can use the following steps:
- Select Settings & Privacy from the drop-down menu on the top right.
- Click Settings.
- Click Your Facebook Information.
- Click Deactivation and Deletion.
- Select Deactivate Account and hit Continue to Account Deactivation.
- Enter your password and deactivate your account.
How to deactivate your Facebook account from the iPhone app
- Start the Facebook app on your iPhone.
- Tap the three-lined icon (hamburger menu).
- Tap Settings & Privacy.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Account Ownership and Control.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Tap Deactivate account.
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How to deactivate your Facebook account from the Android app
- Start the Facebook app on your Android device.
- Tap the three-lined icon (hamburger menu).
- Tap Settings & Privacy.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Account Ownership and Control.
- Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
- Tap Deactivate Account.
Tips for using Facebook safely
We understand that some users don’t want to deactivate or delete Facebook, but still have safety concerns. There are steps you can take to better manage your privacy and security on Facebook. Here are some tips that may help:
- Set a long, unique password for your Facebook account. You can use a trusted password manager to make the task easier.
- Avoid oversharing information on Facebook. Threat actors can use it for social engineering.
- Be careful when accepting friend requests. Limit posts to trusted friends and not the public.
- Limit the audience of old posts on your Timeline by clicking General > Privacy > Your Activity > Limit Past Posts.
- Stop Facebook from using your data to show you tailored ads by clicking General > Ads > Ad Settings.
- Manage third-party apps that have access to your data by clicking General > Apps and Websites.
- Beware of social media scams and be careful which links you click on Facebook or in Messenger.
— Update: 20-03-2023 — us.suanoncolosence.com found an additional article How to deactivate Facebook and delete Facebook accounts from the website www.today.com for the keyword deactivate delete your facebook account.
Facebook has evolved and changed immensely since its launch in 2004 (feel old? us too). Now, Facebook is owned under Meta, Mark Zuckerberg’s newest rebrand of his media empire. But, as social networks continue to grow, you might be looking to reduce the number of accounts you have across platforms — including your Facebook account.
Whether you’re concerned about your online privacy, the polarizing effects of being on social media, or just want to disconnect altogether, there are two ways to get rid of a Facebook account: You can temporarily deactivate your account or choose to permanently delete it.
If you’re looking to delete social media altogether, you can check out our guides on how to delete Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitter as well.
What’s the difference between deleting or deactivating a Facebook account?
The biggest difference between deactivating and deleting a Facebook account is that deactivating your Facebook account gives you the flexibility to return whenever you wish, while deleting your account is a permanent action.
What happens when you deactivate Facebook?
When you deactivate your account, your timeline, including posts, photos, friends lists and “about” information are hidden, and others cannot search for your account. However, some information, such as messages you’ve sent, remains visible. Facebook saves all your information (friends, posts, photos, interests) in case you choose to reactive in the future.
What happens when you delete Facebook?
Deleting an account, on the other hand, is set in stone. You will not be able to regain access once the account is deleted and everything associated with the user will be permanently removed. For this reason, Facebook delays deletion for a few days after the request is made, in case you change your mind. It can take up to 90 days after your account is removed for all of your data stored in Facebook’s backup systems to be completely deleted.
How to deactivate your Facebook account
- 1. Click the upside-down triangle in the top right corner of any Facebook page.
- 2. Go to “Settings.”
- 3. Click “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
- 4. Click “Deactivation and Deletion.”
- 5. Select “Deactivate Your Account.” Then click “Continue to Account Deactivation” and follow the instructions to confirm.
To reactivate your account, just log in to the account online or use your Facebook account to log in to a third-party app.
How to delete your Facebook account
- 1. Go to the “Delete Your Account” page.
(https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account)
- 2. Click “Delete Account” in the bottom right-hand corner.
Facebook recommends downloading a copy of your information before deleting your account so you have it and don’t lose everything you’ve posted. This is especially important if there are photos or posts from friends that you want to save.
How to download your information on Facebook
- 1. Click the upside-down triangle in the top right-hand corner of any Facebook page.
- 2. Go to “Settings.”
- 3. Click “Your Facebook Information.”
- 4. Click “View” next to “Download Your Information.”
- 5. To add or remove categories of data from your request, check or uncheck the boxes on the right side of the page.
- 6. Choose the format of your download, the quality of photos and videos and the date range of your request.
- 7. Click “Create File” to confirm your request.
- 8. You will get a notification when your download request is prepared.
- 9. Navigate to the “Download Your Information” page again (click the upside-down triangle >> “Settings” >> “Your Facebook Information” >> click “View” next to “Download Your Information”).
- 10. Click “Download.”
After you re-enter your password, the file should begin downloading.
Looking to delete Instagram, too? Our step-by-step guide will teach you how to delete or deactivate your Instagram account.
Source: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2021/06/how-to-deactivate-or-delete-your-facebook-account