If it’s a security concern, or tired of using the platform, or have just decided to quit Facebook for your personal reasons, it’s a good step towards decluttering. You may better invest your time in something productive instead of using Facebook. Quitting Facebook is not that complex; just a few correct steps, along with precautions, are enough. We will guide you on how to delete Facebook account and where you can choose its alternative: Deactivation. Let’s begin!

Quickly: To delete your Facebook account, you can go to Settings → Account Ownership and Control → Deactivation and Deletion → Delete Account.

Key Takeaways!

  • It takes 30 days to completely delete your Facebook account after you follow the steps to do so.
  • Before deleting, protect your personal data by requesting Facebook and downloading it to your device.
  • You need to have your username and password (login details) to complete your account deletion process.
  • Users can choose an alternative option called deactivation. By deactivating, your account is temporarily on hold and not visible to others unless you reactivate.
  • Deleting Facebook is a permanent action, while deactivating is a temporary hold to your account.

Things To Do Before Deleting Your Facebook Account

Before quitting Facebook, make sure you take good care of your personal data by downloading it to your phone. Also, inform others about your farewell from the platform. We mentioned things you should be doing before leaving Facebook:

  • Back Up your Data: All your information, such as photos, videos, posts of other kinds, should be downloaded to your device. This practice will save your valuable data from being wiped out.
  • Inform Others about your farewell: If you’re close to someone on Facebook and a regular bond is created there, leaving the platform suddenly may be a shocking thing for someone. Thus, informing them that you will no longer exist on the platform is the best you can do. 
  • Cancel Subscriptions: Before leaving, you should settle down pending payments of any FB subscription and cancel the existing plan, if any. This helps save your money from being wasted unnecessarily.
  • Log Out of All Sessions: You should log out of your Facebook account prior to leaving the platform. This is one of the ideal practices for keeping you safe.
  • Erase your data: Since you’re leaving permanently, you can choose to delete your posts, photos, videos, or other content, leaving no traces behind. Though Facebook does that automatically, as an account owner, you have the full right to do so as well.

How To Delete Facebook Account Permanently

You can perform the Facebook Account Deletion process either on a mobile device, on its application, or using the web version on the official Facebook platform. We mentioned simple steps for both cases:

On Android and iPhone 

You can delete your Facebook account in just a few simple steps on both Android and iPhone.

  1. Open the Facebook app on the iPhone.
    Open Facebook App
  2. Locate the “three-lined icon” or the hamburger menu and tap it.
    three-lined icon
  3. Next, touch “Settings & Privacy” and then tap “Settings.”
    Settings & Privacy
  4. Click on “Account center” option
    Account center
  5. After that, tap on “personal details” 
    personal information
  6. Tap “Account Ownership and Control”.
    Account Ownership and Control
  7. Pick the “Deactivation and Deletion” option.
    Deactivation and Deletion
  8. In the end, touch “Delete Account.”
    Delete Account
  9. This will delete your Facebook account, but not the app itself, on your iPhone.

On Desktop (Web Version)

Knowing how to delete Facebook account on a computer or PC will help you quickly do away with your account. If you use a computer to access Facebook, follow these points.

  1. Go to Facebook on your web browser on your PC.
    Open Facebook Official
  2. Sign in to Facebook using your credentials.
    Sign in to Facebook using your credentials
  3. Tap your “profile picture”. You will see it at the top right of Facebook.
    profile picture
  4. Select the ‘Settings & Privacy’ option and then click ‘Settings.
    Settings & Privacy
  5. You can click on the  “Account center” option from the left side of screen.
    Account center
  6. On the next screen, click on “Personal Details” 
    Personal Details
  7. Tab to “Account ownership and control” 
    Account ownership and control
  8. After that, a new pop-up screen will open, and click on the “deactivation or deletion” option.
    deactivation or deletion
  9. Next, select your account and choose the “delete account option” and tab on “Continue” button.

⚠️Important: Once you delete it, you won’t be able to recover your Facebook account after 30 days. All your photos, friends, and messages will be lost.

How to Delete Facebook Without a Password (2025)

If you don’t remember your password, you must first recover access to your Facebook account. It can be done by resetting your password before proceeding with deleting the account. Also, reporting is a good way.

1. Recover Password:

Follow these steps to recover your account first:

  • Open the Facebook App or site.
  • Click on Facebook login page: facebook.com/login
  • On the login page, tap ‘Forgotten password?’ option.
  • Enter email address, phone number or username (all three are same).
  • Select between Email or SMS to receive recovery codes.
  • Once received, enter and log in successfully.

Note: If you don’t have access to your email or phone anymore, follow the “no longer have access” option during recovery.

2. Report your Account:

When finding it difficult to log in and have made up your mind to delete the Facebook account, reporting can be one way for this. You can choose to report as an impersonation account by creating another account. This will bring to the attention of Facebook and they will verify to confirm the same. Once confirmed, the account will be deleted permanently.

Alternative To Facebook Account Deletion

As deleting is permanent, you should avoid performing such steps if you’re taking a short break from Facebook. Thankfully, an option is available to deactivate a Facebook account for a short-term break temporarily. Deactivating keeps your profile and content hidden from others for a specified period, and you can reactivate it at your convenience. Learn how to deactivate:

Deactivate Facebook Temporarily

  1. Using the Facebook App (Android/iPhone)

Follow these steps to deactivate your Facebook account through the mobile app:

  1. Open the Facebook app.
    three-lined icon
  2. Tap the menu (three lines) at the bottom (iPhone) or top (Android).
    three-lined icon
  3. Go to Settings & Privacy > tap Settings.
    Settings & Privacy
  4. Click on “Account center” option.
    Account center
  5. Then, Tap on “Personal DetailsButton.
    personal information
  6. Scroll to Account Ownership and Control.
    Account Ownership and Control
  7. Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
    Deactivation and Deletion
  8. Choose Deactivate Account, then tap Continue to Account Deactivation.
    Deactivate  Account
  9. Follow the prompts to confirm

💡 Note: You can still use Messenger after deactivation unless you deactivate it separately.

Using Desktop (Facebook Website)

If you’re using Facebook on a computer, here’s how to deactivate your account:

  1. Go to facebook.com and log in.
  2. Click your profile picture at the top-right corner.
  3. Select Settings & Privacy > click Settings.
  4. In the left sidebar, choose Your Facebook Information
  5. Click Deactivation and Deletion
  6. Select Deactivate Account > click Continue to Account Deactivation
  7. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the process.

Difference Between Delete and Deactivate Facebook

Below is a quick comparison of deleting vs. deactivating your Facebook account effortlessly. You can go through the table and take action accordingly.

Feature

Deactivate

Delete

Profile Visibility

Hidden from others temporarily

Permanently removed after 30 days.

Data Storage

Data retained on Facebook servers

Data was mostly deleted permanently

Account Recovery

You can reactivate anytime

No recovery after the grace period

Messenger Access

Remains active until you remove it manually.

Removed

Group Membership

Temporarily removed

Permanently removed

Linked Apps Access

Apps remain connected

Apps disconnected

Messages Visibility

Sent messages are still visible

Sent messages remain, but account disappeared

Grace Period

None

About 30 days before permanent deletion

Permanence

Temporary pause

Permanent removal

How To Contact Facebook Support

The online help center and support inbox are the two quickest modes to get a response from Facebook. Using either of these, users can report according to the issue and send messages related to what they’re facing. Additionally, you can select from the other choices as well:

  • Live Chat: You may seek out help from Facebook experts if live chat is available for you.
  • Facebook Help Center: The most-recommended and useful mode is the help center. Visit the dedicated page, navigate the issue, and get multiple solutions helping you out.
  • Report a problem directly: You can report your query based on what you’re facing. This helps keep your issue defined by putting it in the category you selected and reported.
  • Social Media Handles: If you choose one of the social media handles, like X (previously Twitter), Instagram, to put your query in the comment section, you may get a response faster than other mediums. However, this depends on how popular your query is.

Concluding Words

If you are stepping away from a social media platform such as Facebook for any reason, this simple guide can walk you through how you can remove or delete your account permanently. Before that, make sure to take a backup of your data and then perform these methods either for permanent or temporary deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions {FAQs}

Q1. How should I permanently delete my Facebook account?

To delete Facebook account, Log into Facebook>tap ‘Settings & Privacy’>‘Settings’>‘Account ownership & control’>‘Deactivation & Deletion’>‘Delete account’

Q2. How should I deactivate my Facebook account?

To deactivate, Tap profile>‘Settings and privacy’>‘Settings’. Select Accounts Centre>Personal Details>Account Ownership and Control > Deactivation or Deletion. Select deactivate and confirm the same.

Q3. How do I delete my forgotten Facebook account?

You can delete a forgotten Facebook account using the recovery page on Facebook. Facebook will provide you with a link to your email address. Use this link to submit an account deletion request to Facebook.

Q4. Is deactivating better than deleting?

Depending on the requirement, you can choose to deactivate account than deleting. It’s for a temporary break from Facebook. If leaving permanently, choose to delete it.

Q5. How quickly can you delete a Facebook account?

After you have successfully followed the account deletion process on Facebook app or website, it takes 30 days to remove your account entirely from the platform.

Q6. Can people see my Facebook account if I delete it?

No. Once the Facebook profile is deleted, your posts, photos, videos, profile, and anything related to you is not visible to others. The initial 30 days are for deactivating the account, and after that, everything is permanently erased.