To delete your Facebook account permanently, open Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Personal details > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion. Select your Facebook account, choose Delete account, and follow the confirmation steps.
The process works on iPhone, Android, and computers. Facebook generally gives you 30 days to cancel a deletion request, although the period can vary by region. Before confirming, save any photos or information you want to keep.
How to Delete Your Facebook Account on iPhone or Android
- Open the Facebook app and sign in to the account you want to delete.
- Tap Menu (the three horizontal lines or your menu/profile icon). Its position can differ between iPhone and Android.
- Tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Open Accounts Center. You may need to scroll to find it.
- Tap Personal details > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion.
- Select the Facebook account or profile you want to remove, then choose Delete account, not Deactivate account.
- Tap Continue, review Facebook’s warnings, and enter your password or complete any requested security check to confirm.
Check the selected account carefully. Accounts Center may include more than one Facebook profile or other Meta accounts. Make sure the confirmation screen names the account you intend to delete.
How to Delete Facebook on a Computer
You can use Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, or another browser. The steps are nearly identical on Windows and Mac.
- Sign in at facebook.com.
- Click your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- Select Settings & privacy > Settings.
- Open Accounts Center, then Personal details.
- Select Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose the correct Facebook account, select Delete account, and follow the instructions to confirm.
If Accounts Center is missing or the layout looks different, check Facebook’s own Settings > Your Facebook information > Deactivation and deletion section, where available. Facebook documents this as an alternative route. The exact menus can differ by account and version.
For the current official instructions, see Facebook’s account deletion help page.
Before You Delete: Save What Matters
Permanent deletion is not a way to clear an app error or temporarily hide your profile. Once the cancellation period ends, you cannot restore the deleted account or retrieve the content you added.
If you want a copy of your pictures, videos, posts, or other Facebook information:
- Open Settings > Accounts Center.
- Go to Your information and permissions.
- Look for Download your information or Export your information. Facebook uses different wording in some versions.
- Choose your Facebook profile, select the information you want, and request an export to your device.
- Download the completed archive and check that the files you need are actually inside it before requesting account deletion.
Also check whether you manage a Facebook Page, group, or business account. If others still need access, arrange the necessary admin or management permissions first. Review any websites or apps where you sign in with Facebook and set up another login method.
What Happens When You Delete Facebook?
- Your profile and content: Your account, posts, photos, and videos are scheduled for permanent removal. You will not be able to reactivate the account once deletion is complete.
- Messenger: You lose Messenger access tied to that Facebook account. Messages you previously sent may still appear in other people’s conversations.
- Other apps: Services you access through Log in with Facebook may become difficult or impossible to sign into until you establish another login method.
- Instagram: Selecting your Facebook account for deletion does not mean you have chosen to delete an Instagram account listed in Accounts Center. Review which account the confirmation screen identifies.
Facebook says removal of posted content can take up to 90 days from the start of the process. Some backup or legally retained records may remain longer under its policies. This is different from the period during which you can cancel deletion.
Can You Cancel Facebook Account Deletion?
Usually, yes, if you act within 30 days of submitting the request. Facebook notes that the cancellation period varies by region.
- Sign in to the Facebook account for which you requested deletion.
- Select Cancel deletion if Facebook offers the option.
Once the applicable cancellation period has passed and deletion becomes final, there is no normal account-recovery option. If you have decided to leave, avoid signing back in during the cancellation period unless you intend to stop the deletion.
Delete or Deactivate: Which One Do You Need?
Delete if you want to leave Facebook permanently and no longer need the account or its content. Deactivate if you just want a break: your profile becomes less visible, but you can generally return by signing in again, and you may be able to keep using Messenger.
Both options are on the same Deactivation or deletion screen. Choose based on whether you might want the account back later.
Common Problems
I cannot find the Delete account option
Make sure you opened Accounts Center > Personal details > Account ownership and control, not the basic privacy settings. Select Deactivation or deletion and then the Facebook account itself. If that route is not available, check the alternative Facebook settings path above or open the official help page for your device.
I forgot my Facebook password
Recover access to your own Facebook account using Facebook’s Forgot password? sign-in flow first. You may need an email address, phone number, or another recovery method linked to the account. There is no reliable public shortcut that lets someone permanently delete an account they cannot authenticate to.
Will deleting the Facebook app delete my account?
No. Uninstalling Facebook only removes the app from your phone. The account still exists, and you can sign in on another device. Likewise, clearing an Android app’s cache does not permanently delete its Facebook account.
If your real goal is to limit access to the website rather than remove your profile, see how to block websites on Android. That does not delete the account either.
For permanent removal, complete the deletion request inside Facebook and allow the cancellation period to pass.
