How Can you Permanently Delete your Facebook Account
If you want to unfriend Mark Zuckerberg forever, we'll explain how to permanently delete your Facebook account.
 |
| Source: Pixabay |
If you want to unfriend Mark Zuckerberg forever, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll explain how to permanently delete your Facebook account, how to reveal any apps that rely on your Facebook credentials, and how to make sure you're not cut off from your family and friends in the process.
What does it mean to deactivate a Facebook account
Simply put, deactivating your Facebook account will hide (almost) all of your data. This is similar to temporary deletion. If someone tried to find you online, they wouldn't be able to tell that you have—or ever had—a Facebook account.
Your profile will not appear in search results, and your status updates, photos, and other data will disappear from the public eye. The only trace of your account that can remain visible is the inbox messages you've sent to other people. Facebook also says that your picture may still be available on other people's friend lists, but in our experience this is never the case.
However, Facebook keeps your data. This means you can immediately reactivate your account and pick up where you left off. All your friends, statuses, photos, videos and timeline content will be instantly available again.
You should only use account deactivation in certain situations. For example, maybe you're trying to increase your productivity and want to stop using social media for a month, or maybe you want to hide your life from a vengeful ex-partner until things cool down.
You should not deactivate your Facebook account if your main reason for wanting to end your connection with Facebook is based on privacy. It won't solve any of the problems that have given Facebook such a bad press.
How to deactivate a Facebook account
Deactivating your Facebook account is simple:
Go to Facebook.com and enter your login information
Click your profile icon, then select Settings & Privacy > Settings.
In the Settings menu, select Privacy in the panel on the left side of the screen and select Facebook Info.
Next, scroll down and click on the view in accordance with the Deactivation and removal option.
On the next screen, select Deactivate Account and follow the on-screen instructions.
You will be asked to enter your password and confirm your decision. Once you do so, your account will be deactivated.
Deactivating Facebook does not deactivate Facebook Messenger. This is a separate process and beyond the scope of this article.
How to reactivate your Facebook account
If you change your mind and want to go back to Facebook, just go back to the social network's login page and enter your old login information. The reactivation process takes a few seconds.
Your account will also be reactivated if you use your Facebook credentials to sign in to a third-party application or service.
What does it mean to delete a Facebook account
While the various issues involved in deactivating your Facebook account are somewhat different, what happens when you delete a Facebook account is much more clear.
Simply put, if you delete your Facebook account, all your information will be gone forever. There is no way to retrieve your data and there is no way to reactivate your account later. If you decide you want to join the social network again, you will need to create a new account.
Facebook will delete almost all your data from its servers. Again, messages you've sent to other people will remain in their mailboxes, and data such as log records will remain in Facebook's database, even if all personal identifiers are removed.
When you delete your account, Facebook gives you a cooling-off period. If you log back into your account within two weeks, it will automatically be reactivated. This means that if you are determined to delete Facebook permanently, you will have to stay strong for a few days.
Once the cooling-off period has passed, Facebook promises to remove all traces of your profile from its servers within 90 days. But don't worry, during 90 days your data is not available to other Facebook users.
How to Delete Facebook Account (Permanently)
Deleting Facebook is as simple as you may have noticed:
Click your profile icon > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Facebook Information.
Scroll down and click on the option to show the Deactivation and Removal header.
On the next screen, select Delete Account.
Confirm that you want to delete your account by clicking the Delete Account button on the next screen.
You will be asked to enter your password and confirm your decision. Once you do this, your account will be deleted.
Before you delete your Facebook account
Before you delete your Facebook account forever, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure the process goes smoothly and you don't end up with a burning feeling of regret later.
Download your data from Facebook
Just because you've decided Facebook is no longer fit for purpose today doesn't mean you should ignore all the content you've accumulated there over the years.
For many of the photos, messages, and videos in your account, Facebook is probably the only copy of the file available. Buried in these memes and cat videos are pictures of memorable trips, family moments, and great times with friends.
So before you reach for the “Delete” button, you need to make sure you have a copy of all of this.
To download all your personal data from Facebook, sign in to your account and go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Privacy > Your Facebook information > Download a copy of your Facebook data.
You can choose what types of data you want to include. It ranges from the obvious (like photos and posts) to the obscure (like the Wi-Fi networks you've used).
After making your selection, click Request Download. Depending on the amount of data you want to download, it may take several hours for the file to be ready.
Check your third-party Facebook apps
Many apps and services give you the option to sign in with your Facebook credentials.
We're not sure why anyone would choose this option; it's a privacy nightmare. You are intentionally giving these companies access to all of your Facebook data. But we digressed. Many people use this login method.
If you've used your Facebook credentials for apps like Spotify or Feedly, you'll need to change your credentials for those apps before permanently deleting Facebook. Failure to do so may result in your account being suspended.
To see which apps have access to your Facebook account, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security & Login > Apps & Websites.
Important: You must contact the third-party app developer directly, you cannot make the necessary changes through Facebook.
Tell people you're leaving Facebook
Yes, we all know Facebook has its problems. That's why you're reading this article. But it remains unsurpassed as a way to stay in touch with friends and family far away. You may not talk to your Great Aunt Marge regularly, but the fact that you are there when needed is probably comforting to her.
You need to give Marge – and all the other family and friends you are connected with – plenty of warning. Disappearing without a trace will worry people.
Obviously, you can't send the same "I'm leaving" message day after day, so why not change your Facebook profile picture to your username picture on Instagram, Snapchat, or whatever network you plan to continue using?
This way you won't spam people, but they'll know you plan to delete your Facebook account every time you appear on their newsfeed. You can even trim your friends list before posting your new details to prevent them from getting too big.
Should you delete Facebook?
Deleting your Facebook account is a big decision. It's not something you should do lightly. Before confirming, make sure you really want to delete your account. Remember that the process is irreversible after two weeks. Are you sure you want to throw away decades of memories?