Deleting Your Facebook Account
If you are thinking about making a clean, permanent exit and delete Facebook from your life, here’s a simple summary of how to do it and what to consider before pulling the plug. Before you kick Facebook to the curb for real, download all your data and disconnect any services that you use your Facebook credentials to log in to.
How to Download Your Data
Facebook makes it easy to save all your stuff, including photos, videos, message transcripts, and friends lists. You’ll need to drop into Facebook Settings, decide what you want to download, and then do so. You can read the full set of step-by-step instructions on how to back up your Facebook data here. Select the View button next to Deactivation and Deletion.
Disconnect Apps and Websites
Once you delete your Facebook account, you obviously won’t be able to log in to connected sites and apps with credentials that no longer exist. Removing those connections before you delete your Facebook account can make it easier to change the method of logging in on those individual services later but if you’re at all concerned, it would be smart to change how you sign in to those services before deleting your account.
Yikes! Change Your Mind?
If you change your mind within 30 days of deleting your Facebook account, you can cancel the deletion. After 30 days, all your information is permanently deleted. During either period, your information is not viewable online. Since your’e probably at this step because you’re deleting Facebook altogether, be sure to check them all. To cancel your account deletion, simply log in to your Facebook account and select Cancel Deletion.
Deactivate Facebook vs. Delete Facebook
You have the option to deactivate your Facebook account rather than delete it. Facebook isn’t merely a collection of food photos or diatribes from your weird uncle, either. You’ve probably been using Facebook as an authentication service to sign in to a bunch of web and app services, too. If you want to play it safe, start by deactivating your account and seeing what stops working. If you need to, you can reactivate your account, log in to any affected services (like Pinterest, Instagram, etc.), and then change your logins. You can switch to Google or just an email/password instead of Facebook for those connected accounts. Once you’re ready for a permanent solution, you can finally delete your Facebook account. When you do so, you won’t be able to retrieve any of your account information, photos, or postings. Luckily, Facebook really wants you to think about your choice, so it gives you 30 days to change your mind. After that, however, you’ll need to start a new account if you really want to return. Reactivating your account is hilariously easy. Simply log back into Facebook and you are back. Then you have to tell Facebook why you want to temporarily deactivate your account. Facebook will try to help you stay active, giving you possible solutions to your chosen reason. (Spending too much time on Facebook? Try turning off Notifications!)
