How to Delete or Deactivate Your Facebook Profile

Are you fed up with Facebook, all the changes they’re forcing on you, things they’re not telling you about and just figured it was time to delete your profile? Well, they don’t make it easy if you do, so I’m here to guide you through the process.

The first thing you as a Facebook user need to know is if you want to permanently delete your profile or merely deactivate it. Permanently deleting a profile is exactly what it sounds like–permanent deletion. The account is closed forever and you’ll no longer have access to the information contained within your Facebook profile. Deactivating it, on the other hand, is kind of like cryogenically freezing your profile. It will stay stuck in one spot in time until you decide you want to thaw it out. When you deactivate your Facebook, it makes your profile inaccessible by your now former friends, but if you log back in, everything is just like it was.

Now that you’ve decided whether you want to terminate or freeze your profile, let’s get started. We’ll begin with Facebook Deactivation.

How to Deactivate Your Facebook Profile:

1. Go to your profile’s Account Settings. When you arrive at the Account Settings page, select the Security page to the left of the screen.
2. Once you are at the Security page, click the “Deactivate your account” link.
3. At this stage of the game, you will have to fill out a brief form explaining why you want to deactivate your Facebook profile. After filling out the form, you will select the “Confirm” button, which will prompt you to enter your password, then you will have to fill out a captcha to make sure you’re a human being and not a robot.
4. You are then automatically logged out and your Facebook is deactivated.
5. To reactivate your profile, just log back in like you would any other time.

It’s literally that easy. Now, if you’re one of the people who want to permanently rid yourself of Facebook, follow the steps below.

How to Permanently Delete Your Facebook Profile:

1. To access the Facebook Account Deletion page, go to the Facebook Help Center by clicking the “Help” link at the bottom of the screen.
2. When you arrive at the Help Center, type “How do I permanently delete my account” into the search bar.
3. That will bring you the “Account Settings and Deletion” help page, click “submit your request here” at the bottom of the third paragraph to access the Facebook Account Deletion page.
4. When you are at the Facebook Account Deletion page, click “Submit.”
5. After you click “Submit”, you will be prompted to enter your password and fill out a captcha (to verify that you’re a human).
6. Once you fill out the necessary information, click “Okay.” You will then be sent an email from Facebook that says your Facebook will be permanently deleted in 14 days (two weeks).
7. This may seem simpler than deactivating your account, but it comes with a caveat: You cannot log into your Facebook at all during that 14 day period or it’ll cancel the deletion and you’ll have to repeat the whole process over again. This includes using Facebook Connect, Liking or Sharing things on external sites (websites outside of Facebook).
8. After 14 days, your Facebook profile will be no more and you’ll be living a Facebook-free life.

One important thing to remember is if in your two-week period before your account is officially deleted that you decide you don’t want it deleted after all, just log in. When you log back, in everything will appear as it was before you preemptively decided to delete it.

Do you have any questions or comments about deactivating or permanently deleting a Facebook account? Let me know in the comments or contact us!