Facebook is a massive force in the social media world. But if you're looking to distance yourself from Facebook, deleting your account is a quick and permanent way to cut ties.
If you've been using Facebook for a while, you'll probably want to keep all of your photos, videos, and messages. Luckily, Facebook lets you download all this before you delete your account.
Once you're ready, here's how to delete your Facebook account using the mobile app on your phone or the website on your computer.
How to delete your Facebook account on a phone
1. Open the Facebook app.
2. Tap the three vertical lines – this is known as the hamburger menu – in the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. Scroll down to Settings & Privacy and open the section by tapping the down carrot. Then, tap Settings.
4. Tap Access and control.
5. Tap Deactivation and Deletion.
6. Select Delete account and then tap Continue to Account Deletion.
7. Tap Continue to permanently delete your Facebook account and information.
On the next screen, you can choose to download your Facebook information, including your posts, photos, and videos, before deleting your account.
8. Tap Delete account to permanently delete your Facebook account and information.
Once you delete your account, it'll take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully erase your data. And if you log in within 30 days, you can restore your account.
How to delete your Facebook account from a computer
1. Log into your Facebook account.
2. Click the profile picture in the top right corner.
3. In the dropdown menu, click Settings & Privacy, and then Settings.
4. Click Privacy on the left sidebar.
5. Click Your Facebook Information on the left sidebar.
6. Click View next to the Deactivation and Deletion section.
On the next screen, you'll be given two options. You can either choose Deactivate account, which will hide your profile from everyone except for you, but allow you to keep using Facebook Messenger; or you can choose Delete account, which deletes everything permanently.
7. Select Delete account and then click Continue to account deletion.
8. Click Continue.
On the next page, you'll be asked if you want to keep using Messenger (if so, you can't delete your account — you'll have to deactivate it instead), and if you want to download your Facebook information, which includes all of your photos, videos, and posts.
9. Click Delete account to permanently delete your Facebook account and information.
Again, the full deletion of your account can take up 90 days, and you have 30 days from initiating it to cancel the deletion.
