Facebook has evolved and changed tremendously since its launch in 2004 (feel old? Us too). Now Facebook is part of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg’s recent rebranding of his media empire. But as social networks continue to grow, you may want to reduce the number of accounts you have on different platforms—including your Facebook account.
Whether you’re concerned about your online privacy, fear the polarizing nature of social media, or simply want to cut ties with your Facebook account altogether, there are two ways to get rid of a Facebook account: you can temporarily deactivate your account or delete it permanently.
If you want to delete social media completely, you can also check out our guides on how to delete Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Twitter.
What is the difference between deleting and deactivating a Facebook account?
The biggest difference between deactivating and deleting a Facebook account is that deactivating your Facebook account gives you the flexibility to come back at any time, whereas deleting your account is a permanent action.
What happens if you deactivate Facebook?
When you deactivate your account, your timeline, including posts, photos, friends list, and “About” information, will be hidden and others will not be able to search for your account. However, some information, such as messages you send, will remain visible. Facebook will save all of your information (friends, posts, photos, interests) in case you decide to reactivate it in the future.
What happens when you delete Facebook?
Deleting an account, on the other hand, is set in stone. You will not be able to regain access to it after deleting the account and all data associated with the user will be permanently removed. For this reason, Facebook delays deletion for a few days after the request in case you change your mind. It may take up to 90 days after deleting your account for all your data stored in Facebook’s backup systems to be completely deleted.
How to deactivate your Facebook account
To reactivate your account, simply log into the account online or log into a third-party app using your Facebook account.
How to delete your Facebook account
(https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account)
Facebook recommends downloading a copy of your information before deleting your account so you have it and don’t lose everything you’ve posted. This is especially important if you want to save photos or posts from friends.
How to download your information on Facebook
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6. Choose the format of your download, the quality of the photos and videos and the date range of your request.
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7. Click “Create File” to confirm your request.
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8. You will receive a notification when your download request is ready.
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9. Navigate to the Download Your Info page again (click the upside down triangle >> Settings >> Your Facebook Info >> click View next to Download Your Info).
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10. Click “Download”.
After you re-enter your password, the file download should begin.
Do you also want to delete Instagram? Our step-by-step guide will show you how to delete or deactivate your Instagram account.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com.
