Download your Facebook information and check that the photos and other files you want to keep are in the archive before you request deletion. Meta warns that after deletion, you cannot retrieve anything you added to the account. You can then delete it through Accounts Center—or deactivate it instead if you may want to return.
Save your photos and other information before deleting
Use Facebook’s information tools to download a copy of your account information or transfer selected information, including photos and videos, to a device or an external service. Meta’s tools allow you to select information categories and date ranges. The available controls may differ by account or interface, so follow the options currently shown in your account. Meta’s information-access and download guidance describes these tools.
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- Open Facebook’s settings and find the information-access or download controls.
- Select the categories you want to keep, such as photos, videos, or posts, and choose a date range if offered.
- Request a download or choose an available transfer destination, then retrieve the copy when Facebook makes it available.
- Open the downloaded or transferred files and check that the photos and other items you care about are present before continuing.
Do not assume that a photo-only export has a particular format or includes every image without checking the result. If you want an offline backup, an external drive is one possible destination; choose storage based on the archive you actually receive.
Delete your account through Accounts Center
Meta’s listed route is through Accounts Center. The exact placement of settings can vary by device, account configuration, or interface changes. Meta’s deletion instructions also describe an alternative route if Accounts Center is unavailable.
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- Open your profile menu and choose Settings and privacy, then Settings.
- Open Accounts Center.
- Under account settings, choose Personal details.
- Choose Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion.
- Select the account or profile you want to remove, choose Delete account, and select Continue.
- Follow the confirmation instructions to submit the deletion request.
If Accounts Center is unavailable
Meta also lists this route in Facebook settings: Settings and privacy → Settings → Your Facebook information → Deactivation and deletion → Delete account → Continue to account deletion. Confirm with your password and continue as prompted.
Choose deactivation instead if you might come back
Deactivation is the reversible option. Meta says deactivating an account does not delete its photos, posts, or videos, and Messenger and Facebook Login can remain usable. Deletion is the option to choose when you want the account removed, subject to the cancellation period. See Meta’s explanation of deactivation and deletion.
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| What changes | Deactivation | Deletion |
|---|---|---|
| Can you return to the account? | Yes; Meta says the account can be reactivated. | Only during the applicable cancellation period; afterward deletion is permanent. |
| Photos, posts, and videos | Not deleted. | Account content is removed; Meta says added content cannot be retrieved after deletion. |
| Messenger and Facebook Login | Meta says these can remain usable. | Messenger use and Facebook Login for other apps end. |
| Meta Quest | Not identified as an effect of deactivation in Meta’s cited guidance. | If you use Facebook to log in to Meta Quest, Quest information, including app purchases and achievements, is affected. |
What to expect after requesting deletion
Meta’s general help guidance says you can cancel a deletion request by logging in within 30 days, but it notes that the cancellation period varies by region. Treat the period shown for your account and location as the one that applies; do not rely on 30 days as a universal guarantee.
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Check connected services before you confirm
- Change the login method for apps or websites where you use Facebook Login, because deletion ends that access.
- Consider Messenger and any conversations you need; deleting the Facebook account ends your Messenger use, though messages already sent may remain in recipients’ inboxes.
- If Facebook is your Meta Quest login, review the effect on Quest information, purchases, and achievements before proceeding.
- Verify your backup before the final confirmation, since Meta says account content cannot be retrieved after deletion.
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