Quick answer
To take a break, deactivate: your profile is hidden, nothing is deleted, and you can come back any time by logging in. To leave for good, delete: Meta permanently removes your photos, posts and videos, and you can’t use Messenger or Facebook Login for other apps. Download your information first. Both start in Settings > Accounts Center (some people see Meta Account) > Deactivation or deletion. Changed your mind after deleting? Log in within 30 days and choose Cancel deletion. Meta says the number of days varies by region.
Does this match what you see?
- You want a break from Facebook but don’t want to lose your photos or friends.
- You want to delete your account permanently.
- You deactivated your account and want it back.
- You asked Facebook to delete your account and want to stop it.
- You can’t find Deactivation or deletion in the settings.
iPhone & iPadAndroidComputer (browser)
Meta is moving people to Meta Accounts, so you may see Meta Account settings instead of Accounts Center. Menu labels differ slightly between Meta’s pages, such as Personal details and Profiles and personal details.
Why this happens: the possible causes
Here is what Meta says each option does.
| Deactivate (take a break) | Delete (leave for good) | |
|---|---|---|
| Can you come back? | Yes, whenever you want, by logging in | No, once deletion is complete. You can cancel within the window (30 days, varies by region) |
| Your photos, posts and videos | Kept, but hidden | Permanently deleted |
| Your profile | Hidden. People can’t see it or search for you (unless Messenger stays active) | Removed |
| Messenger | You can keep using it | You can’t use Messenger |
| Messages you sent | May still be visible to friends | May still be in your friends’ inboxes |
| Facebook Login for other apps | Logging in to another app with Facebook reactivates your account | Stops working; contact those apps to recover your accounts |
| Pages only you control | Deactivated too | Deleted too |
| Meta Quest (if you log in with Facebook) | You can’t use Facebook to access Quest | Quest information, purchases and store credits are deleted |
- You want a break but may come backCheck this first
Deactivate. Meta keeps your photos, posts and videos, and you return by logging in.
- You want to leave and remove what you’ve addedPossible
Delete, after downloading your information. You have a short window to cancel.
- You only want to remove one extra profileLess likely
Delete or deactivate that additional profile only. Your main profile stays as it is.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Decide: a break (deactivate) or permanent (delete)?
- Before deleting, download your information (photos, posts) from Facebook.
- List the apps you log in to with Facebook, such as Spotify or Pinterest, and add another login method to each.
- If you run a Page alone, give someone else full control first, or it will be deactivated or deleted with your account.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Deactivate your account (take a break)
Deactivating hides your profile without deleting anything. Meta says you can reactivate whenever you want.
iPhone & iPad
- Open ☰ Menu (top left of the Home screen) > Settings and privacy > Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center, then Personal details (or Profiles and personal details) > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose your profile, select Deactivate account, and follow the steps to confirm.
Android
- Open ☰ Menu (top right of the Home screen) > Settings and privacy > Settings.
- Under Your account, tap Accounts Center.
- Look for Personal details (or Profiles and personal details) > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose your profile, select Deactivate account, and follow the steps to confirm.
Computer (browser)
- Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
- Select Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Click Accounts Center at the top left.
- Click Manage accounts, then Manage next to the profile you want to deactivate.
- Click Deactivation or deletion, choose to deactivate, click Deactivate account, then Continue and follow the steps to confirm.
If you keep Messenger active, or you’re logged in to Messenger when you deactivate, Meta says Messenger stays active: you can still chat, your profile picture shows in conversations, and people can search for you to message you. Meta also says Parental Supervision isn’t available while deactivated.
Did it work? Friends should no longer be able to open your profile.
Fix 2: Reactivate after deactivating
Meta says you can reactivate at any time by logging back in to Facebook, or by using your Facebook account to log in somewhere else.
- Log in to Facebook with your email or phone number and password.
- You’ll need access to the email or mobile number you use to log in to complete the reactivation.
- If your Instagram account is in the same Accounts Center, Meta says you can also reactivate Facebook from Accounts Center on Instagram.
- Forgotten your password? Use Forgot password? on the login screen (reset steps). No access to your email or phone? See no access to email or phone.
- If you were the only person with full control of a Page, Meta says you can reactivate that Page after you reactivate your account.
Did it work? Your profile is visible again and you can post.
Fix 3: Before deleting: download your information and check your logins
Meta says that after deletion you won’t be able to retrieve anything you’ve added. It also says you won’t be able to use Facebook Login for other apps.
- Request a copy of your information. Meta links to its help page on exporting your information (external site, opens in a new tab), which has the current steps.
- Wait for the download to be ready, then save it somewhere safe.
- Open each app or website where you use Continue with Facebook and add an email and password, or another login, to that account.
- If you manage a Page alone, give someone you trust full control so the Page isn’t deleted with your account.
- If you use Facebook to log in to Meta Quest, Meta warns that deleting Facebook also deletes your Quest information, purchases and store credits.
Did it work? You have your downloaded copy, and you can log in to your other apps without Facebook.
Fix 4: Delete your account permanently
Use this only if you want to leave for good. Once the cancel window passes, Meta permanently deletes your account and information.
iPhone & iPad
- Open ☰ Menu (top left) > Settings and privacy > Settings > Accounts Center (or Meta Account).
- Find Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose your profile, select Delete account, and follow the steps to confirm.
Android
- Open ☰ Menu (top right) > Settings and privacy > Settings > Accounts Center (or Meta Account).
- Find Account ownership and control (under Personal details or Profiles and personal details) > Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose your profile, select Delete account, and follow the steps to confirm.
Computer (browser)
- Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
- Select Settings and privacy, then Settings.
- Click Meta Account at the top left (some people see Accounts Center).
- Click Manage account at the bottom, then Manage.
- Click Deactivation or deletion, choose to delete, click Continue, and follow the instructions to confirm.
Meta says the other profiles in your Meta Account aren’t affected, and that messages you sent may still be visible in your friends’ inboxes.
Did it work? You should see a confirmation that your deletion request was received.
Fix 5: Changed your mind? Cancel the deletion
Meta says you can cancel a deletion if it’s been less than 30 days since you started it, and that the number of days varies by region.
- Log in to your Facebook account as soon as possible, and within 30 days of requesting deletion.
- Click or tap Cancel deletion.
- If you can’t log in, use the steps in Can’t log in quickly, because the window keeps running.
After 30 days, Meta says your account and all your information are permanently deleted. Meta’s comparison page describes the delay before deletion as “a few days”, so don’t wait until the last week.
Did it work? Your account opens normally and no deletion notice appears.
How long does deletion take?
- Cancel window: you can cancel within 30 days of starting. Meta says this varies by region.
- Removing everything: Meta says it may take up to 90 days to delete everything you’ve posted. While that happens, the information isn’t accessible to other people on Facebook.
- Backups and legal holds: Meta says copies may remain after 90 days in backup storage used for disaster recovery, and it may keep information for things like legal issues, terms violations or harm prevention.
Deleting or deactivating an additional profile
If you have more than one profile in your account, you can remove or hide one without touching your main profile.
- Meta says deleting an additional profile permanently deletes all its data after 30 days. You can download a copy of that profile’s data first.
- A deactivated additional profile is hidden, though its friends may still see its name in their friend lists and messages it sent.
- Meta’s path (computer): profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Profiles and personal details > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion (or Reactivation) > choose the profile > Continue.
- You can reactivate an additional profile at any time from account settings on your main profile.
How to know it worked
- Deactivated: your profile is hidden and you can reactivate by logging in.
- Deleted: Facebook confirmed the request, and you’ve saved your information and updated your other app logins.
- Cancelled: your account opens normally.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Can’t find Deactivation or deletion? Type “deactivation” into Search settings at the top of Settings.
- Can’t log in to reactivate or cancel? Follow Can’t log in to Facebook.
- If Facebook disabled your account (you didn’t choose this), that’s different: see account disabled or suspended.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
- Facebook Help: deactivating vs deletingFacebook Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Facebook Help: temporarily deactivate your profileFacebook Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Facebook Help: permanently delete your profileFacebook Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Facebook Help: reactivate your profileFacebook Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Facebook Help: additional profilesFacebook Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between deactivating and deleting Facebook?
Deactivating hides your profile and keeps everything, and you can come back whenever you want. Deleting permanently removes your photos, posts and videos, and you can’t use Messenger or Facebook Login. You can only undo a deletion within the cancel window.
How long do I have to cancel deleting my Facebook account?
Meta’s deletion page says you can cancel if it’s been less than 30 days, by logging in and choosing Cancel deletion, and that the number of days varies by region. Do it as soon as you can.
Can I keep Messenger if I deactivate Facebook?
Yes. Meta says that if you keep Messenger active, or are logged in to Messenger when you deactivate, you can still chat. If you delete Facebook, you can’t use Messenger.
Can people still see my messages after I delete my account?
They may. Meta says messages you sent may still be visible to friends, because copies are kept in their inboxes.
Will deleting Facebook delete my Instagram?
Meta says the other profiles in your Meta Account aren’t affected. Check Instagram’s own settings if you want to remove that too.
How do I reactivate my Facebook account?
Log back in, or use Facebook to log in somewhere else. You need access to the email or mobile number you log in with.
Did this solve your problem?
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Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Export (download) your information (external site, opens in a new tab)
- The difference between deactivating and deleting your Facebook profile (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Temporarily deactivate your Facebook profile (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Permanently delete your Facebook account (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Reactivate your Facebook profile (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Delete, deactivate or reactivate an additional Facebook profile (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 21 October 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 19 January 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 21 October 2026: First published.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or Facebook. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.