Want to take a break from Facebook or ready to leave it for good? Whether you are looking for a temporary digital detox or want to permanently remove your presence from the platform, Facebook gives you the option to deactivate or delete your account. Both options put you in control of your online footprint. In this guide, we will walk you through how to deactivate or delete your Facebook account on iPhone or Android and explain the key differences between the two.
What’s the Difference Between Deactivating and Deleting Facebook?
The difference between deactivating and deleting your Facebook account comes down to permanence and reversibility. Deactivation is like putting your account on pause. Your profile disappears from Facebook, but all your data remains stored and can be restored anytime you log back in.
Deletion, on the other hand, is permanent after a 30-day grace period. Once that window passes, your account and all associated data are erased from Facebook’s servers forever.
In simple terms, think of it as the difference between storing your winter clothes in the attic and donating them to charity.
What Happens When You Deactivate Your Facebook Account
When you deactivate your Facebook account, your profile immediately becomes invisible to other users. Your name disappears from friend lists, your photos and posts are removed from the News Feed, and people can no longer search for your profile.
Some information does remain visible. Messages you previously sent will still appear in your friends’ inboxes, but your name will show as plain text instead of a clickable profile link. Your account stays in this suspended state until you reactivate it by logging back in. Once you do, all your photos, posts, friends, and settings return exactly as you left them.
What Happens When You Delete Your Facebook Account
Deleting your Facebook account starts a 30-day waiting period that gives you one last chance to change your mind. During this time, your account is deactivated. If you log in within those 30 days, the deletion request is canceled.
If no login activity occurs, Facebook begins permanently removing your data from its servers. This process can take up to 90 days, and some content may remain visible during that time. Once deletion is complete, everything associated with your account, including photos, posts, videos, messages, and your friends list, is permanently erased and cannot be recovered.
Note: Any app you used with “Log in with Facebook” will stop working once your account is deleted.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Your Facebook Account on iPhone and Android
Deactivating your account is straightforward and can be done directly from the Facebook app. Follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the Menu tab in the bottom-right corner.
- Tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Select See more in Accounts Center.
- Scroll to Account settings and tap Personal details.
- Tap Account ownership and control.
- Select Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose the profile you want to deactivate.
- Select Deactivate account and tap Continue.
- Enter your Facebook password and tap Continue.
That’s it.
Quick Tip: If you just want to avoid distractions, you can uninstall the Facebook app and keep Messenger installed to stay connected with friends and family.
Pro Tip
If you plan to permanently delete your Facebook account, we recommend downloading all your Facebook data so you can access it after deletion. To do so, go to: Settings & Privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Your information and permissions > Export your information.
How to Delete Your Facebook Account on iPhone and Android
If you want to permanently delete your Facebook account, Facebook allows it but provides a grace period to reconsider. Here is how to start the process:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the Menu tab in the bottom-right corner.
- Tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Select See more in Accounts Center.
- Scroll to Account settings and tap Personal details.
- Tap Account ownership and control.
- Select Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose the profile you want to delete.
- Select Delete account and tap Continue.
- Choose a preferred option and tap Continue.
- Tap Continue again.
- Review your data and tap Continue.
- Enter your password and tap Continue to start the deletion process.
Conclusion
If you need a temporary break, deactivation keeps your data safe while giving you some space from the platform. If you want to bid a permanent farewell to Facebook, deletion is the better option.
Whichever you choose, remember to download your important photos and data, update login methods for apps that use Facebook, and use the 30-day grace period wisely to make sure you are comfortable with your decision.
Yes. Simply log back into your account to reactivate it.
It takes 30 days for deletion to be finalized, followed by up to 90 days for data removal.
No. All your data remains safe and becomes accessible again once you reactivate your account.
Yes. Log in within the 30-day grace period to cancel the deletion request.
If you delete your account and you are the only admin, the page will also be deleted. If the page has other admins, it will remain active. During deactivation, pages are hidden and reappear once you reactivate your account.
