Whether you want a refreshing but temporary digital detox, are among a growing number of young people who think Facebook is lame, or are just tired of seeing AI-generated Shrimp Jesus (he’s a thing), you’ve got options for taking a hiatus.
Stick with your digital detox buddies at Spokeo, and we’ll teach you the difference between deactivation and deletion, and guide you through the process of each one, no matter what type of device you use.
Deactivation vs. Deletion
On Facebook, account deactivation is temporary – it allows you to take a break from Facebook without deleting or losing access to any of your content. When you deactivate, other Facebook users won’t be able to see your timeline, and your profile won’t appear in search results, though a small portion of your info will remain visible to you (namely, private messages you’ve sent). You also won’t be able to use your account to log in to your Meta Quest (Facebook’s virtual reality headset), but you can easily reactivate your FB account any time you’d like.
Who's Calling Me?
Search any phone number to learn more about the owner!
If you choose to delete your Facebook account, however, you can’t regain access to it. Likewise, all of the content on your timeline will go away, not visible to you or anyone else on the platform, as will your Meta Quest information and all of the associated app purchases, store credits, and game achievements. You also won’t be able to use a deleted Facebook account to log in to any other platforms, like Pinterest or Spotify. The only traces left of your profile will be the private DMs you sent to friends.
How to Deactivate Facebook
Whether you want to know how to deactivate Facebook on iPhone, Android, your mobile browser, or your desktop browser, you’ll find it a pretty straightforward process. The steps are virtually identical no matter which platform you choose – just start by logging into your Facebook account.
- On the Android or iOS app, tap the three vertical lines at the top or bottom right. If you’re using a browser on mobile or desktop (or Facebook Lite), click your profile picture.
- Now choose “Settings & Privacy.”
- Navigate to “Accounts Center.”
- Select “Personal details” from here.
- Then select “Account ownership and control.”
- Choose “Deactivation or deletion,” then select the profile or profiles you’d like to deactivate.
- Hit “Deactivate account,” then “Continue” and follow the instructions to confirm your account deactivation.
If you’d like to reactivate your account at any time, all you have to do is log back in with your associated credentials, and it’ll be like nothing ever happened (except you may have missed your aunt posting that totally not legally binding “I don’t give Facebook permission” copypasta…again). So make sure you have that login info safely stored somewhere before you take your Facebook vacay.
How to Delete a Facebook Account
So you’ve decided to go scorched earth. Just like with account deactivation, knowing how to delete a Facebook account on Android or how to delete a Facebook account on iPhone — or just about any other device — is virtually all the same. Though the results differ, the process for deletion is very nearly identical to the process of deactivation.
- On the Android or iOS app, tap the three vertical lines at the top or bottom right. If you’re using a browser on mobile or desktop (or Facebook Lite), click your profile picture.
- Now choose “Settings & Privacy.”
- Navigate to “Accounts Center.”
- Select “Personal details” from here.
- Choose “Deactivation or deletion,” then select the profile or profiles you’d like to delete.
- Hit “Delete account,” then follow the instructions to confirm its deletion.
Just to be on the safe side, Facebook delays account deletion for a specific window of time after you initiate the request. If you have second thoughts within 30 days of initiating deletion, you can cancel that deletion request simply by logging back into your Facebook account with your usual credentials and hitting “Cancel deletion” when prompted.
Why Choose Deletion?
Search engine spikes for “how to delete Facebook account” and “how to deactivate Facebook” come in waves, and in recent years, those waves have crested over fears of subscription fees, misinformation, and data mismanagement.
While deactivating your Facebook account doesn’t stop data collection, deleting your account does. And though Facebook may take up to 90 days to delete copies of your information from their backup storage servers, 90 days of leaving your data in Meta’s hands is a lot shorter than forever.
Understand Your Digital Footprint
Whether you’re simply taking a social media break or are choosing to leave the platform entirely, deleting your Facebook account is a great opportunity to take stock of your digital footprint. Spokeo’s search tools can help you get a full picture of your digital footprint, giving you the information you need to make empowered decisions about what social media platforms you’d like to have a presence on — and whether you should delete, deactivate, or simply make your profiles private.
Doing so can go a long way towards giving you peace of mind…and help prevent cybercriminals and catfish alike from taking advantage of your abandoned accounts.
As a freelance writer, small business owner, and consultant with more than a decade of experience, Dan has been fortunate enough to collaborate with leading brands including Microsoft, Fortune, Verizon, Discover, Office Depot, The Motley Fool, and more. He currently resides in Dallas, TX.
