How to Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account and Data

If you’ve decided to leave Facebook, this guide will show you how to permanently delete your Facebook account and history. With the recent revelations about Facebook’s data collection practices, it comes as no surprise that many people are looking to delete their Facebook accounts. This step-by-step guide will take you through the process of backing up your data and deleting your account.

Step 1: Download all your Facebook Data

Before deleting your Facebook account, you should make copies of all your data that you have on Facebook, especially your photos. You can download all your data from Facebook directly by following these steps:

1. Log in to Facebook.
2. Click the small arrow in the top-right corner of the Facebook screen and select Settings.
3. Click on “Download a Copy of My Facebook Data”
4. Click on “Start My Archive”

Step 2: Clear Your Facebook History

Before deleting your Facebook account, delete existing comments and messages. The data can linger for up to 14 days after you delete your account. You can start deleting personal information by following these steps:

1. Log in to Facebook with your account.
2. Click on your account name in the top left corner of the screen.
3. Click the arrow next to a message you want to delete and select “Delete” from the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Delete Photos from Facebook

Delete all photos associated with your account.

1. Log in to Facebook.
2. Click on your account name in the top left corner of the screen.
3. Click on “Photos”
4. Click the “Edit or Delete” button next to an unwanted photo and select “Delete This Photo”

Step 4: Change Your Name and Profile Picture

Change your name to something that has nothing to do with you. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Click the arrow in the top right corner of the screen and select “Settings”.
3. Click “Edit” next to your name.
4. Enter a fake name in the “First Name” and “Last Name” fields, enter your password, and click “Save Changes”.
5. Return to your main profile by clicking your name and hovering over your photo. Select “Update Profile Picture > Delete”.

Step 5: Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account

Now that you’ve backed up all your data and cleared your account, you can take the final step and delete your Facebook account permanently:

1. Log in to Facebook.
2. Click the “Privacy” button in the top right corner (the icon is a padlock) and select “View More Settings”.
3. Click “Security”.
4. Click “Deactivate Your Account”.
5. Choose a reason to leave from the dropdown list, check the box next to “Sign out of receiving future emails from Facebook”, and click “Confirm”.
6. Enter your password and click “Deactivate Now”.

FAQs

Can I reactivate my Facebook account after deleting it?

Re-entering your name and password on Facebook will reactivate your account, so make sure you are certain about deleting your account before you do it.

Can I delete photos that others have uploaded to Facebook?

No, you can only delete photos uploaded by you. However, if someone else has tagged you in a photo, you can remove the tag.