The Complete Guide to Closing Your Facebook Account
Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users as of 2021. While many people enjoy sharing their lives online, some may choose to delete or close their accounts due to various reasons such as privacy concerns, personal changes, or simply wanting a digital detox.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of closing your Facebook account. Please note that once you confirm closure, it’s not possible to reverse the decision and recover deleted information.
Step 1: Log In
To start the deactivation process, log in to your Facebook account using your login credentials (email address or phone number) and password. You can do this from any device with a stable internet connection.
Step 2: Go To Settings
Click on the downward-facing arrow at the top-right corner of your homepage, then select “Settings” from the drop-down menu. This will take you to your account settings page where you’ll find various options for managing your profile, privacy, and account security.
Step 3: Click On “Account Settings”
On this page, locate the option labeled “Account Settings” (it’s usually at the top) and click on it. A dropdown menu will appear with a variety of settings to modify or delete.
Step 4: Select “Delete Account & Memoir”
Scroll down until you find the option to Delete Your Account. Clicking this link takes you directly to the account closure process.
Step 5: Confirm Closure
On this page, click on the blue button labeled “Permanently Delete Account.” This is a crucial step – once confirmed, your Facebook data will be permanently deleted and not recoverable.
Select an option from three choices:
- Permanent Deletion: All content (posts, messages), photos, videos, posts by friends about you (called stories) and any other informatoin associated with your account will be permanently removed.
Step 6: Enter Your Password
Enter the correct password for the Facebook account to verify that you are authorized to delete this account. You’ll need this confirmation step before proceeding further.
Step 7: Review Delete Account Alert
Once confirmed, a popup window appears alerting you of irreversible consequences:
“This is permanent and can’t be undone. If someone else finds your information online they might not know it belongs to you.”
Acknowledge that understanding by clicking on the blue “Delete My Account” button.
Step 8: Confirm Closure (Again)
Another pop-up will ask if you’re certain about this irreversible step. Review carefully – when deleted, all content is gone.
To confirm closure:
- Click [Delete] under the account name and thumbnail photo at top-left corner of each window until no longer visible.
Step 9: Check Your Email
As part of Facebook’s data deletion process, you’ll receive an automatic email confirmation that your account has been closed (this may take a few minutes after finalizing step 8). This ensures the request was successful and serves as proof in case needed for other digital services or institutions.
What Happens After Deletion?
After confirming account closure:
- Facebook automatically removes all posted content, including posts by friends.
- Photos will be removed from your profile picture and any album folders you own.
- Your account is deleted entirely (no longer accessible).
This comprehensive guide has walked you through the steps to close a Facebook account once it’s decided that this action needs taken.
Remember:
- It may take some time for your data to fully disappear from the internet due to caching by web servers and search engines.
- After deletion, other social media accounts linked with yours might also be removed or changed in terms of profile visibility as part-time profiles aren’t recognized.