Last updated: October 14, 2019
Given the recent increase in volume of Facebook privacy concerns raised in the media, you may be wondering how to delete your Facebook account to protect your privacy. Facebook users have accumulated a treasure trove of history shared with family and friends. This tutorial explains how to save a copy of your Facebook data before permanently deleting your account.
If you delete your Facebook account without first saving your data, the history will be lost forever. The data includes posts, photos, and videos you have shared, and your messages and chat conversations.
To download a copy of your Facebook data, log into Facebook. Click the menu down-arrow, and choose Settings.
Click the Download a copy of your Facebook data link.
On the next screen, click the Start My Archive button. Facebook begins the process of gathering your data into a personal archive, and then sends an email to you when the process completes.
Keep an eye out for an email from Facebook with subject Your Facebook download is ready. The email contains a unique link that goes directly to your download. Try to complete the process right away since the link is only valid for a few days.
Click the download link in the email, then click the Download Archive button. Save the download to a safe location. As the email states, “Because this download may contain private information, you should keep it secure and take precautions when storing or sending it…”
Delete Your Facebook Account
With your special Facebook moments safely secured off-site, you can delete your Facebook account. Go directly to the Delete My Account page by visiting https://www.facebook.com/help/delete_account in your web browser. As Facebook states, “you will not be able to reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content or information you have added” once you delete your account. Click the Delete My Account button to proceed, which immediately deactivates your account from Facebook.
A prompt to Permanently Delete Account displays. It takes Facebook up to 14 days to permanently delete your account. Within that time period, if you log into your Facebook account, you will have the option to cancel your deletion request. Click the OK button to finish. It’s the end of an era.
Thank you for visiting Tech Help Knowledgebase to learn how to delete your Facebook account.
Henry Irvine, Contributing Technology Writer, translates more than a decade of internet technology experience in product and customer relationship management into practical help and how-to content. Look for him on Bay Area trails, music venues, or sausage shacks when he’s not writing. Don’t call him Hank if you see him. Seriously. Hank on Twitter
