Facebook certainly doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to protecting the privacy of its users. It has been the victim of numerous privacy scandals, including the infamous 2018 Cambridge Analytica incident and the 2021 Facebook data breach which compromised the data of more than 533 million Facebook users. If Facebook’s latest security error has you freaking out and you’re looking to permanently delete your account, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to delete your Facebook account on the web, Android, and iOS. We’ll also show you how to get rid of all your Facebook data, so buckle up and get ready to leave your Facebook days behind.
Steps to Delete Facebook Account (2021)
Steps to follow before account deletion
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Save and download data
The first step before deleting your account is to create a backup of all your Facebook data and download it to your computer or mobile device. It will let you keep valuable status updates, photos, videos, messages, friends list and everything you have done on Facebook. So think of it as a memory bank for your social media life.
1. To download your Facebook data, you need to access Settings -> Your Facebook Information and choose the “Upload your information” option.
2. On the next page, click “Create File” to generate the backup. You can choose the data you want to download, the format (HTML or JSON) and the image quality on this page. If you don’t want to save your Facebook game profile or group interactions, you can.
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Disconnect third-party apps
The next most important step is to disconnect third-party apps that you used Facebook to sign up for. This plays directly into the 2018 Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Reports suggest that third-party apps can also be compromised, so it’s prudent to log them out of Facebook and update their login details.
1. To disconnect third-party apps, you need to go to ‘Settings -> Apps and websites’ to see the list of apps and websites you log in with Facebook. Choose the apps you want to disconnect and click on the “Remove” button.
2. When the confirmation prompt appears, click “Delete” again. At this point, you should know that your data in these apps can be reset, so you can sign up with an email address for these apps and link your data. You can also choose to send notifications to these apps to set up another sign-in method.
Delete a Facebook account on the web
1. Go to Facebook, click on the drop-down arrow in the upper right corner and select “Settings and privacy -> Settings” from the list of available options.
2. Under Settings, select “Your Facebook information” in the left sidebar menu.
3. Now you will see “Disable and Delete” option. Click the “View” button next to continue.
4. You can now choose to temporarily deactivate or permanently delete your Facebook account. Choose “Delete account” and click “Continue with account deletion”. Facebook will ask you for your password and remind you that you are about to permanently delete your account. You will not be able to get it back once the removal process has started. Enter the password and click “Continue” to complete the process. Congratulations, you have deleted your account!
6. Finally, we recommend that you clear the browser’s cache and history to automatically log out of all web applications linked to your Facebook account.
Delete Facebook account on Android
The process for deleting your Facebook account on mobile in 2021 is quite similar to the one on the web, but you have to navigate a few new menus. Follow the steps below to delete your account through the Facebook app on Android:
To note: We tested this account deletion process in the Facebook app, version 314.0.0.43.119, on the Pixel 3 XL running Android 12 Developer beta 2.
1. In the Facebook app, go to the hamburger menu on the right and scroll down until you find “Settings” under the “Settings & Privacy” section.
2. Now scroll down and tap on the “Account ownership and control” option in the “Your Facebook information” section.
3. Here, tap the “Deactivation and deletion” option.
4. You can choose to deactivate or delete your Facebook account from the app here. Choose “Delete Account” and tap “Continue to Account Deletion”.
5. Finally, choose a reason for leaving Facebook and then tap “Proceed to Account Deletion” to leave the social media platform permanently.
Delete Facebook Account on iPhone
Other than a few visual differences in button locations, the account deletion process is the same as Facebook for Android. However, you can follow the steps below to avoid confusion and delete your Facebook account on iPhone:
1. Open the Facebook app on your iPhone and tap on the hamburger menu. Here you will find “Settings” under the “Settings & Privacy” menu.
2. Scroll down until you see find the “Account Ownership and Control” option in the “Your Facebook information” section.
3. Now press the “Deactivation and deletion” option.
4. Select the “Delete Account” option and tap “Continue until account is deleted” to continue.
5. Choose a reason for deleting your Facebook account or tap “Continue Account Deletion” to free yourself from Facebook. If you haven’t backed up your data yet, the app prompts you to do so before continuing.
And voila, you have now learned how to delete your Facebook account through the Android and iOS website and apps.
Delete Facebook Account in Easy Steps
The above steps will initiate the account deletion process, but your profile will not be deleted from the platform instantly. You can cancel your Facebook account deletion request within 30 days. Additionally, Facebook claims that it It takes up to 90 days for all your profile information to be deleted from company servers. However, this will not include data such as messages you have sent to someone on Facebook Messenger and other residual data for your interactions with others. So here’s to a happier life without Facebook and its privacy nightmares! Don’t worry either, you will still be able to search Facebook without an account.
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