Your Facebook Exit Plan: One Thing You Must Do Before Deleting Your Account
Deleting Facebook is easy. Leaving your data behind is not. If 2026 is the year you step away from social media, use this guide to disconnect logins, download your data, and delete your account the right way.
Before you delete Facebook: remove third‑party logins
If you used Facebook to sign into apps (Spotify, DoorDash, Pinterest, etc.), deleting your account can lock you out. Disconnect those apps first, then set a new login method.
- Sign in to Facebook.
- Go to Settings & privacy → Settings.
- Open Apps and websites.
- Review connected services.
- Click Remove next to each app you want to disconnect.
Facebook Settings → Apps and websites → Remove connected apps
After disconnecting, open each service and set a new password, passkey, or switch to another sign‑in option (Google/Apple).
Deactivate vs delete: what changes
Deactivate
- Temporary
- Profile becomes hidden
- Messenger can still work
- Easier to return anytime
Delete
- Permanent after 30 days
- Profile and posts removed
- Messenger access ends
- Third‑party logins stop working
If you’re unsure, deactivation is a safe test. If you’re done with Facebook entirely, deletion is the only true exit.
What deleting Facebook does (and doesn’t)
- Your profile, posts, and photos become inaccessible.
- Messages you sent can remain visible to recipients.
- Messenger is disconnected from your account.
- Meta Quest purchases/credits may be affected if tied to Facebook.
- Instagram and WhatsApp are not deleted automatically.
Download your Facebook data first
If you want to keep photos, videos, messages, or account details, download everything before you delete.
- Open Settings & Privacy → Settings.
- Go to Account Center.
- Select Your information and permissions.
- Choose Download your information.
- Select Download or transfer information.
- Pick the profile(s), then Next.
- Select Available information (or choose specific types if needed).
- Set Date range to All time.
- Set Format to HTML.
- Set Media quality to High.
- Click Create files and wait for Facebook to prepare the archive.
Facebook Settings → Account Center → Download your information
How to permanently delete your account
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings.
- Open Account Center.
- Select Personal details.
- Choose Account ownership and control.
- Select Deactivation or deletion.
- Pick Delete account and confirm the prompts.
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