# How to deactivate Facebook on iPhone, Android or a computer Canonical: https://postmesh.app/blog/how-to-deactivate-facebook By PostMesh team. Published 2026-10-31; updated 2026-10-31. To deactivate Facebook, go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, open Accounts Center (or Meta Account), select Deactivation or deletion and choose Deactivate account. Your profile is hidden until you log back in, and Messenger can keep working while you're away. Deactivating Facebook is the reversible way to step back. Nobody can see your profile, nothing is deleted, and you return by logging in. It still has side effects that Facebook's help pages spell out but most guides skip: Pages you run alone go dark, Messenger may stay on, and signing in to another app with Facebook brings your profile back. This guide covers the steps on iPhone, Android and a computer, exactly as Facebook's Help Center gives them, and everything that happens around them. ## The short answer Facebook keeps deactivation in account settings, next to deletion. Open Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Accounts Center. Facebook says it's gradually moving people to Meta Accounts, so you may see Meta Account instead. Go to Personal details, then Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion. Pick your profile, choose Deactivate account, click Continue and confirm. To come back, log in again. | Where you are | How you get to settings | Then | | --- | --- | --- | | Facebook on iPhone | Tap Menu, then Settings and privacy, then Settings | Accounts Center, Personal details, Account ownership and control, Deactivation or deletion, Deactivate account | | Facebook on Android | Tap Menu, then Settings and privacy, then Settings | Accounts Center, Personal details, Account ownership and control, Deactivation or deletion, Deactivate account | | Facebook on a computer | Click your profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Settings | Accounts Center, Personal details, Account ownership and control, Deactivation or deletion, Deactivate account | | Messenger app | Only works after Facebook is already deactivated | Menu, Settings, Accounts Center, then the same ownership and control screens | **What do you want to stop?** - Facebook, but I still want to chat → Deactivate Facebook and stay logged in to Messenger. Messenger keeps working. - Facebook and Messenger → Deactivate Facebook first, then deactivate Messenger from the Messenger app. - Just one extra profile → Deactivate only that additional profile. Your main profile stays on. - Everything, for good → Delete the account instead. You get a cancellation window, then it's permanent. *Deactivation covers the first three cases. Deletion is a separate action with its own guide.* ## What happens when you deactivate Facebook? Facebook's page on [temporarily deactivating your profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/214376678584711) describes what changes, and its page on [the difference between deactivating and deleting](https://www.facebook.com/help/125338004213029) adds a few more details. Put together, here's what disappears and what doesn't. **Hidden or switched off** - Your profile, for everyone else - Your profile in Facebook search - Pages that only you control - Facebook access to Meta Quest - Your additional profiles, if you deactivate the main one **Still visible or working** - Messages you sent to friends - Your name in friends' friends lists, to them only - Your posts, comments and name, to group admins - Messenger, if you keep it on - Your Meta Account *Deactivation hides your profile, but it doesn't wipe every trace of you from Facebook.* ### What other people see Facebook says no one else can see your profile and people can't search for you. Some things remain. Messages you sent to friends may still be visible to them. Your friends may still see your name in their friends list, and Facebook says it's visible only to them and only from that list. In groups, admins may still be able to see your posts and comments along with your name. Facebook's help pages don't describe any notice being sent to your friends when you deactivate. ### What you can't do while deactivated - Use Facebook to access Meta Quest products or your Meta Quest information, according to Facebook's [deletion page](https://www.facebook.com/help/224562897555674). - Export your information. Facebook's [export page](https://www.facebook.com/help/212802592074644) says you may not be able to export from a deactivated profile until you reactivate it. - Keep your other profiles active. If you have additional profiles, deactivating your main profile deactivates all of them. - Keep a Page running that only you control. It's deactivated with you. What doesn't change: Facebook says your Meta Account remains active, and nothing is deleted. If your aim is less exposure rather than a full break, our guide on [how to make Facebook private](/blog/how-to-make-facebook-private) may do the job without hiding your profile at all. - When you confirm: Your profile is hidden, and Pages that only you control are deactivated with it. - Straight after: Messenger keeps working if you stayed logged in. Otherwise it's off until you log in. - Within 7 days: A group you ran alone is paused if no new admin accepts your invitation. - While you're away: Friends may still see your name in their friends list, and group admins may see your posts. - When you log in again: Your profile is reactivated. Logging in elsewhere with Facebook does the same. - After you're back: Reactivate your Pages yourself from Settings. They don't return on their own. *What happens from the moment you deactivate to the day you come back, from Facebook's Help Center.* ## How do I deactivate Facebook on iPhone? Facebook's help page gives the same steps for the iPhone and Android apps. The screens vary slightly depending on what appears at the bottom of Accounts Center, so check which of the two versions you have. Most accounts show Accounts at the bottom. 1. **Open Menu**: From your main profile, tap Menu in the Facebook app. 2. **Open settings**: Scroll down, tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings. 3. **Open Accounts Center**: Tap Accounts Center, or Meta Account if that's what you see, then tap Personal details. 4. **Find deactivation**: Tap Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion. 5. **Pick the profile**: Choose the account or profile you want to deactivate. 6. **Deactivate**: Tap Deactivate account, tap Continue, then follow the instructions to confirm. Facebook for iPhone: Settings and privacy › Settings › Accounts Center › Personal details › Account ownership and control › Deactivation or deletion *Start from Menu. On updated accounts, Accounts Center may be called Meta Account.* Facebook, Deactivation or deletion: - Deactivate account: Temporary (tap this) - Delete account: Permanent - Continue *Make sure Deactivate account is selected before you tap Continue. Delete account starts a permanent deletion.* ### If you see Manage accounts at the bottom of Accounts Center Tap Accounts Center, then Manage accounts. Tap Manage next to the profile you want to deactivate, then Deactivation or deletion. Choose the profile, tap Deactivate account, tap Continue and follow the instructions to confirm. On Meta Account screens, Facebook's deletion page labels the same entry Manage account. > Where Menu sits depends on the help page you read. Facebook's deactivation page puts it at the top left, while its deletion page puts it at the bottom right on iPhone and the top right on Android. Look for the Menu icon in your app's top or bottom bar. ## How do I deactivate Facebook on Android? The Android steps match the iPhone ones. Facebook's deactivation page doesn't give Android its own instructions, so the labels are the same: tap Menu, scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Accounts Center (or Meta Account), then Personal details, then Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion. Choose your profile, tap Deactivate account, tap Continue and follow the prompts. Facebook's deletion page notes that on Android, Menu is at the top right of the app. If your phone shows the Manage accounts version of Accounts Center, use the extra step described above: Manage accounts, then Manage next to your profile, before Deactivation or deletion. ### Facebook Lite and other apps Facebook's deletion help page includes Facebook Lite in its list of apps but gives one set of steps for all of them. If the menus in Lite don't match, use the computer steps below in any browser, including the one on your phone. ## How do I deactivate Facebook on a computer? On a computer, you start from your profile picture instead of Menu. Again there are two versions, depending on what's at the bottom of Accounts Center. ### If you see Accounts at the bottom of Accounts Center 1. **Open settings**: Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook, select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. 2. **Open Accounts Center**: Click Accounts Center in the top left of the screen. 3. **Open your details**: Click Personal details, below Account settings, then Account ownership and control. 4. **Choose deactivation**: Click Deactivation or deletion, then choose the account or profile you want to deactivate. 5. **Confirm**: Select Deactivate account, click Continue and follow the instructions to confirm. ### If you see Manage accounts at the bottom of Accounts Center 1. **Open settings**: Click your profile picture in the top right, select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. 2. **Open Accounts Center**: Click Accounts Center in the top left, then Manage accounts. 3. **Pick the profile**: Click Manage next to the profile you want to deactivate. 4. **Choose deactivation**: Click Deactivation or deletion, choose the profile, then click Deactivate account. 5. **Confirm**: Click Continue, then follow the instructions to confirm. ### Deactivating only an additional profile If you run more than one Facebook profile under the same account, you can deactivate just one of them. Facebook's page on [additional profiles](https://www.facebook.com/help/1248946995836019) says deactivating an additional profile affects only that profile. Nobody else can see it, though friends may still see its name in their friends list and in messages you sent from it. Follow the same steps, and choose the additional profile when Facebook asks which one. You can reactivate it any time from your main profile's account settings. ## Can you still use Messenger after deactivating Facebook? Yes, if you want to. Facebook says Messenger stays active if you keep it active or stay logged in to it when you deactivate. It calls the result a [Deactivated Except Messenger Account](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/446315357193653): a way to use Messenger without an active Facebook account. ### How Messenger works while Facebook is off - You can keep chatting with friends. - Your profile picture appears only in your Messenger conversations. - People can find you through Messenger search and message you, but not through Facebook search. - Using Messenger doesn't reactivate your Facebook profile, and your Facebook friends can still message you. - Facebook asks you to confirm your date of birth, and may ask you to create a password for account security. - Parental supervision isn't available on this kind of account. ### How to deactivate Messenger too If you want quiet on both, deactivate Facebook first. Facebook's [Deactivate Messenger page](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/931186400288334) says the option only appears after your Facebook profile is deactivated, and that you can only do it on a mobile device. 1. **Open Messenger settings**: In the Messenger app, tap Menu, then Settings. 2. **Open Accounts Center**: Tap Accounts Center, then Personal details, then Account ownership and control. 3. **Choose deactivation**: Tap Deactivation or deletion, then Continue to Facebook account deactivation and deletion. 4. **Deactivate**: Tap Continue to account deactivation, enter your password and tap Continue. If those menus don't appear, Facebook gives a second route: from Chats, tap your profile picture, scroll down to Account settings, then Account ownership and control, then Deactivation and deletion, and continue the same way. To use Messenger again later, log in with your username and password. ## What happens to Pages and groups you manage? Deactivating your profile can take other things offline with it. Facebook's deactivation page says Pages that only you control are deactivated too, which means people can't see them or find them in search. If you want a Page to stay live while you're away, give someone else full control of it before you deactivate. Facebook says you can then deactivate your profile without deactivating the Page. Full control is a big handover. Facebook's [Page access page](https://www.facebook.com/help/289207354498410) says it gives the other person the same access as you, including removing anyone from the Page or deleting it. Partial control and task access don't count here, because Facebook automatically deactivates a Page that has no one with full control. A worked example makes the trade-off clearer. Say you run a small bakery's Page by yourself and want a month off Facebook. If you deactivate as things stand, the Page disappears for its followers until you return and reactivate it. If a colleague should keep posting the opening hours while you're gone, give them full control first and wait until they can switch into the Page. Then deactivate. When you're back, you can decide whether to keep their access or remove it. ### Getting your Pages back Pages don't wake up with your profile. Facebook's page on [deactivating and reactivating Pages](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611) says you reactivate your account first by logging in, then reactivate the Pages yourself. You need to do it from a personal profile, because Facebook says you can't reactivate a Page from the Page's business settings. | Device | How to reactivate a Page after you're back | | --- | --- | | Computer | From your main profile, click your profile picture, select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Under Your activity, click Reactivate a Page, find the Page and click Reactivate. | | iPhone and Android | From your main profile, tap Menu, scroll down, tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Below Audience and visibility, tap Pages, tap View next to Reactivate your Pages, then tap Reactivate. | If you want to close a Page rather than pause it, that's a separate process with a 14-day window. Our guide on [how to delete a Facebook Page](/blog/how-to-delete-a-facebook-page) covers it. ### Groups where you're the only admin Facebook's page on [groups without admins](https://www.facebook.com/help/1869148786729750) says that when the only admin of a group deactivates their account, they're prompted to invite one or more new admins. If they don't, or no one accepts within seven days, the group is paused automatically. If you run a group, add a co-admin before you deactivate so it keeps going. ## How do I reactivate my Facebook account? Coming back is simpler than leaving. Facebook's page on [reactivating your profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/212666185422169) says you reactivate by logging back in to Facebook, or by using your Facebook account to log in somewhere else. You'll need access to the email address or mobile number you use to log in. 1. Open Facebook on any device 2. Log in with the email address or mobile number and password on the account 3. Complete any code Facebook sends to that email or number 4. Reactivate any Pages that went offline with you *Reactivation is just a login. Pages need their own reactivation afterwards.* There's a second route if your Instagram account is in the same Accounts Center as your Facebook profile. Facebook says you can also reactivate your Facebook account through Accounts Center on Instagram. ### Reactivating an additional profile Additional profiles come back from inside your main profile. On a computer, click your profile picture, select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Click Accounts Center, then Manage accounts, or Personal details if that's what you see. Click Account ownership and control, then Reactivation, and select the profile. Facebook says the Reactivation option only appears if you have a profile that's deactivated or scheduled for deletion. ### If you can't log back in **Why can't you get back in?** - I forgot my password → Use the forgotten password link on the login screen and search for your account. - I can't get codes on my email or phone → Go to facebook.com/login/identify, find the account and select No longer have access to these? - I think someone else changed it → Go to facebook.com/hacked on a device you've logged in with before. *Each route comes from Facebook's account recovery help pages.* For a forgotten password, Facebook's [change your password page](https://www.facebook.com/help/213395615347144) says to click the forgotten password link on the login screen, enter your email address, mobile number, full name or username, click Search and follow the instructions. Our guide on [changing your Facebook password](/blog/how-to-change-facebook-password) covers it in more detail. If you've lost the email or phone number, Facebook's [recovery page](https://www.facebook.com/help/132243923516844) suggests trying facebook.com/hacked first from a device you've used before, then any other email or phone number you added. Failing that, go to facebook.com/login/identify, find your account, select No longer have access to these? and add new contact details that haven't been used on your Facebook account before. After you confirm the account is yours, you can reset the password and log in, which reactivates it. ## Can Facebook reactivate automatically after a set time? Facebook's current help pages don't describe a timer. Its deactivation page says you can deactivate temporarily and come back whenever you want, and its reactivation page lists only two ways back: logging in to Facebook, or using your Facebook account to log in somewhere else. If your deactivation screens offer a timed option, follow what they say, but don't count on your profile returning by itself. Plan to log back in when you're ready. The bigger risk is coming back by accident. Because logging in somewhere else with Facebook counts as reactivation, these can all bring your profile back: - Logging in to the Facebook app or website on any device, including a tablet or old phone you'd forgotten about. - Using a Continue with Facebook or other Facebook Login button to sign in to another app, game or website. - Signing back in to an app you originally created with your Facebook account. Messenger is the exception. Facebook says using Messenger won't reactivate your Facebook account, so you can keep chatting without undoing your break. If you want to avoid accidental reactivation, add an email address and password to apps you signed up for with Facebook, or log out of Facebook on devices you don't use often. ### How long can you stay deactivated? Facebook's help pages don't give a limit. They describe deactivation as temporary and say you can reactivate at any time. The only deadline in Facebook's account help belongs to deletion, which gives you 30 days to cancel, a number Facebook says varies by region. ## Why can't I find the option to deactivate Facebook? Most problems come from Facebook's settings being in the middle of a redesign. Work through these. - Look for Meta Account as well as Accounts Center. Facebook says it's gradually moving people to Meta Accounts, so you'll see one or the other. - Check the bottom of that screen. If it says Manage accounts, the option is behind Manage accounts and then Manage, not Personal details. - Facebook's own pages label the menu both Settings and privacy and Settings & privacy. Either is right. - Switch back to your main profile if you're acting as a Page. Pages have their own Deactivate Page option in the Page's settings. - In Messenger, the option doesn't appear until your Facebook profile is deactivated, and it only works in the mobile app. - If the app's screens don't match, try the computer steps, which work in any browser. ### I deactivated, but people can still message me That's Messenger working as designed. If you stayed logged in to Messenger, your account became a Deactivated Except Messenger Account, so friends can still find you in Messenger and message you. Deactivate Messenger as well if you want that to stop. ### I deactivated, but my name still shows up Facebook says friends may still see your name in their own friends list, and group admins may still see your posts and comments with your name. Messages you sent stay in other people's inboxes. None of that means the deactivation failed. ### My profile came back on its own Check whether you, or an app on one of your devices, logged in with Facebook. Facebook counts logging in to Facebook, or using your Facebook account to log in somewhere else, as reactivation. If you see activity you don't recognize, follow Facebook's hacked-account steps at facebook.com/hacked instead. ## Can you deactivate someone else's Facebook account? Not yourself. Facebook says it can't provide anyone with login information for accounts, so there's no way to switch off another person's profile from your own. There are two narrow exceptions, both handled through Facebook's [special request form](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480): - Someone who is medically incapacitated: a guardian can send proof of guardianship, such as a power of attorney or court order, plus an official note from a doctor or medical facility. Facebook says that if the condition is reversible, it can deactivate the account rather than delete it, so the person can log back in later. - Someone who has died: immediate family or an executor can ask Facebook to memorialize or remove the account. Our guide on [deleting a Facebook account](/blog/how-to-delete-facebook-account) covers memorialization, legacy contacts and the documents Facebook asks for. If you share a computer and someone else's profile keeps appearing, that's a login problem, not a deactivation one. Log out of their profile on that device rather than trying to change their account. ## Should you deactivate or delete Facebook? If you're not sure you'll want Facebook again, deactivate. Deletion ends Messenger, takes Meta Quest purchases tied to your Facebook login with it, and can't be undone once the cancellation window closes. | | Deactivate | Delete | | --- | --- | --- | | Can you undo it? | Yes, log in any time | Only within the cancellation window (30 days, varies by region) | | Your profile | Hidden from everyone | Permanently removed | | Messenger | Can keep working | Stops working | | Pages only you control | Deactivated | Deleted | | Meta Quest via Facebook | Can't access it while deactivated | Purchases, achievements and store credit deleted | | Your Meta Account | Stays active | Other profiles in it aren't affected | If you've decided to leave for good, our guide on [how to delete your Facebook account](/blog/how-to-delete-facebook-account) covers exporting your data, the waiting period and how to cancel. Deactivating Facebook doesn't touch Instagram, which has its own steps: see [how to deactivate Instagram](/blog/how-to-deactivate-instagram) or [how to delete an Instagram account](/blog/how-to-delete-instagram-account). ## How deactivating affects scheduled posts Facebook doesn't let scheduling apps post to personal profiles, so deactivating your profile doesn't affect a scheduler directly. Your Pages are a different story. If a Page that only you control is deactivated with your profile, Facebook hides it from the public, including its followers. [PostMesh publishes to Facebook Pages](/platform/facebook) you manage through the official Pages API, so if one of those Pages is about to go offline, pause or disconnect it in PostMesh first so scheduled posts don't fail. When you're back and the Page is reactivated, connect it again. If you're stepping away from Facebook but not from posting, you can keep your other networks going. Our guide to [cross-posting to multiple platforms](/blog/how-to-cross-post-to-multiple-platforms) explains how, and our roundup of [free social media schedulers](/blog/best-free-social-media-schedulers) compares tools that post to several networks at once. ## Before you deactivate: a checklist **Before you deactivate Facebook** - [ ] Export your information now, since exports may not work while deactivated - [ ] Give someone full control of any Page that should stay live - [ ] Add a co-admin to groups you run alone - [ ] Decide whether to stay logged in to Messenger - [ ] Add another sign-in method to apps that use Facebook Login - [ ] Check that you still have the email or phone number on the account - [ ] Pause or disconnect Pages in your scheduling tool *Each item comes from a Facebook Help Center page cited in this guide.* The email or phone check matters more than it looks. Facebook says you need access to the email address or mobile number you use to log in to complete reactivation, so update it now if it's an old address you no longer use. Our [password guide](/blog/how-to-change-facebook-password) shows where your login details live. When you do come back, a few minutes of tidying helps. Check your privacy settings, update your name if you've changed it (see [how to change your name on Facebook](/blog/how-to-change-your-name-on-facebook)), and refresh your bio with the free [Facebook bio generator](/tools/facebook-bio-generator) if it's out of date. If something won't post after you return, our guide on [why you can't post on Facebook](/blog/why-cant-i-post-on-facebook) walks through the usual causes. ## Questions ### Does Facebook tell my friends when I deactivate? Facebook's help pages don't describe any notice. Your profile simply becomes hidden, though friends may still see your name in their friends list. ### Can people still see my comments after I deactivate? Facebook says group admins may still see your posts and comments in their groups, along with your name. Messages you sent also stay visible to the people you sent them to. ### Is there a limit on how long I can stay deactivated? Facebook's help pages don't give one. They say you can reactivate at any time by logging back in. ### Will using Messenger reactivate my Facebook account? No. Facebook says using Messenger won't reactivate your Facebook profile. Logging in to Facebook, or using Facebook to log in to another app, will. ### Can I deactivate Facebook but keep Instagram? Yes. Instagram is a separate account in your Meta Account and isn't deactivated with Facebook. It has its own deactivation steps if you want a break from both. ### Can I deactivate just one of my Facebook profiles? Yes. Facebook says deactivating an additional profile affects only that profile, while deactivating your main profile deactivates every profile under it. ### Do my Pages come back when I reactivate? Not automatically. Facebook says you reactivate your account first, then reactivate each Page from your personal profile's settings under Reactivate a Page. ### Can I deactivate Facebook from the Messenger app? No. The Messenger app only lets you deactivate Messenger, and Facebook says that option appears only after your Facebook profile is already deactivated. ### Does deactivating delete my photos or posts? No. Deactivation hides your profile but deletes nothing, so everything is there when you log back in. ### Can I still use my Meta Quest while Facebook is deactivated? Facebook says that while your profile is deactivated, you can't use Facebook to access Meta Quest products or your Meta Quest information. ## Sources - [Facebook Help: Temporarily deactivate your Facebook profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/214376678584711) - [Facebook Help: Learn the difference between deactivating and deleting your profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/125338004213029) - [Facebook Help: Permanently delete your Facebook profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/224562897555674) - [Facebook Help: Reactivate your Facebook profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/212666185422169) - [Facebook Help: Delete, deactivate or reactivate an additional Facebook profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/1248946995836019) - [Facebook Help: Export a copy of your Facebook information](https://www.facebook.com/help/212802592074644) - [Facebook Help: What a Deactivated Except Messenger Account (DEMA) is](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/446315357193653) - [Facebook Help: Deactivate Messenger](https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/931186400288334) - [Facebook Help: Deactivate or reactivate your Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611) - [Facebook Help: About Facebook Page access](https://www.facebook.com/help/289207354498410) - [Facebook Help: What happens when a Facebook group doesn't have any admins](https://www.facebook.com/help/1869148786729750) - [Facebook Help: Change your password](https://www.facebook.com/help/213395615347144) - [Facebook Help: Recover your Facebook account if you can't access your account email address or mobile phone number](https://www.facebook.com/help/132243923516844) - [Facebook Help: Deactivating and deleting your account](https://www.facebook.com/help/154908788002686) - [Facebook Help: Special request for a medically incapacitated or deceased person's account](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480)