# How to delete a Facebook Page, and how to get it back within 14 days Canonical: https://postmesh.app/blog/how-to-delete-a-facebook-page By PostMesh team. Published 2026-10-31; updated 2026-10-31. To delete a Facebook Page, switch into the Page, open Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Access and control, and select Delete Page. You need Facebook access with full control, and Facebook keeps the Page deactivated for 14 days before deleting it, so you can still restore it in that time. Deleting a Facebook Page is quick once you know where the option lives, but the details trip people up: the option is missing for anyone without the right access, the Page vanishes the moment you confirm, and restoring it happens from your personal profile, not the Page. This guide covers the steps Facebook's Help Center gives for a computer, iPhone and Android, the 14-day window, and the alternatives that might suit you better, such as unpublishing, deactivating or merging. ## The short answer Switch into the Page you want to delete, open Settings and privacy (Facebook also writes it as Settings & privacy), then Settings, then Access and control, and select Delete Page. Click Continue and follow the prompts, which may ask for your password. Facebook deactivates the Page straight away and deletes it permanently after 14 days. Until then, you can restore it from your personal profile's settings under Reactivate a Page. If you only want the Page out of sight for a while, deactivate or unpublish it instead. | What you want | Use this | Can you undo it? | Access you need | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Remove the Page for good | Delete Page | Yes, for 14 days | Facebook access with full control | | Hide it for a while | Deactivate Page | Yes, reactivate any time | Facebook access with full control | | Hide it while you rework it | Unpublish Page | Yes, publish it again | Facebook access | | Combine two Pages for the same thing | Merge Pages | No | Facebook access to both Pages | | Pass it on to someone else | Give them Facebook access with full control | Depends on them, since they can remove anyone | Facebook access with full control | **What should happen to the Page?** - It should disappear for good → Download a copy, then use Delete Page. You have 14 days to change your mind. - It should be hidden for now → Deactivate it, or unpublish it if you still want to edit it while it's hidden. - It duplicates another Page → Merge the two if they qualify. Followers move to the Page you keep. - Someone else should run it → Give them full control instead of deleting it. *Deleting is only one of four ways to deal with a Page you no longer want to run.* ## Who can delete a Facebook Page? Only people with Facebook access with full control. Facebook's page on [deleting a Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/223786757631885) says that if you can't see the delete option, check your access level. Its page on [Page access](https://www.facebook.com/help/289207354498410) explains the different kinds, and only one of them includes deleting the Page. **Facebook access, full control** - Switch into the Page and manage it on Facebook - Change settings, including deleting the Page - Give or remove anyone's access, including other full-control people **Facebook access, partial control** - Switch into the Page and manage it on Facebook - Content, messages, comments, linked accounts, ads and insights - Can't change settings or delete the Page **Task access** - Manage the Page from tools like Meta Business Suite or Ads Manager - Content, messages, ads and insights - Can't switch into the Page on Facebook or delete it *From Facebook's Page access help page. A fourth type, Community Manager access, only moderates live chat.* Facebook stresses that full control is the same access the Page's owner has. Anyone with it can add people, remove anyone (including the owner) or delete the Page. That cuts both ways: if you share full control with someone, they can delete the Page without you, and you can delete it without them. Facebook also says every Page needs at least one person with full control. A Page without one is automatically deactivated and scheduled for deletion. ### New Pages experience vs classic Pages Older guides talk about Page roles such as admin and editor. Facebook's current help pages for deleting, deactivating and unpublishing a Page give one set of steps, built around switching into the Page and Facebook access with full control. None of them gives separate instructions for classic Pages. If your screens don't match the steps below, the Page may belong to a business portfolio, which is the one case where Facebook says access works differently. ### Pages in a business portfolio If your Page is part of a business portfolio, Facebook's Page access page says access levels are different and points to Meta's business help for the details. If the steps below don't work for you, ask whoever manages the portfolio to check your access. There's one more rule worth knowing before you delete: Facebook says you can't reactivate a Page from the Page's business settings. Restoring a deleted Page has to happen from a personal Facebook profile, so make sure the person deleting it is someone who can also undo it. ## How do I delete a Facebook Page on a computer? 1. **Switch into the Page**: Log in to Facebook, click your profile photo in the top right, click See all profiles and choose the Page. 2. **Open the Page's settings**: Click the Page's profile picture in the top right, click Settings & privacy, then Settings. 3. **Open Access and control**: In the left menu, click Access and control. 4. **Delete the Page**: Select Delete Page, then click Continue. 5. **Confirm**: Follow the prompts. Facebook may ask you to re-enter your password. Facebook on a computer: See all profiles › Your Page › Settings & privacy › Settings › Access and control › Delete Page *Start from your profile photo in the top right. You must be switched into the Page, not your profile.* Facebook, switched into your Page, Access and control: - Unpublish Page: Hide it, keep editing - Deactivate Page: Hide it until you return - Delete Page: Gone after 14 days (tap this) *Facebook's help pages put all three options under Access and control. Pick Delete Page only if you want it gone.* ## How do I delete a Facebook Page on iPhone or Android? The app steps follow the same route: switch into the Page, open its settings and find Access and control. Facebook's help page gives these steps for both apps. ### On iPhone 1. **Open Menu**: Tap Menu or your profile picture. 2. **Switch into the Page**: Tap Options, then choose the Page you want to switch into. 3. **Open the Page's settings**: Tap Menu again, then Settings & privacy, then Settings. 4. **Delete it**: Tap Access and control, select Delete Page, tap Continue and follow the prompts. You may need to re-enter your password. ### On Android Tap the Menu icon or your profile picture, then tap the Options arrow and choose the Page. Tap Menu again, then Settings & privacy, then Settings. Tap Access and control, select Delete Page, tap Continue and follow the prompts. Facebook's help page places Menu at the top left of the app for both iPhone and Android, though its other help pages describe it in other corners, so look for the Menu icon along the top or bottom of your screen. > Deleting a Page doesn't delete your personal profile, and deleting your profile isn't the way to remove a Page. If you're the only person with full control, though, deleting your profile deletes the Page too. Our guide on [how to delete your Facebook account](/blog/how-to-delete-facebook-account) covers that side. ## Why can't I see the Delete Page option? When Delete Page is missing, it's almost always one of these. | What's going on | How to tell | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | | You're on your profile, not the Page | Your own name shows at the top of Settings | Switch into the Page through See all profiles, then open Settings again | | You have partial control | You can post as the Page but not change its settings | Ask a person with full control to delete it, or to give you full control | | You have task access | You can only manage the Page from Meta Business Suite or Ads Manager | Task access can't switch into the Page, so ask someone with full control | | The Page is in a business portfolio | Facebook says access levels work differently for these Pages | Ask whoever manages the portfolio to check your access | | The Page is already deactivated | It's hidden and you can't edit it | Reactivate it first, then delete it, or leave it for the 14 days if you already requested deletion | Facebook's page on [switching into your Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/123930246348340) explains the first step: from your profile, select your profile photo, then See all profiles, then the Page. You can only switch into a Page you have Facebook access to, which is why task access users don't see it in the list. ## What happens after you delete a Facebook Page? Deletion happens in two stages. Facebook's deletion page says it deactivates your Page immediately, but doesn't permanently delete it until 14 days have passed. - When you confirm: Facebook deactivates the Page right away. The public, including its followers, can't see it. - Days 1 to 14: You can cancel by reactivating the Page from your personal profile's settings. - After 14 days: The Page is permanently deleted and can no longer be reactivated. *From Facebook's help page on deleting or cancelling deletion of a Page.* During those 14 days the Page behaves like a deactivated Page. Facebook's page on [deactivating Pages](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611) says deactivation hides a Page from the public, including the people who follow it, and that you can't edit it while it's deactivated. Facebook's help pages don't say whether followers are told the Page is going away, so if your audience matters, post a goodbye or a pointer to your new home before you delete. - 14 days: before a deleted Page is gone for good - 30 days: to cancel a profile deletion that took your Pages with it (varies by region) - 4 days: before a Page download link expires - 1 person: with full control, the minimum a Page needs to stay active *Sources: Facebook Help pages on deleting a Page, deactivating a Page, downloading a Page and Page access.* The 14-day figure comes from Facebook's [Page deletion page](https://www.facebook.com/help/223786757631885), the 30-day profile window from its [Page deactivation page](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611), the four-day link from its [Page download page](https://www.facebook.com/help/466076673571942), and the full-control rule from its [Page access page](https://www.facebook.com/help/289207354498410). ## How do I restore a deleted Facebook Page? If it's been less than 14 days, reactivate it. You do this from your main personal profile, not from the Page and not from business settings. Facebook says the option only works for Pages that have been deactivated but not yet permanently deleted. ### On a computer 1. Log in to your main personal profile 2. Click your profile photo in the top right 3. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings 4. Under Your activity, click Reactivate a Page 5. Find the Page and click Reactivate *This works only within the 14 days, and only from a personal profile.* ### On iPhone or Android From your main profile, tap Menu, scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Scroll down and tap Pages. Facebook's deactivation page places it below Audience and visibility. Tap View next to Reactivate your Pages, find the Page and tap Reactivate. ### If the Page was deleted along with your profile Pages that only you control are deleted when you delete your personal account. Facebook's Page deactivation page says that if you deleted your account, you can cancel the deletion within 30 days by logging in and clicking Cancel deletion, then reactivate your Pages using the steps above. Facebook notes that the number of days varies by region. ### If more than 14 days have passed Facebook's help pages don't describe a way to recover a Page after it's permanently deleted. Reactivate a Page only lists Pages that are deactivated but not yet deleted. If you need a presence again, you'll be starting a new Page, which is why the download step below is worth doing first. Our free [Facebook Page name generator](/tools/facebook-page-name-generator) can help if the old name is no longer right. ## Should you deactivate or unpublish the Page instead? Facebook offers two softer options in the same Access and control screen. Neither deletes anything, and both can be reversed whenever you like. **Unpublish** - Hidden from everyone without Facebook access - You can still switch in and edit it - Can't comment, message or review as the Page - Ad campaigns are paused **Deactivate** - Hidden from the public and followers - You can't edit it while it's deactivated - Not deleted, reactivate any time - Needs full control **Delete** - Deactivated at once - Restorable for 14 days - Permanently deleted after that - Needs full control *From Facebook's help pages on unpublishing, deactivating and deleting Pages.* ### How to deactivate a Page Facebook's [deactivation page](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611) uses the same route as deletion. On a computer, switch into the Page, click its profile picture, click Settings & privacy, then Settings, then Access and control in the left menu. Select Deactivate Page, click Continue and follow the prompts. You may need to enter your password. In the apps, tap Menu or your profile picture, tap Options and choose the Page, tap Menu again, then Settings & privacy, Settings and Access and control. To bring it back, use Reactivate a Page from your personal profile, exactly as you would to cancel a deletion. ### How to unpublish a Page Unpublishing is the option to choose if you want to fix the Page up before people see it again. Facebook's [unpublish page](https://www.facebook.com/help/1828705267910362) says only people with Facebook access can do it. On a computer: 1. **Switch into the Page**: Switch to the Page, click your Page profile picture in the top right, then click your Page. 2. **Open Settings**: Under Manage Page, click Settings. 3. **Open Access and control**: On the left, under Your information, click Access and control. 4. **Unpublish**: Click Unpublish Page, click Continue, then click Confirm. While a Page is unpublished, Facebook says it isn't visible or searchable to people without Facebook access, and edits stay private until you publish again. You can still give other people access to help manage it. The Page can't interact with other profiles or Pages, which covers searching, commenting, reviewing and messaging. You can't start new ad campaigns, and existing ones are paused. To publish it again, repeat the steps and click Publish Page instead. ### Parent and child Pages If your Page has child Pages, such as store location Pages, the parent's status carries down. Facebook says deactivating or unpublishing a parent Page does the same to its child Pages, and reactivating or republishing the parent brings them back. A child Page you deactivated or unpublished separately has to be restored separately, and child Pages can't be restored until the parent is. ### Hand the Page over instead If the Page still has value to someone, such as a club's next organizer or a business's new owner, passing it on keeps its followers and history intact. Facebook's page on [giving and removing Page access](https://www.facebook.com/help/187316341316631) says anyone with full control can add, edit or remove someone's access at any time, and that you switch into the Page to do it. Give the new person Facebook access with full control. Once they've confirmed they can switch into the Page, they can remove your access, or you can step back. Remember that full control lets them remove anyone, so only hand it to someone you trust with the Page's future. ## Can you merge two Facebook Pages instead of deleting one? If you're deleting a Page because it duplicates another one, merging may be better, because the followers come with it. Facebook's page on [merging two Pages](https://www.facebook.com/help/249601088403018) sets out who qualifies. - You need Facebook access to both Pages. Task access isn't enough. - The Pages need the same name and must represent the same thing. You can request a name change on one of them first. - If they have physical locations, the addresses must match. - Both Pages must be in the same Business Manager account, and the Page you merge from can't be that account's primary Page. - You can't merge a verified Page into an unverified one, or merge two global Pages. - Facebook says the merge option may not be available to everyone. 1. **Switch into the Page**: Click your profile photo, then See all profiles, and select one of the Pages. 2. **Open Page setup**: Click the Page's profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Page setup in the left menu. 3. **Start the merge**: Next to Merge Pages, click View. Next to Merge multiple Pages, click Start request. If you don't see a merge option, Facebook says your Pages aren't eligible. When a merge goes through, the Page you keep gains the other Page's followers and profile check-ins, plus any groups linked to it. Everything else on the merged Page is deleted, including its posts, photos, reviews, ratings and username, and the merge can't be undone. Here's how the choice plays out in practice. Say a café has two Pages with the same name and address: an old one a former employee set up and the official one. Deleting the old Page throws away its followers. Merging it into the official Page, if both sit in the same Business Manager account, moves those followers and check-ins across, while the old Page's posts and reviews are deleted. If the old Page isn't in your Business Manager account, or you can't get Facebook access to it, merging isn't available, and deleting it, or asking whoever controls it to delete it, are the remaining options. ## What happens to ads, the Instagram link and other connections? ### Ads and boosted posts Facebook's deletion page doesn't say what happens to running ads, but two related pages point the same way. The merge page tells you to make sure no campaigns point to the Page that will be deleted before you request a merge, and the unpublish page says existing campaigns are paused while a Page is unpublished. Before you delete a Page, open Ads Manager or Meta Business Suite and stop any campaigns that use it, so nothing is left running against a Page that's about to disappear. ### A linked Instagram account Facebook's deletion page doesn't say what happens to an Instagram account connected to the Page either. If you want to keep the Instagram account and make a clean break, disconnect it first. Facebook's page on [connecting and disconnecting Instagram](https://www.facebook.com/help/1148909221857370) says anyone with Facebook access or task access to the Page can do it. On a computer: 1. **Switch into the Page**: Click your profile photo, then See all profiles, and choose the Page. 2. **Open settings**: Click the Page's profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Settings. 3. **Find the link**: Under Permissions, click Linked accounts, then Instagram. 4. **Disconnect**: Click Disconnect account, then Yes, disconnect. > Facebook warns that disconnecting a Page and Instagram account that share a Meta Verified subscription may cancel that subscription in some cases. Check before you disconnect if you pay for Meta Verified. Disconnecting doesn't delete the Instagram account. If you want to close that too, see our guide on [how to delete an Instagram account](/blog/how-to-delete-instagram-account). If you're keeping it and posting there instead, our [Instagram platform page](/platform/instagram) explains how PostMesh publishes to it. ### Scheduling tools If the Page is connected to a scheduler, disconnect it there first. [PostMesh publishes to Facebook Pages](/platform/facebook) you manage, and each Page you allow during sign-in becomes its own account. Disconnect the Page in PostMesh before you delete it, so posts scheduled for it don't fail, then remove it from any post you were planning to send to several networks. The same applies to Meta Business Suite and other tools that hold scheduled posts for the Page. If you're moving your posting to other networks, our guide to [cross-posting to multiple platforms](/blog/how-to-cross-post-to-multiple-platforms) shows how to adapt one update for each, and our roundup of [free social media schedulers](/blog/best-free-social-media-schedulers) compares tools that post to several at once. ## How do I save a copy of my Page before deleting it? Once a Page is permanently deleted, Facebook's help pages don't describe a way to get its content back, so download it first. Facebook's page on [downloading a copy of your Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/466076673571942) says you need Facebook access with full control. 1. **Switch into the Page**: Select your profile photo, click See all profiles and choose the Page. 2. **Open settings**: Select the Page's profile photo, click Settings and privacy, then Settings. 3. **Open the download tool**: Click Download your information in the left column. 4. **Choose what to include**: Pick the format, the quality of photos, videos and other media, and a date range if you want one. Tick or untick the categories on the right. 5. **Request it**: Click Request a download. Facebook sends an email or notification when it's ready. When the file is ready, select Download Page and enter your password. Facebook says the link expires after four days, so download it promptly. If you skip the date range, you get everything in the categories you chose. Do this before you start the deletion. ## What if nobody can delete the Page? ### The last person with full control is gone Facebook automatically deactivates a Page that no longer has anyone with full control and schedules it for deletion. If that happened because the last full-control person no longer has an active account, Facebook's deactivation page says you can submit a Page admin dispute. If a person with full control is still around but unreachable, only they can delete it or give you full control. ### The only admin has died Facebook's page on [memorialized profiles](https://www.facebook.com/help/103897939701143) says that when a valid memorialization request is made for someone who was the only admin of a Page, the Page is removed. Our guide on [deleting a Facebook account](/blog/how-to-delete-facebook-account) covers how memorialization and removal requests work. ### Someone else keeps posting on it If a Page is still live and you'd rather it stopped, check who has access before you delete it. Anyone with full control can remove other people, and anyone with partial control can still post. Fixing access may solve the problem without deleting the Page. If the Page is having trouble posting at all, our guide on [why you can't post on Facebook](/blog/why-cant-i-post-on-facebook) explains Page restrictions and Page Status. ## Before you delete a Facebook Page **Before you delete a Page** - [ ] Confirm you have Facebook access with full control - [ ] Download a copy of the Page - [ ] Stop any ad campaigns that use the Page - [ ] Disconnect the linked Instagram account if you're keeping it - [ ] Disconnect the Page from any scheduling tool - [ ] Post a goodbye or a pointer to where followers can find you - [ ] Consider unpublishing, deactivating or merging instead *Most of these can't be done once the Page is deactivated.* If you're closing a Page because it isn't working rather than because you're done, it may be worth one more try first. A clearer name, a better cover image and posting when your audience is around can change a lot. Our [Facebook cover photo resizer](/tools/facebook-cover-photo-resizer) and [social media image sizes guide](/blog/social-media-image-sizes) help with the visuals, and our guide to the [best time to post on Facebook](/blog/best-time-to-post-on-facebook) covers timing. The free [post checker](/tools/post-checker) tests a draft against eight networks' limits before you publish. If you've decided, the order that loses the least is: download the Page, stop its ads, disconnect Instagram and any scheduling tools, then delete it from Access and control. Keep a note of the date. You have 14 days to reactivate it from your personal profile if you change your mind. If you're leaving Facebook altogether, our guides on [deactivating Facebook](/blog/how-to-deactivate-facebook) and [deleting your account](/blog/how-to-delete-facebook-account) cover the next steps. ## Questions ### How long does it take to delete a Facebook Page? The Page is deactivated as soon as you confirm, so nobody can see it. Facebook deletes it permanently after 14 days. ### Can an admin with partial control delete a Page? No. Facebook says deleting a Page needs Facebook access with full control. Partial control and task access don't include it. ### Will my followers be notified when I delete my Page? Facebook's help pages don't describe a notification. The Page is simply hidden from the public, including followers, once you request deletion. ### Can I delete a Facebook Page from Meta Business Suite? Facebook's help pages give the deletion steps in the Page's own settings under Access and control. They also say a deleted Page can't be reactivated from business settings, only from a personal profile. ### Does deleting a Page delete my personal Facebook account? No. Deleting a Page leaves your profile alone. The reverse isn't true: deleting your profile also deletes Pages that only you control. ### Can I get my Page's username back after deleting it? Facebook's help pages don't say a deleted Page's username is released or reserved. When Pages are merged, Facebook says the merged Page's username is deleted. ### What's the difference between unpublishing and deactivating a Page? Both hide the Page. Unpublishing still lets people with Facebook access edit it, while a deactivated Page can't be edited until it's reactivated. ### Why can't I find Reactivate a Page in my settings? Facebook says the option only appears if you have Pages that are deactivated but not permanently deleted. It also only appears on your personal profile, not inside the Page. ### Does deactivating a Page delete it? No. Facebook says deactivating hides the Page from the public, including its followers, but doesn't delete it. You can reactivate it from your personal profile whenever you like. ### Can I delete a Facebook Page that someone else created? Only if you have Facebook access with full control. Facebook says full control gives you the same access as the owner, including deleting the Page. ## Sources - [Facebook Help: Delete or cancel deletion of your Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/223786757631885) - [Facebook Help: Deactivate or reactivate your Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/184605634921611) - [Facebook Help: Unpublish and republish a Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/1828705267910362) - [Facebook Help: About Facebook Page access](https://www.facebook.com/help/289207354498410) - [Facebook Help: Switch into your Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/123930246348340) - [Facebook Help: How to give, edit or remove Facebook Page access](https://www.facebook.com/help/187316341316631) - [Facebook Help: Merge two Facebook Pages](https://www.facebook.com/help/249601088403018) - [Facebook Help: Connect or disconnect an Instagram account and your Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/1148909221857370) - [Facebook Help: Download a copy of your Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/help/466076673571942) - [Facebook Help: Permanently delete your Facebook profile](https://www.facebook.com/help/224562897555674) - [Facebook Help: What happens to your Facebook profile if you pass away](https://www.facebook.com/help/103897939701143)