How do I deactivate or delete my Facebook account and what is the difference?

Deactivating and deleting are not the same thing. In the first case, the account is paused, but it is possible to recover the data from it eventually; when deleting, all content is lost.

How to deactivate my Facebook account and its implications

While your account is inactive, you won’t be able to use it and no one will be able to see your timeline or search for you; however, some information, such as messages you’ve sent to your friends, may still be visible.

If you choose to keep Messenger active or are logged in when you deactivate your Facebook account, the app will remain active, meaning its features for chatting with your friends will continue as usual.

To deactivate your account follow these steps:

• Click on your profile picture at the top right of Facebook.
• Choose Settings and privacy and then click on Setting.
• Click on Privacy and then in Your Facebook information.
• Click on Deactivation and deletion.
• Choose Deactivate accountclick on Go to account deactivation and follow the instructions provided to confirm the action.

How to reactivate the account?

You can reactivate your Facebook account at any time by logging back into the platform or using your Facebook account to log in to another site.

Please note that you must have access to the email address or mobile number you use to log in. If you do not remember your password, you can request a new one.