Closing Your Facebook Account: A Complete Guide to Permanent Deletion and Data Privacy

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Learning how to delete your Facebook account is now more than just clicking a button. Whether you have data privacy concerns or a desire to simplify your digital life, permanently deleting your Facebook account requires a strategic approach to avoid losing years of digital history and access to other essential services. This article explains how to use the 2026 Meta Accounts Center to protect your personal data before you leave the platform forever.

Navigating the 2026 Meta Accounts Center

Meta has moved all account settings into one hub called the Accounts Center. To start, open your Settings & Privacy menu. Next, click on Settings and find Personal Details. Inside this menu, you will see Account Ownership and Control. This is where you find the option to delete your profile. The system will ask for your password to make sure you are the owner.

As noted by Security.org, the platform's policy remains clear: "Facebook will delete all profile information, like photos, videos, and posts. But it might keep some copies of your information for a period. That's normal, as it's part of Facebook's backup storage process."

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Your profile will vanish from public view immediately; however, your friends can still see the messages you sent them. You also have 30 days to change your mind by logging in again.

How to Manage Linked Apps and Business Pages Before you Delete your Facebook Account

If you use Facebook to log into Spotify or Pinterest, you could lose those accounts. You should check the Apps and Websites section in your settings first. Change these logins to your email address to stay safe. This prevents you from being locked out of important services after your profile is gone.

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Business owners must be even more careful. If you are the only admin of a Business Page, that page will be deleted. To stop this, Keefomatic suggests a clever workaround. You can create a new personal profile with as little information as possible and add the new profile as an Admin to your Business Page. This simple step keeps your business active and allows you to leave the platform without hurting your professional work.