# How to deactivate Facebook temporarily in 2026

> To deactivate Facebook temporarily, go to Settings & privacy, then Accounts Center, then Personal details, Account ownership and control, and Deactivation or deletion. Choose your profile, select Deactivate account and follow the prompts. Your profile is hidden until you log back in, and Meta lets you keep using Messenger if you want to.

Deactivating Facebook hides your profile without deleting anything. It's the gentlest way to step back. Nothing is lost, and logging in again brings everything back. Like Instagram, the option now lives inside Meta's **Accounts Center**.

## Deactivate Facebook on iPhone or Android

1. Open Facebook and tap your **profile picture** (top right on Android, bottom right on iPhone).
2. Tap **Settings & privacy**, then **Settings**, or tap the down arrow under your profile and choose **Go to Accounts Center**.
3. In Accounts Center, tap **Personal details**.
4. Tap **Account ownership and control**.
5. Tap **Deactivation or deletion** and choose the profile you want to deactivate.
6. Select **Deactivate account**, tap **Continue** and follow the prompts. You'll be asked for your password and a reason.

## Deactivate Facebook on a computer

1. Click your **profile picture** at the top right of Facebook.
2. Choose **Settings & privacy**, then **Settings**, then **Accounts Center**.
3. Click **Personal details**, then **Account ownership and control**.
4. Click **Deactivation or deletion**, select your profile and choose **Deactivate account**.
5. Follow the on-screen steps to confirm.

These steps follow the Accounts Center layout Meta used through 2026 ([Security.org](https://www.security.org/data-removal/facebook/)). If a label looks slightly different on your screen, look for "Accounts Center" and "Deactivation or deletion".

## What about Messenger?

Messenger is a separate decision. Meta lets you keep using Messenger while your Facebook profile is deactivated, so you can stay in touch with people there if you want.

That's handy, but think about whether it defeats the point. If Messenger is where the noise comes from (group chats, notifications, pings from people you barely know), consider a quieter route for just the people who matter. More on that below.

## What happens while you're deactivated

| | While deactivated |
| --- | --- |
| Your profile, photos and posts | Hidden from other people |
| Your data | Kept by Facebook so you can return |
| Messages you've already sent | May still be visible to the people you sent them to |
| Messenger | Can stay active if you choose |
| Meta Quest | You can't use a deactivated Facebook account to log in to Meta Quest |

## How to reactivate Facebook

Log back in with your email or phone number and password. That's it. Everything comes back as it was.

## Deactivate or delete?

**Deactivate** if you want a break, even a long one. It's fully reversible.

**Delete** only if you're sure. Facebook gives you 30 days to change your mind by logging in and cancelling the deletion. After that it's permanent, and Meta says full removal of your data can take up to 90 days ([Security.org](https://www.security.org/data-removal/facebook/)). Download a copy of your photos first if you want to keep them.

## Does deactivating actually help?

There's good evidence that it can. In a large study by economists at Stanford and NYU, people paid to deactivate Facebook for four weeks gained about an hour a day of free time and reported higher wellbeing. Many kept using it less after the experiment ended ([Allcott et al., 2020](https://www.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/aer.20190658)). We've collected more numbers like this on our [social media break statistics](/guides/social-media-break-statistics) page.

## Staying close to the people who matter

The reason most Facebook breaks end early is simple: someone you care about can only reach you there. Before you deactivate, give your closest people another way in.

With [Talklio](/how-it-works), you make one private space, add up to five people and send them a link. There's no feed and no phone number, chats are end-to-end encrypted, messages disappear after 24 hours, and the space closes after 30 days. It's a quiet line to a few people, not another social network.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use Messenger if I deactivate Facebook?

Yes. Meta lets you keep using Messenger while your Facebook profile is deactivated.

### How long can Facebook stay deactivated?

There's no set limit. Your account stays deactivated until you log back in.

### Will my friends be notified if I deactivate Facebook?

Facebook doesn't send a notification, but people will notice your profile is hidden if they look for it.

### What's the difference between deactivating and deleting Facebook?

Deactivating hides your profile and is undone by logging in. Deleting removes your account permanently after a 30-day grace period.

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Source: https://talklio.app/guides/how-to-deactivate-facebook · Updated 2026-10-10