To deactivate Facebook on an iPhone, open the Facebook app, tap Menu (your profile picture or the three lines), then go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Personal details > Account ownership and control > Deactivation or deletion. Choose your account, select Deactivate account, and follow the prompts. Your profile is hidden until you log back in, and nothing is deleted.
The steps are the same on an iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16 or any iPhone with a current version of the Facebook app. Below is what deactivation does, how it differs from deleting your account, and how to come back.
How to deactivate Facebook in the iPhone app
- Open the Facebook app.
- Tap Menu in the bottom-right corner (or top right, depending on your version).
- Scroll down and tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center near the top.
- Tap Personal details.
- Tap Account ownership and control.
- Tap Deactivation or deletion and select your Facebook account.
- Choose Deactivate account and tap Continue.
- Enter your password, choose a reason, and decide whether to keep using Messenger.
- Tap Deactivate my account.
Facebook may also let you choose to reactivate automatically after a set number of days, which is handy for a planned break.
What happens when you deactivate
- Your profile, photos and posts are hidden from other people.
- Some things, like messages you’ve sent, may still be visible to the people you sent them to.
- Your friends can still see your name in their friends lists in some places.
- You can keep using Messenger if you choose to during deactivation.
- Pages you manage alone may become inaccessible to others. Add another admin first if needed.
- Everything comes back when you log in again.
Deactivate vs delete
| Deactivate | Delete | |
|---|---|---|
| Can you come back? | Yes, any time by logging in | Only during the waiting period before deletion is final |
| Profile visible? | No | No |
| Your data | Kept | Permanently removed after the waiting period |
| Messenger | Can keep using it | Account removed, though sent messages may remain for recipients |
| Best for | Taking a break | Leaving Facebook for good |
Before you deactivate
- Download your information: In Accounts Center > Your information and permissions > Download your information, request a copy of your photos and posts.
- Check apps that use Facebook login: Apps and games you sign in to with Facebook may stop working while you’re deactivated. Set up an email login in those apps first.
- Transfer Page or group roles: Make sure someone else can manage anything you run.
Deactivate from Safari instead
If you’ve already deleted the app, open Safari, go to facebook.com, sign in, tap the Menu, and follow the same path through Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center.
Want a break without deactivating?
If you mainly want fewer distractions, these options keep your account fully active:
- Turn off Facebook notifications: Go to iPhone Settings > Notifications > Facebook and turn off Allow Notifications.
- Set a daily limit: In Settings > Screen Time > App Limits, add a limit for Facebook. Your iPhone blocks the app once you hit the time.
- Log out: Tap Menu > Log out. Having to sign in again adds friction without hiding your profile.
- Delete the app for a while: Uninstall it and use Facebook in Safari only when you need it.
These are easy to undo and don’t affect Pages, groups or apps that use Facebook login.
How to reactivate Facebook
Log back in to Facebook in the app or in a browser with your email or phone number and password. Your account is restored right away. If you chose an automatic reactivation date, it reactivates on that day.
Related: find the trash on Facebook.
Related: Move your Facebook account to a new phone.
Related: See birthdays on Facebook.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I keep Facebook deactivated?
As long as you like. Deactivated accounts stay deactivated until you log back in.
Will deleting the Facebook app deactivate my account?
No. Removing the app only takes it off your iPhone. Your account stays active until you deactivate or delete it in settings.
Why can’t I find Deactivation or deletion?
Update the Facebook app. Account settings moved into Accounts Center, so older guides that point to “Your Facebook Information” no longer match the app.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He started on a university help desk, spent years as the IT person for small businesses, and has been writing tech guides full time since 2020. Each guide is checked on a device he owns, and re-checked when a menu moves. More about Kermit.