Want to take a break from Facebook without permanently deleting your account? Deactivating Facebook is the perfect solution. This guide covers exactly how to deactivate Facebook on iPhone, Android, mobile and desktop — step by step for 2026.
How to Deactivate Facebook on iPhone (2026)
Deactivating Facebook on your iPhone takes less than two minutes. Here’s the exact process:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone
- Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right
- Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings
- Tap Personal and account information
- Tap Account ownership and control
- Tap Deactivation and deletion
- Select Deactivate account and tap Continue to account deactivation
- Enter your password and tap Continue
- Select a reason for leaving (optional) and tap Deactivate
Your Facebook profile will immediately become invisible to other users. Your Facebook account data is preserved, so you can reactivate at any time simply by logging back in.
How to Deactivate Facebook on Android Mobile
The process on Android is nearly identical to iPhone:
- Open the Facebook app on your Android phone
- Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right
- Tap Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Tap Personal and account information
- Tap Account ownership and control
- Tap Deactivation and deletion
- Choose Deactivate account and follow the prompts
The key difference on Android is that the menu icon appears in the top right corner rather than the bottom right.
How to Deactivate Facebook on Desktop (PC or Mac)
If you prefer using a computer, here’s how to deactivate from your browser:
- Go to facebook.com and log in
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner
- Click Settings & Privacy > Settings
- In the left menu, click Privacy then Your Facebook Information
- Click Deactivation and deletion
- Select Deactivate account and click Continue to account deactivation
- Enter your password and confirm
How to Temporarily Deactivate Facebook
When you deactivate Facebook, it’s always temporary by default. Your account remains deactivated until you choose to reactivate it. There’s no time limit — you can stay deactivated for days, weeks, months or even years.
To reactivate, simply log back into Facebook with your email and password. Your profile, friends, photos and posts will all be restored exactly as you left them.
What Happens When You Deactivate Facebook?
When you deactivate your Facebook account:
- Your profile disappears from Facebook — nobody can find or view it
- Your name is removed from most things you’ve shared
- People can’t tag you or invite you to events or groups
- You keep Messenger access — your friends can still message you
- Your data is preserved — nothing is deleted
- Any Facebook Login integrations with other apps may stop working
How to Deactivate Facebook Messenger
Deactivating Facebook doesn’t automatically deactivate Messenger. If you want to deactivate Messenger as well:
- Open the Messenger app
- Tap your profile picture in the top left
- Tap Account settings
- Tap Personal and account information
- Tap Account ownership and control
- Tap Deactivation and deletion
- Select Deactivate Messenger
Note: You must deactivate your Facebook account first before you can deactivate Messenger.
Deactivate vs Delete Facebook — What’s the Difference?
Deactivating is temporary and reversible. Your data is saved and you can come back anytime. Deleting is permanent — after a 30-day grace period, Facebook permanently removes all your data, photos, posts and account information.
If you’re unsure, start with deactivation. You can always permanently delete your account later if you decide you won’t return.
Common Issues When Deactivating Facebook
Can’t find the deactivation option? Facebook occasionally moves settings around. If the steps above don’t match exactly, go to Settings > search for “deactivate” in the search bar at the top of the Settings page.
Facebook keeps reactivating? If you log into any app using Facebook Login, it will reactivate your account. Make sure to disconnect Facebook Login from third-party apps before deactivating.
Need more help? Visit our guide to contacting Facebook UK support for additional assistance.