It’s one thing to want to delete your account; it’s quite another to actually be able to do so. Social media platforms make money from you and your information, so it’s not surprising that they don’t want to let you go. As a result, the largest networks have made it exceedingly difficult to delete your account. But if you’re determined to get rid of them, here’s what you’ll need to do.
You’ve had your Facebook account for a long time, and perhaps you’ve shared a little too much personal information in that time. Perhaps you are perplexed by the company’s rebranding as Meta, or you have concerns about the ethics of using the service at all. In any case, you’ve had enough.
If you’ve ever deactivated your account, you’ve probably noticed that everything returns to normal the next time you log in, as if nothing happened. This is due to the fact that deactivating your Facebook account is not the same as deleting it. When you deactivate your account, you are simply concealing your information from searches and Facebook friends. Despite the fact that nothing is visible on the site, your account information is still intact on Facebook’s servers, waiting for your return.
Even so, deactivating your account remains a difficult process. Navigate to your settings and select Settings and Privacy. Then select Your Facebook Data. Then, under Deactivation and Deletion, select Deactivate Account. Finally, click Continue to Account Deactivation and then follow the onscreen instructions.
To permanently delete your account, you must first locate the delete option. Choose Delete Account from the same Deactivation and Deletion menu as before, then click Continue to Account Deletion. Enter your password, then click Continue, followed by Delete Account. It’s important to note that the deletion of all your data and information will take a few days.
If you want to delete your account but don’t want to lose all of your account information, make a backup of all of your important data first. Everything from the photos and status updates you post to the ads you’ve clicked and the IP addresses you’ve used is available for download. The list of what’s included is lengthy, but you can see it all here. Also, because of the sensitive nature of this information, you should keep it in a secure location.
Go to Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information to download your account. When your download is complete, Facebook will send you an email with a download link. This link will expire in a few days for added security, so download it as soon as possible.
Browsing through Instagram’s settings will only give you the option to disable your account temporarily. When you disable your account, your profile, photos, likes, and comments will be removed from the platform. Click the person icon in the top right corner and select Settings to find the disable option. You’ll find the option to temporarily disable your account at the bottom of the page.
To permanently remove it, type the following URL into your browser’s address bar: https://instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent. Once there, enter your password and click Permanently Delete My Account.
Instagram users have previously reported being prompted to enter their phone number when deleting their account. Fortunately, it appears that this is no longer necessary.
You may want to download your archive before deleting your Twitter account. This displays all of your tweets in chronological order, which is useful if you want to relive your first tweet or see all of the unanswered tweets you sent to celebrities. To download your archive, go to your profile icon, then Settings and privacy, Your account, and Download an archive of your data. You can then enter your password to download all of your data.
You can delete your account after you have downloaded your copy. Deactivate your account is a section on the same Twitter page where you can download your data. You will be asked to select a reactivation period of 30 days or 12 months. Your password is required to begin the deactivation process after clicking Deactivate at the bottom of the page.
Keep in mind that your data will not be deleted for at least another 30 days. If you want, you can choose to reactivate your account in this window. When the reactivation period expires, Twitter will begin the process of deleting your account. According to the company’s Privacy Policy, this may take a few weeks, and certain information will be kept.
Snapchat
Perhaps you’re tired of seeing who’s best friends with whom according to the app’s Friend Emoji guide. Despite Snapchat’s radically different function, you may be one of many Snapchat users who have switched to Instagram or TikTok. In any case, here’s how you can delete your Snapchat account.
Outside of the mobile app, use a web browser to access the company’s Accounts Portal and enter the username and password for the account you want to delete. It will be deactivated for 30 days before being permanently deleted.
Fortunately, deleting your WhatsApp account is simpler than it is on some of Meta’s other platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.
Open the app and go to the bottom right corner and select Settings. Choose Account, then confirm your phone number before clicking Delete My Account. Users who reactivate WhatsApp at a later date will be unable to retrieve their data.
