You can delete your Wattpad account through your account settings, and the deletion is permanent after 30 days

Wattpad gives you 30 days to change your mind after you request deletion. During those 30 days, your account is hidden from public view, but you can still log in and cancel the deletion if you want to keep it. After 30 days pass, Wattpad permanently removes your account, your stories, your reading history, and your profile. The process itself takes just a few minutes.

You'll need to be logged into your account to start the deletion. If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it through the login page before you proceed. Wattpad won't delete your account if you contact them by email or through any other method — the deletion must come from your account settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Account deletion happens through your settings on the Wattpad website or app, not through customer support.
  • Your account enters a 30-day waiting period after you request deletion, during which your profile and stories are hidden but your account can still be restored.
  • After 30 days, Wattpad permanently removes your account, all your stories, messages, and reading history with no way to recover them.
  • If you only want to hide your profile temporarily or remove specific stories, you have options that don't require full account deletion.

Steps to delete your account on the website

Open Wattpad in a web browser and log in if you're not already signed in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner of the page. From the dropdown menu, select "Settings." On the Settings page, scroll down until you see a section labeled "Account" or "Danger Zone" — the exact label varies depending when Wattpad last updated the interface.

Look for the option that says "Delete Account" or "Deactivate Account." Click it. Wattpad will ask you to confirm your password again for security. Enter your password and click the confirmation button. You'll see a message telling you that your account will be deleted in 30 days and that you can undo this action by logging back in during that period.

Steps to delete your account on the mobile app

Open the Wattpad app and make sure you're logged in. Tap the profile icon at the bottom of the screen (usually in the bottom right corner). Tap the gear icon or "Settings" option. Scroll down to find "Account Settings" or a similar heading.

Look for "Delete Account" or "Deactivate Account" in the account settings menu. Tap it. The app will ask you to confirm your password. Enter it and tap the confirmation button. You'll receive the same 30-day waiting period message that appears on the website version.

What happens during the 30-day waiting period

During these 30 days, your profile page will not appear in search results and other users cannot find you or send you messages. Your stories remain hidden from the public. However, you can still log into your account and see all your content exactly as it was. If you change your mind, you can cancel the deletion by logging in and selecting an option to restore your account — the exact wording depends on the current version of Wattpad's interface.

If you do nothing during the 30 days, Wattpad will automatically complete the deletion. After that point, your username becomes available for someone else to use, and there is no way to recover your stories, messages, or reading history. Wattpad does not restore deleted accounts under any circumstances, even if you contact their support team.

Alternatives if you don't want full deletion

If you want to leave Wattpad but might return someday, you can deactivate your account instead of deleting it. Deactivation hides your profile and stories from public view, but Wattpad keeps your data on their servers. You can reactivate a deactivated account by logging back in — the process is instant. Some versions of Wattpad use "deactivate" and "delete" interchangeably in their menus, so read the description carefully to understand which action you're choosing.

You can also delete individual stories without deleting your entire account. Open each story you want to remove, find the story settings or options menu, and select delete. This leaves your account active but removes specific content. If you want to keep your account but hide your profile from other users, look for a privacy setting that lets you make your profile private rather than public.

What data gets removed and what doesn't

When your account is permanently deleted, Wattpad removes your profile, all stories you wrote, your reading list, your library, your messages, and your follower and following lists. Your username becomes available for someone else to register. Any comments you left on other people's stories may remain visible, though they will no longer be linked to your profile.

Wattpad may retain some data for legal or technical reasons — for example, they may keep records of your account for fraud prevention or to comply with laws that require them to store certain information. However, this retained data is not accessible to you or other users. If you want to know exactly what data Wattpad keeps after deletion, you can contact their privacy team, though response times vary.

Troubleshooting if the delete button doesn't appear

If you cannot find the delete account option in your settings, you may be using an outdated version of the app. Update the Wattpad app through your device's app store and try again. On the website, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then log back in and check settings again.

Some accounts with active copyright disputes or ongoing legal issues may have deletion restricted. If you see a message saying you cannot delete your account, contact Wattpad's support team through their help center and explain your situation. They can tell you whether there are restrictions on your account and what you need to do to resolve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download my stories before I delete my account?

Wattpad does not have a built-in download feature for your own stories. You can copy and paste your story text into a document before deletion, or take screenshots of your work. Some users copy their stories to Google Docs or another cloud storage service as a backup before requesting account deletion.

What if I delete my account and then want to come back?

If you delete your account, you cannot recover your stories, reading history, or messages. You can create a new account with a different username, but your old content is gone permanently. This is why backing up your stories before deletion is important if you think you might want them later.

Will deleting my account remove my stories from other people's libraries?

Yes. When your account is deleted, your stories disappear from everyone's reading lists and libraries. Readers who had added your stories to their lists will see those stories vanish. They cannot access your work through Wattpad after your account is gone.

Does Wattpad notify other users when I delete my account?

Wattpad does not send notifications to your followers or people you follow when you delete your account. Your profile simply becomes unavailable. People who try to visit your profile will see an error or a message that the page no longer exists.

Can I delete my account if I have an active story with readers?

Yes, you can delete your account at any time, regardless of whether you have active stories or ongoing reader engagement. Your stories will disappear immediately from the public site during the 30-day waiting period, and permanently after that. There is no restriction based on story status or reader count.