Facebook offers two ways to stop using your page: you can temporarily hide it or permanently delete it

A temporary deactivation hides your page from the public but keeps all your content, followers, and settings saved. You can reactivate it anytime by logging back in. A permanent deletion removes the page entirely after 30 days — during that month, you can cancel the deletion if you change your mind, but after 30 days, everything is gone for good.

Most people choose deactivation if they might return to Facebook later, or deletion if they want a clean break. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you manage the page from a computer or phone, and whether you are the sole admin or one of several.

Key Takeaways

  • Deactivating your page hides it immediately but preserves everything; you can reactivate anytime by logging in.
  • Deleting your page removes it permanently after 30 days, during which you can cancel the deletion.
  • You must be an admin with full control to deactivate or delete a page; if others manage it, you may only be able to remove yourself.
  • On a computer, both options are in Settings under the Tools section; on a phone, they are in the menu at the bottom of the page.
  • After deletion, any content you posted to that page cannot be recovered, but your personal Facebook account remains separate and unaffected.

How to deactivate your page on a computer

Open your Facebook page in a web browser and click the Settings icon (a gear or three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left sidebar, scroll down and click Tools. Look for the option labeled Deactivate page and click it.

Facebook will ask you to confirm and may offer reasons to keep the page active. You can skip these and proceed to deactivation. Once confirmed, your page disappears from public view immediately. Your followers will no longer see it in search results or their feeds, but the page data stays in Facebook's system.

How to deactivate your page on a phone

Open the Facebook app and navigate to your page. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Tools and look for Deactivate page. Tap it and confirm when prompted.

The process is the same whether you use iPhone or Android. Your page will be hidden from public view within seconds, and you will receive a confirmation message.

How to permanently delete your page on a computer

Go to your page Settings, then Tools, and look for Delete page (not deactivate). Click it and read the warning carefully — Facebook will tell you that deletion is permanent and that you have 30 days to change your mind. Click Delete page again to confirm.

Your page will be removed from public view immediately, but it will not be fully erased from Facebook's servers for 30 days. During this window, you can undo the deletion by logging into your account and reactivating the page. After 30 days, the page and all its content — posts, photos, comments, followers list — are gone permanently.

How to permanently delete your page on a phone

Open the Facebook app, go to your page, and tap the menu icon at the bottom right. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Tools and select Delete page. Read the confirmation message and tap Delete page again to proceed.

The 30-day recovery window applies on mobile just as it does on desktop. If you delete by mistake, you have until day 30 to undo it through the same menu.

What happens if you are not the only admin

If other people have admin access to your page, you cannot deactivate or delete it unless you are the page creator or have been granted full administrative rights. Instead, you will see an option to Remove yourself as admin. Click or tap this option, and you will be removed from the page immediately.

The page will continue to exist under the other admins' control. If you want the page deleted entirely, you will need to contact the other admins and ask them to do it, or ask them to transfer full ownership to you first.

What you should know before deleting

Deleting a Facebook page does not delete your personal Facebook account. Your profile, friends list, and personal posts remain untouched. However, any content you posted directly to the page — status updates, photos, videos, comments — will be permanently lost after the 30-day window closes.

If you have important photos or posts from the page, download them before you delete. You can do this by going to your page, clicking the menu, selecting Download your information, and choosing the date range and content types you want to save. Facebook will prepare a file for you to download within a few days.

How to undo a deletion within the 30-day window

If you delete your page and then change your mind, log into your personal Facebook account within 30 days. Go to your page (it may appear in your pages list as "Deleted"), click the menu, and select Restore page or Undo deletion. Your page will return to its previous state with all followers and content intact.

After 30 days have passed, this option will no longer appear, and the page cannot be recovered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting my Facebook page delete my personal account too?

No. Your Facebook page and personal account are separate. Deleting the page only removes the business or community page you created. Your personal profile, messages, and friends list stay active unless you separately delete your account.

Can I download my page content before I delete it?

Yes. Go to your page menu, select Download your information, and choose the content and date range you want. Facebook will prepare a file containing your posts, photos, and comments. This process takes a few days, so start it before you delete the page.

What if I deactivate my page but want to use it again later?

Simply log into your Facebook account and navigate to your pages. Click on the deactivated page, and you will see an option to reactivate it. Your followers, posts, and settings will be exactly as you left them. There is no time limit on reactivation.

Can someone else take over my page if I delete it?

No. Once you delete a page, no one can claim it or recreate it under the same name for a set period. However, if you only deactivate it, other admins can still manage it. If you want to prevent others from using the page, deletion is the only option.

Does Facebook keep my deleted page data?

Facebook keeps your page data on its servers for 30 days after deletion, which is why you can restore it during that window. After 30 days, the data is removed from the system, though Facebook may retain anonymized or aggregated information for analytics purposes.