You can delete a Facebook page in about five minutes, but Facebook keeps it for 14 days before it's gone for good
When you delete a Facebook page, the page and everything on it — posts, photos, comments, followers — disappears from public view immediately. However, Facebook holds the deleted page in a recovery state for 14 days. During those 14 days, you can restore it if you change your mind. After 14 days pass, the page is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
The deletion process is different from unpublishing a page. When you unpublish a page, it stays in your account but nobody can see it. When you delete a page, it's gone from your account entirely after the 14-day window closes. You'll need to be the page admin to delete it — regular members cannot delete a page someone else created.
Key Takeaways
- Only a page admin can delete a Facebook page, and the deletion takes effect immediately but can be undone within 14 days.
- You access the delete option through the page settings menu, not through your personal profile or the main Facebook menu.
- Facebook will ask you to confirm the deletion and may show you information about followers or pending messages before you proceed.
- After 14 days, the page is permanently gone and cannot be restored, so make sure you have downloaded any content you want to keep first.
How to delete your Facebook page in four steps
Start by going to your Facebook page — the one you want to delete. Make sure you're logged in as an admin. At the top right of the page, you'll see a gear icon or a menu button (three horizontal lines). Click it.
From the dropdown menu, look for "Settings and privacy" or just "Settings." Click that option. You'll be taken to a settings page with several tabs on the left side. Look for the tab labeled "General" or scroll down until you see a section called "Deactivation and deletion" or "Remove page." Click on that section.
You'll see an option that says "Delete page" or "Permanently delete page." Click it. Facebook will show you a confirmation screen that lists information about your page — how many followers it has, whether there are pending messages, and how long the recovery window lasts. Read through this information to make sure you're deleting the right page.
Click the final "Delete" button to confirm. Facebook will ask you to enter your password to verify your identity. Type your password and click "Confirm." The page is now deleted and will be removed from public view immediately. You have 14 days to restore it if you need to.
What happens to your page during the 14-day recovery period
During the 14 days after deletion, your page is invisible to the public and to your followers. Nobody can find it, visit it, or see any of its content. However, the page still exists in Facebook's system, and you can restore it completely if you log back into your account and navigate to your pages list.
To restore a deleted page during this window, go to your Pages list (usually found under the menu on the left side of Facebook), and look for a section showing deleted pages. You should see your deleted page listed there with an option to restore it. Click "Restore" and the page will be back online with all its original content, followers, and settings intact.
After 14 days have passed, the page is permanently deleted. Facebook removes it from their servers, and there is no way to recover it. This is why it's important to download any content you want to keep — photos, posts, or documents — before you delete the page.
Download your page content before deletion
If your page contains photos, videos, or posts you want to keep, download them before you delete the page. Facebook offers a tool called "Download Your Information" that lets you save a copy of page content to your computer.
To use this tool, go to your page settings and look for "Download your information" or "Download page data." Click it. Facebook will prepare a file containing all the posts, photos, and comments from your page. This process can take a few minutes to several hours depending on how much content is on the page. Facebook will send you a notification when the file is ready, and you can then download it to your computer as a ZIP file.
Once you have downloaded the file, you can delete the page without worrying about losing content. The ZIP file will contain everything in a format you can open and review on your own computer.
Reasons you might not be able to delete your page
If you're not the page admin, you cannot delete the page. Only admins have this permission. If you're a regular member or editor, you'll need to ask the page admin to delete it, or ask them to make you an admin first.
If your page is linked to a Facebook Shop or a business account, you may need to remove those connections before you can delete the page. Go to your page settings and look for any active integrations or connected services. Disconnect them first, then try deleting the page again.
Some pages have restrictions if they're involved in an active dispute or if Facebook has flagged them for violating community standards. In these cases, you may not be able to delete the page until the issue is resolved. Contact Facebook Support through the Help Center if you're stuck.
The difference between deleting and unpublishing a page
Unpublishing a page is different from deleting it. When you unpublish a page, it stays in your account but becomes invisible to the public. You can still access it, edit it, and republish it whenever you want. Unpublishing is useful if you want to pause a page temporarily without losing all the work you put into it.
To unpublish instead of delete, go to your page settings, find the section for "Page visibility" or "Publish page," and toggle the option to unpublish. The page will immediately become private and only you (and other admins) can see it. The page will not appear in search results, and followers cannot access it.
Deleting is permanent after 14 days, while unpublishing is reversible at any time. Choose unpublishing if you might want to use the page again in the future, and choose deleting if you're certain you no longer need it.
What to tell your followers before you delete
If your page has followers or regular visitors, consider posting a final message before you delete it. Let people know the page is closing and provide any alternative ways they can stay in touch — a new page, a website, an email list, or another social media account.
Post this message a few days before you plan to delete the page so followers have time to see it and save any information they need. You can also pin the post to the top of your page so it's the first thing people see when they visit.
After you delete the page, followers will no longer be able to find it or access any of its content. If you're moving to a new page, make sure to share that information clearly so people know where to find you next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a Facebook page if I'm not the original creator?
No. Only page admins can delete a page. If you're not an admin, ask the person who created the page to make you an admin first, or ask them to delete it directly. If the original creator is no longer available, you may need to contact Facebook Support for help.
What happens to my followers when I delete the page?
Your followers will no longer be able to access the page or see any of its content. They won't receive a notification that the page was deleted, but they'll notice it's gone if they try to visit it. This is why it's helpful to post a final message before deletion.
Can I restore a page after the 14-day recovery period ends?
No. After 14 days, the page is permanently deleted and cannot be restored. Make sure you download any content you want to keep before the 14-day window closes.
Do I need to delete my personal Facebook account to delete a page I created?
No. Deleting a page and deleting your personal account are separate actions. You can delete a page without affecting your personal account. Your personal profile will remain active.
Will deleting my page affect my other Facebook pages?
No. Each page is independent. Deleting one page will not affect any other pages you manage or any content on your personal profile.