Delete a Reel you posted yourself
To remove a Reel you created and posted, open Facebook and go to your profile. Find the Reel in your timeline or in the Reels section of your profile, then tap or click the three dots in the top right corner of the post. A menu will appear with several options.
Select Delete from that menu. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap or click Delete again. The Reel is now gone from your profile and your followers' feeds. The video file stays on your device; only the post itself is removed from Facebook.
If you cannot find the three dots, make sure you are looking at a post you created. You can only delete your own Reels — you cannot delete Reels posted by other people, though you can report them if they break Facebook's rules.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete your own Reels by tapping the three dots on the post and selecting Delete, then confirming the action.
- Deleting a Reel removes it from your profile and your followers' feeds, but the video file remains on your device.
- You cannot delete Reels posted by other people, but you can report them if they violate Facebook's community standards.
- On mobile, the three-dot menu appears in the top right corner of the Reel; on desktop, look for it in the same location.
- Once deleted, a Reel cannot be recovered — Facebook does not keep a trash folder for deleted posts.
Finding the delete option on mobile
On an iPhone or Android phone, open the Facebook app and navigate to your profile by tapping your name at the bottom of the screen. Scroll through your timeline until you see the Reel you want to remove. Look at the top right corner of the Reel post — you will see three vertical dots stacked on top of each other.
Tap those three dots. A menu slides up from the bottom of your screen with options including Delete. Tap Delete, and Facebook shows a confirmation message asking if you are sure. Tap Delete one more time to finish. The Reel disappears immediately.
If the three dots do not appear, try refreshing your feed by pulling down from the top of the screen. Sometimes the menu takes a moment to load. If you still cannot see it, make sure you are logged into the account that posted the Reel — you can only delete your own posts.
Finding the delete option on desktop
On a computer, log into Facebook and click your name in the top navigation bar to go to your profile. Scroll down your timeline to locate the Reel. Hover your mouse over the Reel post, and the three dots will appear in the top right corner of the post box.
Click the three dots to open a dropdown menu. Click Delete from the list. A dialog box appears asking you to confirm. Click Delete again, and the Reel is removed from your profile and feeds.
On desktop, the menu sometimes appears only when you hover over the post. If you do not see the three dots, move your mouse slowly over different parts of the Reel until the menu appears. The three dots are always in the top right corner of the post container.
What happens after you delete a Reel
Once you delete a Reel, it is gone from your profile, your followers' feeds, and Facebook's public search. Any likes, comments, or shares that Reel had are also removed. People who saw the Reel before you deleted it may still remember it, but they cannot access it through Facebook anymore.
If someone shared your Reel to their own profile before you deleted it, that shared version may still exist on their profile. You cannot delete posts on other people's profiles. If you want that removed, you can contact the person and ask them to delete it themselves, or you can report it to Facebook if it violates community standards.
Deleting a Reel is permanent — Facebook does not keep deleted posts in a trash folder or recovery area. If you change your mind later, you would need to re-record and re-post the video. For this reason, consider downloading a copy of the video to your device before deleting it from Facebook if you might want it later.
Deleting a Reel you do not want others to see
If a Reel contains personal information, an embarrassing moment, or content you no longer want public, deletion is the fastest way to remove it. Unlike making a post private, which only hides it from certain people, deletion removes it completely from Facebook.
You do not need to wait for people to stop viewing it or for comments to stop coming in — you can delete it at any time. The moment you confirm the deletion, the Reel stops appearing in feeds and search results. This is useful if you posted something by mistake, changed your mind about sharing it, or want to clean up your profile.
If you cannot find the delete option
If the three-dot menu does not appear on your Reel, first check that you are logged into the correct account. You can only delete posts you created yourself. If you are on the right account and still cannot see the menu, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the Facebook app.
On mobile, make sure you are using the official Facebook app, not Facebook Lite or a web browser. On desktop, try a different web browser — sometimes menu options fail to load in older browser versions. If the problem continues, log out of Facebook, clear your browser cache, and log back in.
If you see a Reel on your profile that you did not post and cannot delete, it may have been posted by someone else who has access to your account, or it may be a shared post. Shared posts show the original poster's name and can only be deleted by that person or by removing the share from your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a Reel someone else posted?
No, you can only delete Reels you posted yourself. If a Reel on your profile was posted by someone else, only that person can delete it. You can ask them to remove it, or you can remove the shared version from your own profile without deleting the original.
Will people know I deleted my Reel?
Facebook does not send a notification to your followers when you delete a post. However, people who were watching or engaging with the Reel will notice it is gone if they try to find it again. There is no way to delete a Reel secretly — it simply stops appearing.
Can I recover a Reel after I delete it?
No, deleted Reels cannot be recovered through Facebook. If you want the video back, you need the original file on your device. This is why it is a good idea to keep a copy of videos you post before uploading them to Facebook.
What if I only want to hide a Reel instead of deleting it?
Instead of deleting, you can change who sees a Reel by editing its privacy settings. Tap the three dots, select Edit privacy, and choose who can view it — only you, friends, or public. This keeps the Reel on your profile but limits who sees it in their feed.
Does deleting a Reel affect my other posts?
No, deleting one Reel does not affect any other posts on your profile. Each post is separate, and removing one has no impact on your other content, your follower count, or your account status.