Delete a Facebook story in three steps

To remove a story you posted on Facebook, open the Facebook app or website, find your story in the Stories section at the top of your feed, tap or click the three dots in the corner of your story thumbnail, and select "Delete." The story disappears immediately and is no longer visible to anyone. You can delete a story at any time — whether it was posted five minutes ago or several hours ago.

Facebook stories vanish on their own after 24 hours, but you do not have to wait. Deleting manually gives you control over what appears on your profile right now, which matters if you change your mind about something you posted, want to remove a photo before certain people see it, or simply prefer not to have that story live anymore.

Key Takeaways

  • Stories delete immediately when you select the delete option — they do not stay visible while processing.
  • You can delete your own stories anytime, but you cannot delete stories other people posted to your profile without removing them as a friend or blocking them.
  • Deleting a story removes it from the Stories section at the top of your feed and from your profile, but does not affect posts you made to your timeline.
  • If you want to hide a story from specific people without deleting it entirely, you can adjust privacy settings before posting.

Delete a story on the Facebook mobile app

Open the Facebook app and look at the top of your feed where story thumbnails appear in a row. Find your own story — it will have your profile picture and name. Tap and hold on your story thumbnail, or tap the three dots that appear in the corner of the thumbnail.

A menu will pop up with options including "Delete." Tap "Delete" and confirm when Facebook asks if you are sure. The story is gone immediately. If you do not see the three dots right away, try tapping the story thumbnail once — the menu should appear.

Delete a story on Facebook.com

Go to Facebook.com and log in. Look at the top of your feed for the Stories section showing thumbnail images in a row. Hover your mouse over your own story thumbnail until three dots appear in the upper right corner of that thumbnail.

Click the three dots and select "Delete" from the menu. Facebook will ask you to confirm. Click "Delete" again and the story is removed. On desktop, the three dots are sometimes easier to spot if you move your mouse slowly across the thumbnail.

What happens when you delete a story

When you delete a story, it vanishes from the Stories section at the top of your feed and from your profile. Anyone who had not yet viewed it will not see it. Anyone who already viewed it will not see it again, and they cannot go back to look at it.

Deleting a story does not affect your timeline posts, your photos, or anything else on your profile. It only removes that specific story. If you posted the same photo or video to your timeline as a regular post instead of a story, that post stays up unless you delete it separately.

Removing stories other people posted to your profile

If someone else posted a story to your profile and you want it gone, you cannot delete it the same way you delete your own stories. Instead, you have two options: you can remove the person as a friend, or you can block them. Either action will remove their story from your profile.

To remove someone as a friend, go to your friends list, find their name, click the three dots next to their name, and select "Remove Friend." To block someone, go to their profile, click the three dots at the top, and select "Block." Blocking is stronger — they cannot see your profile, message you, or find you in search. Removing as a friend is gentler if you just want their story off your profile but do not want to fully block them.

Stories versus timeline posts

Stories and timeline posts are different things on Facebook. A story appears at the top of your feed in a row of thumbnails and disappears after 24 hours (or when you delete it). A timeline post appears on your profile and stays there until you delete it. Many people post the same photo or video to both places, which can be confusing.

If you delete a story, your timeline post with the same photo stays up. If you delete a timeline post, your story stays up. You have to delete them separately. Check both places if you want to remove something completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a story after 24 hours?

No. Stories vanish automatically after 24 hours, so there is nothing to delete after that point. If you want to remove a story before the 24 hours are up, delete it while it is still live. Once it expires, it is already gone.

Do people get notified when I delete a story?

No. Facebook does not send notifications when you delete a story. People who saw it before you deleted it will not be told that you removed it. They simply cannot view it again.

What if I accidentally deleted a story I wanted to keep?

Facebook does not have an undo button for deleted stories. Once you delete a story, it is gone for good. If you have the original photo or video file on your phone or computer, you can post it again as a new story, but the old story cannot be recovered.

Can I delete just one person's view of my story?

No. When you delete a story, it disappears for everyone. You cannot remove it from one person's view while keeping it visible to others. If you want to control who sees a story before posting it, adjust the privacy settings when you create the story — you can choose to share it with everyone, friends only, or specific people.

Is there a way to hide a story without deleting it?

Not after you post it. Once a story is live, your only options are to delete it or let it run for 24 hours. However, before you post a story, you can click the privacy icon and choose who sees it — friends only, specific friends, or public. This gives you control without having to delete later.