How do you turn off your facebook

• You can deactivate or delete your Facebook account in the Settings tab.
• Deactivating a Facebook account is temporary, while deleting a Facebook account is permanent.
• When you deactivate Facebook, people will not be able to see your timeline or find your account.

If you need a temporary or permanent break from Facebook, there are options beyond simply logging out of your account. You can deactivate or delete your Facebook account in the settings section of the social media platform in just a few clicks. 

Deactivating Facebook will hide your timeline and account from anyone trying to view it. You can reactivate it at any time by logging back in, and all your data will be preserved.

But if you're planning on permanently deleting Facebook, saving your personal information like photos and status updates before deleting your account for good is important, since it will be erased.

Here's what you need to deactivate or delete your Facebook account, and what you should know when doing either.

How to temporarily deactivate a Facebook account 

1. On Facebook, click the down arrow at the top-right of the screen.
2. Click Settings & privacy, then Settings.

3. Go to the Your Facebook Information tab.
4. Click Deactivation and deletion.

5. Click the circle next to Deactivate account, then Continue to account deactivation. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm deactivation.

Deactivating your Facebook account means you can't access your photos, videos, friends, and groups — and no one will be able to see your timeline — until you reactivate the account.

You can reactivate your account at any time by simply logging back into Facebook. Log back into Facebook using your previous email address or mobile number.

How to delete a Facebook account 

1. On Facebook, click the down arrow at the top-right of the screen.

2. Click Settings & privacy, then Settings.

3. Go to the Your Facebook Information tab and click Deactivation and deletion.

4. Click the circle next to Delete account, then Continue to account deletion.

Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a contributing writer for Insider based in New York. She loves a good glazed donut and nerdy deep dives into the science of food and how it's made. 

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Lesson 9: Deactivating Your Facebook Account

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Deactivating your Facebook account

If you decide that you no longer want to use Facebook, it's easy to deactivate your account. When you deactivate your account, you're hiding all of your information on Facebook. No one will be able to contact you on Facebook or view the things you've shared, including your Timeline, status updates, and photos. If you decide that you'd like to return to Facebook, you'll still be able to reactivate your account and recover your old information.

To deactivate your account:

1. Click the drop-down arrow on the toolbar, then select Settings.
   

2. The Settings page will appear. Click Manage Account.
   

3. Click Deactivate your account.
   

4. Select a reason for deactivating the account. If you want, you can add more details in the text box below. When you're done, click Deactivate.
   

5. Select Deactivate Now.
   

6. Your account is now deactivated. You'll have the option to reactivate your account at any time by signing in to Facebook with your old account information.
   

Deleting your Facebook account

Deactivating your account does not fully delete it. When you deactivate your account, Facebook saves all of your settings, photos, and information in case you decide to reactivate your account. Your information isn't gone—it's just hidden. However, it is possible to delete your account permanently with no option for recovery.

You should only do this if you are absolutely sure you want to permanently delete your Facebook account.

To delete your Facebook account, follow this link to the Delete My Account page. If you'd like to save photos and posts from your account, click Download Info. Then click Delete Account.

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