How to Delete a Linked Facebook Page

Thinking about deleting a linked Facebook Page? Whether it's tied to an old project, a duplicate you didn't mean to create, or a brand that no longer exists, the process itself is straightforward. But before you hit that final confirmation, it’s worth knowing exactly what happens and how to prepare. This guide will walk you through unlinking, backing up, and permanently removing your Facebook Page the right way.

Before You Delete: Important Things to Consider

Once a Facebook Page is deleted, it’s gone for good. There’s a short window to change your mind, but after that, there’s no getting it back. Taking a few precautionary steps can save you from future headaches and unintended data loss.

Understand the Difference: Deactivating vs. Deleting

First, be certain that deletion is what you want. Facebook gives you two options with very different outcomes:

• Deactivating a Page: This is a temporary measure. Your Page name, photos, videos, and content will be hidden from the public, but it all still exists. As an admin, you can reactivate it at any time, and everything will be restored exactly as it was. It's a great option if you think you might want to bring the business or project back in the future. Nobody else can see or find the Page while it's deactivated.
• Deleting a Page: This is permanent. Once you request deletion and the 30-day grace period passes, your Page and all its content are gone forever. You won't be able to reactivate it, and you'll lose all your accumulated followers, posts, photos, and engagement history. Choose this option only if you are 100% sure you will never need the Page or its contents again.

Backup Your Content First (Highly Recommended)

You’ve spent time and effort creating content for your Page. Don’t let it all disappear without a trace. Facebook allows you to download a complete copy of your Page information. This backup can include:

• Posts you've shared
• Photos and videos you've uploaded
• Page profile information
• Messages and other activity data

Making a backup is simple. Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to the Page you want to back up.
2. In the top right, switch into your Page's profile if you aren't already.
3. Click your profile picture, then select Settings &, privacy >, Settings.
4. In the left menu, click Privacy, then select Facebook Page Information.
5. Next to Download Page Information, click View.
6. You can choose a date range and the quality of media to download. We recommend selecting "All time" to get a full archive.
7. Click Request a download. Meta will compile your information into a file and notify you when it's ready. This can take a little while depending on how much content you have.

Once the download is complete, store the file in a safe place. Now, if you ever need to access an old photo or post, you'll have a personal copy.

Notify Your Followers

If you have an active community, disappearing without a word can be confusing. It's good practice to let your audience know about the change. A few weeks before you plan to delete the Page, create a pinned post at the top of your feed.

Let them know the Page will be shutting down and, more importantly, where they can find you now. Direct them to your new Facebook Page, your website, another social media profile, or your email newsletter. This small act of communication shows respect for the community you built and helps retain your audience across your other platforms.

Unlinking Your Page Before Deletion

The term "linked Page" most often refers to its connection with an Instagram account or a Meta Business Suite account. Severing these connections before deleting the page prevents potential issues down the line, especially if you plan to link that Instagram account to a new Facebook Page.

How to Unlink Your Page from Instagram

If your Facebook Page is connected to your Instagram account, separating them is a quick process through a feature called Accounts Center.

1. Open the Instagram app on your phone. Go to your profile page.
2. Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner and go to Settings and privacy.
3. Tap on Accounts Center at the very top.
4. Under Account settings, find and tap on Accounts.
5. You'll see a list of the profiles you manage. Find the Facebook Page you intend to delete and tap the Remove button next to it.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm the removal. Your Instagram is now a standalone account, ready to be linked to a different page if you wish.

Removing Your Page from Meta Business Suite

If your Page is an asset within a larger Meta Business Account, you need the right permissions to remove it. You must be an admin of the Business Account. Deleting a Page managed by a business removes it from Meta’s business tools, separating it from shared ad accounts, pixels, and other assets.

Here’s what to do:

1. Go to Meta Business Suite.
2. Click the Settings gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the sidebar.
3. Navigate to Business settings.
4. Under the Accounts dropdown, select Pages.
5. Find the Page you want to remove from the list and select it.
6. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right of the page details pane and choose Remove from Business Account.

Important Note: A Page cannot be removed if it's the primary Page for the Business Account. If that's the case, you'll first need to assign another Page as the primary one or, alternatively, delete the entire Business Account if it and all its assets are no longer needed.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting a Facebook Page

Meta has two different layouts for Facebook Pages: the New Pages Experience and Classic Pages. The method is slightly different for each, so we'll cover both.

Deleting a Page (New Pages Experience)

Most pages have been migrated to this modern layout, where a Page functions almost like a separate personal profile.

1. From your personal profile, click your profile picture in the top-right and switch to the Page profile you want to delete.
2. Once you're managing the Page, click its profile picture again in the top-right.
3. Select Settings &, privacy, then click Settings.
4. In the left navigation menu, click Privacy, then select Facebook Page Information.
5. Find the "Deactivation and Deletion" line item and click View on the right.
6. Choose Delete Page (make sure you don't accidentally select "Deactivate Page").
7. Click Continue. You may be prompted to download your information one last time.
8. Facebook will ask for your password to confirm that you are the legitimate owner. Enter it and click Continue to finalize the deletion request.

Deleting a Page (Classic Pages Experience)

If your page still has the older layout, the steps are a bit different but just as simple.

1. Go to your classic Facebook Page.
2. On the management menu on the left side of the screen, scroll down and click on Settings.
3. You'll be on the General tab by default. Scroll all the way to the bottom until you see a section called Remove Page.
4. Click the Edit link next to "Permanently delete [Your Page Name]".
5. Click the blue link that says Permanently delete [Your Page Name].
6. A confirmation window will pop up. Click Delete to confirm.

What Happens After You Click "Delete"?

You’ve followed the steps, confirmed your password, and told Facebook you’re ready to let go. What happens now? Your screenwriting dreams probably didn't include "dramatic pause," but Facebook has it built in anyway.

The 30-Day Grace Period

Facebook doesn't permanently delete your Page right away. Instead, it enters a 30-day deactivation and pending deletion period. During this month:

• Your Page will be unpublished and invisible to the public.
• Your name and profile photo will no longer show up in places like page likes or comments you've made as the Page.
• You have the option to cancel the deletion at any point.

To cancel the deletion, simply log into Facebook, go to your Page's settings, and find the option to "Cancel Deletion." This will reactivate your Page immediately, and nothing will be lost.

After 30 Days: It's Gone for Good

Once those 30 days are up, the action becomes irreversible. The Page and all of its content - posts, photos, videos, stories, and your entire follower list - will be permanently wiped from Facebook’s servers. The unique username (@handle) you had will become available for others to claim. There is no support channel or magic button that can recover a Page once it's been officially deleted.

Troubleshooting Common Deletion Issues

Sometimes you can run into a wall when trying to delete a page. Here are a couple of common problems and their solutions:

• I don't see the "Delete Page" option. The most common reason is a permissions issue. You must be an Admin of the page to delete it. Editors, Moderators, and other roles do not have deletion privileges. Check your Page Roles to confirm your access level.
• The Page is part of a larger Business Account. As mentioned earlier, if the page is deeply integrated into a Meta Business Suite or Business Manager, you may need to disconnect it from certain assets (like ad accounts) or remove it from the Business Account before you can proceed with deletion. To perform these actions, you must be a Business Account Admin.

For additional details on managing Facebook Business Accounts, you can check out resources like How to Access Facebook Business Manager.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning up your digital life by deleting an old or unneeded Facebook Page can make managing your brand much simpler. By following the right steps to unlink assets, back up your valuable content, and notify your audience, you can make the process smooth and professional. The final deletion itself is permanent, so it’s always smart to take your time and be thorough with the prep work.

For the pages you're keeping, managing them all shouldn't be a source of stress. The reason our team at Postbase built our social media management platform was to fight that exact complexity. We focused on a clean visual calendar and a single inbox for all your comments and DMs, so you can see your entire strategy and engage with your community without having to jump between tabs. Deleting an old Page streamlines your focus, and we built our tool to help streamline the rest of your social media workflow.