How to Delete an Extra Facebook Profile

Having an extra Facebook profile can feel like having a digital twin you’ve lost control of - it causes confusion for friends, creates brand clutter, and can even be a security risk. If you’re ready to clean up your online presence and ditch that duplicate account for good, you've come to the right place. This guide will walk you through everything from backing up your data to the final click of the delete button.

Why You Should Delete That Extra Facebook Profile

Most duplicate profiles aren't created intentionally. Maybe you forgot your password years ago and found it easier to start fresh. Perhaps you created an account just to play a game or to keep certain friend groups separate. Whatever the reason, having more than one personal profile violates Facebook's terms of service and, more importantly, it complicates your life.

• It Confuses Your Connections: Friends and family get friend requests from an unfamiliar profile, wonder which one is the "real you," and might send messages or tags to the account you never check.
• It Dilutes Your Personal Brand: For professionals, entrepreneurs, or creators, an old, inactive, or unprofessional profile can pop up in searches, creating inconsistency and undermining the brand you're carefully building.
• It's a Security Blindspot: An old account you don't use is a perfect target for hackers. It likely has an old, weaker password and isn’t monitored by you for suspicious activity. If compromised, it can be used to impersonate you or scam your contacts.

Consolidating your presence down to one single, active profile simplifies everything. It makes you easier to find, protects your reputation, and closes a security loophole you might not have known existed.

First Things First: A Pre-Deletion Checklist

Hold on! Before you rush to delete the account, there are a few critical steps to take. Deleting a profile is permanent, and you don't want to accidentally lose precious memories or access to other apps. Run through this checklist to make sure you're covered.

1. Inform Your Friends and Move Them Over

If the old profile has friends who aren't connected with you on your main account, let them know what's happening. Post a final status update on the duplicate profile, something like:

"Hey everyone! Just a heads-up, I'm deleting this profile soon. I’m active over on my main account, so please add me there if we aren't already connected! [Link to your primary profile]"

Give it a few days for people to see the message before you proceed. This prevents anyone from thinking you’ve disappeared or blocked them.

2. Download Your Data

Think of this as packing up your digital house before moving out. Facebook allows you to download a copy of all your information, including photos, videos, posts, messages, and friend lists. Even if you don't think you need anything from the old account, it's better to have it than to wish you did later.

How to Download Your Facebook Information (Desktop):

1. Log into the Facebook profile you want to delete.
2. Click the downward arrow in the top-right corner and go to Settings & Privacy >, Settings.
3. In the left-hand menu, click on Your Facebook Information.
4. Find the option for Download Your Information and click View.
5. You can choose to download all of your data or select specific categories (like just photos). We recommend selecting a broad date range ("All time") and a high media quality.
6. Once you've made your selections, click Request a download.

Facebook will compile your file, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on how much data there is. You'll receive a notification when it's ready to download.

3. Check for Linked Apps and Logins

Over the years, you may have used Facebook to log in to dozens of other apps and services - Spotify, Airbnb, Ticketmaster, you name it. If you delete the Facebook profile you used for these logins, you could be locked out of those accounts forever.

Here’s how to check:

1. Go to Settings & Privacy >, Settings.
2. Scroll down the left menu and click on Apps and Websites.
3. You'll see a list of every app and website currently connected to this Facebook profile.
4. Go through this list one by one. For each service you still use, visit that app or website directly and switch your login method from Facebook to an email and password combination.

Do not skip this step! It is one of the most common causes of regret after deleting a profile.

4. Manage Page or Group Ownership

Are you the sole admin of any Facebook Pages or Groups with this extra profile? If so, you must transfer ownership before deleting the account. If you're the only admin and you delete your profile, the Page or Group will become "headless" - stuck without anyone to manage it, and you'll likely lose it for good.

To transfer Page ownership:

1. Go to the Facebook Page.
2. From the left menu, click Professional Dashboard.
3. Scroll down and click Page Access.
4. Click Add New and assign full control to your primary Facebook profile (or another trusted person). Your primary profile will need to accept the invitation.

To transfer Group ownership:

1. Go to the Facebook Group.
2. Click on the Members tab.
3. Find the person you want to make an admin (your primary profile, ideally) and click the three dots next to their name.
4. Select Make Admin. Once they are an admin, you can then make them the main owner if necessary.

Once you’ve transferred ownership of everything important, you can safely remove the duplicate profile as an admin.

Deactivation vs. Deletion: What's the Difference?

Facebook offers you two choices when getting rid of a profile: deactivating it or deleting it. It's smart to understand the distinction fully before you make your decision.

Deactivating Your Account (The Temporary Option)

Deactivating is like putting your account into hibernation. It’s a temporary, reversible move.

• Your profile, photos, posts, and timeline will be hidden from public view.
• Your name might still appear in friends' lists or messages you've sent.
• You will still be able to use Facebook Messenger.
• To reactivate, all you have to do is log back in.

Choose deactivation if: You think you might need the account again someday, or you just want to take a break from Facebook without losing everything.

Deleting Your Account (The Permanent Option)

Deleting is the nuclear option. It's permanent and, after a grace period, irreversible.

• Once deleted, you can never regain access to the account.
• All of your content - posts, photos, updates - will be permanently erased.
• You won't be able to use Messenger tied to that account.
• Facebook gives you a 30-day grace period. If you log in within 30 days of requesting deletion, the process will be canceled. After that, it’s gone for good.

Choose deletion if: You are absolutely certain you want to get rid of a duplicate profile and have no reason to access it ever again. This is typically the right choice for an extra, unwanted account.

Step-by-Step: How to Permanently Delete an Extra Facebook Account

You've done the prep work and you’re ready to go. Here’s a clear walkthrough for both desktop and mobile.

How to Delete on a Desktop Computer

1. Log into the duplicate profile you want to delete.
2. Click the downward arrow icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Settings & Privacy, then click on Settings.
4. In the top left menu, click Accounts Center.
5. Under "Account Settings", select Personal details.
6. Click on Account ownership and control.
7. Choose Deactivation or deletion.
8. Select the account you want to eliminate.
9. Choose Delete account (not Deactivate account) and click Continue.
10. Facebook will ask for your password one last time for security and show you some final warnings. Confirm your choice, and you’re done.

How to Delete on the Facebook Mobile App (iOS and Android)

1. Open the Facebook app and log into the profile you wish to delete.
2. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom-right corner (iOS) or top-right corner (Android).
3. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings.
4. Tap on Accounts Center at the very top.
5. Under "Account settings", tap on Personal details.
6. Tap Account ownership and control.
7. Tap Deactivation or deletion.
8. Select the correct profile you want to get rid of.
9. Make sure you select Delete account to permanently remove it, then tap Continue. Follow the final on-screen instructions and enter your password to confirm.

What Happens Next? The 30-Day Countdown

Once you confirm the deletion, your work is done, but Facebook’s isn’t. Here’s what happens behind the scenes:

• The 30-Day Grace Period: Facebook doesn't delete your account immediately. Instead, it places it in a scheduled deletion queue for 30 days. During this time, your account is effectively deactivated, it's invisible to others on the platform.
• Cancellation Is Easy (So Be Careful!): If you get cold feet or realize you forgot something, you can cancel the deletion simply by logging back into the account within those 30 days. Logging in automatically tells Facebook to halt the process. So, to ensure it gets deleted, resist the urge to log back in.
• After 30 Days: Once the grace period is over, your account and all associated data are permanently wiped from Facebook’s servers. It can take up to 90 days for all the data to be fully cleared from their backup systems, but at this point, the process is irreversible from your end. You won't be able to get it back.

Final Thoughts

Wiping out an old, extra Facebook profile is a fantastic way to clean up your digital footprint, eliminate confusion for your network, and tighten your online security. Just remember to run through the pre-deletion checklist before you hit the button to avoid losing important photos, messages, or access to other apps linked to that account.

Once you’ve streamlined your presence down to a single profile, managing it well is the next step to building a strong personal brand. We built Postbase to solve the chaos of modern social media management. It gives you a beautiful visual calendar to plan your content, a reliable scheduler for getting it published (especially for video), and a unified inbox for all your comments and DMs, all in one place - without feeling clunky or dated.