How to Delete a Facebook Company Page

Shutting down a Facebook Page is a big decision, but sometimes it's the right move for a brand that's pivoting, closing down, or just cleaning up its digital presence. This guide will walk you through every step of permanently deleting your Facebook Company Page, including the essential prep work and an overview of the difference between deleting and unpublishing.

Before You Hit 'Delete': A Pre-Deletion Checklist

Once a Facebook Page is gone, it's gone for good. Before you take that final step, it's smart to run through a quick checklist to make sure you've tied up all the loose ends and saved any valuable information. Taking 30 minutes to do this now can save you a ton of headaches later.

1. Let Your Followers Know What’s Happening

Your followers have chosen to engage with your brand, and dropping off the platform without a word can be a jarring experience. It's good practice and great for brand trust to post a final update before you go. This manages expectations and gives you a last chance to direct them to where you’ll be in the future.

Your message doesn't need to be long. Something simple and direct works best:

• "A big thank you to this amazing community! We're closing this Facebook Page on [Date]. To stay up-to-date with us, please follow us on Instagram @[YourInstagramHandle] or subscribe to our newsletter at [YourWebsite.com]."
• "We're shifting our social media focus! This Page will be shutting down in two weeks. You can find all our new content and updates on our new official page: [Link to New Facebook Page]."

Pin this post to the top of your Page for a week or two before you initiate the deletion process so everyone has a chance to see it.

2. Download a Copy of Your Page Information

Over the years, your Facebook Page has accumulated a massive amount of data: all your posts, photos, videos, messages, and engagement metrics. Deleting the page will erase all of this forever. Fortunately, Facebook provides a way to download a complete archive of your page data. This is useful for internal records, analyzing past performance, or repurposing old content on new platforms.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Switch to the Page you want to download.
2. Click your Page’s profile picture in the top-right corner, then select Settings & Privacy >, Settings.
3. In the left-hand menu, click on Privacy, then choose Facebook Page Information.
4. Beside Download Page Information, click View.
5. You can choose a date range, format (HTML is easier to read, JSON is better for importing into other services), and the quality of the media. You can also select which specific information you want to download. For a full backup, just keep everything selected.
6. Click Request a download. The process can take a little while depending on how much content you have. Facebook will notify you when your file is ready to download.

3. Review and Disconnect Third-Party Apps

Many businesses connect third-party applications to their Facebook Page for things like social media scheduling, contests, e-commerce stores, or appointment booking. Before deleting your page, it's wise to review what's connected. By deleting the page, you might break integrations unexpectedly. Go through your account settings on those third-party platforms and disconnect your Facebook Page to avoid any lingering connection issues. You can also review this within Facebook itself under Settings >, Business Integrations.

4. Check Your Ad Accounts and Business Settings

If you've ever run ads, your Page is connected to a Meta Ad Account, likely within Meta Business Suite (formerly Business Manager). Deleting a Page can have consequences for your ad account, especially if it's the only page associated with it. Make sure you check the following:

• Access Permissions: If other team members access the Ad Account through their roles on the Page, deleting the Page may remove their access. Make sure they have direct access to the Business Suite or Ad Account if needed.
• Primary Page: If your Page is set as the "primary page" for your Business Manager, you may need to assign a new one before you can delete it.
• Active Ads: Ensure no ad campaigns connected to the Page are still running. Pausing or stopping them first is the cleanest approach.

Should You Delete or Unpublish? Understanding the Difference

Deleting your Page isn't your only option for taking it offline. Facebook also allows you to "unpublish" it, which is a less permanent solution. Understanding the difference is important, as one is reversible and the other is not.

What Does Unpublishing a Facebook Page Mean?

Think of unpublishing as temporarily hiding your page from the public. Here’s what happens:

• It becomes invisible. The Page, its content, and all its tabs disappear for everyone except the people who manage it. Your followers will no longer see it, and it won't show up in search results.
• You lose nothing. All of your content, likes, followers, reviews, and insights are preserved. They’re just hidden from view.
• It’s completely reversible. You can go back into your Page settings at any time and click "Publish" to make it instantly live again, exactly as it was before.

When to Unpublish:

Unpublishing is a great option if you think you might need the page again in the future. It’s perfect for seasonal businesses, a company undergoing a major rebrand, or if you simply need to step back from social media for an extended period without losing everything you've built.

What Does Deleting a Facebook Page Mean?

Deleting is the nuclear option. It is a permanent and irreversible action.

• There’s a grace period. When you start the process, Facebook will schedule your page for deletion 30 days in the future. During this time, the page is unpublished, and you have the option to cancel the deletion.
• After 30 days, it's gone forever. All of your content, messages, likes, reviews, data - everything is permanently erased. There is no way to recover it.
• The URL is released. Eventually, the unique username (@YourPageName) associated with your page will be freed up, though there isn't a guaranteed timeframe for when someone else can claim it.

When to Delete:

Choose deletion only when you are absolutely certain you will never need the Page again. This is typically for a business that has closed for good, a duplicate page that was made by mistake, or a brand that no longer exists.

How to Delete a Facebook Company Page: A Step-by-Step Guide

The process for deleting a page is slightly different depending on whether your page uses the "New Pages Experience" or is a "Classic" page. The overwhelming majority of pages have been migrated to the New Pages Experience, so we’ll start there.

A quick reminder: you must be an Admin of the page to delete it. Editors, Moderators, and other roles do not have this permission.

Method 1: Deleting a Page with the New Pages Experience (2024)

This is the standard interface for most pages on Facebook today. It involves "switching profiles" so that you are interacting as your Page.

1. Log in and switch to your Page. Open Facebook and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner. In the dropdown menu, select "See all profiles" and choose the company Page you want to delete. You are now acting and navigating Facebook as your Page.
2. Go to Page Settings. Once you've switched to your page's profile, click on your Page’s profile picture in the top right again, and select Settings & Privacy. Then, click Settings.
3. Navigate to Page Information. In the left-hand menu, click on Privacy, and then select Facebook Page Information.
4. Find Deactivation and Deletion. You'll see several options here. At the bottom of the list, find the one labeled Deactivation and Deletion and click View to its right.
5. Choose 'Delete Page'. You will now be presented with two choices: Deactivate Page (which is the same as unpublishing) or Delete Page. Select Delete Page and click the Continue button.
6. Final Confirmation Steps. Facebook will give you one last opportunity to download your information or transfer ownership to someone else. If you've already completed the pre-deletion checklist, you can simply click Continue.
7. Enter your password. As a final security measure, you’ll need to enter your personal Facebook profile password to confirm that you authorize the deletion. Once you do, click Continue.

That’s it! Your page is now scheduled for permanent deletion in 30 days.

Method 2: Deleting a Classic Facebook Page

While less common, some pages may still be on the classic layout. The process is a bit different but just as straightforward.

1. Go to your page. From your personal News Feed, click on "Pages" in the left-hand menu and select the Page you want to delete.
2. Navigate to Settings. On your Page, look for the Settings tab in the management menu on the left side of the screen.
3. Find the 'Remove Page' option. In the General tab (which should be the default view), scroll all the way to the bottom. The very last option will be Remove Page.
4. Initiate the deletion. Click on Edit next to Remove Page. A link will appear that says Permanently delete [Your Page Name]. Click this link.
5. Confirm. A pop-up window will ask you to confirm your decision. Click Delete to finalize the process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Deleting a Facebook Page

Even with step-by-step instructions, a few common questions and roadblocks tend to pop up. Here are the answers to some of the most frequent ones.

Why can’t I see the option to delete my Page?

This is almost always a permissions issue. Only users with an Admin role can delete a page. If you are an Editor, Moderator, Analyst, or have another role, the delete option simply won't be available to you. Check your page roles by going to your Page's Professional Dashboard >, Page Access.

I deleted my Page by mistake! Can I recover it?

Yes, but only if you act quickly. You have a 30-day window from the moment you click "delete" to change your mind. To cancel the deletion, simply log in, switch back to your Page profile as if you were going to manage it, and Facebook should present you with an option to Cancel Deletion. Once those 30 days are up, the action is irreversible, and your page cannot be recovered by you or Facebook support.

How long until my Page is gone for good?

It takes 30 days from the day you initiate the process. During these 30 days, your page is effectively unpublished - no one can see it or find it. On the 31st day, it will be permanently removed from Facebook's servers.

What happens to my Page's vanity URL after I delete it?

Once a page is permanently deleted, the unique username and URL (e.g., facebook.com/YourPage) are released back into the public pool. However, it's not instantaneous. There can be a delay of days or even weeks before the username becomes available for someone else to claim.

Final Thoughts

Deciding to delete a Facebook Page is a big step, but with the right preparation - like downloading your data and informing your followers - the process is straightforward and manageable. Whether you choose to just unpublish for a while or commit to permanent deletion, you now have a clear roadmap to clean up your social media presence with confidence.

As you streamline your digital footprint, focusing becomes easier. You can pour your energy into the platforms and content formats - like an Instagram account packed with Reels or an engaging TikTok feed - that drive the best results for your brand today. At Postbase, we built our whole platform around that simple idea. We created a social media tool for the modern creator, focused on making scheduling, engagement, analytics, and planning for today's visual, video-first world feel effortless. It has a beautiful planning calendar so you see your whole strategy at a glance, and features built for short-form video from the ground up, not as an afterthought. Give Postbase a try - we think you'll love it.