How to Delete a Professional Account on Facebook

Ready to close the chapter on your professional Facebook account? Whether you're simplifying your online presence, rebranding, or shutting down a business venture, deleting a professional account is a big step. This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions for getting it done, covering both turning off Professional Mode on a personal profile and permanently deleting a Facebook Business Page.

First, Which "Professional Account" Are You Trying to Delete?

On Facebook, the term "professional account" can mean two entirely different things, and the process for removing them is completely different. Before you do anything, let's figure out what you have so you can follow the right instructions.

• Professional Mode for a Profile: This is when you've switched your personal Facebook profile into a mode that gives you access to creator tools, analytics, and monetization features. You’re still using your personal profile, but with advanced capabilities turned on. If this is you, you aren't deleting your profile, you are simply turning off Professional Mode to return to a classic personal profile experience.
• A Facebook Business Page: This is a separate entity you created to represent a business, brand, organization, or public figure. It's connected to your personal profile (you are an admin of it), but it's a distinct presence with its own followers, content, and settings. If this is what you have, you'll be looking to permanently delete the Page itself.

Think about where you post your professional content. Is it on your personal timeline that your friends and family follow, or is it on a dedicated 'Page' with its own name and followers? Once you know the answer, you can jump to the right section below.

How to Turn Off Professional Mode on Your Facebook Profile

Choosing to turn off Professional Mode reverts your personal profile back to its original state. This is a reversible decision, but it's important to understand the consequences before you flip the switch. You’re not deleting your account, just changing how it functions.

What Happens When You Turn Off Professional Mode?

While your existing content, friends, and followers will remain intact, some key features will disappear immediately:

• Content Insights: You will lose all access to the professional dashboard, including insights on post performance, audience demographics, and reach. This data is gone for good once you switch back.
• Monetization: Any monetization programs you were part of, such as Stars, in-stream ads, or Reels bonuses, will be paused. You will be removed from these programs, and you may need to re-apply if you ever decide to turn Professional Mode back on.
• Creator Tools: Special tools designed for creators, like the post composer with enhanced features for scheduling and promotion, will no longer be available.
• Profile Categories: The "Digital Creator" or other professional category displayed on your profile will be removed.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deactivating Professional Mode

The process is straightforward and can be done from either your mobile device or a desktop browser. Here is how you do it:

On a Mobile Device (iOS or Android):

1. Open the Facebook app and navigate to your personal profile page.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon (...) located next to your "Edit Profile" or "View Tools" button. This will open up your Profile Settings.
3. On the Profile Settings menu, find and tap on "Turn off professional mode."
4. Facebook will show a screen explaining what will change. Read it carefully, then tap "Continue."
5. On the final confirmation screen, a heading will say "Turn off Professional Mode?" Tap the "Turn Off" button to confirm. Your profile will immediately revert to a classic personal profile view.

On a Desktop Browser:

1. Log in to your Facebook account and go to your personal profile.
2. Click the three-dot menu icon (...) located on the right side of your profile header, next to the "Edit Profile" button.
3. From the dropdown menu, select "Turn off professional mode."
4. A pop-up window will appear, summarizing the impending changes. If you are sure you want to proceed, click "Continue."
5. Click the final blue "Turn off" button to complete the process.

How to Permanently Delete a Facebook Business Page

If what you have is a dedicated Business Page, the permanent removal process is more involved and has irreversible consequences. This action cannot be undone, so it's a decision that should be made carefully.

Deactivating vs. Deleting Your Page: What’s the Difference?

Before you hit the delete button, it's vital to understand the difference between deactivating your page and deleting it.

• Deactivating: This is a temporary move. Your Page name and photos will be removed, and users won't be able to search for it or find it. However, you, as the admin, can still see it in your Page settings. If you change your mind later, you can reactivate it, and all of your content and followers will reappear. Think of this as putting your Page in hibernation.
• Deleting: This is a permanent action. Once you delete a Page, it is gone forever. You cannot recover the content, the follower and like counts, the insights, or the Page name. Facebook gives you a 30-day grace period to change your mind, after which the Page is permanently removed from their system.

Before You Continue: Back Up Your Page Information!

Since deletion is final, it is highly recommended that you download a copy of all your Page’s information before starting the process. This includes all of your posts, photos, videos, Page info, and more. You spent time building that content, don't let it vanish forever.

Here’s how to download your Page data:

1. Navigate to your Facebook Business Page.
2. Click "Settings" on the left-hand menu.
3. From the Settings menu, click on "Privacy" and then on "Your Facebook Information."
4. Next to "Download Your Information," click "View."
5. Here, you can select the date range, format (HTML is easier to browse, while JSON is better for importing into other services), and media quality you want to download. You can also deselect any information categories you don't need.
6. Once you've made your selections, click the "Request a Download" button. Facebook will compile the file and send you a notification when it's ready. This can take a while if you have a lot of content on your Page.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting Your Facebook Page

The interface for this process can differ slightly depending on whether you are using the "New Pages Experience" or "Classic Pages." You will need to be an Admin of the page to delete it.

For the New Pages Experience:

1. First, make sure you are interacting with Facebook as your Page. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select the Page you wish to delete from the list of profiles.
2. Once you've switched to your Page profile, click on your Page's profile picture in the top right again, and select "Settings &, Privacy," then "Settings."
3. In the left-hand menu, select "Privacy," then select "Facebook Page Information."
4. Scroll down to the "Deactivation and Deletion" section and click "View."
5. Here, you will have two options: "Deactivate Page" and "Delete Page." Select "Delete Page" and click "Continue."
6. Facebook will ask for your password to confirm your identity. Enter it and click "Continue."
7. Read the final confirmation page carefully. If you are certain you want to proceed, click "Continue" one last time.

Your Page is now scheduled for permanent deletion in 30 days. You have the option to reactivate it at any point during this period by logging in and canceling the deletion request.

For Classic Pages:

1. Go to the Facebook Page you want to delete.
2. On the left-hand management menu, scroll all the way down and click "Settings."
3. In the "General" tab (which should be the default view), scroll down to the very bottom of the options to find "Remove Page." Click the "Edit" link next to it.
4. A new option will appear here to delete your page, click on "Permanently delete [Your Page Name]."
5. A final confirmation pop-up window will appear to make sure you want to delete your Page. If you are certain, click "Delete."

The page will then be permanently deleted, although Classic Pages sometimes have a 14-day grace period instead of 30. During that time, you can still restore it from your Page settings.

Final Thoughts

From stepping away from a creative passion project by turning off Professional Mode to formally closing a business by deleting its Facebook Page, navigating these settings allows you to take full control of your digital footprint. Following these steps helps make the process smooth and removes any guesswork.

We know wrestling with multiple platforms can feel draining, which is often why people look to simplify by deleting accounts. When we built Postbase, we wanted to fix the chaos of social media management. Our goal was to create a modern tool that feels simple and predictable, helping you manage everything from a visual calendar so you can see your whole strategy in one place, schedule content easily, and feel more organized, not overwhelmed.