How to Unlink Facebook Accounts

An ever-growing web of connected apps on Facebook isn't just messy, it's a potential privacy risk and a source of constant, annoying notifications. Over time, you’ve likely linked dozens of services, games, and tools to your Facebook account, granting them access you’ve long forgotten about. This guide will walk you through exactly how to unlink those stray connections - from old mobile games to business software - so you can clean up your account and regain control.

First Off, What Are We Really Talking About When We Say "Linked Account"?

When you use "Log in with Facebook" or grant a software tool access to manage your Facebook Page, you’re not just creating a simple connection. You're using an API (Application Programming Interface), which is basically a set of rules that allows different software to talk to each other. Facebook's API lets third-party apps request specific permissions to access pieces of your data or perform actions on your behalf. Understanding this is key to figuring out what you want to unlink and why.

Decoding a Permission Request

Each time you connect a new app, you're hit with a pop-up asking you to approve certain permissions. Most of us just click "Allow" and move on, but these permissions dictate exactly what the app can do. Some common ones include:

• Access your public profile: Almost every app asks for this. It includes your name, profile picture, age range, and other public info.
• Access your friends list: This allows the app to see who you're connected with, which many social gaming apps use.
• Post content on my behalf: This is the permission social media scheduling tools, for example, need to publish posts for you. This is a powerful permission you want to be very careful about.
• Manage your pages: This gives an app administrative capabilities over your Facebook Page, including posting, reading insights, and more. This is another very dangerous permission.
• Manage your ads: This lets tools create, edit, and analyze your Facebook ad campaigns.

Keeping track of which apps have which permissions is fundamental to digital security and account management.

Top Reasons for a Digital Declutter and Unlinking Accounts

Okay, so it sounds like work. Why go through the trouble of unlinking everything? There are some very good reasons.

• The Security Rationale: Think of every connected app as a potential backdoor to your account. Do you remember that goofy quiz app you used in 2014? It might still have permission to access your profile. If that company gets breached, your data could be at risk. This is what's known as "permission creep" - when old, inactive connections pose a present-day security threat. Cleaning house minimizes your exposure.
• Silencing the Notification Sprawl: Many apps and games use their connection to send you promotional notifications or share your activity with your friends. Unlinking them is a surefire way to cut down on the noise and reclaim your feed from spam.
• Breaking Up with Outdated Tools: Have you ever switched to a new social media scheduling tool, e-commerce platform, or CRM? The first step should be to go into Facebook and formally revoke access for the old tool. Leaving it connected is bad digital hygiene and can cause conflicts with your new software.
• The Go-To Troubleshooting Step: Let's be honest - sometimes, technology just gets stuck. A common issue with many marketing tools is that the connection to Facebook's API becomes unstable. Maybe posts are failing, analytics aren't syncing, or features just aren't working. Often, the fastest fix is the digital equivalent of turning it off and on again: unlink the tool entirely, then reconnect it to establish a fresh, stable connection. It solves the problem more than you'd think.

How to Unlink Apps and Websites from Your Personal Facebook Profile

This is the most common clean-up task: removing those random websites, games, and services you’ve logged into with Facebook over the years. The process is straightforward on both desktop and mobile.

On a Desktop Computer:

1. Navigate to Facebook.com. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then select Settings & Privacy &rarr, Settings.
2. In the left-hand menu, scroll down until you see the "Your activity" section and click on Apps and Websites.
3. You will see a list of all the apps and websites currently connected to your Facebook account. They're categorized as Active, Expired, and Removed.
4. Find the app or website you want to disconnect, click the checkbox next to it, and then click the Remove button.
5. A pop-up will appear confirming your decision. It may also give you the option to "delete posts, videos, or events [App Name] posted on your timeline." Checking this box is a good idea if you want to wipe its previous activity from your profile. Once you're ready, click Remove again. That’s it! The connection is severed.

On the Facebook Mobile App (iOS or Android):

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines, sometimes with your profile picture).
2. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, and then tap Settings.
3. Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and tap on Apps and Websites.
4. You’ll see the same list as on desktop. Tap on the app you wish to remove.
5. On the next screen, tap the prominent Remove button. You’ll get a similar confirmation prompt. Confirm you want to remove it, and you're all set.

Active vs. Expired Apps: What’s the Difference?

Facebook tries to give you some helpful context by sorting your connected apps. Here's what the labels mean:

• Active: These are apps you have used recently to log in or that have recently requested info from your profile. They are the most important ones to review.
• Expired: These are connections you haven't used in over 90 days. Their ability to request new information has expired, but they may still have access to data you previously shared. It's best practice to review this list and remove anything you don't use or recognize.

Disconnecting Facebook and Instagram via the Meta Accounts Center

With Meta consolidating all its properties, unlinking your Facebook and Instagram accounts is now handled through the new unified Accounts Center. This process removes the ability to share posts and Stories across both platforms seamlessly, so be sure it's what you want to do.

1. From your Facebook settings page (on desktop or mobile), look for the Meta Accounts Center box. It’s usually at the very top. Click it.
2. Inside the Accounts Center, find the Accounts tab, typically on the left side menu or as a main option.
3. You'll see a list of the profiles you've linked (e.g., your Facebook profile and your Instagram account).
4. Find the Instagram account you want to disconnect and click the Remove button next to it.
5. Meta will walk you through a series of prompts explaining what will happen next. It will confirm you're removing the right account and detail which features you'll lose access to. Follow these steps to confirm you want to proceed.

What Happens When You Unlink Instagram and Facebook?

Severing this connection isn't just a technical step, it affects how you use both platforms. When you unlink them:

• You can no longer share posts, Stories, or Reels from Instagram directly to your Facebook profile in one action.
• Your Facebook Messenger inbox will no longer receive Instagram DMs.
• Your Instagram Shopping features that rely on a Facebook Page catalog will be disrupted.
• You can no longer manage Instagram comments or ads from your Facebook business tools.

For the Pros: How to Clean Up Connections in Meta Business Suite

If you're a marketer, business owner, or social media manager, the Meta Business Suite is your control center. This is where most external tools connect, including scheduling software, customer support platforms, and reporting dashboards. Removing an integration here is a more serious step, as it will immediately stop that tool from working with your Pages or Ad Accounts.

1. Go to business.facebook.com and make sure you're working within the correct Business Account.
2. Click the All tools icon (the hamburger menu) on the far-left sidebar. Under the "Manage" section, click on Business settings.
3. Another left-hand menu will appear. Scroll down until you see Integrations and then click on Business Integrations. Sometimes this is just labeled "Connected Apps" or a similar title Meta might be split-testing.
4. This is your master list of all third-party software with access to your business assets. Find the app you want to remove and select it.
5. A detailed view of that integration will pop up on the right. At the top, click the Remove button.
6. Facebook will give you a stark warning that removing the app will cut off its access entirely. Confirm the action to finalize the unlinking.

Heads up: If you do this for your social media scheduling platform, for instance, any posts you have scheduled via that tool will likely fail to publish. Always have a plan before you disconnect key business tools.

Your Post-Unlinking Checklist: Tidying Up and Staying Safe

Removing the connections is the main job, but a few quick follow-up steps can make your accounts even more secure.

• Perform a Password Checkup: If you unlinked an app because you were worried about security or didn't recognize it, it's a great time to change your Facebook password.
• Review Remaining Permissions: Look at your remaining Active apps. Do they really need all the permissions they have? See if you can edit and restrict their access.
• Set a Quarterly Reminder: Things get cluttered fast. Set a calendar reminder every three or four months to review your "Apps and Websites" and "Business Integrations" lists. A 10-minute audit can prevent a lot of future headaches.

Final Thoughts

Properly managing the apps and services linked to your Facebook account is a vital, ongoing task for personal security and professional efficiency. By regularly reviewing and revoking access for apps you no longer need - whether they're on your personal profile or in your Meta Business Suite - you maintain a cleaner, safer, and more controlled digital environment. This simple audit clears out clutter and closes potential backdoors to your data.

We know these connections are a major source of friction for business users. One of the biggest complaints we hear from social media managers involves tools that frequently lose connection or fail to post, forcing them to constantly unlink and relink accounts just to get things working. That's why we engineered Postbase with rock-solid account linking technology. Our goal is to ensure your platforms stay connected, so you can schedule content with confidence and focus on your strategy, not on troubleshooting broken links.