How to Cancel a Facebook Event (or Delete It) on Phone and PC

Plans change, and if you've put a Facebook event on your calendar for a workshop, a launch or a meet-up, you'll want to tell people quickly and tidily. The important thing to know before you click anything is that Facebook gives you two options, cancel and delete, and they don't do the same thing.

I've followed Facebook's own help page for every step below. I'll also explain what each choice does to your guests, because that's the part people usually only find out afterwards.

Cancelling a Facebook event or deleting it: what's the difference?

	Cancel the event	Delete the event
Can you still edit it?	No, you can't make changes	No, it's gone
Can people still post in it?	Yes	No
Can you bring it back?	Facebook's page doesn't say	No, you'd have to create a new one
Are guests told?	Facebook's page doesn't say	Yes, anyone invited who hasn't declined or removed themselves

Facebook's help page puts it plainly. If you cancel an event, you'll no longer be able to make changes to it, but people will still be able to post in it. If you delete an event, you won't be able to restore it. Everything will be deleted and no one will be able to post in it, and a notification will be sent to everyone who was invited and hasn't already declined or removed themselves.

So cancel if you want guests to see what's happened and keep the conversation going, and delete if you want the event wiped out. If you delete one by accident, Facebook says you must create a new event.

Cancelling a Facebook event on a computer

1. From your Feed, click Events in the left menu. You may have to click See more first.
2. Go to your event page.
3. Click Options and select Cancel event.
4. Select Cancel event or Delete event.
5. Click Confirm.

Cancelling a Facebook event on the phone app

1. Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook, then tap Events.
2. Select your event, then tap Manage.
3. Tap Edit, then tap Delete.
4. Select an option and tap Cancel event.

The words on the phone are a bit confusing, because you tap Delete to reach the choices and then pick Cancel event. Read the options on screen before you confirm, and choose the one that matches what you want to happen.

What your guests see when you cancel a Facebook event

Facebook's help page tells us what stays and what goes: you can't change the event any more, but people can still post in it. That's useful, because a cancelled event with a short post from you explaining the change stops people turning up. It also gives people somewhere to ask questions.

The page doesn't say that cancelling sends anyone a notification, so don't count on it. If it matters that everyone hears, post in the event yourself and tell them wherever else you normally reach them.

Changing the details of a Facebook event instead of cancelling it

If the event is still on but something has shifted, such as the time or place, you may not need to cancel. Facebook's help for events includes a separate article called Edit your Facebook event, and that's the right route for small changes. Remember that once an event is cancelled, you can't change it, so don't cancel when an edit would do.

Telling people about a cancelled Facebook event

Once the event is cancelled, the next job is getting the word out. A short post in the event is the obvious first step, because that's where your guests already are. After that, think about where else you promoted it. If you shared it from a Page, post an update there too, and if you gave out a QR code to a Page, my note on Facebook Page QR codes explains where to find yours so you can point people at the new plan.

Keep the wording plain: what's changed, whether a new date is coming, and where people should look for news. People forgive a cancellation when the message is clear and quick.

Cancelling a Facebook event you're hosting for a business or group

• Tell people straight away. A cancelled event nobody has heard about can still send people to the wrong place.
• If you're running events for customers, post the new plan in the event, and share it in the group or Page where you first promoted it. My list of Facebook groups for marketers is a good place to look if you need more places to reach people.
• If the event is moving rather than ending, changing the details is usually kinder than cancelling and starting again, because cancelling locks the details.
• Keep a note of who replied, so you can follow up when the new date is set.

If you can't cancel a Facebook event

1. Check you're running the event. The Options and Manage controls are for the person who created it. If you only RSVP'd, Facebook's Help Centre has a separate article on changing your response instead.
2. On a computer, look for Options on the event page. On the phone, look for Manage.
3. If you can't see Events, tap See more in the menu, or search for it from the Facebook search bar.
4. Update the Facebook app, close it and reopen it, then try again.
5. If it still doesn't work, report the problem through Help and support so Facebook can look into it.

I keep every related walkthrough in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cancel a Facebook event?

On a computer, open the event, click Options, select Cancel event, choose Cancel event or Delete event and click Confirm. On the phone app, go to Events, select it, tap Manage, then Edit, then Delete, and choose Cancel event.

What's the difference between cancelling and deleting a Facebook event?

Facebook says a cancelled event can't be changed but people can still post in it. A deleted event can't be restored, nobody can post in it, and invited guests are notified.

Can I undo a deleted Facebook event?

No. Facebook says you won't be able to restore a deleted event, so you'd need to create a new one.

Does Facebook tell guests when I cancel an event?

Facebook's page says guests are notified when you delete an event. It doesn't say the same for cancelling, so post in the event yourself.

Can I cancel an event I didn't create?

Cancelling is a control for the person running the event. If you're a guest, Facebook's Help Centre has an article on changing your response instead.