How to Delete Tumblr Account: Web and App Steps (2026)

Maybe you've moved your blog somewhere else, or you simply want a quieter internet. Either way, Tumblr's account deletion is worth doing in the right order, because the choices you make before you click the final button decide what you keep. If you ran a brand blog or a creative portfolio there, that matters even more.

Everything below follows Tumblr's own help pages. Menus can shift between app versions, so if a label looks slightly different on your screen, look for the closest wording.

Before you delete your Tumblr account

Tumblr's help pages say you need the email address you registered with and your password. If you've forgotten the password, or you signed up with Google or Apple, you'll need access to that email address to reset or set a password first. Sort that out before you start, so you're not locked out halfway through.

Then decide whether you want a copy of your posts. Tumblr's export tool works on the web only, not in the apps, and each blog has to be exported separately. Here's how:

1. On the web, go to Settings from the left menu.
2. Select the blog in the right sidebar.
3. Scroll to the Export section and click Export, followed by your blog name.
4. When processing finishes, click Download backup to get a ZIP file.

The ZIP includes a folder of posts, with drafts and private posts, a media folder, a CSV of your comments and your messaging conversations. Liked posts aren't included. Tumblr says blog backups are only kept for 3 days, so download the file straight away, and it limits you to 4 exports per blog each month.

Deleting your Tumblr account on the web

On a computer, this is the quickest route:

1. Log in to Tumblr in your browser.
2. Click Settings in the left menu.
3. Scroll down and click Delete Account.
4. Enter your email address and password.
5. If two-factor authentication is on, enter the code when asked.
6. Click Delete my account.

If you signed up with Google or Apple, Tumblr prompts you to send yourself a password reset. Reset the password, then return to Delete Account and carry on from the email and password step.

Deleting your Tumblr account in the iPhone or Android app

The app route is similar but the labels differ slightly by phone:

1. Tap the account icon.
2. Tap the cog icon in the upper right.
3. Tap General settings on an iPhone, or Account Settings on Android.
4. Scroll down and tap Delete account.
5. Enter your email and password.
6. Tap Delete my account.

What happens to your Tumblr blogs and posts after deleting

Tumblr's help page spells out what stays and what goes. This table keeps it simple:

What you had on Tumblr	What Tumblr's help says happens
Secondary blogs with no other members	Deleted with your account
Group blogs	You're removed from them
Your reblogs	Stay with the blogs that reblogged them
Likes on other blogs	Stay
Messages	Stay visible in other people's conversations
Custom HTML and theme code	Deleted along with the blog
Asks or submissions you sent	Not deleted

The page also says posts you published in communities remain. So if there's something public you want gone, delete that content before you close the account.

The 30 days after you delete your Tumblr account

This is the part people miss. Tumblr keeps your account data for 30 days. During that time you can't log in, and Tumblr emails you the exact date your account will be permanently deleted. After 30 days, your blog name is released and you can create a new account with the same email address.

If you want to reuse your username or your email address straight away, Tumblr says to change them before you delete. Otherwise you wait for the 30 days to pass.

Restoring a deleted Tumblr account

You have a way back, but only for a limited time. Within 30 days, use the restore link in Tumblr's confirmation email. If that doesn't work, contact Tumblr from your registered email address and choose Account Access. After 30 days the account can't be recovered, so don't leave a change of heart until the last day.

Deleting a Tumblr secondary blog instead of the whole account

If you only want to remove one blog, don't use the account-level steps. Tumblr's help page says a secondary blog deleted on its own can't be recovered, and unlike full account deletion there is no 30-day restore window. On the web, open Settings, select the secondary blog's name and click the delete option at the bottom. Group blogs follow a different deletion process, so check Tumblr's help page for those.

Deleting a primary blog deletes the whole account, so double-check which heading you're under before you confirm anything.

If you can't delete your Tumblr account

1. Check you're using the email address the account was registered with.
2. Reset your password, using the Google or Apple route if you signed up that way.
3. Try the web version, since the steps there are the clearest.
4. If the delete option still won't appear, contact Tumblr through its help center.

Closing other accounts after Tumblr

If you're tidying up your online presence, you may be leaving other platforms too. I've written separate walkthroughs on how to delete a Snapchat account and how to delete your Pinterest account, and the same rule applies everywhere: export what you want to keep before you press delete.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete my Tumblr account?

On the web, go to Settings from the left menu, scroll down, click Delete Account, enter your email and password, then click Delete my account. In the apps, tap the account icon, then the cog, then General settings or Account Settings, and tap Delete account.

Can I recover a deleted Tumblr account?

Yes, within 30 days. Use the restore link in Tumblr's confirmation email, or contact Tumblr from your registered email and choose Account Access. After 30 days it can't be recovered.

What happens to my Tumblr blog when I delete my account?

Secondary blogs with no other members are deleted and you're removed from group blogs. Reblogs stay with the blogs that reblogged them, and your Likes on other blogs stay.

Can I download my Tumblr posts first?

Yes. On the web, open Settings, select your blog, scroll to Export and download the ZIP backup. Backups are kept for 3 days, and you can run 4 exports per blog each month.

Can I delete Tumblr from the app?

Yes. Tap the account icon, then the cog, then General settings on an iPhone or Account Settings on Android, scroll down and tap Delete account.

Can I reuse my Tumblr username after deleting?

After 30 days your blog name is released, and you can create a new account with the same email. To reuse your username or email straight away, change them before you delete.