How to Delete Your Messenger Account (And What You Can Do Instead)

Lots of people type this question when they want a quieter life, not a full goodbye to Facebook. The honest answer is that Messenger and Facebook are tied together, so what you can do depends on which kind of account you have. According to Facebook's help pages there are three different situations, and the steps for each are quite different. I'll take them one at a time, because choosing the wrong one is the mistake that causes regret. If you also run a Page for your business, read the Page note below before you press anything.

Can you delete your Messenger account without deleting Facebook?

Not in the way most people hope. Messenger's help article on deactivating the app says you have to deactivate your Facebook account first, otherwise you won't even see the option to deactivate Messenger. And Facebook's help pages are clear that permanently deleting your Facebook profile means you can no longer use Messenger at all.

So the realistic routes are these:

• Keep Facebook and Messenger as they are, and simply stay logged out or delete individual chats.
• Deactivate Facebook, then deactivate Messenger as well, which you can undo later.
• Deactivate Facebook but keep using Messenger, which Facebook calls a Deactivated Except Messenger Account.
• Permanently delete your Facebook profile, which takes Messenger with it and can't be reversed after the waiting period.
• If you only ever had a Messenger profile and no Facebook profile, delete that Messenger profile from the mobile app.

How to deactivate Messenger on iPhone and Android

Facebook's Messenger help says this can only be done on a mobile device, and only after you've deactivated your Facebook account. Menus change between versions, so Facebook gives two routes. Try the first and use the second if it doesn't match your screen.

First route

1. Open the Messenger app, tap Menu, then tap Settings.
2. Tap Accounts Centre, then Personal details.
3. Tap Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion.
4. Tap Continue to Facebook account deactivation and deletion, then Continue to account deactivation.
5. Enter your password and tap Continue.

Second route

1. From Chats, tap your profile picture in the corner.
2. Scroll down and tap Account settings.
3. Tap Account ownership and control, then Deactivation and deletion.
4. Tap Continue to Facebook account deactivation and deletion, then Continue to account deactivation.
5. Enter your password and tap Continue.

To bring Messenger back, Facebook's help says you simply log in with your username and password. That makes deactivation the sensible choice if you just want a break.

What happens to your Messenger messages if you deactivate

When you temporarily deactivate your Facebook profile, Facebook's help pages say you can still use Messenger, your profile picture stays visible in your conversations and people can still search for your name to message you. Your photos, posts and videos aren't deleted, and you can come back whenever you want. If you go further and deactivate Messenger itself, that stops. Facebook's help pages don't promise more detail than that, so I won't guess about whether individual chats are kept.

What a Deactivated Except Messenger Account means

This is the middle option that suits people who want Facebook gone but still talk to friends on Messenger. Facebook's article on using Messenger without a Facebook account explains that you need a Facebook account to use Messenger, and then you deactivate it and log into Messenger with the same details. When you have one:

• You can still chat with friends on Messenger.
• Your picture is visible in your conversations, and people can search for you in Messenger to send you a message.
• You won't be searchable on Facebook.
• You'll have a deactivated Facebook profile that you can activate at any time.
• You'll need to confirm your birthday and may be asked to create a password for account security.

What happens if you permanently delete your Facebook profile and Messenger goes too

This is the one you can't take back, so here's what Facebook's help article says about it:

• You won't be able to reactivate your profile, and you'll no longer be able to use Messenger.
• Photos, posts, videos and everything else you've added are permanently deleted.
• You lose Facebook Login for other apps you signed up to that way, and may need to contact those apps to recover those accounts.
• Some things, such as messages you sent to friends, may still be visible to them, because copies of messages you've sent are stored in your friends' inboxes.
• You can cancel only if it's been less than 30 days since you started the deletion. After that, your account and information are permanently deleted.
• It can take up to 90 days from the start to delete everything you've posted, and during that time it's not accessible to other people on Facebook.

Facebook also suggests exporting your information, such as photos and posts, before you delete. For the account-wide steps and what each choice does, I've written a separate guide to deleting or deactivating your Facebook account.

If you only have a Messenger profile and no Facebook profile

Facebook has a separate article for people who don't have a Facebook profile at all. It says you can delete your Messenger profile from the mobile app, and that the article only applies to people without a Facebook profile. The steps given are:

1. From Chats, tap Menu, then Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap See more in Accounts Centre.
3. Tap Manage accounts, then tap Manage next to the account.
4. Tap Deactivation or deletion and select the account you want to delete.
5. Tap Delete account, then Continue, follow the prompts and enter your password to submit.

Menus vary by app version, so if the wording differs, look for Accounts Centre and the deletion option.

A note for business owners with a Page before you delete your Messenger account

If you run a Facebook Page, don't skip this. Facebook's help pages say Pages that only you control will also be deleted when you permanently delete your profile, and deactivated when you deactivate it. The fix is to give someone else full control of the Page in its settings first. I'd do that before touching anything, then check the Page still loads when you view it from another account.

Only want to stop one chat? Delete the conversation instead

If the real problem is one noisy chat or a person you'd rather not hear from, you don't need to touch your account. Deleting that chat or blocking the person is far less drastic. I've covered the steps in my guide to deleting Facebook messages, and if it's someone you want to stop contacting you, blocking them on Messenger is quicker.

Before you delete your Messenger account: a short checklist

• Decide whether a break (deactivate) or a clean exit (delete) is what you want.
• Export anything you want to keep, such as photos and posts.
• Hand over the full control of any Page you run.
• Check which other apps you log into with Facebook, and set up another way in.
• Tell the people you talk to most that you're leaving, so they know where to find you.

If you're deleting because you're worried about your account's safety, my guide on keeping your Messenger account secure covers the steps that don't involve closing it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I delete Messenger but keep Facebook?

According to Facebook's help pages, you have to deactivate your Facebook account first to see the option to deactivate Messenger. Permanently deleting Facebook removes Messenger too. If you want Facebook but fewer chats, delete individual conversations instead.

Is deactivating Messenger the same as deleting it?

No. Facebook says you can reactivate Messenger by logging in with your username and password. Permanent deletion can't be reversed once the waiting period has passed.

Will my friends still see my old messages if I delete my account?

Facebook's help says some messages you sent may still be visible to friends because copies are stored in their inboxes.

How long can I change my mind?

Facebook's help article says you can cancel a Facebook account deletion if it's been less than 30 days since you started it.

Can I delete Messenger on a computer?

Facebook's Messenger help says deactivating Messenger can only be done on a mobile device. Account deletion for Facebook itself is available on several devices.