How Do I Delete Facebook and Keep My Photos?

Ready to Leave Facebook? Let's Do It Right.

Let's be honest - Facebook's been feeling more like a digital junk drawer lately than a social hub. Between Meta's AI quietly scanning your photos, fact-checking disappearing, and nonstop doomscrolling, millions of people in 2025 are saying "I'm out."

If that's you - awesome. But don't just rage-quit. There's a smart way to leave Facebook and take your stuff with you.

Why So Many People Are Finally Done with Facebook

This isn't just another "delete your account" rant. Something real is happening.

Families, small business owners, even grandparents - people who built their online lives on Facebook - are walking away. Why? Because the platform stopped feeling safe, fun, or even useful. Reports of Meta AI creeping into private content? Yeah, that was the last straw for a lot of folks.

But here's the catch: most of us have years of memories there - wedding photos, kids growing up, small business posts, and inside jokes we'd never want to lose. So the question isn't if you should leave - it's how to do it without losing what matters most.

Step 1: Grab Your Digital Life Before You Go

Think of this like packing your boxes before moving out.

Here's how to download everything from Facebook (safely):

1. Log in to Facebook.

2. Head to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Account Center.

3. Tap Your information and permissions → Download your information.

4. Choose Download or transfer information.

5. Pick the profiles you want, hit Next.

6. Choose Available information (or get super specific if you want logs).

7. Click Download to device.

8. Set your Date range → All time, format → HTML, and Media quality → High.

9. Click Create files.

Then Facebook gets to work - it might take hours or even a day. You'll get an email when your "moving box" is ready to download.

👉 Pro Tip: Save it somewhere safe (cloud, external drive, or your Family Tech folder if you're organized like that).

Step 2: Cut Off Third-Party Logins

Here's the part people skip - and regret later.

Before deleting, go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Apps and websites.

Scroll down to Your Activity, find Apps and websites, then click Remove next to every app you've logged into with Facebook.

Otherwise, you'll be trying to sign in to Spotify next week and realize, "Wait, I don't have a password anymore."

Step 3: Delete (or Deactivate) Like a Pro

Now, you've got two choices:

• Deactivate: Think of this as a trial separation. Your stuff's hidden, but not gone.

• Delete: This is the real deal.

To delete:

1. Log in and go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Account Center.

2. Tap Personal details → Account ownership and control.

3. Choose Deactivation or deletion.

4. Select your account → Delete account → Continue.

5. Follow the prompts and confirm.

You'll have 30 days to change your mind - just log back in to cancel the process. After that, it's gone for good.

KP's Take: Here’s the Move I’d Make

If you're even thinking about deleting Facebook, that's your sign. Do it.

But do it smart:

• Download your data first. Those family photos and business posts are part of your history.

• Double-check app logins. Future-you will thank present-you for this.

• Then pull the plug.

And hey - if social media has you feeling drained or overwhelmed, that's not on you. It's by design. Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is reclaim your digital space and rebuild it on your terms.

That's exactly what we help families and small businesses do at Ask KP - clean up their tech, simplify their digital life, and make everything actually work for them.

Leave the Noise. Keep What Matters.

Deleting Facebook doesn't mean deleting your memories. It means taking control of your digital world again.

If you're ready to detox your digital life and rebuild smarter - book a session at askkp.com/consulting.

Let's clean this up together. 💪