Delete or Deactivate Facebook Messenger

February 3, 2022 By Nick Anderson No Comments 6 minutes

Social media used to be a means of communication, but it’s now more of an addiction. This is especially the case with Facebook. Sending and receiving private messages from friends and family is great, but the constant notifications can get a little overwhelming. If that is the case, this guide will show you how to deactivate Facebook messenger in a few simple steps.

Ready for a digital cleanse? Tired of being hooked to the digital claws of Facebook Messenger? We get you! Having Facebook on your device can get a little agitating, with you constantly having to check your notifications every time.

The same can be said with the messenger app. This guide will show you how to stay clear of it by deactivating Facebook Messenger.

However, the downside is that to deactivate Messenger, you need to deactivate Facebook too. You’re probably confused about them being two separate apps. Well, because Messenger is connected to Facebook, you need to deactivate the entire app for it to work.

Get FastestVPN

Why You Should Deactivate Facebook Messenger

It’s phenomenological that social media can have an adverse effect on people’s life. Connecting to new friends and engaging with friends online is an exciting and convenient aspect of social media, but it can be addictive.

Moreover, social media giant Facebook has been under scrutiny over privacy scandals. Facebook has been in the news several times in the past five years, even appearing in front of the U.S Congress to testify to some hard-hitting questions on user privacy originating from the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

In 2018, it was reported that a firm known as Cambridge Analytica harvested data of millions of Facebook users in 2014. In what became Facebook’s biggest scandal to date, the social media giant has been threading on concerns surrounding privacy every since. It sparked outrage, and calls for quitting Facebook trended under the #DeleteFacebook hashtag.

It’s no secret that social media companies have done little to protect the privacy of the user. Whatever the reason may be, continue reading to learn how to deactivate Facebook Messenger.

How to Deactivate Facebook Messenger

Deleting and deactivating Facebook Messenger are two separate things. If you’re trying to get rid of Messenger entirely, then you can delete the app without touching Facebook. However, if you’re only looking to step down from media for a bit, you’ll need to deactivate Facebook to deactivate Messenger.

Facebook offers a way for people to send and receive messages from people in your friends list and on Facebook. On mobile platforms, it is a separate app designed exclusively for messaging. But you need a Facebook account to use it, and it works the other way around. Deactivating Facebook Messenger will deactivate your Facebook account as well.

So, first, we’ll highlight a tutorial on how you can deactivate Facebook.

How to Deactivate Facebook Messenger on Android and iOS smartphones

Open the Facebook app.
If you’re using Android, then click on the hamburger icon (three stacked lines) on the top-right of the screen. If you’ve got an iOS smartphone, you’ll find the hamburger icon on the bottom-right of the screen.

Scroll and click on “Settings & Privacy”

Now click on “Settings.”

Click on “Personal and Account Information”

Then on “Account Ownership and Control.”

Next, click on “Deactivation and Deletion.”

When the next page opens, click on “Deactivate Account.”
Click on “Continue to Account Deactivation.”

Lastly, enter in your Facebook password to confirm deactivation.

Now, let’s proceed to deactivate Facebook Messenger on mobile apps following the tutorial below.

NOTE – If you’re looking to delete your Facebook account, you can click on “Delete Account” and then “Continue to Account Deactivation.”

How to Deactivate Facebook Messenger app on Android and iOS smartphones

Open the Messenger app.
Click on your profile picture on the top-left corner of the screen.
Scroll and click on “Legal & Policies.”

Select “Deactivate Messenger.”
Lastly, click on “Deactivate” again to confirm your decision.

Once you have deactivated your Facebook account, it will be inaccessible to friends and people on Facebook. You will no longer receive friend requests and notifications. You can reactivate the account by simply logging in to the account with your password.

If, however, you’re only tired of receiving Messenger notifications or want to prevent people from catching you online, you could, alternatively, just disable Messenger. Check how to get started below.

How to disable Facebook Messenger active status

As mentioned above, if you’re still keen on using Facebook, and only want to appear offline to everyone on Messenger, you could just disable your active status. Here’s how:

Open the Messenger app.
Click on your profile picture on the top-left corner of the screen.
When you see “Active Status” click on it.

Toggle the “Show when you’re active” button to switch it off.

Click on “Turn Off.”

Another way to do this is by just uninstalling the app from your phone. You won’t delete the account, but will only prevent messages from reaching you.

Can I reactivate Facebook Messenger?

If you’re ready to get back into and reactivate Facebook Messenger, all you need to do is open the app, sign in using your username and password and that’s all!

Should You Delete Your Facebook Account?

Deleting the account is entirely different from deactivating the account. The latter allows you to suspend the account and log back in at any time. Deleting the account wipes the account off Facebook. It means that your friends, posts, messages, likes – everything will be erased. You will no longer have access to the account.

The years of buildup that includes comments on friends’ posts and your timeline will be history.

It is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. Facebook’s platform is built on a targeted advertisement, so even though we do not condone the approach as privacy advocates, we understand deleting your Facebook account is not the way to go. You can adopt certain practices that secure your online privacy, such as using privacy-focused browsers like Brave and Safari that disable cross-site trackers and by using a VPN.

If you delete your account and realize it was not the right decision, Facebook allows you to reverse the decision by logging back in within 30 days. After 30 days, Facebook will begin erasing your data from its servers, at which point it will be impossible to retrieve the account.

Conclusion

We believe that you can enjoy the internet while keeping in touch with the things you love. A VPN will help you conceal your tracks online by blocking the ISP from monitoring every activity. Additionally, the best secure web browsers are designed to provide privacy by disabling invasive elements like third-party trackers. This will help you access Facebook messenger safely, even when you have to deactivate it.