Whether you are looking for a new job, wanting to escape your past, or just sick of the social networks taking over your life, I present to you an easy way to remove your presence on Facebook without having to sacrifice any lost data, photos, comments or messages.

The first step is to download all of your content from Facebook directly. To do this, follow the simple steps below.

How-To Backup Facebook Data

  1. Log into Facebook
  2. Click the pinwheel at the top right of any page
  3. Click on Account Settings
  4. Click the General tab on the left
  5. Then click 'Download a copy' of your Facebook data
  6. You will then get an email confirming your request and after a bit, Facebook will compile it all for you and have it ready to download.

What is included in your copy of your Facebook data?

The backup downloads nearly everything involved with your account. It also organizes it very conveniently allowing you to read your past messages, wall posts, list of friends, all uploaded photos and videos, events all on your computer without an internet connection. The data is stored in html files but they are easily searchable by pressing Ctrl + F or Cmd + F on Macs.

What next?

Tell your friends on Facebook before going through with a full or partial deletion of your account. Why? Because they might want to download photos of the great memories you shared together before you remove them. To help them do this, they can use the website zipnpic.com

Downloading Facebook Photos from Other People's Accounts

  1. Go to http://www.picknzip.com/
  2. Login with your Facebook account
  3. Choose the name of the friend in the left column whose photos you want to download
  4. Click on 'Albums' in the tabs above the thumbnails
  5. Select albums that you want download photos from
  6. Select all photos you want to download
  7. Click on Download in the tabs above the thumbnails
  8. Choose 'Download My Selection'

Tip: If you don't have time to search through all the galleries of a friend, you can skip Steps 4-6 and after completing Step 7 you can choose 'Download All Photos' and then sort them out after you download all of the photos to your computer. Don't worry about it being too many photos, it will notify you of how many photos are selected before it begins to download. This could be a great way to surprise a friend on their birthday with a collage of photos!

Deactivating your Facebook Account (Not permanent. Permanent solution below)

  1. Log into Facebook
  2. Click the pinwheel at the top right of any page
  3. Click on Account Settings
  4. Click the Security tab on the left
  5. Click on 'Deactivate your account' (This is the creepy part where Facebook tries to keep you from deactivating by showing you friends they claim will miss you)
Warning: Groups, Apps, Pages that you are the sole administrator on will be deleted upon your deactivation. You can add a trustworthy friend as an administrator if you do not want to lose them forever.
If you want to reactivate your account, you can at any time by signing in and following the steps to reactivate your account.

Permanent Removal of Account

If you are certain you want to delete your Facebook account and that you will not want to reactivate it at any time you can by visiting this link Delete my Facebook account permanently.

That's about it. No more excuses as to why you are afraid of breaking free of Facebook. In an hour or so you can have a fresh Facebook account or no Facebook account at all. If you decide to keep your account, be sure to click on the Facebook icon at the top of this post to become our fan!

 

 

 

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