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Facebook help guide

Account, privacy, posts, and Pages help for Meta's main social network.

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Interfaces change. Button names and menu locations move often. Use these steps as a map, then confirm in the latest official app or help center linked below.

Create an account

A personal Facebook profile is the foundation for friends, Groups, Marketplace, and messaging. Brands usually add a Facebook Page (and often Meta Business Suite) so multiple people can publish without sharing one login.

You can sign up on facebook.com or in the mobile app. Use an email address or mobile number you control long-term — recovery depends on those contacts. Enter your legal or preferred name carefully; repeated name changes can trigger reviews.

  1. Open Facebook and choose Create new account (wording varies by device and language).
  2. Enter name, email or mobile number, a strong unique password, and birth date. Use accurate age information — features and advertising rules depend on it.
  3. Complete the confirmation code sent to your email or phone.
  4. Add a recognizable profile photo and cover image when ready. Skip friend suggestions until your privacy defaults feel right.
  5. If you represent a business, create a Page from professional tools and assign roles instead of posting only from your personal profile.

After signup, visit Settings and open Accounts Center (shared with Instagram when linked). Confirm which profiles are connected and which email is primary before you invest time in Page setup.

Privacy basics

Facebook privacy is layered: post audience, profile fields, searchability, messaging filters, and ad preferences. Review them together rather than changing one toggle in isolation.

  • Who can see your posts — Public, Friends, Friends except…, Specific friends, or Only me. Set a default audience, then double-check before sensitive posts.
  • Profile locking / limited profile options (where available) restrict what non-friends see on your timeline.
  • Friend lists and Followers — decide who can follow you without a friend request and who can send message requests.
  • Apps and websites — remove old quizzes, games, and logins you no longer use.
  • Activity log — find old posts, likes, and tags to clean up history without deleting the whole account.
  • Ad preferences — limit interest categories and hide topics that feel invasive.

Run Facebook’s Privacy Checkup or Security Checkup when offered. They walk through contacts, apps, and login methods in one flow — useful after a phone upgrade or if you suspect unwanted access.

Security and two-factor authentication

Treat Facebook like email: if someone controls your login, they can reset other services that use Facebook login. Harden the account before you grow a Page or run ads.

  1. Open Accounts Center → Password and security (labels move; search Settings for “two-factor” if needed).
  2. Turn on two-factor authentication. Prefer an authenticator app or security key over SMS when both are available.
  3. Save backup codes offline (password manager or printed sheet in a safe place).
  4. Enable login alerts for unrecognized devices.
  5. Review Where you’re logged in and log out unknown sessions.
  6. If you use Facebook Login elsewhere, keep a recovery email that is not only reachable inside Facebook.

Never share login codes with “support agents” who message you. Official Meta support will not ask for your password or 2FA code in Messenger from random profiles.

Create content

Facebook supports feed posts, Reels, Stories, live video, Events, Groups posts, and Page publishing. Pick the format that matches your goal: discussion in Groups, discovery via Reels, or durable updates on a Page.

  • Feed posts — text, photos, video, or links. Add alt text for images when the UI offers it.
  • Reels — short vertical video; strong openings matter more than perfect production.
  • Stories — ephemeral updates; Highlights can preserve important frames on a Page or profile where supported.
  • Pages — schedule in Meta Business Suite, use inbox tools, and keep branding consistent across cover photo and about section.

Before publishing, set the audience, review tagged people, and avoid copyrighted music you are not licensed to use on commercial Pages. For teams, draft in a shared doc, approve once, then schedule — reduce last-minute edits in the live composer.

Best practices that age well: one clear idea per post, a specific call to action when you want comments or clicks, and captions that still make sense without the image. Avoid engagement bait that violates Community Standards (like “like and share to win” schemes in restricted categories).

Groups require a lighter touch than Pages: lead with contribution, not links. If you administer a Group, publish rules, use admin assists, and remove scam posts quickly. Marketplace sellers should prefer on-platform flows and avoid sharing one-time payment codes with strangers.

Groups require a lighter touch than Pages: lead with contribution, not links. If you administer a Group, publish rules, use admin assists, and remove scam posts quickly. Marketplace sellers should prefer on-platform flows and avoid sharing one-time payment codes with strangers.

Delete a post

Deleting removes the post from your profile or Page feed for typical viewers. Screenshots, shares, and some caches can remain elsewhere — delete early if something was posted by mistake.

  1. Open the post on your profile, Page, or feed.
  2. Tap or click the three-dot menu on that post.
  3. Choose Delete, Move to trash, or Remove depending on the current UI.
  4. Confirm. If a trash/bin exists, empty it after you are sure you do not need recovery.
  5. On Pages, check Meta Business Suite content tools for bulk options when cleaning campaigns.

If a post is missing but not deleted, check filters, pending review states, or Community Standards notices in Support Inbox.

Archive or hide posts

Archiving (or moving to trash temporarily) is useful when you want content off the public timeline without destroying it yet. Exact labels change; look for Archive on the post menu or manage items from activity tools.

For a full backup, use Download Your Information / Transfer a copy of your information in Accounts Center. Choose date range, format (HTML for browsing, JSON for archival), and media quality. Large accounts can take hours or days to prepare — request the file before you deactivate.

  • Archive individual posts you may want later
  • Export a full information copy before major account changes
  • Keep offline masters of photos and videos you care about — platform exports are not a substitute for original files

Download your data

A data download typically includes posts, photos, messages (subject to options you select), and profile information. Store the archive in encrypted storage if it contains private chats.

Path overview: Settings → Accounts Center → Your information → Download or transfer information. Confirm the email that will receive the ready link. Do not share that link.

Deactivate vs delete your account

Deactivate hides your profile and can usually be reversed by logging in again. Delete starts a permanent removal after a waiting period (often measured in days to a month — confirm the on-screen timeline). Linked Instagram accounts in the same Accounts Center may need separate decisions.

  1. Download your information first if you want a copy.
  2. Transfer Page admin roles so your business Page is not orphaned.
  3. Remove payment methods and cancel active ad campaigns you no longer need.
  4. Accounts Center → Personal details / Account ownership → Deactivation or deletion (follow current labels).
  5. Choose deactivate vs delete carefully; read warnings about Facebook Login on other sites.
  6. During the deletion wait window, logging in may cancel deletion — read the confirmation text.

Deleting a personal profile is different from deleting a Page. Pages have their own removal flows and may affect connected Instagram professional accounts or ad accounts.

Before you delete: download a copy of your data if the platform offers an archive/export. Deletion is often delayed several days or weeks and may be irreversible after that window. Deactivate if you only need a pause; delete when you are sure you will not return.

Grow followers ethically

Sustainable Facebook growth comes from usefulness and community, not purchased likes. Pages that answer local questions, publish clear offers, and respond in comments outperform generic motivational graphics.

  • Post consistently on topics your audience already asks about
  • Participate in relevant Groups without spamming links
  • Collaborate with complementary Pages when it is mutually useful
  • Use boosted posts transparently when you have a real offer — follow ads policies
  • Never buy followers, fake reviews, or engagement bots

Measure comments, saves, link clicks, and messages quality — not just raw like counts. If you run ads, separate organic learning from paid reach so you know what creative actually works.

Cross-posting Instagram Reels to Facebook can save time, but captions should still fit Facebook’s conversational style. Track which platform produces inquiries, not only reactions.

Cross-posting Instagram Reels to Facebook can save time, but captions should still fit Facebook’s conversational style. Track which platform produces inquiries, not only reactions.

  • Post consistently about topics your audience cares about
  • Reply to comments and messages thoughtfully
  • Use clear captions and relevant hashtags or keywords (without stuffing)
  • Avoid fake engagement services, bots, or purchased followers
  • Follow each platform’s community guidelines and advertising rules

Common problems (locked, hacked, recovery)

  • Locked out — use official account recovery with the registered email/phone. Avoid third-party “recovery experts.”
  • Hacked — secure your email first, then Facebook password and 2FA; review sessions and apps; alert friends if spam was sent.
  • Disabled for standards — read the notice, appeal in-product only, and stop repeating the flagged behavior.
  • Page access lost — verify Business Suite roles with another admin; keep at least two trusted admins.
  • Marketplace or payment issues — use official Commerce support flows; never pay “fees” via gift cards to strangers.

If your Page is unpublished unexpectedly, check admin alerts for policy reviews and confirm billing issues on ad accounts. Keep a secondary admin in a different household so travel or illness does not lock the business out.

Official help links

This guide is independent educational content. Facebook is a trademark of its owner. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the platform. For account security problems, use official support channels only. Interfaces change — confirm steps in the official app or help center.