Resetting "everything" on Facebook can mean different things, from reverting your account settings to their original state, clearing app data for better performance, or even completely taking a break by deactivating or deleting your account. This guide will clarify these different actions and provide steps for each.
Understanding "Reset Everything" on Facebook
The term "reset everything" can be interpreted in a few ways depending on what you're trying to achieve:
- Resetting Settings: This means reverting your privacy, notification, and general preferences back to their default or original configurations without affecting your posts, photos, or friendships.
- Clearing App Data/Cache: This is a device-specific action that removes temporary files and data stored by the Facebook app on your phone or tablet, often used to resolve performance issues.
- Deactivating or Deleting Your Account: These are the most comprehensive "resets," allowing you to temporarily hide your profile or permanently remove all your data from Facebook.
Option 1: Resetting Your Facebook Settings to Defaults
If your goal is to restore your Facebook settings, such as privacy controls, notification preferences, or ad settings, to their original or default configuration, here's how you can approach it.
Restoring Default Settings
While Facebook's interface constantly evolves, the core idea of restoring settings involves navigating to your account settings. Historically, to restore all your Facebook settings, you could log into your Facebook account, go to the Settings page, and click on a "Restore All Defaults" button. This action would specifically reset all your Facebook settings to their original defaults.
However, Facebook now typically allows users to manage and adjust settings category by category, rather than offering a single universal "Restore All Defaults" button for everything. You can effectively "reset" your settings by manually reviewing and adjusting them:
- Log In to Facebook: Access your account through a web browser or the mobile app.
- Go to Settings & Privacy:
- On desktop: Click on your profile picture in the top right, then select Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- On mobile: Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down, and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Review and Adjust Key Settings Categories:
- Privacy Checkup/Privacy Shortcuts: This is an excellent tool to review and adjust who can see your posts, information, and how people can find you. Go through each step to ensure your privacy settings are as you desire.
- Privacy: Under the "Audience and Visibility" section, you can manually set who can see your future posts, review posts you're tagged in, and manage your profile information visibility.
- Notifications: Navigate to the Notifications section to customize what alerts you receive and how you receive them (e.g., email, push notifications). You can turn off categories you no longer wish to receive.
- Ad Preferences: Under "Ads," you can review and adjust the categories Facebook uses to show you ads, control interactions with advertisers, and manage data used for ads.
What This Does and Doesn't Do:
- Does: Reverts specific privacy, notification, and general preference settings you manually adjust to their default or desired state.
- Doesn't: Delete any of your posts, photos, friends, or other personal data. It only changes how your account behaves and what information is visible to others based on your preferences.
Option 2: Clearing Facebook App Data and Cache
If your Facebook app is running slowly, crashing, or displaying issues, clearing its local data and cache on your device can often resolve these problems without affecting your account itself.
For Android Devices
- Open Settings: Go to your device's Settings app.
- Navigate to Apps: Find and tap on Apps or Applications.
- Find Facebook: Scroll through the list and tap on the Facebook app.
- Storage Options: Tap on Storage or Storage & Cache.
- Clear Cache & Clear Data:
- Tap Clear Cache first. This removes temporary files.
- Then, tap Clear Data (or Clear Storage). This removes all app data, including settings and login information. You will need to log back into Facebook after this.
For iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad)
On iOS, you typically "offload" the app to clear its data and cache without deleting the app itself, or you delete and reinstall it.
- Offload App:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage).
- Find and tap on the Facebook app.
- Tap Offload App. This frees up storage used by the app but keeps its documents and data.
- Then, tap Reinstall App.
- Delete and Reinstall:
- On your home screen, press and hold the Facebook app icon until it jiggles.
- Tap the Minus sign (–) or Remove App, then select Delete App.
- Go to the App Store, search for "Facebook," and reinstall it. You will need to log back in.
Option 3: Deactivating or Deleting Your Facebook Account
For the most comprehensive "reset" that removes your presence from Facebook, you can either temporarily deactivate your account or permanently delete it.
Deactivating Your Account (Temporary)
Deactivating your account is a good option if you want to take a break from Facebook without permanently losing your data.
- What it does:
- Your profile will be hidden from other people on Facebook.
- Some information, like messages you've sent, may remain visible.
- Your friends can still see you in their friend lists.
- You can reactivate your account anytime by logging back in.
- How to do it:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on See More in Account Center (or Personal and Account Information then Account Ownership and Control).
- Select Personal Details > Account ownership and control.
- Choose Deactivation or Deletion.
- Select your Facebook account, then choose Deactivate Account and follow the prompts.
Deleting Your Account (Permanent)
Deleting your account is irreversible and removes all your content and data from Facebook.
- What it does:
- Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and everything you've added will be permanently deleted.
- You won't be able to retrieve any content you've added.
- Messenger will also be unavailable.
- It may take up to 90 days for your data to be completely removed from Facebook's backup systems, though it won't be accessible to others during this time.
- Important: Before deleting, consider downloading a copy of your information. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information.
- How to do it:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on See More in Account Center (or Personal and Account Information then Account Ownership and Control).
- Select Personal Details > Account ownership and control.
- Choose Deactivation or Deletion.
- Select your Facebook account, then choose Delete Account and follow the prompts.
- Facebook typically provides a grace period (e.g., 30 days) during which you can cancel the deletion process by logging back in.
Comparison of Reset Options
| Action | What it Resets | Impact on Content/Friends | Recoverable? | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reset Settings | Privacy, notifications, ad preferences | None (adjusts visibility/behavior) | N/A (adjusts live settings) | Customize experience, enhance privacy |
| Clear App Data/Cache | Local app files, login info | None (account data intact) | N/A (improves performance) | Resolve app issues, free up storage |
| Deactivate Account | Profile visibility, temporary presence | None (content saved, hidden) | Yes (by logging back in) | Temporary break from Facebook |
| Delete Account | All profile data, posts, photos, friends | All deleted permanently | No (after grace period) | Permanent removal from Facebook |
