Considering the fact that Facebook has a deal with Google, many Android phones and tablets come with the Facebook application already installed on the device when bought new. What’s more, Facebook most often comes as a system application, meaning that it can’t be quite as easily removed from your device like some other apps.
However, there could be some ways to work around this common issue. Here are the three most popular methods for removing Facebook from your device that might help:
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Method 1: Uninstalling the Facebook application
If you’re one of the luckier Android owners where Facebook didn’t come pre-installed on your device, or you have the ability to actually remove the app from your phone or tablet completely, then you can uninstall it the same way you would any other app. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app (gear icon) or your device’s home screen or app drawer.
- Here, tap on Apps or App Manager, depending on your device.
- Locate Facebook in the provided list of apps, and then select it.
- Finally, simply press Uninstall. The Facebook app will then be completely removed from your device.
Method 2: Disabling the Facebook application
If you’re not so lucky, however, and you can’t delete Facebook from your device using the method above, the next best thing would be to disable the application by following the steps below:
- Open the Settings app (gear icon) or your device’s home screen or app drawer.
- Here, tap on Apps or App Manager, depending on your device.
- Locate Facebook in the provided list of apps, and then select it.
- You will now see two different options, to Disable or Force Stop the application.
- Tap on Disable, and confirm the action by pressing OK. The Facebook app will then be disabled on your device.
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that this method will only hide Facebook from your device; it won’t delete it entirely. In case you ever do a factory reset of your device or even decide to enable Facebook in the future, the app will show up once again in your app list.
Method 3: Rooting your device
If your phone or tablet came with Facebook pre-installed, and you wish to remove the app completely instead of disabling it, the only way of achieving this is by rooting your device.
However, it’s important to note that this is an advanced process that could potentially harm or otherwise change your device in unpredictable ways if not done correctly. Caution is always advised.
However, if you still wish to proceed, here is how you can delete Facebook from your device by rooting:
- Step 1 – You need to gain root access to your phone. As the process for this could significantly vary depending on the device, it would be best to simply do a quick Google search to find out how to gain root access to your specific device.
- Step 2 – Once you’ve managed to gain root access, the next step would be to download an application that will allow you to delete Facebook. Go to the Play Store, and then download Titanium Backup, as this is one of the most well-known apps for achieving your goal.
- Step 3 – After the app is installed, open Titanium Backup. When the application asks for Superuser Access, press Grant to allow it permission. This is necessary for deleting pre-installed apps.
- Step 4 – Make sure to press the Backup/Restore tab in the Titanium Backup app, to ensure the current information on your phone is saved.
- Step 5 – Next, scroll through the provided list of applications until you find Facebook, and then select it. This will open a pop-up window with more information. Simply swipe right to change it to the Backup Properties tab.
- Step 6 – Ensure to press the Backup! button, in order to make a backup version of Facebook. This could be helpful in case the app deletion ends up causing unexpected issues for your device.
- Step 7 – Finally, press the Uninstall! button, and then choose Yes when the warning pops up. The Facebook application will then be completely deleted from your device.
While there are evidently ways of deleting the Facebook app from your Android phone or tablet through more complicated procedures, the best course of action would always be to simply disable it. That way, the app will be out of your sight, and won’t run in the background anymore, but you also won’t risk any potential damage to your device.
