It happens to everyone. You post a video from a concert that sounds way worse the next morning, or maybe an old clip of an ex resurfaces in your "Memories" and you just want it gone. Fast. You're sitting there staring at your phone, wondering, how do you delete a video from facebook without accidentally nuking your entire profile or leaving some weird digital ghost behind?
It’s actually easy, but Facebook (or Meta, if we’re being formal) loves to hide things behind three-dot menus that seem to move every time the app updates.
Let's be real: Facebook is a graveyard of things we probably shouldn't have posted in 2012. Back then, the privacy settings were a Wild West. Today, the interface is a cluttered mess of "Watch" tabs, "Reels," and "Stories." If you're trying to scrub a video, you need to know exactly where you’re looking, because deleting a Reel is different from deleting a video you were tagged in, which is also different from a video you posted to a Group.
The Quick Way to Scrub Your Timeline
If the video is right there on your timeline, you’re in luck. This is the simplest version of the "how do you delete a video from facebook" saga. Whether you’re on a desktop or using the mobile app on an iPhone or Android, the logic is basically the same.
Find the post. Look at the top right corner of that specific post. You’ll see those three little dots—the "ellipsis" menu. Tap that. A menu slides up. You’re looking for "Move to Trash" or "Delete." On the desktop version, it often says "Move to Trash."
Facebook changed this recently. They don't always "delete" things instantly anymore. Instead, they move them to a Trash folder where they sit for 30 days. It’s a safety net for people who get "delete-happy" and then regret it. If you want it gone now, you have to go into your Activity Log and empty the trash manually.
Wait. There’s a catch.
If you just "Hide from Profile," the video still exists. People can still find it in their newsfeeds or if they have a direct link. Hiding is not deleting. Don't fall for that if you're trying to actually erase the evidence.
What About Those Annoying Reels?
Reels are the shiny new toy for Meta, and they live in a slightly different neighborhood on the app. To get rid of a Reel, you usually have to go to the dedicated Reels tab on your profile.
- Open the Facebook app.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Scroll down past your bio and find the "Reels" tab next to "Photos."
- Open the specific Reel you want to kill.
- Tap the three dots at the bottom right.
- Hit Delete.
It's gone. Well, mostly. Again, it goes to that 30-day trash bin. Honestly, it’s kinda annoying that you have to delete things twice to actually make them disappear, but that's the modern web for you.
Managing Your Entire Video Library at Once
Sometimes you aren't looking for just one video. Maybe you're doing a total digital "spring cleaning" because you're applying for a new job and don't want HR seeing your college shenanigans.
Go to your profile. Click "Photos." Then click "Albums." There is a specific album called "Videos."
This is where things get messy. You can't just "Select All" and delete everything in one click. Facebook doesn't want you to leave. They make it tedious on purpose. You have to open the video, click the pencil icon or the dots, and delete them one by one. It’s a slog. If you have hundreds of videos, you’re going to be there for an hour.
Using the Activity Log for Bulk Deletion
If you're serious about a mass purge, the Activity Log is your best friend.
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- Go to Settings & Privacy.
- Find Activity Log.
- Tap "Your Activity Across Facebook."
- Select "Posts" and then "Videos you've posted."
From here, you can check multiple boxes. It’s the closest thing to a "bulk delete" button that exists without using sketchy third-party browser extensions (which I’d stay away from, honestly—they often steal your login info).
The "Tagged Video" Nightmare
Here is the big point of confusion. What if you didn't post the video? What if your cousin Dave posted a video of you falling into a pool and tagged you in it?
You can't delete Dave's video.
You don't own it. It’s on Dave’s server space, essentially. When people ask "how do you delete a video from facebook," they often realize halfway through that they are actually trying to delete someone else's content. You have two options here:
Option A: Untag yourself. Hit the three dots on the post and select "Remove Tag." The video stays on Facebook, but it’s no longer linked to your profile and won't show up in your "Videos of You" section.
Option B: The nuclear option. Report the video. If the video violates Facebook’s community standards—maybe it’s bullying, harassment, or shows you in a private setting without consent—you can report it. Facebook's moderation is mostly handled by AI and overworked contractors, so this is a coin flip. It might get taken down, or you might get an automated message saying it doesn't violate their "standards."
Why Can’t I See the Delete Option?
It happens. You click the dots, and "Delete" is nowhere to be found.
Usually, this means you’re looking at a video that was shared from somewhere else. If you shared a video from a Page or a YouTube link, you aren't deleting the video; you’re deleting your post of the video.
Another weird glitch? Business accounts. If you posted a video through a Facebook Business Page or the Meta Business Suite, you usually can't delete it through the regular Facebook app. You have to log into the Business Suite or Creator Studio. It’s a different interface entirely.
If you're a streamer, your "Past Broadcasts" live in the Gaming or Live section. Those have their own expiration settings. Sometimes they delete themselves after 30 or 60 days depending on your partner status, but if you want them gone sooner, you have to go into the "Live Dashboard."
The Ghost in the Machine: Cached Data
You hit delete. It’s gone from your profile. You’re happy.
Then, your friend sends you a screenshot. "Hey, I can still see this video!"
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What gives?
This is usually a caching issue. Facebook's servers are spread all over the world. When you delete something, that "instruction" has to travel to every server. Sometimes it takes a few minutes, or even an hour, for the video to truly disappear from every corner of the globe. Also, if your friend had the page open already, their browser might be showing a cached version of the page.
Tell them to refresh. If it’s still there after a day, you might have moved it to the "Archive" instead of the "Trash." Archiving hides it from everyone but you. It doesn't delete it.
Professional and Legal Considerations
If you are deleting a video because of a legal dispute or a "cease and desist," be careful. Deleting evidence can sometimes be viewed as "spoliation of evidence" in some jurisdictions if there is an active or "reasonably anticipated" legal proceeding.
On the flip side, if someone is using a video of you without your permission for commercial purposes, you should look into a DMCA takedown request. Facebook has a specific form for intellectual property violations. This is much more effective than the standard "Report" button. It's a legal process, and they take it way more seriously because it involves copyright law.
Actionable Next Steps for a Clean Profile
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably ready to go on a deleting spree. Here is exactly how you should handle it to ensure your privacy is actually protected:
- Check your Trash Folder: Don't just delete and walk away. Go to your Activity Log, find the Trash section, and "Empty Trash" to bypass the 30-day waiting period.
- Review your Tags: Go to "Profile and Tagging" settings. Turn on "Review posts you're tagged in before the post appears on your profile." This stops the problem before it starts.
- Check the "Videos" Album: Once a year, go into your video album on a desktop browser. It’s easier to see the thumbnails there.
- Download First: If there’s even a 1% chance you’ll want that video in ten years for a "throwback," use the "Download Video" option before you kill it. Facebook’s data is yours, but once it’s deleted from the server and the trash is emptied, it is gone. Permanently. No, Facebook support won't get it back for you. They don't even have a phone number you can call.
Managing your digital footprint is a bit of a chore, but knowing how do you delete a video from facebook gives you back a little bit of control over your online identity. Just remember that the internet is "forever-ish"—while you can delete the post, you can't stop someone from having screen-recorded it while it was up. Post wisely. Or at least, delete quickly.
To verify your video is truly gone, log out of your account or use a "Private/Incognito" window to view your public profile. If the video is still there, you likely only "Archived" it or "Hid it from Timeline" instead of actually deleting it. Return to your Activity Log and ensure the status is set to "Trash." Once you manually empty the trash, the content is purged from Facebook's active delivery servers.