Do you spend hours on your social feed and feel anxious, militant or just counterproductive? As it is recommended to limit social media exposure to children's mental health, many adults may benefit as well.
Even if you're not ready for a full digital detox (it can significantly reduce your smartphone usage or take a week offline), a little tweaking your daily routine can help you make time for other activities. And if you decide it's time to move on, look at what you can bring to you before you close your account. This is the quick guide.
Set limits
Social media platforms provide good reasons to stick, such as connecting far away families and providing online community spaces for groups of people. If you want to continue using them – but moderately – the settings on your phone will help.
First, try controlling notifications from social apps. Open the Settings icon on an iPhone or iPad running iOS, tap on notifications, scroll down through the app list to silence the selected app. In the Settings menu for a phone running Android 15, tap Notifications and then tap App Notifications to reach the controls.
Apple and Google also include controls on app distribution times. In iOS 18 Settings, select screen time, select app and website activity, enable it (if it's not already on), and tap App Restrictions. In the Digital Wellbeing Settings for Android 15, tap on the circular chart at the top of the screen and select the app from the list below to set the limits.
Remove the temptation
It's easy to take a quick peek into your social media feed and get away with the bit of the day with ease. If you limit notifications or use them, remove the app from your phone if the timer setting is not sufficient.
Deleting the app does not delete your social account. However, it forces you to check your feed on another device, such as a laptop or tablet that will stay at home.
To remove an app from your iPhone or iPad, press and hold the Home screen icon, delete the app and then delete the app.
Uninstalling apps on Android phones may vary depending on the hardware and software version, but on Android 13 and later, open the Google Play Store, tap the profile icon in the top right corner, select Manage Apps and Devices, then tap (Manage). On some phones, you can also drag the app icon to the top of the screen and drop it with the uninstall option.
Please take a break
With most social media platforms, you can take a temporary break by deactivating your account. Deactivation essentially hides the profile from the view. The steps vary by platform, but usually you start the process in the account settings area. Please check the platform's support section for specific instructions.
If you decide to deactivate it, please check the social media company's policies. Some platforms, such as X and Snapchat, offer 30 days of deactivation until your account is automatically deleted forever.
Other platforms such as Facebook, Bluesky, YouTube, and Tiktok should not place time limits on returns. When you deactivate your Instagram account, you will also place your thread account (if you have one) on ice.
Stop forever
Unlike deactivation, deleting an account is a permanent departure from the platform. The delete option is usually in the same configuration area as the deactivation control.
If you decide to delete it, all content you post on the platform will disappear, but many sites allow you to download archives of photos and other posts before you leave. Find the “Download Information” or “Download Data” options in your account settings.
Depending on the amount of content you post, it may take several days after you request data to receive a link to download the archive. Some sites like Tiktok only provide links to videos, not the actual files themselves, so you need to do extra effort to get them.
Once your data has been downloaded and you have checked the files, follow the platform guide to permanently delete your account. Some people connect elsewhere before they leave and post their contact information to continue the conversation.
