Have you ever stared at your Facebook Business Page thinking, “I wish I could just take this thing down for a minute”—or maybe forever? You’re definitely not alone. Whether you’re restructuring your brand, starting fresh, or simply not ready for public attention just yet, knowing how to close or unpublish a Facebook Business Page is surprisingly useful.

The tricky part? Facebook hides settings like a squirrel hiding snacks before winter. But don’t worry—I’ll walk you through everything step-by-step in a simple, no-stress way.

And if you want professional help, there’s a team that handles this flawlessly (more on that later).

Let’s dive in.

What’s the Difference Between Closing and Unpublishing a Facebook Page?

Before pressing any buttons, it’s important to understand the difference. These two actions are not the same.

Unpublishing

This hides your page from the public. You can still edit, update, rebrand, or reorganize behind the scenes. Think of it as turning the lights off while you rearrange the furniture.

Closing (Deleting Permanently)

This removes your page forever. No going back. No “undo” button. If you delete, Facebook gives you a 14-day grace period, but once it’s gone, it’s gone.

How To Unpublish a Facebook Business Page

If you simply want to hide your page temporarily, here’s how to do it:

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Open Facebook and switch to your business page.
• Click Settings on the left-hand menu.
• Go to General and find Page Visibility.
• Choose Unpublish Page, confirm your choice, and save changes.

Your page is now hidden from public view, but still fully accessible to admins.

How To Close a Facebook Business Page Permanently

If you’re ready to part ways completely, here’s how to delete the page:

• Go to your Facebook Business Page.
• Navigate to Settings → General.
• Scroll to Remove Page.
• Click Delete Page and confirm the deletion.

Facebook will place your page in a 14-day “pending deletion” window. During that time, you can cancel the deletion by logging in and hitting “Restore.”

How Timpson Marketing Execute a Smooth Unpublishing or Closure Plan

A professional marketing team typically handles the process with a structured, step-by-step execution plan like this:

How our professional team usually handles it:

• Audit all page assets, including Pixels, ad accounts, and connected apps.
• Review all roles to ensure ownership permissions are correct.
• Backup content such as posts, reviews, messages, and insights.
• Manage brand communications so customers aren’t caught off guard.
• Unpublish or close the page safely, ensuring nothing breaks across linked platforms.

This ensures your brand stays protected, your data stays safe, and nothing important disappears unexpectedly.

Want This Done Without the Stress?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed (and trust me, many business owners do), you don’t have to handle this alone. You can have the entire process—audits, backups, unpublishing, deletions, everything, done professionally and smoothly.

Get expert help to unpublish or close your Facebook Business Page the right way. Call Timpson Marketing today! Your brand deserves a clean, stress-free transition.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How do I unpublish a Facebook Business Page?

To unpublish your page, go to Settings → General → Page Visibility and switch it to “Unpublish.” This hides the page from the public but keeps it accessible for admin edits. You can republish at any time. This is the safest option if you’re only making temporary changes.

2. How do I permanently delete a Facebook Business Page?

Visit Settings → General → Remove Page, then confirm deletion. Your page will enter a 14-day pending deletion period before it disappears forever. You can restore the page during this window. After 14 days, it is removed permanently.

3. What’s the difference between unpublishing and deleting a page?

Unpublishing hides the page from the public but keeps it accessible to admins. Deleting permanently removes the page after a 14-day grace period. Choose unpublishing for temporary breaks and deletion for permanent closure.

4. Can I republish a page after unpublishing it?

Yes, you can republish anytime by reinstating the visibility setting. Simply reverse the toggle under Page Visibility. All your content remains intact. This makes unpublishing ideal for rebranding.

5. Can I recover a deleted Facebook Business Page?

You can restore it only within the 14-day deletion window. After that, recovery is impossible. Facebook permanently removes all content and data once the period ends. Always back up your content first.

6. Will my followers be notified if I unpublish my page?

No, your followers will not receive any notification. The page simply becomes unavailable to the public. This allows quiet restructuring without drawing attention. All followers remain when you republish.

7. Do my reviews disappear when I unpublish my page?

Reviews are hidden but not lost. When you republish, all reviews reappear unchanged. If you delete the page permanently, all reviews are removed forever.

8. Can I unpublish a page from the Facebook mobile app?

Yes, you can. Go to your page, tap Settings, then General, and locate Page Visibility. Toggle to unpublish. The layout may vary slightly depending on the app version.

9. Why can’t I unpublish my Facebook Page?

Sometimes role permissions prevent access to visibility settings. You must be an admin to unpublish. Additionally, Meta may lock visibility during policy violations.

10. Does unpublishing affect connected Instagram accounts?

Your Instagram remains active even if the page is unpublished. However, some features, like cross-posting, may be limited. Deleting the page, however, can break integrations.

11. Can I still run ads with an unpublished page?

Yes, you can run ads if your ad account is active. Ads can still send traffic elsewhere. However, page-like campaigns will stop because the page isn’t public.

12. What happens to messages when I unpublish my page?

Your inbox stays active, and you can still respond to messages. Users cannot start new conversations unless they previously messaged you. Deleting the page removes your inbox forever.

13. Can I schedule republishing for later?

Facebook does not offer a built-in scheduling option. You must manually republish. Some third-party tools can automate reminders.

14. Do admins still have full access when a page is unpublished?

Yes, all admin tools remain available. You can edit settings, manage apps, upload drafts, and prepare content. Only public visibility changes.

15. Does unpublishing affect analytics or insights?

Your insights remain accessible, but new public engagement data stops collecting. Once republished, metrics resume normally.

16. Can I hide my page without unpublishing it?

You cannot hide it completely without unpublishing. However, you can limit visibility using country or age restrictions. These still keep the page public to some users.

17. Can multiple pages be unpublished at once?

Facebook does not offer bulk unpublishing. Each page must be manually updated. Tools like Business Manager can speed up navigation.

18. Do I lose my username when I delete the page?

Yes, your username becomes available for someone else to claim once the page is fully deleted. Unpublishing does not affect your username.

19. Can I transfer ownership before deleting the page?

Yes, you can assign a new admin before deleting. This is helpful when selling a business. Only admins can delete or unpublish.

20. Why would someone unpublish instead of deleting?

Most people unpublish for temporary pauses, rebranding, or internal restructuring. Deleting is best only when the page is permanently irrelevant.