When Facebook won’t log you out, end sessions in Where you’re logged in, clear cookies or app cache, then restart the app or browser.
You tap Log Out and nothing happens. The page refreshes, you’re still in. Or the app spins and dumps you right back on the feed. Annoying, and risky on a shared device. This guide cuts the clutter and gets you out clean—on phone, desktop, and everywhere else.
Why Facebook Refuses To Log You Out
Most hang-ups fall into a few buckets: a stuck session, stale cookies, a flaky app build, or a second device that keeps reviving the session. Less often, a browser extension, VPN, or a weak connection blocks the logout call. If you’ve signed in on a public computer, that machine may still hold a valid token and keep pulling you back in until you revoke it.
Quick Diagnosis Table
| Symptom | Where It Happens | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Log Out button does nothing | Web, iOS, Android | Refresh, then clear cookies or in-app browser cache |
| Spinner loops, then feed reloads | iOS, Android | Force-quit app, update, retry |
| Signed out, but auto-logs back in | Web | Delete saved logins and site cookies for facebook.com |
| Logout works, session reappears | Any | End sessions under “Where you’re logged in,” then change password |
| Public computer won’t release account | Web | Remote log out of that device, then clear that browser’s data |
| Messenger still active after Facebook log out | iOS, Android | Log out via Accounts Center or remove the session directly |
| Two-factor prompt keeps looping | Any | Revoke trusted devices, use an authenticator app, then try again |
| “Keep me signed in” overrides log out | Web | Untick the option and remove stored cookies |
Can’t Log Out Of Facebook? Practical Steps
Step 1: End The Right Sessions
Use Facebook’s session list to boot devices that cling to your account. Go to Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Where you’re logged in. Select the device entries, tap Log out, or choose Select all to sweep everything.
Need the official walk-through? See the Facebook Help Center page on logging out on another device.
Step 2: Clear Cookies Or App Cache
On the app, open Settings & privacy, search for Browser, then use Clear browsing data. On a web browser, delete cookies for facebook.com and messenger.com only, then reload. This removes the token that keeps restoring your session.
Step 3: Restart The App Or Browser
Force-quit the Facebook app, then reopen and try again. On desktop, close every tab that’s logged in, quit the browser fully, and relaunch. A fresh process helps the logout call complete.
Step 4: Remove Saved Logins
Browsers love to auto-sign you in. In Chrome, go to the lock icon or Site settings for facebook.com, clear “All site data,” and remove any saved passwords. If you used the app’s one-tap account switcher, remove the saved account tile before logging out.
Step 5: Force A Global Sign-Out
Changing your password and revoking trusted devices will kick out sessions that won’t die. After the change, turn on login alerts and two-factor authentication so you catch any surprise sign-ins. You can manage alerts from Facebook’s page about unrecognized logins.
Step 6: Check Connected Apps
Open Settings and review apps and websites that use “Continue with Facebook.” Remove anything you don’t use. A sketchy app can refresh tokens and pull you back in.
Step 7: Messenger Specific
Messenger can keep its own session. In Accounts Center, review where Messenger is logged in and remove lingering devices. If you run end-to-end encrypted chats, check the device list inside Messenger and prune old phones and tablets.
Menu Paths On Phone And Desktop
iPhone (Facebook App)
Tap the menu (bottom right) → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in. Select devices → Log out.
Android (Facebook App)
Tap the menu (top right) → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in. Pick devices → Log out.
Desktop (facebook.com)
Click your profile picture (top right) → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in. Choose devices → Log out.
If You Suspect A Security Problem
Odd logins, new locations, or a logout that keeps failing can signal compromise. End sessions you don’t recognize, change the password, and add two-factor with an authenticator app or security key. Review trusted devices and remove any you don’t recognize. Turn on alerts so Facebook pings you when a new device signs in.
Passkeys are rolling out on mobile as an easy, phishing-resistant sign-in. When available on your account, set one up in Password and security and keep your phone’s screen lock on.
Tricky Cases: Browser, Cache, And Extensions
If logout fails on one browser but works on another, you’re likely staring at a cookie or extension issue. Try an incognito window. If that works, remove site data for facebook.com, then disable extensions that touch scripts, cookies, or content blocking and retry. VPNs and privacy filters can also break the request that finishes a log out. Temporarily turn them off while you sign out, then turn them back on.
The mobile app has its own cache. Clearing the in-app browser data often fixes a stubborn session. If the app is out of date, update it from the App Store or Play Store, then repeat the session cleanup.
Shared Or Public Device Tips
On a library or café machine, assume the browser will retain your session. Always log out, then remove the site’s cookies before you walk away. From your phone, visit Where you’re logged in and end that computer’s session as a backup. If you forgot to sign out and can’t reach the device, change your password and remove saved logins from your own browsers.
At-A-Glance Paths And Results
| Platform | Path | What You’ll See |
|---|---|---|
| iOS app | Menu → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in | Device list with location, time, and a Log out option |
| Android app | Menu → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in | Same device list; supports Select all → Log out |
| Desktop web | Profile picture → Settings & privacy → Settings → Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you’re logged in | Complete session list for Facebook and Messenger |
| Public computer | Use your phone to open the same path | End that machine’s session remotely |
Two-Minute Checklist
- End sessions under Where you’re logged in (select all).
- Change your password and revoke trusted devices.
- Clear cookies or the app’s browsing data for Facebook.
- Force-quit the app, or fully close and relaunch the browser.
- Remove saved logins and disable one-click account tiles.
- Enable two-factor and login alerts; add a passkey when available.
Keep Logouts Smooth Next Time
Sign in only on devices you control. Review the session list weekly. Keep the app updated. Trim third-party apps tied to your account. Use an authenticator app for two-factor, not SMS. And if something feels off, log out everywhere, lock the account with a fresh password, and start clean.
Clear Cookies By Browser
Chrome (desktop): Click the padlock in the address bar → Cookies and site data → Manage on-device site data → find facebook.com and messenger.com → Delete. Then reload and try Log Out again.
Safari (Mac): Safari → Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data → search facebook → Remove → Done. Close all Facebook tabs first.
Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data → See all cookies and site data → remove facebook.com. Relaunch the browser.
Firefox: Click the shield icon → Clear cookies and site data → confirm for facebook.com. If Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks the call, set it to Standard for this site while you sign out.
Account Switcher And One-Tap Login
That handy account tile on the login screen can relaunch a session right after you click Log Out. On the login page, tap the three dots on the tile and pick Remove account. If you see the “Remember password” prompt from the browser, pick Never for Facebook so the session can end cleanly next time.
Fix The “Open In App” Loop
Sometimes the mobile web prompts you to open the native app, which interrupts the sign-out. Stay in the browser to finish the log out, or disable the app’s setting that keeps handing links to the app. After the sign-out completes, you can switch back.
If The Log Out Option Is Missing
Can’t see a Log out button? In Settings, use search and enter Where you’re logged in. That page lists every device with a Log out control. If the app hides it, finish on a desktop browser.
Work Phones, Profiles, And Lite Apps
Company-managed phones may restrict cookies or route traffic through filters, which can block the logout call. Use a personal device to finish. If you use Facebook Lite or Messenger Lite, repeat the steps there since those apps keep separate sessions.
Network And VPN Quirks
Logout requests can time out on spotty Wi-Fi or through a VPN endpoint that drops connections. Toggle airplane mode on and off, or switch to mobile data for a moment, and retry. If you use a VPN, disconnect while you log out, then reconnect.