You can leave a Facebook group at any time, and the group admin won't be notified

Leaving a Facebook group is straightforward — you can do it from your phone or computer in under a minute. The group owner and members won't get a notification that you've left, though they may notice your name is no longer in the member list if they check. Once you leave, you'll stop seeing the group's posts in your feed and won't receive notifications from it.

The steps are the same whether you're leaving a group you joined years ago or one you just realized isn't for you. You don't need permission from anyone, and you can rejoin the group later if you change your mind — though some groups require admin approval to rejoin.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the group, tap or click the menu icon, and select "Leave group" — the process takes less than a minute on any device.
  • Group admins and members are not notified when you leave, though your name will disappear from the member list.
  • You can rejoin a public group anytime, but private groups may require the admin to approve you again.
  • Leaving a group removes all its posts from your feed and stops notifications, but you can still view the group if it's public and you search for it.
  • If you want to hide a group without leaving it, you can mute notifications or remove it from your groups list instead.

How to leave a group on Facebook mobile app

Open the Facebook app and go to the group you want to leave. At the top of the group page, you'll see the group name and a menu icon — it looks like three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) on Android or three dots on iPhone. Tap that icon.

A menu will pop up with several options. Scroll down until you see "Leave group" and tap it. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap "Leave" again. That's it. You're out of the group, and your feed will no longer show its posts.

How to leave a group on Facebook desktop

Go to facebook.com and find the group in your sidebar under "Groups," or search for it using the search bar at the top. Click on the group name to open it.

Once you're on the group page, look for a button or menu near the top right. On most versions of Facebook, you'll see a gear icon or three dots. Click it, then select "Leave group" from the dropdown menu. Confirm when Facebook asks you to. You'll be removed immediately.

What happens to your posts and comments after you leave

Your posts and comments stay in the group after you leave — they don't disappear. Other members can still see them and reply to them. If you want to remove something you posted before leaving, delete it first while you're still in the group.

Once you've left, you can't edit or delete your old posts from that group anymore. If you need to remove something after leaving, you'd have to rejoin the group, delete the post, and leave again.

The difference between leaving and muting a group

Leaving a group removes you completely — you stop being a member and won't see any of its content. Muting a group keeps you as a member but silences its notifications and hides its posts from your feed. Muting is useful if you want to stay in a group but don't want to see constant updates.

To mute a group instead of leaving, open the group, tap or click the menu icon, and select "Mute group" or "Mute notifications." You'll stay in the group and can unmute it anytime. This is a good middle ground if you're unsure whether you want to leave permanently.

Rejoining a group after you leave

If you leave a public group, you can rejoin it anytime by searching for the group name and clicking "Join." The process is instant, and you'll see all the group's posts again.

Private groups work differently. If you leave a private group, you can request to rejoin, but the group admin has to approve your request first. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days, depending on how active the admin is. Some private groups may also have rules about how long you have to wait before rejoining.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the group admin know I left?

No. Facebook doesn't send a notification to the admin or other members when you leave. However, if the admin checks the member list, they'll see your name is no longer there. Some groups are small enough that people notice when someone leaves, but Facebook itself doesn't alert anyone.

Can I delete my posts from a group after I leave?

No. Once you leave a group, you can't edit or delete your posts from it anymore. If you want to remove something you posted, delete it before you leave. After you leave, only the group admin can delete your posts.

What if I accidentally left a group?

You can rejoin immediately if it's a public group — just search for it and click "Join." If it's a private group, you'll need to send a request to rejoin, and the admin will have to approve it. There's no penalty for leaving and rejoining.

Will I still see the group in my sidebar after I leave?

No. Once you leave, the group disappears from your "Groups" section in the sidebar. You can still find it by searching, but it won't appear in your list of groups anymore unless you rejoin.

Can I leave a group without the admin knowing I didn't like it?

Yes. Leaving a group sends no message or notification to anyone. The admin won't know why you left or even that you left unless they manually check the member list. You can leave for any reason without anyone being informed.