AI startup Manus announced on Tuesday (August 11) that it will officially resume operating as an independent entity following the cancellation of its multi-billion-dollar acquisition by Facebook-parent company Meta, warning customers that select user data will be deleted as part of the separation process. The data deletion policy affects user records generated during the transition period following the initial acquisition agreement.According to a company statement, data generated by certain users on or after December 29, 2025, will be permanently removed later this month to satisfy regulatory compliance requirements across specific jurisdictions.Manus stated that affected users will receive direct notifications via the Manus mobile application and email, allowing them time to back up their information before the deletion takes effect. The operational split follows regulatory intervention by Chinese authorities in April, when Beijing ordered tech giant Meta to unwind its proposed acquisition of Manus – a deal valued at over $2 billion.
Read Manus’ note to its users
A Note to Our UsersManus will soon return to operating as an independent company, which will see us continue to serve our millions of users around the world.As we go through the process, it’s unavoidable that some users’ accounts will be impacted. Below, we explain what’s happening and what it means for you if your account is affected.What is happening?As part of our transition back to independent operations and to comply with regulatory requirements in specific jurisdictions, data generated by certain users on/after December 29, 2025, will be deleted from 8:00 a.m. on August 23 through August 24, 2026 (SGT). Affected users will be able to back up their data from now until 7:59 a.m. on August 23, 2026 (SGT) and restore it starting from 8:00 a.m. on August 25, 2026 (SGT).Unaffected users can continue using Manus as usual throughout this period, without taking any action.We’ve developed data backup and restoration tools to make this process as easy as possible for affected users. That said, we understand the disruption this will cause. Our users have always been our priority at Manus—innovating for you, bringing you magical experiences that inspire and help you, and serving you transparently and humbly. Our commitment to you remains wholeheartedly and, while we can’t avoid this, we plan to be there to support you through every step of the process.How will affected users be informed?We’ll notify affected users in the Manus app and by email.For users who registered for Manus using an Apple ID or Facebook account, please check your in-app notifications, as we do not have your email address.To ensure you don’t miss the backup period (see below for details), we’ll send you multiple reminders before 7:59 a.m. on August 23 (SGT). You can also check whether your account is affected through this guide in Help Center.We won’t charge affected users during the data backup period (August 11–August 23, SGT), and we’ll be providing welcome back bonuses after you restore your data. For details about your subscription, check your email and in-app notification.What can you do if your account is affected?Affected users can back up data before the deletion takes place and restore it on August 25 (SGT).The backup window is now open and will run until 7:59 p.m. EDT on August 22 / 1:59 a.m. CEST on August 23 / 7:59 a.m. SGT on August 23, 2026.To avoid losing your data, please back up your data before this time. You can find the backup tool and detailed guides.The backup tool supports multiple backups. If you generate new task data after backing up, please back up again to ensure the latest data is saved before it’s deleted from August 23 through August 24, 2026 (SGT).Once the backup window closes, affected users will not be able to access their Manus account until the data restoration portal opens at 8:00 p.m. EDT on August 24 / 2:00 a.m. CEST on August 25 / 8:00 a.m. SGT on August 25, 2026.From that moment, affected users will be able to restore the data that was backed up and return to using Manus as usual.If you have any questions at any stage during this period, please refer to the guides in the Help Center or contact our customer service team any time.What should unaffected users do?Nothing. If your account is not affected, you won’t receive an email notification. You’ll receive an in-app notification telling you that you aren’t affected. You don’t need to take any action.Last thingYour support is the reason Manus exists, and we’re sincerely grateful for your continued trust.Since the launch of Manus, we haven't stopped our pace of product iteration. As we look to the future, we’re already preparing a series of new features that will push the boundaries of what’s possible for general AI agents once again.We know you, our users around the world, have higher expectations for Manus than ever. Your trust is incredibly important to us and we’re committed to continuing to earn it. We will respond as we always have: with non-stop iteration and innovation to make sure you have a better and better experience every time you turn to us.We look forward to continuing to serve and delight you in this next chapter.