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How to Recover a Hacked Facebook or Instagram Account

By Ammar Aslam · Updated September 29, 2026 · 3 min read
How to Recover a Hacked Facebook or Instagram Account

Losing access to your Facebook or Instagram account is distressing, especially if the hacker is messaging your friends or posting scams. Act quickly and use only official recovery methods.

If you can still log in

  1. Change your password immediately.
  2. Go to Accounts Center → Password and security → Where you're logged in and log out of unknown devices.
  3. Check your email and phone number are yours; remove unknown ones.
  4. Turn on two-factor authentication.
  5. Remove unknown apps and websites connected to your account.
  6. Review recent posts, messages and ads activity, and delete anything the hacker created.

If the hacker changed your email

Meta sends an email to your original address when the email is changed. Look for it in your inbox (and spam folder); it contains a link to secure your account and reverse the change. Act quickly.

Facebook recovery

  1. Go to facebook.com/hacked on a computer, or tap Forgot password on the login screen.
  2. Find your account by email, phone or username.
  3. Follow the steps to receive a code or verify your identity.
  4. If offered, choose options like verifying with a video selfie or ID.

Instagram recovery

  1. On the login screen, tap Forgot password? (or "Get help logging in").
  2. Enter your username, email or phone.
  3. If you can't access those, tap Can't reset your password? and follow the prompts.
  4. You may be asked to take a video selfie to confirm identity if your account has photos of you.

Watch out for recovery scams

People claiming to be "hackers" who can recover your account for a fee, or accounts pretending to be Meta support in comments and DMs, are scammers. Meta does not charge for account recovery and won't contact you through random direct messages.

Warn your friends

Hackers often use hijacked accounts to ask friends for money or promote fake investments. Ask a family member to post that your account was hacked and to ignore requests.

Prevent it from happening again

  • Use a unique password and a password manager.
  • Use an authenticator app for 2FA rather than SMS.
  • Never share login codes, even with "friends".
  • Check social media privacy settings.
  • Beware of links promising prizes or "see who viewed your profile".

Tips that improve your chance of recovery

  • Use a device and network you've used before for that account, such as your usual phone and home Wi-Fi. Meta's systems are more likely to trust familiar devices.
  • Check all your email addresses and phone numbers, including old ones, for security messages from Meta.
  • Be patient with identity checks; submit once and wait rather than sending many requests.
  • Make sure your ID details match your profile name when verifying identity.

Business pages and ad accounts

If your account manages a business page or ad account, hackers may run expensive ads with your saved card. Act quickly:

  1. Contact your bank to block the card linked to your ads account if unknown charges appear.
  2. Check Meta Business Suite for unknown admins and remove them.
  3. Always have at least two trusted admins with 2FA on business pages.

How accounts usually get hacked

  • Fake "copyright violation" or "your page will be disabled" messages with login links.
  • Friends' hacked accounts asking you to vote for them or share a code.
  • Fake verification badge offers.
  • Reused passwords from other breached websites.

Learn more in our guide to spotting phishing.

Frequently asked questions

How long does recovery take?

Sometimes minutes; identity verification can take a few days.

Can I contact Meta by phone?

Generally no. Use the official help centre and recovery tools.

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Ammar Aslam
Ammar writes clear, practical tech guides that help everyday users fix problems, stay safe online and get more from their devices.

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