How to Recover a Hacked Facebook or Instagram Account in the US
Getting locked out of your own Facebook or Instagram account is stressful, and it usually happens at the worst moment. One day your password stops working, your email or phone number has been changed, and a stranger is posting from your profile or messaging your friends. It happens to a lot of people, and most hacked accounts can be recovered if you act fast and follow the right steps.
This guide walks you through recovering a hacked Facebook or Instagram account in the US, in the order that gives you the best chance of getting back in. The steps work on iPhone and Android, and on a computer browser, which is often the easier place to do this.
Step 1: Try to sign in and see what changed
Start by trying your usual password. If it fails, do not keep guessing, because repeated wrong attempts can trigger a temporary lockout. Instead, look for the "Forgot password" or "Forgot account" option on the sign-in screen.
When you request a reset, Facebook and Instagram will show you the email address or phone number on file, usually partly hidden. That is your first clue. If the contact details look unfamiliar, the hacker has already changed them, and you will need the recovery path in Step 3. If your own email or phone is still listed, a reset link or code should reach you, and recovery is usually quick.
Step 2: Reset your password from a device you trust
Use a device and a network you trust, ideally your home Wi-Fi rather than public Wi-Fi. Go to facebook.com or instagram.com in a browser, or open the app, and tap "Forgot password". Enter your username, email, or phone number, and choose to receive the code by email or text.
When the code arrives, enter it and set a brand new password that you have never used anywhere else. Make it long, with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and do not reuse it on any other site. If the code does not arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder, then ask for a new one. If it still does not come, the recovery email may have been changed, and you need Step 3.
Step 3: Use the hacked-account recovery page
If your password, email, and phone number have all been changed, the normal reset will not work. Both Facebook and Instagram have a dedicated recovery flow for this. On Facebook, go to facebook.com/hacked and follow the prompts. On Instagram, tap "Forgot password", then "Need more help" or "Can't reset your password", and follow the hacked-account flow.
You will be asked to confirm your identity. That usually means entering an email address or phone number you can still access, even if it is not the one on the account. You may also be asked to identify photos of friends or confirm details about the account, such as what device you normally use.
Instagram may ask you to verify your identity with a video selfie, where you turn your head as instructed so the system can confirm you are a real person. This step can take a day or two to review. If you are asked to upload a photo ID, use a government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport, and only upload it through the official recovery page, never through a link sent by email or direct message.
Step 4: Kick the hacker out of your account
Once you are back in, the first job is to make sure the hacker cannot get back in. Sign out of every session you do not recognize. If you see a device or a location you do not know, end that session right away. Then change your password again, even if you just did, because the hacker may have seen the one you set during recovery.
Step 5: Turn on two-factor authentication and clean up
Two-factor authentication is the single best step for keeping a recovered account yours. With it on, signing in needs your password plus a code from an app or a text message, so a stolen password alone is not enough.
If you used the same password on other sites, change it everywhere, starting with your email account. Your email is the key to resetting most other passwords, so if the hacker has that too, recovery gets much harder. Turn on two-factor authentication on your email as well. Report any fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov if money was involved.
Step 6: Keep the account safe going forward
A few habits make a second hack much less likely. Use a password manager so every account has its own long, unique password. Be careful with login links in emails and texts, since fake "your account will be closed" messages are the most common way accounts get stolen. Always type the address yourself or open the app instead of tapping a link.
Recovering a hacked account takes patience, and the identity check can take a day or two, but most people who follow the official recovery flow get their account back. The key is to use the real recovery pages, never pay anyone who offers to recover your account for a fee, and lock the account down properly once you are back in.
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