How to Recover a Hacked Facebook Account
Someone took over your Facebook account. How to use Facebook's official recovery page, what to check once you are back in, including linked Instagram, Messenger and payment details.
A hacked Facebook account can be used to scam your friends and family, run ads with your saved card, take over pages you manage, and reach linked accounts such as Instagram and Messenger. Here is how to get it back through official routes and lock it down.
Step 1: Use Facebook's hacked account page
Type facebook.com/hacked into your browser yourself. It guides you through securing the account, whether you can still log in or not. If you cannot log in, it offers ways to identify your account and recover it using your old email or phone, and sometimes identity confirmation.
Step 2: Check your email
If your email address was changed, look in your old inbox for a message from Facebook about the change. It may let you reverse it. Check the sender carefully; fake Facebook emails are common.
Do not trust "Facebook support" messages on Messenger or in comments. Facebook does not recover accounts through direct messages, and paid recovery offers are scams. See official vs fake recovery.
Step 3: Once you are back in
- Change your password to a new unique one.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Review where you are logged in and log out of unknown sessions.
- Check contact details: email addresses and phone numbers on the account.
- Check payment methods and ad activity and remove anything unfamiliar.
- Review pages, groups and business accounts you manage for new admins.
- Remove unfamiliar apps and websites connected to your account. See connected apps.
- Check linked Instagram and Messenger, and secure them too.
Step 4: Tell your friends
Hackers often message friends asking for money, codes or clicks. Post an update or message family directly. See warning friends after a hack.
Step 5: Secure your email and phone
If your email or phone number was the way in, secure them now. See how to secure your email and protecting your phone number.
Common ways Facebook accounts are taken
- Fake "your page will be disabled" or "copyright" messages.
- A friend's hacked account sending a link or asking for a code.
- Fake login pages in ads or messages.
- Reused passwords from other breached sites.
Received a warning about your page or account? Paste it into CyberWatch AI Scan for a free check before clicking.
For the full picture, read our guide to account takeover and identity protection.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start if my Facebook account was hacked?
Go to facebook.com/hacked, typed into your browser yourself, and follow the steps. It is Facebook's official page for compromised accounts.
Can I recover my account if the hacker changed my password and email?
Often yes. Facebook's recovery process can use your old email or phone, trusted contacts if you set them up, or identity confirmation.
What if the hacker is running ads on my account?
Check payment methods and ad activity in your settings, remove unknown payment methods, and contact your card issuer about any charges.
Sources
- Recover your Facebook account if you were hacked, Facebook Help Centre
- Recover a hacked account, Facebook Help Centre
- How To Recover Your Hacked Email or Social Media Account, US Federal Trade Commission
