Facebook Account Recovery: How to Get Back In
Start at facebook.com/login/identify with your email or phone, or facebook.com/hacked if someone took over. No email or phone? Use a familiar device.
To recover a Facebook account, go to facebook.com/login/identify, ideally on a device you've used before, and find your account with your email or phone number. Facebook sends a code so you can reset your password. If someone hacked you, start at facebook.com/hacked instead. Meta says recovery has gotten better: in the US and Canada, it raised the relative success rate of hacked account recovery "by more than 30%."
We read Facebook's help center as Google showed it on October 23, 2026. We also read Meta's newsroom post of December 4, 2025, updated March 19, 2026, through our server the same day.
"Facebook account recovery" gets about 110,000 searches a month, up 22%. "How to recover facebook account" gets another 18,100.
Which recovery route do you need?
| Your situation | Where to start |
|---|---|
| You know your email or phone | facebook.com/login/identify |
| Someone hacked your account | facebook.com/hacked |
| No access to email or phone | A device you've used before |
| Facebook asks for a security check | Follow its steps, then wait |
Facebook's help center and recovery pages, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026.
How do you recover your account with your email or phone?
- Go to facebook.com/login/identify. The page asks you to "Find your account" with your mobile number, or to "Search by email instead."
- Enter it exactly. "Make sure to enter your entire mobile phone number, including the country code," Facebook's help center says. "Leave out any extra zeros, plus signs (+) or other special characters."
- Use the code to reset your password. If it doesn't arrive, "make sure the code hasn't gone into your spam or junk folder," the help center says.
What if you can't use your email or phone anymore?
Use a device that already knows you. "On a device that you've used to log in before, type this into your usual browser: facebook.com/login/identify," Facebook's help center says. Meta says its systems now "recognize the device you usually use and familiar locations better than ever."
Facebook may ask you to prove who you are. Meta added "an optional selfie video to further verify your identity" to recovery, its December 2025 post says. You can also be asked for ID. "You can send us 1 government ID to confirm your name or regain access to your account," the help center says.
What if your Facebook account was hacked?
Go to facebook.com/hacked. "We'll walk you through some security steps to recover your account. If you can, start these steps on the device you usually use for Facebook," the page says.
Expect a wait after a security check. "After you complete a security check, you'll have to wait 24 hours to log into your Facebook account," Facebook's help center says.
Meta's numbers say hacks are getting rarer. "In the past year, new account hacks decreased by more than 30% globally on Facebook and Instagram," its December 2025 post says.
Can Meta's AI support assistant help?
Sometimes. Meta rolled out its Meta AI support assistant on March 19, 2026, in places where Meta AI is available. It can help with tasks like "Resetting passwords," Meta says. For people locked out, Meta has "started rolling out the support assistant to people who need help logging into their Facebook and Instagram accounts, starting with select cases in the US and Canada."
Meta also launched "a new, centralized hub on Facebook and Instagram that brings support tools and options into one place," the December post says.
Watch out for recovery scams
A Reddit post in Google's top 10 for this search on October 23, 2026 advertised a "tollfree" number for Facebook account recovery. Facebook's recovery pages don't list a phone number, so treat any number in a post or forum as suspect. Never share a login code or your password with anyone who offers to get you back in.
What to do once you're back in
- Change your password, and log out of devices you don't know. Our guide on how to change your Facebook password has both steps.
- Check your email and phone in Accounts Center, in case someone swapped them.
- Lock down your profile. Our guide to making Facebook private covers the settings.
On Instagram, our guide to an Instagram account that's been hacked covers the same problem. Hclout never asks for your password: its orders and free tier need only a public link and an email. Its free tier gives 20 free Facebook likes on a public post, on the free page. A short Cloudflare check runs before each claim.
Frequently asked questions
How do I recover my Facebook account without email or phone?
Use a device you've logged in from before and go to facebook.com/login/identify. Facebook may ask for a selfie video or an ID.
How long does Facebook account recovery take?
After a security check, Facebook says you'll wait 24 hours to log in.
Can I call Facebook to recover my account?
Facebook's recovery pages don't give a phone number, so treat any number in a post or forum as suspect.
Can Meta AI help me get back into Facebook?
In some cases. Meta is rolling out its support assistant for login help, starting with select cases in the US and Canada.
What do I do if my Facebook was hacked?
Start at facebook.com/hacked, ideally on the device you usually use for Facebook.
Sources
- Facebook Help Center pages on recovering an account, phone number format, security checks and government ID, plus facebook.com/login/identify and facebook.com/hacked, as Google showed them on October 23, 2026
- Meta, "Making it Easier to Access Account Support on Facebook and Instagram," December 4, 2025, updated March 19, 2026, read through our server on October 23, 2026
- Google US results for "how to recover facebook account," October 23, 2026 (our read)
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 23, 2026
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