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    Safety & Privacy
    Beginner
    3 min read 4 stepsApril 19, 2026Verified April 2026

    What to Do If Your Facebook, Instagram, or Email Account Is Hacked

    Act quickly and follow these steps to recover a hacked social media or email account — and prevent it from happening again.

    In this guide (4 steps):

    1. 1.Try to regain access immediately
    2. 2.Change your password immediately after regaining access
    3. 3.Turn on two-factor authentication
    4. 4.Check and remove unfamiliar devices and apps
    1

    Try to regain access immediately

    ~35s
    Go to the login page and click "Forgot password" or "Need help logging in." Use the account recovery options: phone number or backup email where a recovery code can be sent. On Facebook: go to facebook.com/hacked and follow the "My account was hacked" flow. On Instagram: tap "Get more help" on the login screen and follow the identity verification steps. The sooner you initiate recovery, the more likely the hacker hasn't yet changed your recovery options.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: If the hacker changed your password and email, try Facebook's or Instagram's identity verification process — you may be asked to verify your identity with a photo ID to reclaim your account.

    2

    Change your password immediately after regaining access

    ~36s
    Once you are back in your account, change the password immediately to something strong and unique — at least 12 characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not reuse passwords from other accounts. If the same password was used on other accounts (email, bank, other social media), change those passwords too — hackers often try compromised passwords on multiple sites. This practice is called "credential stuffing."

    Warning

    If you use the same password on multiple sites and one site is breached, hackers will automatically try that password everywhere. Each account should have a unique password — this is the single biggest step you can take for online security.

    3

    Turn on two-factor authentication

    ~24s
    After recovering your account, turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) immediately. With 2FA, every new login requires a code from your phone in addition to your password. On Facebook: SettingsPassword and SecurityTwo-Factor Authentication → turn on. On Instagram: SettingsSecurityTwo-Factor Authentication → turn on. Choose "Authentication app" (most secure) or "Text message" (convenient). This prevents hackers from accessing your account even if they have your password.
    4

    Check and remove unfamiliar devices and apps

    ~36s
    After recovering access, check what devices are logged into your account. On Facebook: SettingsPassword and Security → "Where you're logged in" — log out all unfamiliar devices. On Instagram: SettingsSecurityLogin activity → log out anything unfamiliar. Also check "Apps and Websites" or connected apps (Facebook: SettingsApps and Websites) and remove any apps you don't recognize. Alert your friends and family that your account was compromised so they know to ignore any suspicious messages they received.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Report the hack to the platform using their official "Report a hacked account" tool. This creates a record and can help with future recovery if needed.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: What to Do If Your Facebook, Instagram, or Email Account Is Hacked

    Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

    Having a social media or email account hacked is alarming and stressful. Hackers may use your account to send spam, scam your contacts, post inappropriate content, or steal personal information. The faster you act, the better the chance of recovering your account and limiting the damage.

    Common signs your account was hacked: you receive a login notification from an unfamiliar location or device, friends tell you they received strange messages from you, you are locked out of your account, your profile picture or personal information changed without your action, or you see posts or messages you did not send.

    This guide covers recovery steps for the most common platforms — Facebook, Instagram, and email — as well as steps to prevent future hacking.

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    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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    What to Do If Your Facebook, Instagram, or Email Account Is Hacked — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure