Recovering an old Facebook password can be tricky, but it is possible in some cases. Facebook’s password recovery options allow you to reset your current password, but don’t provide a way to recover old passwords. However, there are a few methods you may be able to use to find an old password depending on your situation.
Reset your current Facebook password
If you just need to access your Facebook account, the easiest option is to reset your current password. You can do this by:
- Going to Facebook.com and clicking “Forgot Password”
- Entering your email or phone number used for your Facebook account
- Following the on-screen instructions to reset your password
This will allow you to create a new password and log back in to your account. However, it won’t reveal your previous password. Read on for ways to try to uncover an old Facebook password.
Check your email
If you ever got a password reset email from Facebook, it may still be available in your email inbox. Search your email for messages from Facebook’s security team.
Facebook usually sends password resets from an @facebookmail.com email address.
Some email providers like Gmail allow searching old emails even if you emptied your trash folder. The password reset email would contain a link you could use to reset your old Facebook password. This method works best if the password reset happened somewhat recently.
Use a password manager
If you use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password, check to see if your old Facebook password is stored in there. These tools save your passwords so you don’t have to remember them. If you took note of your Facebook password in a password manager when you originally changed it, you may be able to find the old password there.
This method is useful if you actively used a password manager in the past but have since forgotten some of your saved passwords.
Check browsers and devices
Browsers like Chrome can store your Facebook login information to make it easier to access your account. Check your current and old browsers to see if your Facebook password is saved:
- Chrome – Settings > Autofill > Passwords
- Firefox – Menu > Options > Privacy & Security > Saved Logins
- Safari – Preferences > Passwords
- Internet Explorer – Settings > Manage add-ons > Saved passwords
You can also look on any devices or computers you used to log in to Facebook. Some devices save passwords that you can recover.
This method works if you haven’t cleared out old browser data or reset devices you used to access Facebook.
Contact Facebook
If the above options don’t work, you can try contacting Facebook directly to ask about recovering an old password. Keep in mind Facebook does not store plaintext passwords, so they cannot simply tell you the old password.
However, their security team may be able to take additional steps to help you access the account if you can provide proof you own it. You can contact them through the Facebook Help Center.
Describe your situation in detail and specify that you need the old password, not just a reset. Provide any identifying details about the account and be ready to confirm your identity.
This may or may not work depending on your specific circumstances, but is worth a shot if you have no other password recovery options available.
Use password cracking software
If you have your Facebook username and some clues about your old password, you may be able to determine it using password cracking software.
This advanced method uses programs designed to crack encrypted passwords by making billions of guesses. It’s very difficult and time-consuming but can potentially determine old passwords in some cases.
Some popular password cracking tools include:
- Hashcat
- John the Ripper
- Aircrack-ng
You’ll need some technical knowledge to use these programs. And access to password hashes from the target account, which you won’t have for an online service like Facebook.
So this method likely won’t work for recovering an old Facebook password. But could be useful for cracking passwords from an old device or app where you have the password hashes.
Avoid losing passwords
Going through this password recovery process can be frustrating. To avoid it in the future, make sure you:
- Use a password manager to store passwords securely
- Enable two-factor authentication on important accounts like Facebook
- Don’t reuse passwords across multiple sites
- Update passwords periodically
- Keep software and devices up to date
Practicing good password hygiene makes it much easier to recover access to accounts. And means you hopefully won’t need to go digging for old passwords again!
Conclusion
Recovering old Facebook passwords is difficult but sometimes possible. The easiest options are resetting your current password or finding the old one saved in a password manager or browser. You can also try contacting Facebook support for additional help accessing your account.
Prevent future issues by using password best practices. Store passwords securely, enable two-factor authentication, don’t reuse passwords, and change them periodically. With good password habits, you won’t have to worry about lost old passwords.
Here is a table summarizing the methods discussed in the article:
| Method | How it Works | Useful If… |
|---|---|---|
| Reset current password | Use Facebook’s reset password feature to change your current login details. Doesn’t reveal old password. | You just need to access your account. |
| Check email | Look for a password reset email from Facebook which may contain the old password. | You got a reset email somewhat recently. |
| Password manager | See if the old password is stored in your password manager. | You saved the password in the past. |
| Browsers and devices | Facebook login may be saved in a browser or device. | You haven’t cleared passwords/data. |
| Contact Facebook | Explain situation to Facebook support to access account. | You can provide proof of account ownership. |
| Password cracking | Use software to crack encrypted passwords. | You have password hashes and technical skill. |
Having multiple options to recover an old Facebook password provides more opportunities to gain access to your account if needed. But prevention is the best solution – use strong unique passwords and a password manager.
Reset Current Facebook Password
The easiest way to get back into your Facebook account is to reset your current password using Facebook’s built-in password reset process. Here’s how it works:
- Go to Facebook.com and click on the “Forgot Password” link.
- Enter the email address or phone number associated with your Facebook account when prompted.
- Facebook will send you an email or text with a password reset link.
- Click the password reset link which will open Facebook and allow you to create a new password.
- Enter and confirm your new password to complete the reset.
After resetting your password, you’ll be able to log back into Facebook with your new login credentials. This is the simplest way to get access back to your account.
However, this method doesn’t reveal your previous password – it only resets your current one. If you need to uncover an old Facebook password specifically, you’ll need to try some different recovery methods.
Find Password Reset Email
If you received an email from Facebook in the past to reset your password, that email may contain details about your old password. Here’s how you can try to find it:
- Search your email inbox for any messages from Facebook’s security team or the email address @facebookmail.com.
- Look for emails with a subject like “Reset your Facebook password” or containing phrases like “password reset”, “security code” or “login code”.
- Open the email and check for a link you can click to reset your Facebook password. This may take you to a page that displays your old password.
- If you can’t find the email, check your deleted/trash folders just in case you deleted it.
If you used Gmail or another email service that indexes old messages, you may be able to find the Facebook password reset email even if you deleted it long ago. Search thoroughly through your email history for any clues.
Facebook usually sends these password reset emails from an @facebookmail.com address. So searching your inbox specifically for emails from that domain could help uncover the message faster.
Check Password Managers
If you use a password manager app like LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane or others, check to see if your old Facebook password is stored in there.
Password managers provide a secure vault that saves all your passwords so you don’t have to remember them. If you took note of your Facebook password when originally changing it, it may still be lurking in your password manager.
To find it, simply open your password manager app and search for an entry associated with Facebook. If the app has your old password stored, it will display it for you.
Make sure to check password vaults associated with any old password manager apps or browser extensions you may have used previously as well.
Search Browsers and Devices
Many browsers can save your Facebook login information to make it easier to access your account. Check password settings in your current and old browsers to see if your Facebook password was stored:
- Chrome – Go to Settings > Autofill > Passwords and search for Facebook
- Safari – Go to Safari Preferences > Passwords tab and search for Facebook
- Firefox – Click Menu > Options > Privacy & Security > Saved Logins
- Internet Explorer – Click Settings icon > Manage add-ons > Saved passwords
You can also check any old smartphones, tablets, laptops or computers you used to access Facebook. Some devices save passwords that you can recover in their settings menus.
If you find an old device still logged in to Facebook, you may be able to recover the password there too.
Contact Facebook Support
If you’ve exhausted all self-service password recovery options, you can try contacting Facebook support directly. Here’s how:
- Go to Facebook’s Help Center
- Find the option for “Hacked Accounts”
- Click “My account has been hacked”
- Select “I think I’m being impersonated as” and enter your name
- Complete the form providing details about your situation
- Specify clearly in the form that you need your old password, not just a reset
- Click submit and wait for Facebook’s response
The Facebook security team may be able to take additional measures to restore access to your account if you can provide proof you own it. This could include sending a special password reset link different from the standard one.
Provide as many identifying details about yourself and the account as possible. And clearly emphasize you need the previous password, not a standard reset.
There are no guarantees, but contacting human support provides the best chance to regain an old Facebook password if automated options failed.
Use Password Cracking Tools
If you have your Facebook username and some clues about the format of your old password, you may be able to crack the encrypted password using brute force tools.
This advanced technique tries billions of password combinations based on the clues until the correct one is uncovered. Some popular options include:
- Hashcat
- John the Ripper
- Aircrack-ng
To have any chance of success, you’ll need:
- Your Facebook username
- Hashed version of your encrypted password
- Clues about your password format, like length or characters used
- Powerful computer hardware
- Time and skill using cracking tools
For an online service like Facebook, you won’t have access to encrypted password hashes needed for cracking. So this method is very unlikely to work in most cases.
However, password cracking could potentially determine old passwords from a compromised offline device or database breach if you have the hashes.
Prevent Future Password Problems
Going through the password recovery process can be very frustrating. Avoid finding yourself locked out again in the future by taking these preventative measures:
- Use a password manager to store unique complex passwords for each account
- Enable two-factor authentication on important logins like Facebook
- Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts
- Change passwords periodically, at least once per year
- Keep software updated on devices used to access Facebook
- Use antivirus protection in case of malware infections
Practicing good general password hygiene reduces the likelihood you’ll get locked out of Facebook or other accounts. It also minimizes the need to scramble to find old passwords.
Storing your passwords securely in a vault gives you a backup if you ever forget a login or get locked out. And regularly changing passwords limits how long a compromised password is useful.
Prevention is always better than a cure. So put password best practices in place now to avoid headaches in the future!
Conclusion
Recovering an old Facebook password can be challenging and frustrating. Unfortunately Facebook does not provide direct access to previous passwords for security reasons.
However, you may succeed in special cases by checking password reset emails, using password managers, searching browsers and devices, or contacting Facebook support. Each scenario provides different options based on your specific circumstances.
Prevent future issues by storing passwords securely, enabling two-factor login, updating passwords regularly, and practicing general password hygiene. Good password habits give you the best protection against being permanently locked out.
With some luck and detective work, you may be able to find an old Facebook password. But putting preventive measures in place now is always the wisest approach!