Facebook provides users with various security features to protect their accounts, including ways to see if someone has tried to log in. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can view login attempts to your Facebook account and what that information means.
Checking Login Notifications
The easiest way to see if someone has tried accessing your Facebook account is to check your login notifications. Facebook sends these notifications whenever someone logs into your account from a new device or browser. The notification will show the date, time, and location of the login attempt.
To view login notifications:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device or navigate to Facebook.com on a desktop browser.
- Click on the bell icon in the top right corner of the Facebook interface. This will open your notifications tray.
- Look for any notifications that say “Logged in from {location}” and click on them for additional details like the browser and device used.
Facebook also sends login emails if someone tries accessing your account from an unrecognized device. Check your inbox for any emails from Facebook providing notices about account access, as these also indicate login attempts.
Viewing Login History
In addition to notifications, you can view a log of all successful and unsuccessful login attempts to your Facebook account over the last 30 days. Here’s how:
- Click on the downward arrow at the top right of any Facebook page.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click on “Security and Login” in the left sidebar.
- Select “Where You’re Logged In” from the options.
This will display a list of timestamps, locations, browsers, and devices used to access your account recently. Look for any logins you don’t recognize.
Using Login Approvals
Facebook’s login approvals feature requires someone trying to access your account from an unrecognized device to enter a special security code sent to your phone. This prevents unauthorized access by making users prove they own that phone number.
To enable login approvals:
- Go to “Security and Login” settings.
- Select “Use Two-Factor Authentication” and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once activated, you’ll get login attempt notifications whenever someone tries accessing your Facebook account from a new device. They’ll have to enter the code Facebook texts you before gaining access. This adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password.
Checking Active Sessions
The “Active Sessions” section under Security Settings shows all of the browsers and devices currently signed into your Facebook account. Scan this list periodically for anything unfamiliar, which could indicate an unauthorized login.
Any active sessions you don’t recognize should be promptly ended by selecting “End Activity” next to them. This signs that device or browser out of your Facebook account immediately.
Enabling Login Alerts
For additional notifications beyond Facebook’s default login notices, you can enable login alerts:
- Go to “Security and Login” settings.
- Select “Get alerts about unrecognized logins.”
This sends you mobile notifications every time someone attempts accessing your Facebook account from an unrecognized device or browser, even if they don’t successfully sign in.
Checking the IP Addresses
The login history page shows the IP addresses associated with each successful and failed login attempt to your account. You can cross-reference these IP addresses to identify login attempts from unfamiliar locations and devices.
Here are the steps to check IP addresses in your login history:
- View your full login history per the instructions above.
- Click on any login event to expand it and see additional details.
- Look at the listed IP address next to “Login from” for that entry.
Make note of any IP addresses that don’t match your typical login locations so you can investigate further. There are online IP lookup tools that can tell you the geographic location associated with an IP address.
Third-Party Login Monitoring
For more robust login monitoring and alerts beyond Facebook’s native tools, you can use a third-party identity protection service. Companies like LifeLock and IdentityForce provide additional account security features like:
- Identity theft monitoring from credit bureaus
- Alerts for logins from new devices, locations, and IP addresses
- Dark web surveillance for credential leaks
- Stolen password notifications
- Fake account detections
These services comb through your account activity across social media, financial accounts, and other services to detect unauthorized access attempts.
Setting a Password You Don’t Use Elsewhere
One of the best ways to thwart unauthorized logins is using a unique password for your Facebook account that you don’t use on any other sites or services. Password reuse is one of the main ways attackers gain access to accounts online.
If you use your Facebook password elsewhere and it gets compromised in a breach, hackers can easily try it on your Facebook account and gain access. Having a unique password just for Facebook prevents this.
Turning On Login Approvals
As mentioned previously, Facebook’s login approvals feature adds a second layer of account security beyond just a password. When someone tries accessing your account from an unrecognized device, Facebook will require them to enter a special login code sent to your phone.
Activating login approvals prevents unauthorized access because the person trying to login needs access to your actual phone in order to receive the code. This makes it much harder for attackers to gain entry.
Revoking Account Access
If you notice any unfamiliar sessions or logins in your account activity, you can take action to revoke access immediately:
- End any active sessions you don’t recognize under Security Settings.
- Consider changing your password if the unauthorized access seems malicious.
- Enable login approvals if you haven’t already.
Taking these steps kicks any other devices out of your Facebook account and prevents further unauthorized access.
Conclusion
Facebook provides users with login notifications, login history, account session management, and additional security options to monitor account access attempts. By regularly checking your Facebook activity for any unrecognized sessions and logins, you can catch unauthorized access attempts before they turn into larger account security issues.
Activating login approvals and using unique account passwords also goes a long way in protecting your account from compromise. And consider third-party monitoring services for even more security layers.
Stay vigilant in watching your Facebook account activity and responding to any suspicious logins you don’t recognize. With the proper login monitoring and protection measures in place, you can feel confident your account is secure.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Check your Facebook notifications and emails for login attempt alerts.
- Regularly review your full account login history.
- Scan active sessions for anything suspicious.
- Enable login approvals and login alerts.
- Use a unique password just for Facebook.
- Revoke unauthorized account access immediately.
By following these tips, you can effectively monitor your Facebook account for unauthorized login attempts and take action to secure your account if anything looks suspicious.
Facebook provides users with various security features to protect their accounts, including ways to see if someone has tried to log in. In this article, we discussed how you can view login attempts to your Facebook account and what that information means.
We covered checking login notifications, viewing full login history, using login approvals, checking active sessions, enabling alerts, looking at IP addresses, and using third-party monitoring. We also talked about tips like using unique passwords and revoking account access to secure your account.
With Facebook’s security tools and proper vigilance, you can feel confident about who is accessing your account by monitoring login attempts. Be sure to regularly check your Facebook activity and respond swiftly to any unauthorized access.