Having a restricted Facebook page can be frustrating, but there are steps you can take to get your account back in good standing. The most common reasons for a restricted Facebook page include violating Facebook’s terms of service, posting prohibited content, or having too many blocked posts. Getting your restrictions lifted takes patience and a willingness to follow Facebook’s guidelines going forward.
Why is My Facebook Page Restricted?
There are a few key reasons why your Facebook page may have been restricted:
- Violating Facebook’s Terms of Service or Community Standards – This includes posting nudity, hate speech, harassment, and other prohibited content.
- Having a Certain Percentage of Blocked Posts – If too many of your posts have been reported and blocked, your page can get restricted.
- Impersonating Someone or Something – Pretending to be someone else or another company/brand is grounds for restrictions.
- Spamming – Posting clickbait, false news, phishing scams, etc. to drive traffic and ad revenue can lead to limits.
- Compromised Account – If your account was hacked, the hacker may have posted inappropriate content or spam.
If you’re not sure exactly why your page was restricted, the notification email or pop-up from Facebook should explain the reason and which policy or standards were violated.
Appealing Facebook Page Restrictions
If you think your page was restricted in error, you can appeal the decision through Facebook. Here are the steps:
- Go to the Help Center on Facebook and find the option to “Submit an Appeal.”
- Select the option that matches the type of restriction on your Page.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and provide details on why you think the restrictions should be lifted.
- Be as detailed as possible in your appeal to show why the restriction was unwarranted.
- Wait for Facebook to review your appeal and decide whether to lift the restrictions.
Keep in mind appeals may take a few days or longer to get a response from Facebook. Providing as much context and explanation as possible can help expedite the review.
Removing Restricted Account Limitations
If your appeal request gets denied, or you want to proactively get a restricted account back to normal, here are some steps to take:
- Delete any posts that violated Facebook policies – Remove prohibited content ASAP.
- Change Page admin roles if account was compromised – Remove any unauthorized or hacked admins.
- Avoid restricted account triggers – Don’t post prohibited content, re-share blocked posts, etc.
- Adjust profanity filter settings – Turn on stronger filters if needed to catch policy violations.
- Pre-approve posts – Use post approvals to check content before public posting.
- Limit third-party apps – Revoke access to any unnecessary or unused apps.
- Secure accounts with two-factor authentication – Prevent future compromises by enabling stronger security.
Following Facebook’s suggestions on how to lift restrictions can help get your account back to normal. Expect limitations for a set period as you demonstrate compliance.
How Long Do Facebook Page Restrictions Last?
The duration of Facebook page restrictions varies depending on why the restrictions were put in place initially. Here are some common timeframes:
| Restriction Reason | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Community Standards violation | 30 days |
| Copyright violation | until copyright issue resolved |
| Too many blocked posts | 30 days |
| Suspicious artificial engagement | limits for 3-6 months |
The more serious the violation, the longer restrictions tend to last. Avoiding further policy violations is key to getting your account fully reinstated after serving the restriction duration.
Tips to Prevent Facebook Page Restrictions
Here are some tips to help keep your Facebook page restriction-free:
- Frequently review and understand Facebook’s policies – Know what content is prohibited.
- Use strong profanity filters – Catch policy violations before posting.
- Avoid questionable content – Don’t post near the edge of policy limits.
- Watch for fake or duplicate accounts – Prevent artificial engagement attempts.
- Secure approvals for important posts – Double check posts with a 2nd set of eyes.
- Revoke unused app permissions – Reduce risk of spam or policy violations.
- Use two-factor authentication – Stop account compromises leading to restrictions.
- Respond promptly to any post or appeal violations – Fast action can limit penalties.
Staying aware of Facebook’s rules and keeping your account secure are the best defenses against unexpected restrictions. But if your page does get limited, focus on resolving the underlying issue to get back to normal.
Can You Use a Restricted Facebook Page?
You can still use and post from a restricted Facebook page, but your reach and visibility will be severely limited:
- Your page won’t show up in searches or recommendations.
- Current page followers won’t see your posts in their News Feed.
- You can’t run ads or access Facebook monetization features.
- Page engagement is essentially zero during restrictions.
So while it is possible to continue posting, a restricted page loses almost all actual utility until restrictions are lifted. Any activity you do will mostly be invisible to your audience.
Should You Create a Backup Facebook Page?
Due to the impact of restrictions, some page owners decide to set up a backup Facebook page in case their main profile gets limited. Here are some pros and cons of this approach:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
The best practice is to try appealing restrictions first before attempting to migrate fans to a new page. But for businesses highly dependent on Facebook reach, a backup profile is reasonable.
Conclusion
Getting hit with Facebook page restrictions can significantly impact your ability to reach your audience and community. While appealing restrictions should be your first move, you may need to be patient and take corrective actions to get your full account privileges reinstated.
Avoiding violations in the first place is ideal, but even the best-maintained pages could get hit once in a while. Focus on operating within Facebook’s rules and working with any limitations until they are lifted off your page. With time and improved compliance, your account should return back to normal.