Facebook allows you to see a list of devices and locations that have logged into your account. This can help you identify any suspicious logins and secure your account. Here are some tips on how to see who logged into your Facebook account and what you can do about it.
View Login Activity
The easiest way to see who has logged into your Facebook account is by checking your login activity. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook profile and click on the triangle dropdown icon in the top right corner
- Select “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings”
- On the left sidebar, click “Security and Login”
- Under “Where you’re logged in”, click “See all”
This will show you a list of devices, locations, and IP addresses used to access your account. You’ll also see the associated date, time, and whether the login is “Current” or “Expired”.
Identify Suspicious Logins
Carefully review the login activity and look for any logins you don’t recognize. Here are some indicators of suspicious access:
- Logins from unfamiliar locations, especially from a different city or country.
- Logins from devices you don’t own, such as Windows or Android.
- Multiple logins from the same unusual location or device.
- Logins at odd times when you don’t normally use Facebook.
Recent Logins
You can also check for recent logins by clicking on “Recent” at the top of the login activity page. This will only display logins from the past 28 days.
Download Login Data
For a comprehensive list of your Facebook activity, you can download your complete login data:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Your Facebook Information”
- Click “Download your Information”
- Select date range for data to download
- Deselect all categories except “Access Your Information”
- Click “Create File”
Facebook will compile all your account access information into a downloadable file. This includes complete login details and IP addresses going back many years.
Login Details in Data
Once you open your Facebook data file, look in the “security_and_login_information” folder. This contains logs of your:
- Account activity history
- Login and logout information
- Devices used to access your account
- Unusual activity reports
Go through the details and note any concerning logins. Having the IP addresses can help you determine the location.
Check Email Notifications
Whenever someone logs into your Facebook account from a new device or browser, you will get an email notification. Check your inbox for any login alerts:
- Subject: “New login to Facebook” or “Login attempt blocked”
- Shows location, device, IP address, and date/time
Unusual login emails are a warning sign someone else accessed your account. Make sure to report them to Facebook right away.
Turn on Notifications
If you aren’t getting notifications, make sure you have login alerts enabled:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings”
- Click “Security and Login”
- Turn on “Get alerts about unrecognized logins”
You’ll then get an email anytime someone logs into your Facebook from a new device or web browser.
Check Old Sessions
You may also have old sessions still active from when you logged into Facebook on a shared or public computer in the past. To check for these:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy”
- Click “Security and Login”
- Under “Where you’re logged in”, click “See All”
- Click “More Options” on a login
- Select “Not You?” if you don’t recognize the login
This will log that device out of your account and increase your account security. Make sure to do this for any old sessions you don’t recognize.
Remove Your Sessions
For optimal security, you can manually remove all active sessions from your account altogether:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Security and Login”
- Under “Where you’re logged in”, click “See All”
- Click “End Activity” for all sessions
This will log every device out of your account. You can then re-login only on devices you trust.
Check Login Approvals
Facebook has a login approvals feature that requires a code to login from unrecognized devices. Check your login approvals history:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy”
- Click “Security and Login”
- Under “Use two-factor authentication”, click “Edit”
- Click “View your login approvals”
This shows you details of any login attempts that required a login code. Any suspicious attempts will be listed here.
Turn On Login Approvals
If you don’t have login approvals enabled, you can turn it on for more security:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Security and Login”
- Under “Use two-factor authentication”, click “Edit”
- Click “Require a login code”
This adds a layer of security, requiring a unique code each time there’s an unrecognized login attempt.
Check Linked Accounts
Hackers that take over your Facebook may try to access linked accounts. Check any accounts connected to your Facebook:
- Spotify
- Tinder
- Farmville
- Other games, apps, and websites
Make sure no unknown linked accounts have been added. Also update passwords on any linked accounts to protect your other services.
Remove Suspicious Links
If you find any linked accounts you don’t recognize:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” > “Apps and Websites”
- Click “Logged in with Facebook”
- Click the “X” to remove any unknown or suspicious apps
This is important to sever connections with any services a hacker linked to your compromised Facebook account.
Check Login Locations
Many sites display the recent locations your account has been accessed from. You can check these places for any logins you don’t recognize:
- Facebook – “Settings & Privacy” > “Security and Login”
- Gmail – Bottom of inbox page
- Twitter – “More” section of sidebar
- Instagram – “Settings” > “Security”
- Other sites – Account settings or security pages
Make sure you’re familiar with all the cities, regions, and countries displayed. Watch for locations nowhere near where you live or travel.
Location Tracking
Some sites also allow you to view your complete login location history:
- Facebook – Download your information
- Google – “Manage your Google Account”
- Apple – Download account data
Use these records to audit locations of logins to your account over time. Make note of any unknown accesses.
Check Recently Used Devices
You can also view devices recently used to login to your accounts:
- Facebook – “Settings & Privacy” > “Security and Login”
- Gmail – Bottom of inbox page
- Instagram – “Settings” > “Security”
- Twitter – “More” section of sidebar
Look for any unfamiliar or suspicious devices in the list. Things like “Windows 10 device” or Android models you don’t own could indicate unauthorized access.
Device Management
Some services let you fully manage devices used to access your account:
- Google – “Manage devices”
- Apple – “Devices” page
- Amazon – “Manage devices”
Check these settings and remove any devices you don’t recognize. This will help secure your account.
Monitor Friends/Followers
A final way to spot suspicious account activity is to monitor changes in your friends/followers lists:
- Facebook – Watch News Feed connections and friend requests
- Instagram – View your followers and who you are following
- Twitter – Check “Following” and “Followers” lists
Attackers that take over an account may add/remove friends and follow new accounts. Watch for any unfamiliar names in your social circles.
Unfollow Unknowns
If you notice any unknown accounts you are now following/friended with:
- Facebook – Unfriend them in your account
- Instagram – Unfollow them
- Twitter – Unfollow them
This helps revoke access from accounts that may have been linked by hackers.
Secure Your Account After Suspicious Activity
If you uncover any unauthorized access, take steps to lock down your account:
- Change your password – Make it long and complex
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check linked accounts and reset passwords
- Remove suspicious sessions and devices
- Submit a report to the service provider
You should also scan devices used to login to your account for malware. Uninstall suspicious apps and run antivirus scans to remove any threats.
Prevent Future Attacks
Here are some general tips to improve your login security:
- Unique passwords for all accounts
- Password manager to store passwords
- Login approvals/two-factor when available
- Alerts for unrecognized logins
- Review account access history
- Antivirus/malware protection on devices
Monitoring your login activity and enabling notifications can help you spot unauthorized access before major damage occurs.
Service | How to Check Logins |
---|---|
Settings & Privacy > Security and Login | |
Gmail | Bottom of inbox page |
Settings > Security | |
“More” section of sidebar |
Conclusion
Keeping tabs on login activity is crucial to identifying unauthorized access to your accounts. Facebook provides clear records of account access via settings, downloads, and notifications. Compare locations, devices, and times to look for any suspicious logins.
Enabling login approvals and reviewing linked accounts also helps lock down your Facebook security. Be sure to report any unknown activity and reset your password if your account may be compromised.
With vigilance in regularly checking your Facebook login details, you can spot potential hijackers and prevent major account breaches.