How do I access and recover my Facebook account?

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with billions of users worldwide. As such, it’s common for people to forget their login details or get locked out of their accounts. Thankfully, Facebook provides ways for users to access and recover their accounts if they get locked out.

I forgot my Facebook password. How can I reset it?

If you can’t remember your Facebook password, you can easily reset it by following these steps:

1. Go to www.facebook.com and click on the ‘Forgot Password’ link below the password field.
2. Enter your email address or phone number associated with your Facebook account and click ‘Search’.
3. Facebook will send you an email or text with a link to reset your password if your email/number is found.
4. Click on the password reset link which will open a page asking you to enter and confirm a new password.
5. Enter a new password that you’ll remember and click ‘Save Changes’.

Your Facebook password will now be reset and you can login with your new password. The reset link expires within a day, so be sure to reset your password promptly.

I don’t have access to my registered email or phone number. How can I recover my account?

If you no longer have access to the email or phone number associated with your Facebook account, you can still recover your account by:

1. Go to www.facebook.com and click ‘Forgotten Password’.
2. Click ‘No longer have access to these?’ below the email/phone input fields.
3. Facebook will ask you to enter any other emails or phone numbers you have access to that may be associated with your account.
4. If none are found, you’ll be prompted to enter the names of your Facebook friends to receive a recovery code from.
5. Once you enter the 6-digit recovery code sent to your friend, you can then reset your password.

This recovery option utilizes trusted contacts to verify your identity and regain access to your account.

I think my Facebook account is hacked. What should I do?

If you suspect someone has gained unauthorized access to your Facebook account, take these steps immediately:

1. Log out of all active Facebook sessions by going to Settings – Security and Logging Out – Log Out of All Sessions.
2. Change your Facebook password to something secure that the hacker won’t know.
3. Enable Login Approvals for extra security when logging in from new devices.
4. Check your profile and posts for any unauthorized changes made by the hacker and revert them.
5. Scan your computer for malware that may have allowed your account to be hacked.

You should also report the unauthorized access to Facebook so they can secure your account. Submit details via the ‘My Account is Compromised’ form under Help & Support.

How can I reactivate a deactivated Facebook account?

If you chose to temporarily deactivate your Facebook account, reactivating it is straightforward:

1. Go to www.facebook.com and click ‘Create New Account’ on the homepage.
2. When prompted to enter your details, enter the same info you used for your deactivated account instead.
3. Facebook will detect your previous account and prompt you to reactive it.
4. Simply click ‘Reactivate’ and login normally with your previous credentials.

However, if your account was disabled by Facebook for violations, reactivation may not be possible immediately. You’ll have to resolve the issue with Facebook first before your account can be restored.

What happens when I delete my Facebook account permanently?

When you permanently delete a Facebook account, here’s what happens:

• Your profile, photos, posts, videos, and all other data is deleted from Facebook servers.
• Friends and connections will no longer see your account or be able to search for your profile.
• Your Messenger messages and Facebook group content is erased.
• You lose access to all Facebook services like Marketplace, Facebook Pay, Oculus, Workplace.
• It takes up to 90 days for the account to be completely deleted from backups and logs.

So unless you download your data, everything will be unrecoverable once the account is deleted. You can also never reuse the same account profile in the future.

How do I download all my Facebook data for backup?

Before deleting your Facebook account permanently, you can download an archive of your Facebook data for backup:

1. Go to Settings & Privacy – Your Facebook Information.
2. Click ‘Download Your Information’ and select data types to download.
3. Enter your password when prompted to start preparing the download.
4. Once ready, Facebook will email you a link to download a ZIP file of your data.
5. Save the ZIP file locally or externally before deleting your account.

This provides a complete backup of your photos, posts, profile info, messages, and more on Facebook. You can also request to download limited data via the Access Your Information tool.

Can I restore a Facebook account after deleting it?

Once a Facebook account is permanently deleted, there is unfortunately no way to recover or restore it. Some key things to note:

• Facebook does not keep deactivated accounts longer than 30 days before permanent deletion.
• All your data is wiped from Facebook servers and cannot be retrieved.
• You cannot re-register using the same account name or email in the future.
• There’s no ‘undo’ option after starting the account deletion process.

This is why it’s recommended to first download your Facebook data for backup before deleting an account just in case.

How can I report a compromised or hacked Facebook account?

If your Facebook account has been compromised, hacked or cloned, report it immediately by:

1. Going to Facebook’s Help Community and searching for ‘My Account is Compromised’.
2. In the results, click the form titled ‘My Account is Compromised’ to start your report.
3. Fill in all details about how your account was compromised and submit.
4. Facebook will investigate and take steps to secure your account.
5. You may be locked out temporarily until your account is restored.

You should also inform any friends who may have received messages from your hacked account to alert them it was not really you.

What steps does Facebook take when I report an unauthorized account access?

When you report unauthorized access to your Facebook account, here are some of the steps Facebook will take:

• Initiate an investigation into the unauthorized access to identify the cause.
• Lock down your account and reset your password to block the hacker.
• Inform you if any posts or messages were sent from your account by the hacker.
• Remove any inappropriate or dangerous content published using your account.
• Strengthen security measures to prevent further unauthorized access.
• Suggest additional steps you can take to secure your account.

Facebook prioritizes investigating hacking reports to quickly lock down compromised accounts. Make sure to cooperate fully with any requests during the investigation process.

What details does Facebook need when reporting an account hack?

To help Facebook thoroughly investigate unauthorized access to your account, provide as many pertinent details as possible:

• Your full account name (if you have one) and contact email address.
• When you first noticed suspicious/unusual activity on your account.
• Examples of content posted or messages sent without your knowledge.
• Whether your password might have been compromised and how.
• Locations of unauthorized logins detected in your account history.
• Any other accounts that may have been compromised related to your Facebook account.

Providing complete details helps Facebook Support understand how the account was hacked or misused so they can resolve the issue faster and improve security.

What can I do to keep my Facebook account secure?

Here are some top tips to keep your Facebook account secure from unauthorized access:

• Always use a strong, unique password that isn’t used for any other sites.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication for logins on new devices.
• Don’t click suspicious links in messages or posts from strangers.
• Avoid accessing Facebook on public, unsecured WiFi networks.
• Install reputable antivirus software to detect malware and keyloggers.
• Periodically audit authorized apps and remove ones you no longer use.
• Check login notification emails to monitor account access locations.

Following good security practices makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to your Facebook account details and contents.

Conclusion

Accessing and recovering a Facebook account is straightforward if you follow the right steps. Reset your password if you forget it, utilize account recovery options if you lose access to your registered contact info, and report unauthorized access attempts to Facebook right away. Enabling security measures like two-factor authentication also adds an extra layer of protection.

With billions of users, Facebook accounts are an attractive target for hackers. But you can avoid being compromised by being vigilant about account security. Periodically reviewing your privacy settings, being cautious when clicking links from unknown sources, and keeping software up-to-date will all help maintain control over your Facebook account.