How do I recover an old Facebook account I can't log into?

What to do if you forgot your Facebook password

If you can’t remember your Facebook password, here are some steps you can take to try to recover access to your account:

Click the “Forgotten password” link on the Facebook login page. This will take you to a page where you can enter your email address or phone number to reset your password.
If you no longer have access to the email or phone number on your Facebook account, click “Need more help?” on the password reset page. This will allow you to try to recover your account by answering some personal questions to verify your identity.

Go through your old emails to see if you can find a password reset email from Facebook from when you may have tried to reset your password previously. The reset link may still work if you requested it recently.
If you have your account connected to your mobile Facebook app, try using the “Forgotten Password” option there which may send a reset link to your phone.

Recovering your account when you don’t have the password or email/phone number

If you are completely locked out of your account because you don’t have the password, and also no longer have access to the email address or phone number associated with the account, there are still some options:

Fill out Facebook’s account recovery form. You will have to provide details like your full name, approximate date you created the account, locations you may have logged in from, and any other info you can remember. This information gets reviewed by Facebook’s team who will try to verify your identity.
Upload a photo ID through the account recovery form to help verify your identity. This should be a government-issued ID with your photo that matches the name on the lost Facebook account.
If you ever purchased ads on Facebook, you can try using your payment information as part of the account recovery process. This can help verify your identity.

If you have other contacts who are friends with your lost account, ask them to report your account as hacked/compromised. When multiple people do this it may trigger Facebook’s security team to investigate and recover the account.

Using old computers or devices to recover access

If you previously logged into Facebook on an old computer, phone, or tablet device, you may be able to recover access to your account through that:

On a desktop computer you used with Facebook, open your web browser and check if you are still logged into Facebook. Try going to facebook.com to see if you are redirected to your account’s homepage.

Similarly, check any mobile apps on phones/tablets where you may have previously logged into the Facebook app. Open the app and see if you are still logged in.
If you are logged out, but previously logged in on that device, try using the “Forgotten Password” option and any password reset emails may get sent to an email you still have access to.
On mobile Facebook apps, try using the “Log in with QR code” option which will bring up a QR code you can scan with another phone that you know the password for.

Getting back old Facebook messages and data

If you are able to recover your old Facebook account, you may also want to try to retrieve any old messages or data:

On desktop, you can use Facebook’s “Download Your Information” tool to download a copy of all your Facebook data including old messages.
The Facebook mobile app also has an option to “Download Your Information” usually located in Settings & Privacy.

Facebook will email you a copy of your archive that you can download. It may take a few days for them to compile this data.
Your archive includes your profile info, posts/photos, messages, friends list, and more. You can search your messages after downloading the archive.

Recovering deleted or deactivated Facebook accounts

If your Facebook account was deactivated or deleted, here are some ways you may be able to recover it:

If you temporarily deactivated your own account, you likely have 30 days to reactivate it by logging in with your password before it is permanently deleted.
If it has been less than 90 days since the account was deleted, you can complete Facebook’s account recovery form to request that it gets restored.
After 90 days, deactivated accounts are usually permanently deleted and irrecoverable through normal means.

In very rare cases, if you contact Facebook support and can provide proof of ownership of the account via IDs, payment info, etc, they may be able to restore it.
With deleted accounts, your profile, posts, photos, messages, etc are also deleted and usually unable to be recovered.

Creating a new Facebook account

If you ultimately cannot get back into your old Facebook account, you may need to create a brand new account. Here are some tips:

Choose a new email/phone number during signup that you will remember and have long-term access to.
Add trusted friends/family as friends on your new profile so they can help verify your identity.
In your profile photo use a clear image of your face to avoid issues trying to verify your identity.

Go through the identity confirmation steps Facebook requires for new accounts, like uploading a photo ID.
Use a new complex password that only you know and can remember going forward.

Preventing losing access to your account in the future

Here are some tips to avoid getting locked out of Facebook again down the road:

Set up two-factor authentication on your account for extra security when logging in.
Make sure your primary email address and phone number associated with your account are kept up to date.
Know your password and keep it secure – use a password manager app if needed.

Review and confirm your account recovery options in Facebook settings such as trusted contacts.
Don’t violate Facebook’s terms of service so your account does not get banned or deactivated.

When to seek additional help

If you cannot regain access to your Facebook account through any of the steps provided, you may need to reach out to Facebook support directly:

Use Facebook’s account recovery contact form providing as many details as possible.
As a last resort, you can submit a hacked account report form.
Be prepared to wait several weeks for a response from Facebook’s support team.

Not all account issues can be resolved, but providing as much verification details as possible improves your chances.

Conclusion

Losing access to your Facebook account can be stressful, but in many cases it is recoverable. The most important things are attempting standard password reset options, using account recovery forms, verifying your identity, and reaching out to Facebook support if needed. With some patience and detective work, you hopefully can get access to your old Facebook account again. Just be sure to take preventative steps so it does not happen again!