Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you can still access the email address or phone number linked to your Facebook account, try Facebook’s password-reset flow. If you suspect someone else took over the account, use Facebook’s hacked-account recovery route from a device you have used to log in before. If you have lost access to both recovery methods, follow Facebook’s separate account-recovery instructions; the options can vary by account.
Choose the recovery route that matches your problem
Start with the situation that best describes why you cannot log in. Use Facebook’s official website and Help Center rather than an unsolicited recovery service.
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- You think the account was hacked or taken over: go to Recover a Hacked Account on a device you previously used to access Facebook.
- You forgot the password but can receive messages at a linked email or phone: try Facebook’s password-reset flow.
- You cannot access the linked email or phone: open Facebook’s instructions for recovering an account when you cannot log in. The page currently linked here is a French-locale Help Center result; use Facebook’s live instructions and the options presented for your account.
- Facebook has asked you to confirm your identity: submit an ID only through Facebook’s official process and follow its image requirements.
- You completed a security check but still cannot log in: check whether the stated 24-hour waiting period applies.
Reset your password when you can reach a recovery method
If the email address or phone number linked to your account still works, use Facebook’s login recovery to request a password reset. If the reset message or code does not arrive, Facebook’s recovery guidance recommends checking spam or junk folders, confirming your connection, and waiting briefly before requesting another code. See Facebook’s account-recovery instructions.
Use only the reset flow reached through Facebook. Never give your password or a one-time login code to someone offering to recover the account for you.
If you no longer have the linked email or phone
Facebook provides a separate path for people who cannot access their account’s recovery email or phone. Follow the instructions on its account-recovery page and choose the options available in your own account flow. The available steps can depend on Facebook’s current checks and your account; no particular alternative method is guaranteed for every user.
If Facebook requests an ID
Identity-document checks are conditional: Facebook may ask for an ID to confirm that you own the account. If it does, follow the current instructions in Why Facebook might reject your ID.
What an acceptable image needs to show
- Government ID: submit a clear, well-lit image with the entire document in frame. It must show either your name and date of birth or your name and a photo.
- Two non-government IDs, if you do not have a government ID: both must include your name, and at least one must include your date of birth and/or a photo. The names must match the name on your Facebook profile.
Common reasons an ID image is rejected
Facebook lists blurry, poorly lit, incomplete, or partly out-of-frame images as problems. It also says screenshots and photocopies can be rejected. Check the image before submitting it, and send documents only through Facebook’s official verification flow.
When a security check requires a wait
Facebook says that after completing a security check, you may need to wait 24 hours before logging in. In this specific situation, the account may still be visible to friends while you cannot access it. The 24-hour period applies to the stated post-check wait; it is not a general estimate or guarantee for all account recovery. See Facebook’s security-check waiting-period guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Secure the account after you regain access
Once you can log in, review Facebook’s account security guidance and enable protections such as login alerts and two-factor authentication. If you suspect malware may have stolen your login details, check the devices you used to access Facebook and follow Facebook’s guidance on malicious software.
Two-factor authentication users can generate 10 single-use recovery codes for occasions when they cannot use their phone. These codes are preparation for a future login problem, not a way to recover an account after lockout unless you saved them beforehand. Generate and store them securely while you are logged in, using Facebook’s recovery-code instructions.
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