Meta's account recovery hub explained: can't log in, hacked and disabled accounts

When you lose access to a Facebook or Instagram account, Meta doesn't give you a person to call. It gives you a set of self-service flows, each built for one kind of problem. Meta's Account Recovery & Support Hub is the front door that ties them together for Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

The flows work, but only if you choose the one that matches your situation. This guide explains what each one is for, how to use it, and how to avoid the fake "Meta support" that targets people in exactly this position.

The official, free routes first

Every route below is free and run by Meta. Pick the one that matches what you see on screen.

"I can't log in"

Meta's can't-log-in page starts with a simple split:

• You still get emails or texts from Meta: reset your password. If the code doesn't arrive, Meta suggests checking spam, confirming you have signal, waiting a few minutes and requesting a new code.
• You no longer have that email or phone: follow Meta's no-access flow. Go to facebook.com/login/identify in a browser you've used before, find the account by email, phone or username, and choose "No longer have access to these?" Meta may ask for new contact details, which "must not have been used for your Facebook account before," and then ask you to confirm your identity.

Before you start, Meta suggests checking for other emails or numbers you might have added, and asking your email provider whether it can restore your inbox. Getting the original inbox back is often the simplest fix.

If you're locked out by two-factor authentication rather than a password, see our page on Instagram 2FA lockouts.

Hacked accounts

Meta's hacked-account page says to visit facebook.com/hacked "on a device you've logged into Facebook with before." From there you choose between recovering a hacked account, recovering without access to your email or phone, helping someone else, or recovering a hacked Page you manage.

For Instagram, Meta's hacked Instagram page points to instagram.com/hacked "if someone gains access to your account or you're unable to log into your account."

Meta's hacked-account policy page adds a useful detail: if your account email was changed, Meta sends a link to the previous address that lets you reverse the change. Check the old inbox, including spam, before anything else. That page also links guides for checking whether an email really came from Facebook or Instagram.

Our hacked Instagram recovery guide walks through the Instagram flow in more depth.

Disabled and suspended accounts

Disabled accounts aren't a login problem, so password resets and the hacked flow won't fix them. Meta handles them through a review:

• Facebook: Meta's suspended or disabled page says to log in, where you'll be prompted to appeal. You can appeal a suspension "within 180 days" (varies by region). If you don't, or the appeal fails, the account is permanently disabled and you can't request another review. Meta also says it may disable without suspending first "in cases of severe or time-sensitive violations."
• Instagram: Meta's disabled accounts page says you may be able to ask for a review by logging in and following the on-screen steps. If you don't see a disabled message at login, the cause may be a login problem, a hack or a deleted account instead. Meta says deleted accounts can't be restored.

How the review queue behaves after you submit is covered in understanding Meta's appeal process.

The Meta AI support assistant

Meta's AI support assistant page says it is "only available on Facebook and Instagram." To use it, open any Help Center page while logged in and select "Ask a question…". It can walk you through securing a possibly compromised account, appealing content decisions and checking account status. Meta notes it "can't directly access and edit your personal account" and that "AI can make mistakes," so double-check anything it tells you against the help article itself.

Meta has no public phone number

This is the single most important fact for anyone locked out. Meta's help page Phone support availability on Facebook and other Meta Company Products says Meta "doesn't have a general public phone number available for customer service," and that phone numbers claiming to be Meta customer support "are potentially scams and should be avoided." The same page notes Meta "may offer specialized phone support in certain jurisdictions or with certain products or features," such as callbacks on some Meta Verified plans, which you request inside the app rather than by dialing a number.

What this means in practice:

• Ignore numbers from search ads, forums or comment sections. Meta doesn't publish one.
• Be wary of anyone who contacts you first. Meta's safety guidance warns about messages pretending to come from Meta and advises you to verify the sender and not share your password.
• Never hand over login codes. A "support agent" asking for your 2FA code is taking over your account, not recovering it.

Our guide to phishing red flags on Instagram shows what these approaches usually look like.

If your Facebook account is locked and asks you to confirm your identity, follow our step-by-step guide to that screen.

When professional help makes sense

If you still have your email, a familiar device and a straightforward hack or password problem, the hub and help pages are usually enough. Work through them carefully and once.

It's reasonable to get help when the account matters to a business or creator and the self-service flows have stopped moving: identity checks that keep failing, an appeal rejected without explanation, or a hack that also pulled in a Page, ad account or business portfolio. Shilder takes on those cases using the same official Meta channels described above; we have no special access at Meta, and we never ask for your password over chat. See Instagram account recovery, Facebook account recovery, pricing and protected payment for how it works.