Facebook has become an essential platform that we use for communication, business, or just for fun,
With an estimated 2.7 billion active users that sure sounds like an impressive number when you consider that the world population is estimated at 7.8 billion
If you're faced with the challenge of logging into your account, or you just can't access your Facebook account because you forgot your password,
Or you think that your account has been hacked, whatever reason you may have.
Just sit back, get your device (phone/computer) and get ready to recover your account back, as this post will help you achieve just that.
If for whatever reason you forgot your password and you can't log into your account, don't worry as Facebook themselves has simplified the process.
How to recover your account if you forgot your password
You can recover your account, using this method, if you can at least remember the email address or phone number connected to the account.
Note, Facebook themselves recommends that you use the same device (phone or computer) that you've previously used to access the account to ensure a smooth process.
Method 1
The easiest way to recover an account when you forget your password is to check if you are still logged in and have an active session on that device.
This can be done by simply going to facebook.com (on your browser) or open any of the apps you may have on your device (Messenger, lite, or the Facebook app itself)
For example, this may be your computer or tablet that you had used to log into your account previously,
While you're having difficultly logging into your account on your phone and vice versa.
If you got a hit, that you still have an active session available, all you have to now is to change your password.
Follow these steps listed below to change your password,
While this has been done on the web version, the process is still the same for the apps, such as App, Messenger, and Lite.
1. Tap the downward-facing triangle (more tab) button, then select settings & privacy
2. Click Settings
3. Select security and login from the option (no 2 on the list), from the Change password section, click the edit button.
4. On this page you'll be will be sent a verification code to the email or phone number connected to the account.
In this case, it's the phone number, (as this is the only detail connected to this account).
From the drop-down select Forgotten your password.
5. Enter the six-digit code sent to your phone number or email address and click Continue.
6. On this page, create a new password, preferably one that's above 7 characters which also have to easy to remember, to proceed click Continue.
7. Click Continue to complete the process, unless if you think some accessed your account without your permission or you just want to clear any active session on other device(s).
Method 2
How to recover your account If you don't have an active session on any device
Here's a walkthrough of the process
1. Go to Facebook.com and on the page select forgotten Password.
2. Enter the email address or phone number connected to the account (i.e the email or phone no that you opened the account with) and click/tap search
3. Once you've entered the phone number or email address, Facebook will send a message or mail to the phone no or email address entered.
The notice will contain a 6 digit password reset code, copy the code you've received and paste into the box provided on the page, then click or tap next
4. On this page set a new password which you can easily remember and click Continue or tap Next to proceed
5. For security reasons or if you think your account has been hacked or accessed without your approval, select Log out of other devices, and click/tap Continue
Otherwise simple click/tap Continue
Method 3
How to recover your Facebook account if you forgot your password and you can't access your email or phone number
If you can't remember your password and can't your email or phone number connected to your account (big problemo!!)
You have only two options at this point, they are
1. Recover your account using a Trusted Contacts: Trusted contacts are friends/contact on Facebook that you can contact for verification purposes for when such matter arises.
But the twist to this is, you have to be logged in to create or add a trusted contact(s).
2. So if you don't have the Trusted contact before now, the only way out at this point is to contact the email service provider or your mobile network provider to help you recover the email or phone number and then,
Employ the steps explained in the second method.
But if you have these set up beforehand and have your trusted contacts,
Here are steps you can follow to recover your account
For this method to work, you have to remember the username or full name of your account, or the email, or phone number connected to that account
And also, the username or full name of your trusted contacts.
1. Go to Facebook.com and on the page select forgotten Password.
2. Enter the email or phone number connected to the account or the username or full name of the account and click Search
3. On the new page, depending on the detail you used, you'd have to select your from a list of accounts similar to yours(usually by name).
This happens when you use the name (username or full name) to search for the account.
But in this case (from the image) I used a phone number
To proceed, click No longer have access to these
4. On this page, enter a new email address or phone number that can be accessed by you to receive a message from Facebook on how to recover your account.
Side note: I found that I wasn't sent any message to my email, because that was what I used for this process, so don't panic if you don't get any message from them.
Click Continue to proceed.
5. On this page, Facebook tells you to contact at least three of your Trusted Contacts(that's the minimum number of contacts you have to contact and,
Usually that the minimum number of trusted contacts you can have on the platform) and inform them about your issue.
Then, tell them to go to this address facebook.com/recover and get the verification code which should be sent to you.
Here is a walk-through of what they're supposed to do
This process is basically the same for both mobile and desktop.
- On this page, there is a notice, informing them of the situation, they should click Continue to proceed
- They should select the first option (Yes, I talked to .......... on the phone) to proceed they should then click Continue
- They should copy the code provide and sent it to you
Each of your contacts, (3 in this case) should send the code they've received to you,
Remember, you need those code of your contacts to complete the account recovery process
6. Once you've got the code from three of your trusted contacts, go back to that page (@ step 5), and enter the code and click Continue to proceed.
If you receive a message from Facebook, you'll be provided with a link back to that page (@ step 5)
From here just follow Follow the on-screen steps to complete the process, it fairly easy to proceed from here.
Now that you've got your account back, it would be a wise decision to take measures to safeguard your account from future issues just like this one.
This can be done by creating and adding Trusted Contacts, here's how to go about it.
How to set up Facebook Trusted Contacts
1. Lunch your browser and go to Facebook.com, once you are logged in, click the downward-facing triangle (more options button), then select Settings & Privacy
2. Click Settings
3. On this page, select Security and log in (second option from the side menu), on the main menu.
Towards the bottom of the screen tap the Settings up extra security section,
Select the second option Choose 3 to 5 friends to contact if you are locked out then click Edit
4. From the drop-down menu select Choose friends, the pop-up shows a notice informing you on how the feature works, to proceed, click Choose Trusted Contacts
5. From the pop-up menu you can choose any of your friends you to add to trusted contacts.
Just start by pressing the first letter of their name (full name or user name) and the result will show up, from the list you can select the contacts you want.
For example, if the name of one of my friends which I to add to the trusted contact list Martin Kyle, I'd simply press M on the keyboard, and the name will appear.
Once you're done, tap Continue to complete the process
Bonus Tip
To add an additional layer of security to your account,
You should consider setting up the Facebook two-factor authentication feature, to create an air-tight security architecture, CLICK HERE to learn more!
Final Words
I know what some of you're thinking, but why is the process so long and somewhat complicated?
This is for security reasons, you want don't somebody to easily impersonate you and get access to your account by changing the password,
So please, follow the process, get your account back, and if possible don't forget your password again.
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