How to Recover a Hacked Instagram or Facebook Account
Instagram and Facebook are among the most commonly hijacked accounts. Here's the recovery process for each.
Instagram recovery
Use Instagram's 'Get help signing in' flow directly in the app. If the attacker changed your email, look for a 'This wasn't me' option on the security notification email Instagram sends.
Facebook recovery
Facebook offers a dedicated 'My account is compromised' recovery flow at facebook.com/hacked, which walks you through identity verification even if the password and email have been changed.
After you're back in
Review active sessions and log out of unfamiliar devices, check for new admin roles added to any Pages you manage, and remove unfamiliar linked apps or login alerts.
Prevent it from happening again
Turn on two-factor authentication using an authenticator app, and be cautious of phishing messages that mimic official platform emails.
Key takeaway
Use each platform's official recovery flow directly, verify your identity if asked, then lock the account down with an authenticator app.