Last updated: January 1, 2023
If you think that your Instagram account has been hacked, there are several simple and effective ways you can try to get it back.
I will explain to you through this article the different ways to recover your Instagram account. Finding out that your Instagram account is hacked requires you to act as quickly as possible.
How can my Instagram account be hacked?
A hacker will use several techniques to hack your Instagram account, such as the theft of your connection data (username and password) with keyloggers or with a brute force attack.
Hackers can also send you messages with a link that will take you to a fake login page on the social network Instagram (Phishing). It can also be a third-party application that has access to your personal data.
What can I do when my Instagram account is hacked?
If you think that your Instagram account has been hacked, you have two means at your disposal that you must apply in order to limit the damage:
1. Immediately change the password
If you can still access your account, you are strongly advised to change the password immediately, via a reset procedure. It will suffice to send you an e-mail which will allow you to change your password.
2. Delete third-party applications and websites
Also, be sure to cancel the access of certain third-party applications, within your Instagram account.
To check the access granted, access your account settings at this address, or click Settings -> Security -> Apps and websites.
The applications authorized to access your account are listed in the section Active. A single click of the mouse is enough to revoke access to an application.
In the event that you can no longer access your account, you could try the following solutions.
Forgotten password or Changed password
This is the most common case: your Instagram account is hacked and password is changed but your email address or phone number is still associated with your hacked Instagram account.
To recover your hacked account, you will need to follow the following procedure:
- Go to https://www.instagram.com and click on "Forgot your password? »
- Then you just need to enter your email address, phone number or username.
- Instagram will send you a link so that you can recover your account. Check your email box or your mobile phone if you have chosen the phone to obtain your recovery code.
- Enter the code and click Continue.
- It's over. Choose a new password and you can recover your hacked Instagram account.
Password changed and you do not have access to the recovery email
If you cannot recover your password because the hacker changed the password before you did. You can report to Instagram that your account has been hacked.
The first thing to do is to check your email box (the one you used to create your Instagram account) to see if you have received a message from Instagram.
If you have received an email from Instagram informing you that your email address has been changed, you can undo this action using the " cancel this change ».
In the next step, several recovery options may be offered to you depending on your account and your security:
- Send a photo of yourself holding a handwritten copy of the code Instagram provided to you.
- The email address or mobile number used to register and the type of device used at the time of registration (for example: iPhone 12, Samsung S20, iPad 9 or other).
When Instagram is satisfied that you are the owner of the account, you will be notified by email.
Report to Instagram that the account has been hacked
If none of the above methods is effective, you should report your hacked account directly to Instagram.
From your mobile:
Go to the login portal and click on Get help signing in, enter your username and select Next → Need more help?.
In the next step, fill in the form with the information and click on send your request.
Make sure you are using a secure email address that you have access to. Once you've sent your request, watch for an email from Instagram.
Instagram will offer you a procedure to verify your identity by sending a secret code. You will have to take a photo of yourself with a piece of paper where the secret code will appear, a selfie will be preferred by the support of Instagram.
Instagram support will compare the photos on your account with the selfie to see if it matches.
Then, wait a few days until you receive a new message from Instagram.
In my case, I had to wait 48 hours before receiving an email informing me that my identity has been validated.
The email also contains a link to reset my password so that I can recover my account.
Finally, click on the reset link and update your password.
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Congratulation ! You saved your Instagram account. Now you have to act fast and strengthen the security of your Instagram account.