Imagine waking up, excited to check your Instagram, only to find that you’ve been logged out of the app. Suddenly, all your photos, conversations, and followers are in someone else’s hands. It feels like a total invasion, right? This could be a very bad feeling, especially because you have curated the profile for a long time and suddenly you don’t even have access to it now. But don’t worry, you can get your account back. In this article, I’ll walk you through simple steps to recover your hacked Instagram account and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Signs Your Instagram Account Has Been Hacked
Before we dive into the solution, let’s make sure your account is hacked. Look for these signs:
- You’re suddenly logged out, even though your password is correct.
- You see posts or messages that you didn’t make.
- Your email or phone number was changed without your permission.
- You get alerts about logins from unknown places.
If you notice any of these happening to you, your Instagram account might have been hacked. But you don’t have time to be shocked, it’s the time to act fast.
How to Recover Your Hacked Instagram Account
1. Reset Your Password
The First step you should do is try to reset the password. If you can still access your email or phone number linked to Instagram, resetting your password is the easiest way to recover your account.
Here’s how to do
- On the Instagram login screen, tap “Forgot Password” and enter your email, phone, or username.
- Instagram will send you a link to reset your password. Click it and create a new password.
- Make sure to use a strong password—something unique and hard to guess. For tips, check out this guide on creating a strong Instagram password.
2. Use Instagram’s Account Recovery Option
If the hacker has already changed your login details, don’t worry—there’s still a way to recover your account.
- On the login screen, tap “Need more help?” or “Trouble logging in?”
- Enter your username or email, then follow Instagram’s steps to verify your identity. They might ask you to send a selfie video to prove it’s you.
Once you’re verified, you can reset your password and get back into your account.
3. Secure Your Email and Linked Accounts
It’s important to also secure your email and other social media accounts connected to Instagram. Change your email password and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra security.
Also, make sure any connected accounts, like Facebook, are locked down too, as hackers often target multiple platforms at once.
4. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication on Instagram
Once you’ve recovered your account, it’s smart to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) so this doesn’t happen again.
- Go to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication.
- Choose either an SMS or an authentication app to receive login codes when you (or anyone else) try to log in from a new device.
This adds a second layer of protection, so even if someone gets your password, they still need your phone to log in.
5. Check for Suspicious Activity
After getting your account back, double-check your Instagram settings to make sure there’s no more suspicious activity:
- Go to Settings > Login Activity to see where your account has been accessed. If you don’t recognize any devices or locations, log them out.
- Review your Authorized Apps and remove any apps that you don’t recognize or no longer use.
6. Report the Hack and Inform Your Followers
If the hacker posted anything inappropriate or sent weird messages, report it to Instagram.
- Tap the three dots on the suspicious post or message and select “Report”.
After reporting, send a quick message to your followers explaining that your account was hacked. This will help them avoid falling for any scams or fake messages.
7. Prevent Future Hacks
To prevent getting hacked again, follow these tips:
- Create a strong, unique password for Instagram. Don’t use the same one for other accounts.
- Be careful of phishing scams. Hackers sometimes send fake emails pretending to be Instagram. Always check the sender’s email before clicking any links.
- Enable 2FA to keep your account extra secure.
For more tips, check out this article on how to avoid an Instagram hack.
How to Use Trusted Contacts to Recover Your Instagram Account
Instagram offers a feature called Trusted Contacts that allows you to choose close friends or family members to help you recover your account if you ever get locked out. If you’ve already set up Trusted Contacts before your account was hacked, this method can be a lifesaver.
Here’s how to use Trusted Contacts to recover your account:
- On the Instagram login screen, tap “Need more help?” or “Trouble logging in?”.
- Enter your username, email, or phone number and follow the prompts until you reach the option to contact your Trusted Contacts.
- Instagram will give you a special link that you can share with your Trusted Contacts. Send this link to at least one of them.
- Your Trusted Contacts will need to open the link and provide you with the code they receive.
- Once you get the code, enter it into the Instagram recovery form to verify your identity and recover your account.
Important: Trusted Contacts must be set up in advance for this method to work. If you haven’t done so yet, consider setting it up as a backup plan in case you ever get hacked again.
How to Set Up Trusted Contacts on Instagram?
- Go to your profile, tap the three lines at the top-right corner, and select Settings.
- Tap Security > Trusted Contacts.
- Choose at least 3-5 close friends you trust to help you recover your account if needed.
Having Trusted Contacts set up is an excellent precaution, especially if you’re worried about getting locked out of your account in the future.
What to Do If You Can’t Recover Your Account?
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get your account back:
- Contact Instagram Support through their Help Center and file a report. Be sure to include all the necessary details to prove it’s your account.
- Create a New Account if nothing works. While this is frustrating, it’s better than letting the hacker continue using your account.
Final Thoughts
Getting your Instagram account hacked is stressful, but by following the proper steps, you can regain control and protect your account from future attacks. Stay calm, follow the process, and take action as quickly as possible.
