When you lock yourself out of Facebook or can’t remember your password to log in on a new device, typically you can click on the ‘Forgot Your Password’ link under the log in box and follow the steps to receive a reset code.
However, this relies on you being able to access the email account or mobile phone that’s registered to your account.
The issue that a growing number of Facebook users are finding, is that they set their account up years ago using an email address they no longer have access to. This means that when it comes to recovering their password, they no longer have quick access to the email inbox where the confirmation reset code will be sent.
In this article, we’re sharing a few tricks to help overcome this issue.
Try Your Mobile Number
If your email address isn’t working, or you find that your account is linked to an email account that you no longer use or have access to, try recovering your password and reset code via a mobile number instead.
When you sign up for a Facebook account, you are asked to provide both an email and mobile number for recovery, making this a good first step to try when recovering account access.
Contact Your Email Provider
If you can’t get into an old email account, trying to contact the email provider or going through their own support steps to regain access to the inbox.
Check the Details You’ve Entered
You’d be amazed at how many people try to recover information from an email address that they are simply mistyping. Before you start to panic about not being able to access your reset code, double check that you’re entering your email address or mobile number correctly.
Use the Find My Account Tool
In order for this to work, you need to try logging into Facebook on a device that has been used to access your account in the past. This is because the Find My Account tool relies on historic data which is pulled from your past log in and used to help recover access to your account.
To try this, follow these steps:
- Enter www.facebook.com/login/identity – into the browser on a device that you have used to log into Facebook in the past
- In the log in box, enter an email address or mobile number that you think is registered to the account. Alternatively, enter your username for your Facebook profile
- Once you’ve located your account, select ‘No Longer Have Access to These?’ or ‘Forgotten Account?’
- Enter the details required, including new contact information to link with the account
- Follow the steps until you are asked for a new password
This is the quickest way of unlocking your account while simultaneously connecting it with personal information and contact details that you have access to and can keep on top of in the future.
The Importance of Keeping Personal Information Updated
If you take just one thing away from this article, let it be this. Keeping your personal information and details up to date is the best way of ensuring you don’t lose access to your Facebook account for a prolonged period of time.
Head into your Account settings and update your email address to one that you use regularly and have access to, taking the time to check other information like your mobile number as well.
Doing this takes minutes but can save you a whole lot of time and hassle if you are hacked or accidentally lock yourself out of your account.
So, the next time you think you’ve been locked out of Facebook, try one of these hacks! We hope this helps.
