Quick answer: Go to instagram.com/hacked on any browser, enter your username, email or phone number, and follow the steps to get a login link or security code. If the hacker changed your email and phone, Instagram can verify you another way, such as a video selfie. Recovery is free; anyone charging to “get your account back” is a scammer.
Speed matters. The sooner you act, the more likely you still have access to the email or phone linked to the account, which is the easiest way back in.
This guide covers the official recovery routes as of October 2026, what to do once you’re back in and how to stop it happening again. For more account guides, see our social media section.
How do I know my Instagram account was hacked?
Common signs include:
- Your password suddenly stops working.
- You get an email saying your email address, phone number or password was changed when you didn’t do it.
- Posts, Stories or DMs appear that you didn’t send, often crypto or “investment” offers.
- Friends tell you your account is asking them for money or for a code sent to their phone.
- You’re logged out on every device.
If you can still log in, change your password right away and skip to the section on securing your account.
How do I recover a hacked Instagram account?
Instagram’s main recovery page is instagram.com/hacked. Security firm ESET’s August 2026 guide describes the official steps:
- Open instagram.com/hacked in a browser on your phone or computer.
- Enter your username, email address or phone number linked to the account.
- Request a login link or security code sent to your email or phone.
- Open the link or enter the code to get back in.
- Change your password immediately to something long and unique.
- Log out every other session. Go to Settings, then Accounts Center, then Password and security, then “Where you’re logged in,” and remove any device you don’t recognise.
If that page doesn’t work for you, try “Forgot password?” on the app’s login screen. It follows a similar process.
Check your email before anything else
When someone changes your account’s email address, Instagram emails the old address to tell you. Trend Micro advises looking for a message from security@mail.instagram.com and using the option in it to revert the change. Search your inbox and spam folder. Be careful, though: scammers send fake Instagram emails, so check the sender address closely and don’t enter your password on any page you reached from a suspicious message.
What if the hacker changed my email and phone number?
This is the hardest case, but it isn’t hopeless. ESET explains that Instagram can verify your identity by other means, including sending a link to a secure email you control or asking for a video selfie. The video is compared against photos on your profile to confirm you’re the owner.
Meta has invested in this route. In an update first published in December 2025, the company said it now uses signals such as trusted devices and locations you’ve logged in from before, optional selfie video checks and clearer recovery flows. Meta also said the recovery success rate for hacked accounts rose by more than 30% in the US and Canada in 2026.
A few things help this process:
- Try recovery from a phone or computer you’ve used for Instagram before, on your usual home or office internet.
- Have clear photos of yourself on your profile. Video selfie checks can’t match an account with no photos of you.
- Follow the on-screen instructions exactly and don’t submit repeated requests in a short time.
Using Meta’s support hub
Meta’s support hub brings account help into one place inside the Facebook and Instagram apps, with an AI support assistant that can help with password resets, scam reports and appeals. If you still have access to Facebook through the same Accounts Center, that can be a useful way in.
What if my account was disabled after the hack?
Hackers sometimes post content that breaks the rules, and the account then gets disabled. ESET advises following the on-screen instructions to appeal through Instagram’s official channels. Explain that the account was compromised and include the date you lost access. Meta’s support assistant can also help explain removals and manage appeals.
How do I avoid recovery scams?
Hacked users are a favourite target for a second round of fraud. ESET is blunt: “Any Instagram support number in an ad or a comment is a scam,” and “Anyone promising instant recovery is a scammer.”
- Instagram doesn’t charge for recovery. Never pay anyone who promises to get your account back.
- Don’t share your password, login codes or the video selfie with anyone outside Instagram’s own flow.
- Ignore DMs or comments from “recovery experts,” including ones that appear after you post about being hacked.
How do I secure Instagram after getting it back?
- Turn on two-factor authentication in Accounts Center under Password and security. An authenticator app is safer than SMS.
- Secure your email account. ESET recommends a new password and two-factor authentication on the email linked to Instagram, since whoever controls that email can usually reset Instagram.
- Review connected apps and websites and remove anything you don’t recognise.
- Check your profile. Remove posts, links and bio changes the hacker made, and check your contact details.
- Warn your followers with a Story, so they ignore any messages sent while you were locked out.
- Use a unique password stored in a password manager, so a leak elsewhere can’t open Instagram.
Most hacks start with a message from a friend’s compromised account asking you to “vote” for them or forward a code. If someone asks for a code sent to your phone, it’s almost always an attempt to take your account. The same trick hits WhatsApp users, and our guide to WhatsApp privacy and security settings covers how to lock that down too.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Instagram account recovery take?
If you still control the linked email or phone, it can take minutes. Identity checks such as video selfies can take longer, and Instagram doesn’t publish a fixed timeline. Avoid sending repeated requests while one is under review.
Can I recover Instagram without my email or phone number?
Often, yes. Instagram can ask you to verify your identity another way, including a video selfie compared against your profile photos, or by sending a link to a different secure email you control.
Is there an Instagram customer care number I can call?
Don’t trust any number you find online. ESET warns that any Instagram support number in an ad or a comment is a scam. Use instagram.com/hacked or the support hub inside the app instead.
Will I get my followers and posts back?
Recovering the account gives you back the account itself, including whatever followers and posts are still on it. Anything the hacker deleted may not come back, so review your profile carefully once you’re in.