Have you ever felt the sense of helplessness that comes with having your Instagram account hacked? 

Well, in 2022, over a million cases of social media account takeovers were reported, and it’s pretty wild that 85% of those affected had their Instagram accounts compromised.

But don’t worry – with the right steps and some know-how, recovering a hacked Instagram account is possible.

In this article, we’ll show you how to get back control of your IG account.

Let’s dive in and take a look at the best ways to recover a hacked Instagram account!

How To Recover A Hacked Instagram Account If Email Changed

Look For An Email From Instagram In Your Inbox

If you think your Instagram account has been hacked, the first thing you should do is look for an email from Instagram in your inbox.

I recommend searching both your regular and junk/spam folders to make sure you don’t miss any emails. 

If there are any identifying emails present, they may be sent from [email protected]

These emails will often contain details of changes made to your account or alerts about the suspicious activity so keep an eye out!

I also highly suggest setting up two-factor authentication as soon as possible after regaining access to your account; this provides an extra layer of security against potential phishing attempts in the future.

You can set it up by going into settings > Privacy & Security > Two Factor Authentication on your app or website. 

By adding this feature, no one will be able to change the password or email associated with your account without providing a special code that only appears when attempting to log in from a new device.

One final tip: if someone does try and gain access to your account, check for any unfamiliar login notifications and update your passwords regularly – every few months is best practice!

Get A Login Link From Instagram

Request a login link from Instagram. This link will help verify that you are indeed the owner of the account by sending an authentication code either to your phone number or email address associated with the account. 

a graphic taken from Instagram website showing how to keep your account secure
How To Recover A Hacked Instagram Account If Email Changed

Requesting this reset link is easy – just open up Instagram on Android or iOS and select “Get help logging in” or “Forgot password?” respectively, then follow the prompts.

However, if both your email and phone number have been changed, there are other ways you might be able to regain access to your account.

Get Support Or A Security Code From Instagram

You can submit a special support request directly through Instagram’s login page on either Android or iOS. Just select your preferred contact method and then tap “Send security code.”

Once you receive this code, follow the instructions in the email from Instagram to reset your password.

Confirm Your Identity With Instagram

There are two main identification methods that can help you confirm your identity on Instagram.

If your photos don’t include any images of yourself, Instagram will require details like email address, phone number, and device type used when signing up for the account.

On the other hand, if there are pictures of you on the profile, then you must submit a video selfie where you turn your head at different angles so that they know it’s really you who’s trying to regain access. According to Instagram, the video is solely meant for verification purposes and will be wiped off their servers within a month. So, you don’t have to worry about it sticking around forever.

No matter which method applies to your situation, please note that these processes take time – sometimes days or even weeks! 

If you’ve tried all the recovery steps mentioned above without success, it’s time to report the hacked account to Instagram.

How To Recover A Hacked Instagram Account You Are Still Able To Log Into It

Let’s talk about how to recover a hacked Instagram account if you are still able to log into it. The most important thing is to act fast! 

It’s critical that you take preventative measures and secure your account as soon as possible before the attacker has time to do more damage.

First off, double-check the phone number and email address listed in your settings. If these have been changed by an attacker, reset them so only you can access them. 

Make sure to also sign out of any active sessions from unknown sources.

Then change your password – make it unique and strong – at least 8 characters long with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. 

You should also enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra security; as mentioned before this requires a special one-time-use code along with your password in order to log into your account which will help protect against phishing scams or identity theft.

Make sure to take a peek at your Facebook Accounts Center. It’s a pretty nifty feature that shows all the accounts connected to your Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. If you spot any fishy activity or linked accounts that you don’t remember remove them.

Lastly, review all third-party apps associated with Instagram under Settings > Security > Apps & Websites and remove anything suspicious or unfamiliar.

So remember: take control of your account immediately after noticing something strange going on within it! Don’t wait until it’s too late – be proactive now by following the steps above so you can keep yourself safe online.

Signs That Your Instagram Account Is Hacked

It’s important to be aware of the signs that your account may have been compromised so you can take action as soon as possible.

a graphic showing a hand coming out of the instagram icon holding a sign saying password
Signs That Your Instagram Account Is Hacked

Here are some common indicators that could indicate a possible hack:

  • You receive an email from Instagram saying that your email address has been changed.
  • You get a “suspicious login attempt” alert.
  • You receive a password reset email that you didn’t request.
  • Your account is posting and commenting on its own.
  • Friends and followers get strange messages from you.

To protect yourself against social engineering, phishing scams, malware attacks, and other malicious activities, make sure to use strong passwords with two-factor authentication enabled whenever possible. 

Additionally, keep an eye out for suspicious links or requests in emails or direct messages sent by people claiming to represent Instagram – they’re likely trying to steal information!

And if anything looks suspicious at all, don’t hesitate to contact Instagram directly through their official channels for assistance and advice.

What To Do If You Suspect Your Instagram Account Has Been Hacked

Now that we have discussed the signs of a hacked Instagram account, let’s look at what to do if you suspect your account has been compromised.

The first step is to update all of your passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) with an authenticator app like Google Authenticator for protection against any potential hackers. 

Additionally, it is important to check and revoke access to any third-party apps that may have access to your Instagram account so they can no longer post on your behalf or view your information.

Finally, if friends and followers are receiving strange messages from you, then something suspicious could be happening behind the scenes. It’s essential that you take immediate action by checking your activity log in the Instagram app and informing friends not to click on any links sent out as these could lead them to malicious websites or malware downloads.

Furthermore, make sure you reset your password right away and also alert the Instagram support team as soon as possible via their help center just in case more urgent steps need to be taken.

Can You Recover A Hacked Instagram?

Yes, you can recover a hacked Instagram account. It’s important to act quickly when your account is compromised.

How Long Does It Take To Recover Hacked Instagram?

On average, the recovery process will take around 5-10 business days – but depending on various factors, it could take longer than that.

Recovering a hacked Instagram account is a lengthy process, so if you’re in this situation, it’s important to know what to expect.

It’s critical for victims of hacking incidents to remain vigilant about their digital security during the entire recovery period – maintaining strong passwords and actively monitoring any suspicious activity can go a long way toward protecting yourself from future attacks!

Taking these extra precautions now might be time-consuming, but they are crucial steps in preventing future losses down the road.

How Do I Contact Instagram To Restore My Account?

The best way to contact Instagram for assistance in recovering a hacked account is through their support page. Here you can access helpful resources with tips on regaining control of your account and preventing future hacks.

Recovering a completely deleted Instagram account can be challenging, as acknowledged by Instagram. However, there’s a chance of restoring it if someone intentionally deleted your account. You have a 30-day window to contact Instagram and report that your account has been hacked. During this period, Instagram stores your data. Thus, you can request them to restore your account, but timing is crucial.

When contacting Instagram support they will require some information from you as part of the security process before they take any further steps. 

This includes providing proof of ownership such as recent photos or posts associated with the account as well as details about when you first noticed signs of being hacked. Once all this information has been provided, an investigation into restoring your account will begin.

How Hackers Hack Your Instagram Account

I want you to be aware of the various ways hackers can gain access to your Instagram account.

Phishing scams are one way they try to get your login information by sending fake pages or emails that look like they’re from Instagram.

Scammers can pretend to be Instagram by sending you an email requesting a password change or enticing you to log in for verification purposes (which is a common scam). The catch is that their website is entirely fake and designed to snatch your login details for a classic account takeover scheme. 

Malware attacks and brute force attempts are also common strategies used to steal your username and password when you enter them on public devices or Wi-Fi connections.

Cybercriminals can also exploit leaked passwords from data breaches. Billions of usernames and passwords have been exposed through data breaches, including those of Instagram’s users

Sadly, once a site like Instagram gets hacked, the stolen login credentials end up on the Dark Web, where cyber crooks can purchase hacked Instagram accounts. 

Scary enough, hackers don’t even need to get their hands on your Instagram password to gain access to your account because most people reuse passwords, cyber attackers can simply try out leaked username/password combinations on various accounts, including your Instagram.

How To Protect Your Instagram Account

Taking preventative measures to secure your profile can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding a devastating hacking incident.

One of the best ways to protect your social media accounts, especially on Instagram, is by enabling two-factor authentication. This added layer of security requires you to input an additional code or passcode sent via email or text message whenever someone attempts to log into your account from an unfamiliar device.

Additionally, being aware of potential social engineering tactics used by hackers such as sending out phishing links and posing as one of your friends is key in protecting yourself online. 

It’s important that you always double-check any links before clicking them and take extra care if they seem suspicious or too good to be true.

Lastly, consider using strong passwords for each of your accounts, and even better – use a password manager to generate complex characters for maximum protection. 

Taking these simple steps will help ensure that you have full control over your information and keep unwanted visitors away from accessing critical data stored on Instagram.

Recover Hacked Instagram Account Wrap Up

Recovering from a hacked Instagram account is possible. But prevention is even better.

Taking proactive steps like using two-factor authentication and changing your passwords on a regular basis can go a long way in protecting your personal information and keeping hackers out of your account.

Don’t let those pesky hackers put an end to the fun – keep vigilant and stay secure!

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