How to Recover Old Facebook Account

Recovering an old Facebook account can both be extremely easy and very tough. It all depends on two main things. First, what you remember about it. Second, whether you still have access to things used to create it back in the day. A relief, in this case, is that Facebook rarely deletes old accounts – only if you impersonate someone, wreak havoc, harass, or break their Terms of Service. It’s also in their best interest to have as many active users. That means they will do their best to help you along the way. With that said, here’s how to recover an old Facebook account.

Can you recover a disabled Facebook account?

So, you disabled a Facebook account in the past and want to log back in after some time? This might be possible. You have the best chance if you disabled the account temporarily. All you need to do is log back in, and you’ll continue where you left off. This is assuming that you are not trying to recover a deleted Facebook account. In that case, the steps will be different. If you forgot the password of your old account instead, read the steps below.

How to recover old Facebook account if you forgot password

First, it is recommended to try this on a device (computer, smartphone, tablet) and network you used to log in to Facebook in the past. Facebook should recognize your IP address, and theoretically give you an easier time.

1. Log out of Facebook if there’s another account logged in. You can also use the Incognito/Private tab in your browser.
2. Visit the Find Your Account Page.
3. In the textbox, enter the e-mail address or phone number tied to your old Facebook account. When a phone number is used, Facebook accepts all formats. Let’s take the United States for example. You can start it with 1, +1, or 001 in front.
4. After a brief search, a summary of the Facebook profile with a picture will appear. If that’s the right one, confirm it.
5. You will receive a temporary verification code to your phone number (as SMS) or your e-mail address, depending on what you entered.
6. Enter the code you received to the page in your browser.
7. You can now choose a new password.

Another easy way to recover an old Facebook account

This method only works if the Facebook account wasn’t disabled or permanently deleted by Facebook. It also requires the help of a second Facebook account. So, get a friend, family member, or an account you created in the meantime, and log in.

1. Find your old profile through a search feature.
2. Click on the three dots (···) underneath the cover photo.
3. From a drop-down list, pick Find support.
   
   Depending on a Facebook update, sometimes the option is joined with another one, such as Find support or report profile.
4. When given options, choose I can’t access my account or Something else.
5. Click on Next.
6. Choose Recover this account.
7. You are presented with on-screen instructions similar to the Find Your Account Page. Enter as much information relevant to your old profile. Obviously, the more you remember, the better the chances of restoring the Facebook account.
8. If successful, you can get a verification code to your e-mail address or phone number tied to the account. From there, you can reset the password and restore access.

Restore old Facebook account if you forgot your Phone number

If you no longer remember the phone number you used to sign in to Facebook years back, it can be difficult to recover it. In that case, you can try following these steps:

1. Open your Facebook profile page (no need to log in).
2. Then click on the three dots icon “…” in the top right side of the profile section.
3. Click on Report.
4. Then Report or close this account option.
5. Now click on Continue.
6. And finally, choose Recover this account.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions which will help you for the old Facebook recovery process.

There you have it, these are some easy ways to restore an old Facebook account. We hope you use this opportunity to rekindle old friendships or possibly relationships.