Instagram Got Hacked & Email Changed – Steps To Recover Your Account

Because Instagram is one of the most popular social networks, it’s also one of the sites targeted by thousands of hacking attacks. Its vast number of users makes the platform especially attractive for phishing and similar malicious actions.

Instagram Got Hacked & Email Changed - Steps To Recover Your Account

If your Instagram account was recently hacked, you’ve come to the right spot. We’ll share all there is to know about this unfortunate situation. Regardless of whether you still have control of your password or not, there’s hope that you can save your account so long as it wasn’t permanently deleted. Let’s start from the basics.

My Instagram Got Hacked – What Do I Do?

The signs your Instagram account has been hacked can appear in many ways. Maybe you’ve noticed posted content that you didn’t curate. Or perhaps you only realized there was a break-in when you checked the Login Activity section. In the worst case, you may have discovered you lost access to your profile because the hacker changed your password and username or deleted the account.

According to Instagram, there are different methods you can use to recover your account after it was hacked. We’ll provide detailed instructions for each method below.

Look for the Email From Instagram

Have you received an email from “[email protected]” notifying you that your email address was changed? If so, you can undo the action. Just select the “secure your account here” hyperlink at the bottom of the message.

Maybe the hacker changed your password or other important account information. In this case, you can request a login link from Instagram.

Note: If the ‘Secure your account here’ link sends you to an error page, the link in your email is likely expired. If this happens, move on to the next steps.

Ask for a Login Link

Instagram takes hacking seriously, so the platform has several ways to verify you’re the owner of the account. One of them is sending a login link to your phone number or email address.

Here’s how to request this:

  1. Navigate to the Instagram login screen.
  2. Select “Get help logging in” if you use an Android device. If you’re using a web browser or iPhone, select “Forgot password?.”
  3. Type your username, email, and phone number associated with the hacked account.
  4. Press “Next.”
  5. If you forgot any of the information from Step 3, select “Need more help?” under the “Next” button and follow the instructions provided there.
  6. Choose the location where you want to receive the login link. It can be your email or phone.
  7. Tap “Send Login Link.”
  8. Follow the instructions from the login link from your phone (SMS) or email.

Alternatively, you can request a code from Instagram to verify your account ownership.

Just follow the steps below:

  1. Navigate to the login screen and select “Get help logging in.”
  2. Enter your account details.
  3. Tap “Need more help?”
  4. Choose the account you need help getting into if you have multiple Instagram accounts.
  5. Select where you want to receive the code, then tap “Send Security Code.”

Identity Verification

If you submit a verification request for an account that has no photos of you, you’ll get an automatic email from Instagram’s Support Team. They’ll ask you to enter the email address or phone number you used for creating your account, as well as the device you used (Android, iPhone, iPad, etc.).

If your Instagram has photos of you, the Support Team will ask you to send a selfie video featuring you turning your head in various directions. This method will help them determine if you’re the actual owner of your account.

Instagram will review your request and get back to you as soon as the verification is complete. If they refuse the request, you can always submit a new one.

If none of the steps below help you regain control of your Instagram account, try any of the methods below:

  1. Send a password reset email to yourself.
  2. Contact Instagram using this online form.

My Account Was Deleted During the Hack

If the hacker completely deleted your account, there’s no way to get it back. But, if you’re lucky, you may be able to get back into your account. Before you give up hope, try these steps:

  1. Open the Instagram app on your phone.
  2. Enter your username and password.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

If a disabled message pops up, there may be a simple log-in issue. However, if the hacker permanently deleted the account, there’s no way to restore it. Instead, you can sign up for a new Instagram account using the same email address.

Do beware, though, that if you create a new account with the same username, Instagram will have a much more difficult time recovering your hacked account. It’s best to contact the support team before creating a new account.

How to Protect From Being Hacked in the Future

How many times have you heard it: “Use a strong password including at least one upper case letter, numbers, symbols, etc.”? Even though a strong password is an essential block to keeping your Instagram account secure, it often takes more than that. The safest way to protect your Instagram account from getting hacked again is to enable two-factor authentication.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

This powerful security tool asks you to enter a security code from an app or sends the code to your mobile phone every time you log in from a new device. So even if a hacker breaks into your account from another device by using your password, they’ll have to access your phone’s SMS inbox as well to get the code. This makes it almost impossible for the hacker to finish the attempt.

To turn on two-factor authentication, visit your Instagram’s “Security” page, then go to “Two-Factor Authentication,” and follow the instructions on the screen.

Keep an Eye on the Login Activity

You can access the list of all devices currently logged into your account by following the steps below:

  1. Navigate to the Instagram “Settings” page.
  2. Go to “Security,” then “Login Activity.”

As you go over the list, make sure to check for any unknown devices or locations. Tap on any activity you find suspicious and select “Log Out.”

Don’t forget to change your password when you’re done logging out of suspicious devices.

Stay Away From Phishers

Instagram has a helpful feature called “Emails from Instagram” that lets you see any communications the company sends to you. Use this feature every time you think someone is trying to get into your account by sending you emails pretending to be from Instagram. Hackers may falsely alert you that someone is trying to break into your account and that you should change your password immediately. To verify whether this email came from Instagram, navigate to “Settings,” then “Security,” then “Emails from Instagram.”

You’ll see a “Security” tab with all emails the platform has sent you in the past two weeks.

If the email alert about an attempted login or password change does come from Instagram, you should act on it immediately by changing your login details.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t found the answers to all of your questions yet, keep reading.

How do I verify my identity?

If your Instagram account was hacked and you’ve tried all of the steps above, you should reach out to Instagram support for more help. But when you do, you’ll have to prove that you are the original account owner. Instagram provides its users with two options:

1. If you have pictures of yourself on your Instagram account, you can send a video selfie to the company.

2. If you have no photos of yourself on your account, you’ll need to prove that you are the original owner. You can verify the email account or phone number used to create the account and the device you used (i.e., an iPhone, Android, computer, etc.) to create the account.

What can I do if I can’t access the email I use for Instagram?

Assuming you need to regain access to your Instagram account, you’ll need to have access to the email listed on your Instagram account. Per Instagram’s policy, you’ll need to either update your email on your account (if you can) or try to regain access to that email account.

Unfortunately, if you can’t regain access to your email account, Instagram will not let you have access to your Instagram profile.

I keep getting an error when I try to do the Video Verification steps. What else can I do?

It’s no secret that Instagram’s video verification process is flawed. Many users complain of error codes and an inability to complete the process.

The first thing you should do is try using another device. Many users have overcome the error using a computer rather than a phone. It’s even better if you’ve used this secondary device with your Instagram account before.

Another option is to: close the Instagram app, make sure it’s up-to-date, you have a strong internet connection, and reopen it. Then, try the verification steps again.

If you have a linked Facebook account, go to Facebook and turn on Face Recognition (Settings > Settings & Privacy > Face Recognition). Meta owns Instagram and Facebook. The theory behind this is that if you’ve linked the two accounts and still have access to Facebook, turning this feature on will help Instagram recognize you during verification.

Lastly, you can contact Instagram support for more help, but many users state this gets them nowhere. So, our recommendation is to uninstall the app, wait 24 hours, reinstall it, and try again.

Secure Your Instagram Account

If someone hacked your Instagram account and you managed to regain control over it – you’re one of the lucky ones. The experience can often turn into a long and uncertain wait, especially if you involve Instagram’s Support Team. To prevent being the victim of malicious attacks, make sure to secure your account with a strong password and two-factor authentication. Also, never click on unverified links and offers that seem too good to be true.

How did you restore your Instagram account after a hacking attack? Share your experience in the comments below.

30 thoughts on “Instagram Got Hacked & Email Changed – Steps To Recover Your Account”

Ashley Brown says:
Here in the US, you can file a demand letter via people Clerk. Facebook and Instagram have the same tech as Meta. What takes priority are businesses and influencers. Most have taken facebook and/or Instagram to court, but what happens is anyone guess from their.
Bhola says:
Muje me ri Instagram ki emel id badlni he
English: I want to change my Instagram email.
Tauseef Ahmed says:
Identifiable content removed.
My instagram username has been hacked.
My email got changed.
And my phone number was also changed.
Please help me.
Hacker fake show some bad image on my instagram.
Steve Larner says:
This is a tech info website, and we cannot help you solve your hacked Instagram problem using such information.
Bob says:
I think you have us all confused.
My account email was changed by a hacker and when I followed what you just said, it leads me to nowhere.
First, to get the Log in links, you need to type your email address, well, it WAS CHANGED by the hacker, and I have no phone connected to that account, therefore, I am screwed.

Do you know a real way to get hold of Instagram Support?

Steve Larner says:
Real Instagram support doesn’t exist.
adam says:
my account has been hacked and when I try to recover my account by the email that is linked to my Instagram account I see that the hacker has changed the email
Bob says:
That’s what I am talking about, did you find any solution?
Same here.
Cindy says:
My IG was hacked and emails and phone has been changed. I tried 1001 times to recover but each time i manage to get in, the hacker changes pw and email back to his again! This is frustrating.
Bob says:
Can you please tell me how you accomplished to get into your account.
I couldn’t get in at all, it tells me “User not found”.
deepesh raka says:
hi, my instagram account has been hacked some has changed the email address and phone number for recovery
HarIsh SaMant says:
Email changed now not loging in
Stacy says:
My facebook account was hacked in February. I unlinked my Instagram from my facebook account. I am glad I did, otherwise my Instagram would have been hacked too. I am still trying to get my account back, but how do you do that when you can’t get anybody to listen to you? I have sent screenshots with emails, but haven’t received any responses. What is the next step in this frustrating process?
Domme says:
You woke up one morning to find that your Instagram account has been hacked and your email address has been changed. Don’t panic! Here are the steps you can take to get your account back and start fresh. First, reach out to Instagram’s support team and explain your situation. They will provide you with further instructions on how to verify your identity and reset your password. Second, if your email address has been changed, contact your email provider and ask them to help you regain access to your account. Third, try to log into your Instagram account with any of your other social media accounts. Lastly, if all else fails, create a new Instagram account with a new username and password.
lauren says:
whats instagrams support team, and how do you contact them
Neha says:
My Instagram Account is hacked and it is hacked by a IPHONE user. The irony of IPHONE is that no one can hack the IPHONE but people are using IPHONE to hack other people account
Shannon says:
My profile has been hacked for 5 months now reached out to Instagram support.
I got no feed back the hacker is from Nigeria my phone number and email was removed from the account and their is a 2step verification code on it.

My main profile pic is on there had the account for a very long time wish I had of known about the 2step verification back then.

My hacker is advertising bitcoin

It scares me.

I need help please

Thank you so kindly.

Varun Upadhyay says:
Same thing happened to me and now i am unable to login to my account and not getting a link to reset my password.
Nina says:
My Instagram account got hacked due to Phising. I received a note from a friend (which was a false account) and I had changed the email address associated with my account without thinking. Within minutes I tried reverting back to my email – and received a verification code but this is when I lost access to my account. Now email, phone, password all changed. Hacker is using my account, my post for soliciting funds. Instagram has been unresponsive. Any one have any solution?
Oscar Ramos says:
Instagram does not know anything about anything. They have no customer service or ability to do anything for anyone. It is very sad. I can’t believe they allow this to happen, and doing nothing about it is not good. You should be able to email/speak to someone to confirm your identity and get your account back whenever taken by imposters.
Anon says:
Someone close to me recently had this happen to their account. The email and phone number were changed but the username stayed the same. I and a few others were blocked by the account outright. Nothing was posted to the account or has posted so far, but the owner is so unable to get the account back due to the email and phone number being changed. Any suggestions on what to do? Or should they just say that account is a fake one and unavailable at this point… any feedback is appreciated!
Angie Simpson says:
After reading these comments I feel really angry but more determined to get back on to Insta after being hacked. I was devastated when it happened, but that piece of s**t is not going to win. Instagram needs to do better for people that use their platform. Bots can’t help humans and solve real problems. I have tried everything.
Steve Larner says:
I agree completely. My Instagram account got hacked six or seven years ago when I didn’t use it for a long period. Then, when I decided to log in one day because I wanted to see a post, there were more than 200 images (possibly twice as many) in my profile from someone in India, Israel, or a similar region. Since you cannot bulk delete, I had to close the account and start over. I was very disappointed with Instagram, in more than one way. Luckily, I could still log in to close it.
Mar says:
My account was hacked a couple of days before, they changed my password and turned on the two factor authentication so there is nothing I can do. The only think that the police department suggested me to do if the steps to get back my account failed, was to tell my friends to report the account in order to get closed. Hopefully, even they can’t login anymore because of the reports but my profile is there without anyone being able to login to it. Now I want to see if they will close it or not.
Steve Larner says:
Sadly, I don’t think Instagram will close your hacked account because there is no valid evidence that it wasn’t you or that it got hacked. Besides, they can’t really close accounts on suspicions anyway. It would be like the police arresting you based solely on your passenger saying you robbed the store.
Parinitha Hemanth says:
This is exactly what happened to me yesterday. They hacked my account, changed the email and password, and have changed the two-factor authentication. Now I can’t log in even though Facebook sent me a link to change password but still I don’t have the new authentication codes to login and prove that it’s my account. It was my art account and I am supposed to use that for my college portfolio in 4 months. I’m totally at a loss at the moment.
magda says:
Hello my insta was hacked, they changed my email and phone number.
I have sent tons.of emails to security @ insta and no-one replied 🙁
Hacer still pm my followers and trying to sell investments .
What can I do ?
Please someone help me ?
KD says:
Parintha, what have you found out in the interim to fix your situation?
Bailey says:
I just got hacked, and I tried numerous times to verify my account saying its me, but it keeps saying, im really upset because this hacker messed up my social media and now I’ve lost all my photos
Jonas says:
Do you have it already back? i’m hacked from Saturday, and no possibility to contact the IG support… Any recommendations?
Danielle says:
I am in the same situation. They hacked my account. The video verifiaction doesn’t work. Emailed Instagram to get my account back, but reading this, i don’t have a lot of hope.
Totos Ferenc says:
So my account was hacked in sept/oct 2021. It started to follow random profiles. One time in november I had been requested to log in again (I never log out on my devices). The hacker changed my email and password. The bigger problem is that the phone number associated with my account is no longer available. I didn’t change it unfortunately. I can’t log in via Facebook either. I can prove my identity via ID/video or anything else. Where can I contact them?
Kenosha White says:
This is so unsettling. Literally was hacked 2 hours ago and NONE OF THIS WORKS!!!
NIKKI says:
my account was hacked and my email address was changed, and they added a authenticated verification required to access my page. I have followed all the steps to get my account back and no luck. I have tried the Video selfie, the first time i was verified and approved and they sent me a code to update my email i was able to go in and luckily I seen the Hacker email address. I copied the email address so can send to IG or whoever in charge to block this person ( do any one know who i can contact?) as soon as I changed to a new email address, and saved the app closed and i had to start over again. this time i tried to verify my account using the Video selfie at least 20 times or more and now IG says cannot confirm the verification, this is so frustrating… so i just created a new account but I want them to either Delete the account or help me access my account bec the hacker has been contacting all my followers and it is nerving. This person need to be stopped… any suggestions as to who I can give the hackers Email too???? i did submit a report to IG, and tried emails but i do not think emails to IG Support or security are working. I wish i can call them to help… any suggestions?
Steve Larner says:
Instagram mostly uses bots and AI. Therefore, help is limited. The bots say you are a hacker since you made numerous attempts and submitted selfies over 20 times.
ritu parihar says:
if u r from india i filled the complaint form and got a complaint number via email. same thing has happened with me, the hacker is from nigeria and i have his number and emailid, but nothing is happening so far,
Steph D says:
Half of the steps they are suggesting I don’t even see on my screen….”get help signing in” I have YET to see that at all. The person who took my account changed EVERYTHING on it, so i cant get a “recovery” e-mail OR link sent to my phone because it goes right to the hacker and NOT ME. Instagram REALLY needs to get their stuff together and have people we can at least IM about this. I am livid!!!
Frzana kauser says:
I had the same problem a week ago i kw its an indian bloke by how he talks. Has anyone managed to get their account back i have had family friend ring me up saying thos guys is being pushy to invest 10k to people he wont answer the call but he is silly to assume people will part with hard earned money without talking to someone. He changed my email as well as my phone number i have had my account since ig first started operating.
Dumisani Twanano Nkuna says:
I got hacked and I am struggling to get or report the old one. My email was deleted and cannot secure it
Patricia says:
My accountnwas compromised last night. I spent 4 hours trying to get back in. They work fast! They change your email, phone number and alter your user name by a few characters ie; underscores i did get the security email but even per instgrams rules, the email is sent to the former email (yours). And the new one (hackers). They are able to stop you from getting into your account before you are able to click the recovery link.
Instgram was created by people who helped create FB. There is no person to talk to and no recourse for the true account user. This is an unfortunate and very frustrating occurrence and I hope more people are wiser and not hurt by this malicious act 🙁
RV says:
Hello, I got hacked today and have tried to follow the steps on the FAQ page but for instance whenever I click ‘need more help’ or ‘get help with logging in’ it says to please wait a few minutes before trying again. I have tried a couple of hours later and I still get the same message so even if I wanted to, I cannot recover the account. Has anyone else had the same issue and if so, what did you do to get your account back?
Denise One Stop Travel says:
I received the same message. Select for them to send security code to your email address. Hope that helps
Mellanee Goodman says:
This is very unhelpful. My account was hacked two weeks ago and there is no end in sight to stop the hacker. They are selling bitcoin and trying to hack all of my follower’s accounts. My phone number and email were changed so I can not retrieve my account. Instagram has don nothing to help. They do not care. The hacker also open a very old account of mine and is trying to hack folks that way. It’s disturbing. At this point I would just like both accounts to be deactivated.
Hoodie says:
This just happened to me 2 days ago as well. Do you have the name of the account that scammed you? I’m trying to get to the bottom of this and find as many people as I can that have been screwed over by the same account. Please let me know what the account name is. They scammed me of thousands of dollars before hacking my account so I’m gona take them down.
Samantha Velez says:
That’s oddly familiar to my experience. Yesterday morning I went on Instagram,and they the afternoon, I was logged out. They changed my email and password, and changed by username by adding numbers at the end. They also set up two factor authentication, so I can’t can’t into my own account, a
nd they posted a pic on my behalf, advertising some brand who “mentors” in Bitcoin mining! I’ve tried everything the help center suggests but can’t do anything with my email connected to Instagram being changed. So I submit a video selfie and pic of my id to prove my verification of my own account. And they denied it!!!
Sadie says:
The exact same happened to me, I’m so upset at myself but I’ve tried to do as much damage control as I can. Instagram are no help at all and it makes it more upsetting and frustrating.
Minky says:
I use Instagram for my registered business. I have my account since 2016 and was hacked at 53k 2 days ago. all my videos and pictures are on there and videos with myself. My account also had personal banking info due to it being a business account. They changed username email and phone number. They keep telling me they can’t verify me with the video i sent.
Chad says:
This just happened to me Yesterday! Were you able to recover your account?
I am getting the same message about not being able to verify that it is me! It is very frusterating.
Diana says:
does anyone know how to actually contact instagram? do they not notice this problem? do they not care, it is spreading like crazy. All the things I see to do, I can’t because those buttons are not there. I just want to talk to someone and fix it.
Hoodie says:
Can you guys tell the name of the account that scammed you? This happened to me as well and I’m trying to find as many people as I can so I can make a big case out of this and get to the bottom of this. I’m gona put these people away for good
Colin Andoh says:
Hey man, going through the same s**t here. I got hacked on 30 12 23 @ 5:40am (pdt time). i was offline for a while so this p***k had that chance. Instagram can’t help us man, they just ignore everything. Just want the account closed or better still get access to it. Tell me how we gon do this cause it’s crazy.

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