How to Reset Password on Desktop

First things first: look at every device you have recently accessed Facebook on and see if you are logged in anywhere. If so, it’s super easy to do a password reset, as you are already logged in. At that point, all you would need to do is go to “Settings -> Security and Login -> Change Password.” Problem solved! If you are not logged in anywhere, the process is a little different:

  1. If you are logged out and have forgotten your password, click on “Forgot Password,” right beneath the “Password” box.
  2. You are then taken to a “Find Your Account” screen where you have the option of using the email or phone number associated with your Facebook account to help reset the password.
  3. After a phone number or email is entered, you are then taken to a “Reset Your Password” screen. It’s here that you can choose a few different ways to verify your account.

You can use a Google account login if you have previously set one up. Send a code via email. This would go to whatever email you use to log in to Facebook. Opt to send a code via SMS to whatever phone number you have registered with Facebook.

  1. Once you have chosen one of the above steps, click “Continue.” Alternatively, if none of these options work for your account, or you no longer have access, you can choose “Not You” and Facebook will then show a few different accounts with matching names or similar emails, and you can select the right account.
  2. Assuming you have the right account selected, Facebook will send a code that can be entered. After the code is entered, click “Continue” and choose a new password.
  3. Having chosen a new password, Facebook will ask if you want to stay logged in to any other device that is currently open with Facebook. You can opt to log out of other devices so they all require the new password to be entered before accessing. With all of these steps completed, you are now ready to log back in to Facebook. One exception to this method is when you attempt to locate your account or phone number but don’t have access to either of these. When that happens, select “No longer have access to these?” at the account selection screen. Facebook will now ask for a new email or phone number that can be used to contact you for assistance resetting your password.

How to Reset from the Facebook App

If you try to reset your Facebook password from your Android or iOS app, it’s not all that different from the desktop process.

  1. Head to the Facebook login screen and tap on “Forgot Password.”
  2. You will now be asked to enter a phone number, email address or name.
  3. The fastest way to reset on the app is to confirm either your email or phone number, tap on “Continue” and enter the password reset code.
  4. If you don’t have access to the phone number or email, you can tap on “No longer have access to these?” and Facebook will contact you for a new email or phone number. From there you can verify your account and reset the password.
  5. Assuming step 4 doesn’t apply, after the password reset code is entered, you will have the option of selecting “Keep me logged in” or “Log me out of other devices.” Follow this by tapping on “Continue.”
  6. At this point, you can choose a new password, tap on “Continue” again and are then ready to log back in to your Facebook account.

Trusted Contacts

A lesser-known but incredibly helpful tool to access your account in the event you forget your password is “Trusted Contacts.” With this method, you can choose between three to five friends to help you recover your account in the event you forget or lose your password. While you only need three friends/codes to recover your account, you can have up to five people available to help guarantee you can reach at least three people quickly.

  1. Start by going to Facebook.com and clicking on “Forgot Password.” Follow the processes above until you come to the screen where you can choose “No longer have access to these?”
  2. Enter a new email or phone number, click “Continue,” then click on “Reveal My Trusted Contacts” and type in the name of any of your trusted contacts.
  3. Once you have properly identified one of these contacts, you will see a set of special instructions that includes a link. This link can only be accessed by your Trusted Contacts.

Send your friends their links and ask them to open and send you the login code.As soon as you have three login codes from your Trusted Contacts, you can access your account.

Final Thoughts

Resetting your password through Facebook may seem like a scary thought. Did someone improperly access your account? Did you get hacked? The reality is that most people simply haven’t changed their password in some time and have remained logged in. Once they are logged out, they can’t log back in. It’s okay if that happens because Facebook’s account recovery process is straightforward and can get you back into Facebook in just a few minutes.