My Instagram Was Hacked — 7 Steps to Take in the First Hour

Step 1:

Discovering your Instagram account has been hacked is stressful — but what you do in the first hour matters most. Hackers move fast: they change your email, enable two-factor authentication with their own number, and lock you out for good. Here are the exact steps to take, in order, from a team that recovers hacked accounts every day.

Step 2:

Check your email for messages from Instagram When a hacker changes your email address, Instagram sends a message to your original email from security@mail.instagram.com with the subject line about your email being changed. That email contains a link saying “secure your account here” — this link can reverse the change. It’s the single fastest recovery route, so search your inbox (and spam folder) before doing anything else.

Step 3:

Step 3: Use Instagram’s official hacked-account page Go to instagram.com/hacked in a browser. Choose “My account was hacked” and follow the prompts. Instagram will ask for the email or phone number connected to the account and guide you through identity checks.

Step 4:

Step 4: Request a login link or security code On the login screen, tap “Forgot password?” and ask Instagram to send a login link to your email or phone. If the hacker hasn’t changed both yet, this gets you back in. Act fast — this window closes once they update your contact details.

Step 5:

Step 5: Verify your identity with a video selfie If your account has photos of you, Instagram may offer video selfie verification — you record a short video turning your head, and Instagram matches it to your photos. This works even when the hacker has changed everything else. Accounts without photos of a real person may be offered other verification options instead.

Step 6:

Warn your followers from another channel Hackers often message your followers pretending to be you — asking for money, sending scam links, or promoting fake investments. Use WhatsApp, another social account, or friends to spread the word that your account is compromised and no one should click anything it sends.

Step 7:

Don’t pay the hacker — and be careful who you trust Some hackers demand ransom; paying rarely gets accounts back and marks you as someone willing to pay. Be equally careful with “recovery services” that message you first or promise guaranteed results — the recovery space is full of scammers preying on desperate people. A legitimate service will be upfront that no recovery can ever be 100% guaranteed.Don’t pay the hacker — and be careful who you trust Some hackers demand ransom; paying rarely gets accounts back and marks you as someone willing to pay. Be equally careful with “recovery services” that message you first or promise guaranteed results — the recovery space is full of scammers preying on desperate people. A legitimate service will be upfront that no recovery can ever be 100% guaranteed.

Locked out and stuck?

We can help If you’ve tried these steps and you’re still locked out — or the hacker changed everything before you could act — Himaya specializes in recovering hacked Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media accounts, and in securing them so it never happens again. Visit our [Services page] or [Contact us] — the sooner we start, the better the odds.