Instagram has released a new in-app tool that helps users recover hacked Instagram accounts.
Until now, recovering a hacked Instagram account was a nightmare for most users.
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As part of its latest app update, Instagram has added a new Security Checkup that guides users through steps including checking login activity, reviewing profile information, confirming accounts that share login information, and updating account recovery contact information, such as a phone number or email.
In the announcement, Instagram also recommended several steps users should take to help with securing their accounts:
- Enable two-factor authentication – We strongly recommend enabling two-factor authentication. If you’re using WhatsApp, in the coming weeks you will be able to protect your account using your WhatsApp number in certain countries. Alternatively, you can enable two-factor using your phone number, or an authenticator app like Duo Mobile or Google Authentication.
- Enable Login Request – When you set up two-factor authentication on Instagram you’ll receive an alert whenever someone tries to log in to your account from a device or web browser we don’t recognize. These alerts will tell you which device tried logging in and where it’s located. You can approve or deny the request immediately from your already logged in devices. You can also view the list of devices that have recently logged into your Instagram account at any time under “Settings,” “Security,” “Login Activity.” If you don’t recognize a recent login, you can log out of that location or device and let us know that the login wasn’t you.
- Update your phone number and email – Make sure that the email and phone numbers associated with your device are up to date. That way if something happens to your account, we can reach you. These steps let you recover your account even if your info has been changed by a hacker.
- Report content and accounts you find questionable – While we are always improving our technology to combat new trends and techniques that hackers and spammy accounts may use, you can also report individual pieces of content to us by tapping the three dots above a post, holding on a message, or by visiting an account and reporting directly from the profile.
And in case you did not know, Instagram also felt like they had to clarify that: “Instagram will never send you a direct message: Over the past few months, we’ve seen a rise in malicious accounts DMing people to try and access sensitive information like account passwords. They may tell you that your account is at risk of being banned, that you are violating our policies around intellectual property or that your photos are being shared elsewhere. These messages are often scams and violate our policies. Instagram will never send you a DM.”
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