Hack of the Day: How to recover a hacked Instagram account

'The Times of India' brings you 'Hack of the Day'—a new weekday series of quick, practical solutions to everyday hassles. Each hack is designed to save you time, money or stress, using tools and features within your reach—from government websites to everyday apps. In simple terms, it's simple fixes for smarter living.If you believe your Instagram account has been hacked or taken over, there are several measures you can take to regain access and protect their information. Account takeovers can happen for different reasons, including weak passwords, phishing links, or unauthorised login attempts. When this happens, users may be locked out of their accounts or notice changes they did not make, such as altered profile details or unexpected posts. To address such situations, Instagram provides recovery and security tools through its app and website. These tools are designed to help users confirm their identity, reset access, and prevent further misuse. In case you think your account is compromised, it is advisable to act quickly, as early action can reduce the risk of further account compromise.If you think your Instagram account has been hacked or an attempt to hack your account has been made and you're still able to log in, there are certain measures you can take to help keep your account secure:Learn more about what you can do if your Instagram account is a professional account and you’re able to log in, but a hacker is still taking actions on your account.If you received an email from security@mail.instagram.com letting you know that your email address was changed, you may be able to undo this change by selecting secure my account in that message. If additional information was also changed (example: your password), and you're unable to change back your email address, request a login link or security code from InstagramTo request a login link:On the login screen, tap Forgot password?Enter the username, email address, or phone number associated with your account, then click Send login link. Note: If you don’t have access to the username, email address, or phone number associated with your account, visit this page and follow the on-screen instructions.Complete the captcha to confirm that you are a real human, then click Next.Click the login link in your email or a text message (SMS) and follow the on-screen instructions.If you're unable to recover your account with the login link Instagram has sent to you, you may be able to request support from the platform on a mobile device.To request support from Instagram:Be sure to enter a secure email address that only you can access. Once you've submitted your request, you should receive an email from Instagram with next steps.If you submitted a support request for an account without photos of you, you should receive an auto-response email from the Support Team at Meta. Instagram will ask you to verify your identity by providing the email address or phone number you signed up with and the type of device you used at the time of sign up (example: iPhone, Android, iPad, other).If you request support for an account with photos of you, you'll be asked to take a video selfie of you turning your head in different directions to verify that you’re a real person and confirm your identity.Once you submit the video selfie to help Instagram verify your identity, you’ll receive an email from Instagram at the secure email address you provided. Instagram uses this video to ensure you are a real person and that you are who you say you are.