Instagram Tests New Method for Recovering Hacked Accounts

Instagram has started testing a new way to recover hacked accounts, aiming to make the process easier for users, according to Endgadget. To regain access to an account, Instagram will request various information, such as the email address or phone number provided during registration. After that, the user will receive a six-digit code. The social network will prevent these codes from being used to recover the account from a different device.

Account Name Freeze for Added Security

This approach will allow users to recover hacked accounts even if an attacker has changed the username or contact information. To support this, Instagram will introduce a “freeze” on account names—after a username is changed by the user or as a result of hacking, no one else will be able to claim the old username for a certain period of time.

Availability and Future Plans

It is currently unclear when the new recovery method will be available to all users. However, the username freeze feature is already available to all Android device owners and partially to iOS users.

Instagram hopes that with this new method, users will be able to recover their accounts on their own within the app, without needing to contact the security team as is currently required.