Facebook Asking You to Confirm Your Identity? How to Pass the Security Check

Meta’s instruction is simple: log in to Facebook and follow the instructions to confirm your identity. The check is how Facebook makes sure it’s really you.

1. Log in to Facebook in the app or on facebook.com.
2. Read each screen carefully and follow the instructions.
3. If you can’t remember your password, request a new one with Forgot password? (reset steps).
4. Complete the check in one go if you can, rather than starting over repeatedly.

Meta says it’s asking for the date of birth you gave when you signed up for Facebook. That may not match your real one if you entered something else years ago.

1. Enter the date of birth you think you used when you created the account.
2. If you’re not sure, think about what you might have typed then: a different year, or the day and month swapped.
3. Don’t keep guessing quickly. Take your time, and if it fails, try again later.

Meta says that if you picked a security question you can’t answer, you may be able to go back and choose a different question, or try again at another time.

1. Look for an option to go back and choose a different question.
2. If there isn’t one, stop and try again later rather than guessing many times.
3. Think about how you would have spelled the answer when you set it up, including capital letters and spaces.

Meta’s ID tips are practical: a clear photo, and only the documents it asks for. Meta says submitting more than necessary may delay the review.

1. With your phone’s camera, take a close-up photo of your ID in a well-lit room. Make sure every corner is in the picture, the text is sharp, and there’s no glare.
2. Save the photo to your phone or computer.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to upload it.
4. Upload only the documents asked for. Extra documents can slow things down.
5. Check which IDs are accepted (list below).
6. Don’t edit the photo to hide anything: Meta says it doesn’t accept digitally modified photos. You can physically cover details it doesn’t need, such as your ID number, before taking the picture.

Meta says an ID you send to Facebook is encrypted and securely stored. Its help page explains what happens to your ID (external site, opens in a new tab).

Meta has tested an optional video selfie to help people get back into compromised accounts. It compares the selfie with your profile photos, and Meta says the facial data is deleted afterwards. For age checks, Meta says Facebook uses Yoti, a third-party age-verification service, which can check your age from a video selfie or an ID.

1. Only record it on Facebook’s own screen, during a login or recovery you started.
2. Face a light source, remove sunglasses or anything covering your face, and follow the on-screen prompts.
3. If you’re not offered a video selfie, use the other options shown.

More detail is in how identity checks work during recovery.

Meta asks for a check when it thinks security might have been affected, and it recommends reading its security tips afterwards.

1. Change your password: ☰ Menu > Settings and privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Change password (choose your account if asked; if you don’t see Accounts Center, go straight to Password and security), and tick Log out of other devices if you think someone else used the account.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication and save your recovery codes.
3. Check that the email and phone number on your account are yours.