How to Run a Security Check on Facebook and Protect Your Account

Why a Security Check on Facebook Matters

Facebook's security checkup is a built-in tool that walks you through the most important settings for protecting your account. It reviews where you're logged in, whether your password has been exposed in a known breach, how your two-factor authentication is set up, and which third-party apps have access to your data. Running the check regularly takes only a few minutes, yet it can catch problems long before a stranger gains access to your profile, messages, or photos.

No single setting makes an account impenetrable, but the checkup bundles the highest-impact actions into one place. For most people, the biggest risk is not a sophisticated hack but a reused password that has already appeared in a data dump elsewhere on the internet.

How to Start the Facebook Security Checkup

You can launch the security checkup from a browser or the mobile app. The steps differ slightly depending on the device, but the core flow is the same:

• On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right, then choose Settings & Privacy followed by Settings. Under the Security and Login section, click the Security Checkup link.
• On the Facebook app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll to Settings & Privacy, and select Settings. Look for Security and Center, then tap Security Checkup.
• You can also go directly to facebook.com/settings/security while logged in.

Facebook will guide you through a short series of cards. Each card highlights a recommendation and lets you take action immediately, such as logging out of unfamiliar sessions or updating your password.

What the Security Checkup Reviews

Active Sessions and Login Locations

The first part of the checkup shows you a list of devices and locations where your account is currently logged in. You will see the browser, operating system, and approximate location for each session. If you spot a device you do not recognize, you can immediately log it out. It is normal to see your current phone and laptop, but an old tablet in another country you have never visited is a red flag.

Password Exposure Alerts

Facebook checks whether your password appears in known data breaches that have been reported to the company. If it does, the tool will prompt you to change it. The check does not reveal the specific breach or the full password; it only signals that your credentials may be at risk. Changing the password on Facebook and on any other site where you reused it is the recommended next step.

Two-Factor Authentication

The checkup tells you whether two-factor authentication (2FA) is turned on and which method you are using. Options typically include a text message code, an authenticator app, or a security key. The security checkup may recommend switching to an authenticator app or a physical key if you are relying on SMS alone, because SIM-swap attacks can intercept text-based codes.

Third-Party App Connections

Over time, you may have logged into other services using Facebook or granted apps permission to access your profile, friends list, or posts. The security checkup lists these connected apps and lets you remove the ones you no longer use. Revoking access closes a common avenue for data leakage, since a compromised third-party app can sometimes retain permissions long after you stop using it.

Extra Steps Beyond the Built-In Checkup

The security checkup covers the essentials, but a thorough review goes a little further. Consider these habits:

• Set up login alerts so Facebook notifies you when someone logs in from a new device or browser.
• Review your profile privacy settings to limit who can see your friends list, birthdate, and contact information.
• Check the email address and phone number on your account to make sure they are current and secure.
• If you suspect someone else has accessed your account, use the Facebook Help Center to report the issue and start the account recovery process.

How Often Should You Run the Checkup

There is no single schedule that fits everyone. A reasonable routine is to run the security checkup once a quarter, or immediately after you hear about a major data breach that might affect services you use. If you ever notice unexpected emails about logins you did not make, password reset requests you did not request, or friends reporting messages they did not send from your account, run the checkup right away. The tool is free, fast, and designed to surface the problems that matter most to your account's safety.