TL;DR
Facebook’s Trusted Friends feature adds an extra layer of security to your account recovery process. It lets you choose friends who can help you regain access if you get locked out, even without needing a password or email. This guide explains how to set it up and why it’s useful.
How Facebook Trusted Friends Works
Traditionally, recovering your Facebook account relies on your email address or phone number. If those are compromised, getting back in can be difficult. Trusted Friends offers a more secure alternative by using people you trust to verify your identity.
Setting Up Trusted Friends – Step-by-Step
- Access Security Settings: Go to Facebook’s settings menu. You can find this by clicking the downward-facing arrow in the top right corner of any Facebook page, then selecting ‘Settings & Privacy’, and finally ‘Security and Login’.
- Choose Trusted Contacts: In the ‘Security and Login’ section, look for ‘Trusted Contacts’. Click on it. If you don’t see this option immediately, you may need to scroll down or click ‘See more security options’.
- Select Your Friends: Facebook will present a list of your friends. Choose 3-5 friends you trust completely and who are active on Facebook. Be careful with your selection – these people will be able to help you recover your account!
- Consider friends who live nearby or you communicate with regularly.
- Avoid choosing accounts that might also be vulnerable (e.g., a friend who rarely checks their Facebook).
- Get Recovery Codes: After selecting your trusted friends, Facebook will generate unique recovery codes for each of them.
- Share the Codes Securely: This is crucial! Do *not* share these codes through Facebook Messenger or email. Use a secure method like phone call, text message, or in-person communication. Each friend needs their own code.
Example Recovery Code: ABC123XYZ - Confirm Setup: Once you’ve shared the codes, confirm your Trusted Friends setup on Facebook.
Recovering Your Account with Trusted Friends
- Start the Recovery Process: If you’re locked out of your account, click ‘Forgot Password?’ and follow the usual steps.
- Select ‘Trusted Contacts’: When prompted for a recovery method, choose the option to use your trusted contacts.
- Contact Your Friends: Facebook will display a list of your Trusted Friends. Contact them individually and ask them to provide their unique recovery code.
- Enter the Codes: Enter each code provided by your friends into Facebook. Once you’ve entered enough valid codes (usually 3-5), you’ll regain access to your account.
Important Considerations
- Keep Codes Secret: Never share recovery codes publicly or with anyone who isn’t a trusted friend.
- Update Regularly: If your relationships change, update your Trusted Friends list periodically to ensure you’re only relying on people you still trust.
- Two-Factor Authentication: Trusted Friends works best *in addition* to two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA adds another layer of security by requiring a code from your phone or an authenticator app whenever someone tries to log in from a new device.