Facebook login alerts warn you when someone logs in to your account from a device or browser Facebook doesn't recognise. They arrive by email, and you can add text message alerts too. Turn them on in Accounts Center under Password and security, then Login alerts.
A login alert is Facebook's smoke alarm. Most of the time it's you on a new phone, a friend's laptop or a hotel computer. Occasionally it's someone else with your password, and the alert is your chance to lock them out before they do any damage, post scams to your friends or change your contact details.
How to turn on Facebook login alerts
- Click your profile picture, then Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Open Accounts Center.
- Choose Password and security.
- Open Login alerts and pick your account.
- Choose how you want to be alerted: email, text message, or both.
Facebook sends an email alert by default when it spots a login from an unrecognised device or browser. Adding text alerts means you'll see a warning even if you rarely check your email.
What to do when you get a login alert
| If the login was... | Do this |
|---|---|
| You, on a new device | Nothing. You can confirm it was you if Facebook asks |
| Not you | Change your password straight away, then log out of the device you don't recognise |
| Not sure | Check where you're logged in under Password and security, and log out of anything unfamiliar |
In Accounts Center, the same Password and security section shows your login activity and where you're logged in, so you can see each device and log out of it remotely. If you forgot to log out somewhere, Facebook says you can do it from there.
Is the alert real or a scam?
Scammers copy security emails to trick you into handing over your password. Facebook even warns that some phishing requests have come from a real Meta domain, facebookmail.com, so the sender address alone isn't proof. Use these rules:
- Don't click a link in an alert email to log in. Open the Facebook app or type facebook.com into your browser yourself.
- Meta will never ask for your password in an email.
- Check the alert inside Facebook: look at where you're logged in under Password and security. If the login is real, it'll be listed there.
Which email and number does Facebook use?
When you add an email or mobile number for login alerts, Facebook says it uses it to help you log in and keep your account safe. It also says it won't use that contact information for suggesting friends or showing you ads. That's worth knowing if you've been wary of handing over your number. The catch: numbers and emails you add in other places, such as on your profile, can be used for things like friend suggestions and ads.
Login alerts vs two-factor authentication
| Feature | What it does | Stops a hacker? |
|---|---|---|
| Login alerts | Tells you after a login from an unrecognised device | No, but it warns you fast |
| Two-factor authentication | Asks for a code or approval before a new device can log in | Usually, yes |
| Passkey | Lets you log in with your device's face, fingerprint or passcode | Harder to phish than a password |
Alerts are a warning, not a lock. Turn on two-factor authentication too, so a stranger with your password still can't get in, and save your recovery codes in case you lose your phone. If someone has already taken over your account, my guide on why Facebook disables or locks accounts walks through the recovery routes.
Getting too many alerts?
- Clearing your browser history or using private browsing may stop Facebook recognising your own computer, so each visit can look new.
- Logging in on lots of shared or work computers will trigger alerts each time.
Don't turn the alerts off because they're noisy. Save your own browsers when Facebook offers, and stop using private windows for Facebook on your own computer. And if you share a device with family, adding another account on Facebook is safer than logging each other in and out.
A five-minute Facebook security check
While you're in Password and security, run through the rest of the list while you have it open. It takes five minutes and covers the gaps most hacked accounts have:
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- Login alerts: email and text, both switched on.
- Two-factor authentication: on, ideally with an authentication app or security key.
- Recovery codes: printed or saved somewhere other than your phone.
- Where you're logged in: log out of old phones, work computers and anything you don't recognise.
- Password: unique to Facebook, not reused from any other site.
- Contact details: an email and number you still use, so alerts and codes reach you.
That last point is the one people forget. If your alerts go to an old work email or a number you gave up years ago, the smoke alarm is ringing in an empty house.
My verdict
Login alerts take a minute to set up and could save your account. Turn on email and text alerts, check the alert inside Facebook rather than clicking email links, and pair them with two-factor authentication so a warning is never your only line of defence. Then put a reminder in your diary to check where you're logged in every few months.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on login alerts on Facebook?
Go to Settings, then Accounts Center, then Password and security, then Login alerts, and choose email, text message or both.
What happens when someone logs into my Facebook?
If it's from an unrecognised device or browser, Facebook sends you an email alert, plus a text if you turned that on.
Is a Facebook login alert email real?
It may be, but scammers copy them. Don't click links. Open Facebook yourself and check where you're logged in.
Does Facebook use my login alert number for ads?
Facebook says it won't use the email or number you add for login alerts to suggest friends or show ads.
