Facebook's Security Checkup is now part of Privacy Checkup. To open it, click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook, then Settings and privacy, then Privacy Checkup, and choose How to keep your account secure. That section is where you update your password and turn on alerts for logins from places Facebook doesn't recognise.
If you've gone looking for a menu item called Security Checkup and can't find it, you're not imagining things. Facebook's help pages still mention it, but the review you're after now sits inside Privacy Checkup, alongside the rest of your privacy settings.
Here's where to find it, what it covers, and the handful of security changes that do the most for a business owner's account.
How to open it
- Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
- Click Settings and privacy.
- Click Privacy Checkup.
- Choose How to keep your account secure.
One catch from Facebook's help page: you can only manage some Privacy Checkup settings from your main Facebook profile, the one you created when you signed up. If you're switched into a second profile or a Page, switch back first.
Facebook's security help page also says that if you're logged in on a computer, you can use Security Checkup to review your security settings or set up two-factor authentication. If the mobile menus look different, try a computer.
What Privacy Checkup lets you review
| Section | What you can change |
|---|---|
| Who can see what you share | Who sees your phone number, email, birthday and relationship status; who sees future and past posts; your blocked list |
| How to keep your account secure | Update your password; turn on alerts for logins from a place Facebook doesn't recognise |
| How people can find you | Who can send you friend requests and look you up by phone number or email |
| Your data settings | Apps and websites you've logged in to with Facebook |
| Your ad preferences | What profile information advertisers can use, and who sees your social interactions next to ads |
The security steps Facebook recommends
Facebook's own page on keeping your profile secure lists a short set of habits. These are the ones I'd do today:
- Use a password you don't use anywhere else. Facebook says not to reuse your Facebook password on other sites or share it with anyone.
- Turn on two-factor authentication. With it, you'll be asked for a special login code whenever someone tries to get into your account from a browser or device Facebook doesn't recognise.
- Consider a passkey. Facebook describes passkeys as more secure than passwords because they're unique to each account and less vulnerable to phishing.
- Turn on unrecognised login alerts so you hear about a sign-in you didn't make.
- Log out remotely if you forgot to log out on a shared computer.
If you're already locked out, the route is different, and my guide to resetting your Facebook password walks through it.
A ten-minute security routine for business owners
If your Facebook profile is the key to your Page, your groups and your ad account, it's worth a short routine rather than a one-off fix:
- Open Privacy Checkup from your main profile on a computer and work through How to keep your account secure.
- Change your password if it's ever been used anywhere else.
- Turn on two-factor authentication, and consider a passkey or a security key as well.
- Switch on alerts for logins Facebook doesn't recognise.
- Check where you're logged in and log out of any device you don't use any more.
- Review the apps and websites you've logged in to with Facebook, and remove the ones you've stopped using.
It's the same handful of steps every time, which is exactly why it's easy to keep doing.
The scams this checkup won't catch
Settings only go so far. Facebook's help page warns that scammers build fake sites that look like Facebook to collect logins, so always check the web address before you type your password, and type www.facebook.com yourself when in doubt. It also says Meta will never ask for your password in an email, and that you shouldn't forward emails from Meta to anyone because they may contain account details.
Two more from the same page: don't accept friend requests from people you don't know, because fake accounts use friendship to spam timelines and send malicious messages, and never click suspicious links, even when they seem to come from a friend or a company you know.
Your Messenger chats sit behind the same login, and I've covered how to check whether your Messenger has been hacked too.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
One more habit from Facebook's list: keep your web browser up to date and remove any suspicious apps or browser add-ons. Malicious software is one of the ways login details get stolen, and no setting inside Facebook can protect a password your own computer is leaking.
My verdict
Run Privacy Checkup on a computer, from your main profile, once a quarter. Turn on two-factor authentication and login alerts the first time you do it, because those two settings stop most account takeovers before they start. If your Page and ad account hang off this profile, it's the cheapest insurance your business has.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Security Checkup on Facebook?
It's now part of Privacy Checkup. Go to your profile picture, Settings and privacy, Privacy Checkup, then How to keep your account secure.
Why can't I find Privacy Checkup?
Facebook says some Privacy Checkup settings can only be managed from your main profile. Switch back to the profile you signed up with.
What does Facebook Security Checkup check?
It helps you update your password and turn on alerts for logins from places Facebook doesn't recognise, and you can set up two-factor authentication from a computer.
Will Facebook ever email me for my password?
No. Facebook's help page says Meta will never ask you for your password in an email.
What's the difference between Privacy Checkup and Security Checkup?
Privacy Checkup is the wider review. Its How to keep your account secure section covers the security part: your password and alerts about unrecognised logins.
What is a passkey on Facebook?
A passkey is an alternative to a password. Facebook says passkeys are more secure because they're unique to each account and less vulnerable to phishing.
Can I log out of Facebook on a computer I've left?
Yes. Facebook says that if you forgot to log out on a device, you can log out remotely.
Should I turn on two-factor authentication on Facebook?
Yes. It means anyone logging in from an unrecognised browser or device also needs a special login code.
