Skip to main content

How to Access Facebook

Step-by-step recovery when Facebook locks you behind age verification, Marketplace review, or regional restrictions.

Unlock Facebook in four phases​

Complete Meta's official checks before trying network workarounds.

  1. Official Facebook app or desktop browser
  2. Valid government ID or camera for selfie
  3. Trusted VPN (NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN)
  4. Read the banner

    Confirm whether the lock cites age verification, Marketplace review, or a geographic restriction before touching network tools.

  5. Complete Meta's checks

    Visit facebook.com/confirmage (or Marketplace - Account - Identity confirmation) and upload an ID or record an age-assurance selfie.

  6. Reset sessions

    Log out everywhere, clear cookies or app cache, then retry from another device if the prompt loops.

  7. Change location last

    After approval, connect through a VPN endpoint in a Facebook-friendly region, then reload.

  8. Screenshot each submission and error ID-Support often asks for proof when you escalate.

1. Identify the restriction​

Facebook's locks usually stem from four scenarios:

  1. Age/identity uncertainty - editing your birthday, triggering youth-safety AI, or accessing Dating/Marketplace without prior proof.
  2. Commerce review - Marketplace sales volume, payouts, or policy strikes require additional verification.
  3. Regional law - your IP sits in a jurisdiction with mandatory age checks (UK, many U.S. states) or on a network that blocks social media.
  4. Security event - unusual login behaviour, hacked sessions, or policy violations triggered a protective hold.

Use the reference docs-About age verification and Blocking reasons-to match the wording on your banner. Only proceed once you know which category you're dealing with.

Watch the URL

Only upload documents on facebook.com (or the official apps). Spoofed phishing prompts are common; double-check the address bar before submitting ID.

2. Complete Meta's verification workflow​

Meta will not lift an age or Marketplace restriction until the verification channel clears.

  1. Visit facebook.com/confirmage on desktop or follow the in-app banner.
  2. Choose Upload ID or Video Selfie. The selfie option relies on partners like Yoti or Incode and often finishes quickest.
  3. Capture the document in colour, include all corners, remove plastic sleeves, and ensure the text is readable.
  4. Match profile data-name, birth date, region-to the document before pressing submit.
  5. Wait for the confirmation email or banner change. Automated checks can clear in minutes, manual reviews can take a couple of days. Track progress via Settings - Accounts Center - Personal details.

If the flow loops, switch between mobile and desktop, clear cookies or app cache, and retry with a different camera. Marketplace users should reopen Marketplace - Account - Identity confirmation after approval so commerce systems record the change.

Marketplace sellers

Marketplace runs its own queue. Finish identity checks, resolve pending tax forms, and clear policy strikes before submitting appeals. Listings stay paused until the identity panel displays "Verified."

3. Why unofficial workarounds backfire​

Draft threads regularly suggest:

  • Recording a video selfie of a game avatar instead of your own face.
  • Registering a new account on a different device or browser to dodge an existing hold.
  • Using free VPNs to appear in another region during onboarding.

These tricks rarely stick. Facebook compares selfie biometrics with your profile photos, so avatars fail the match and deepen the review. Duplicate accounts inherit the same device fingerprint and get suspended. Free VPNs often log traffic, inject malware, or trigger Meta's fraud filters. Stick with the official flow, keep copies of your submissions, and escalate only after you confirm the workflow has errored out.

4. Troubleshooting without a table​

  • "We couldn't verify your ID" - Retake the photo in daylight, remove plastic covers, try an alternate document type, and attach the rejection email when appealing.
  • Selfie capture keeps failing - Remove glasses or filters, enable autofocus, use even lighting, and switch hardware if your camera struggles.
  • Marketplace still locked - Revisit Marketplace - Account - Identity confirmation, clear policy strikes, and complete required tax forms before relisting.
  • VPN detected - Swap to a nearby server, clear cookies, or use a reputable residential provider. Corporate firewalls sometimes block VPN tunnels entirely, so tether through mobile data if needed.
  • Support quiet for days - Resubmit verification periodically to generate a fresh ticket ID, then escalate through facebook.com/help/contact/260749603972907 with screenshots of each attempt.

5. Keep your account secure post-recovery​

  • Delete ID files once your review clears; store originals in an encrypted vault in case Meta asks again.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (TOTP or security keys) and review Active Sessions for unfamiliar devices.
  • Nominate backup admins for Pages/Groups so communities continue functioning if your main profile locks again.
  • Audit privacy settings (Privacy Checkup, Off-Facebook Activity, ad topics) to limit data exposure.
  • Add a legacy contact and recovery emails/phone numbers for faster support escalation in future incidents.
Don't skip verification

A VPN does not change the birthday or legal obligations tied to your account. Using it to fake age compliance or dodge valid policy strikes violates Meta's Terms and may result in permanent suspension.

Following this sequence-official verification first, hygiene second, carefully applied tunnelling last-restores Facebook access in the vast majority of cases without risking policy violations or permanent bans.