Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Telegram, Discord and more: every account guide in one place
Not every account problem happens on Instagram or Facebook. Apple and Microsoft accounts hold your devices and email, LinkedIn your career, Telegram, Discord and Snapchat your conversations, PlayStation and Amazon your purchases, Netflix and Spotify your subscriptions, Steam, Roblox and Epic Games your game libraries. Each platform has its own recovery route and official forms — these guides follow them step by step.
01 / Guides22 guides
Guides
- Apple Account locked or disabled: how to get back in, step by step3 min readApple Account locked, not active or disabled for security reasons? Reset your password, how the account recovery wait works, and when Apple says the lock is final.
- Hacked or locked Microsoft, Outlook or Hotmail account: how to get it back3 min readOutlook or Hotmail hacked, password not working or account locked? Microsoft’s recovery form, the 25-digit recovery code, reinstatement and what makes it work.
- Closed Microsoft account: how to reopen it before the 30- or 60-day window ends3 min readClosed your Microsoft, Outlook or Hotmail account? The 30- or 60-day reopen window, how to reopen it, what comes back and the 2-year inactivity rule.
- Amazon account hacked: what to do about security alerts, unknown orders and lockouts3 min readAmazon security alert, unknown orders or a locked account? How to deny the sign-in, report unauthorised activity, recover access and turn on two-step verification.
- PlayStation account hacked: how to get it back and stop unwanted purchases3 min readPSN account hacked, sign-in ID changed or unknown PlayStation Store charges? How to recover it, sign out all devices, deactivate consoles and stop more purchases.
- LinkedIn account restricted or hacked: how to get it back3 min readLinkedIn restricted your account or someone took it over? The reasons LinkedIn gives, identity verification with a government ID, and the compromised-account form.
- Fake LinkedIn profile using your name or photo: how to report it and protect your network3 min readSomeone impersonating you on LinkedIn? Report the fake profile, invitations and messages, protect your network, and what to do if your real account is hacked.
- Telegram account hacked: how to get it back and lock it down3 min readSomeone logged in to your Telegram? End their session, turn on two-step verification, get your SIM back, and what to do if a 2FA password you don’t know was set.
- Telegram account limited or frozen: why it happens and how to appeal3 min readTelegram says you can only message mutual contacts, or your account is frozen? Why spam limits happen, how long they last, and how to appeal via @SpamBot.
- Discord account hacked: how to get it back and lock it down3 min readDiscord account hacked or email changed? Use the link in Discord’s “email changed” email, reset the password, remove unknown apps and file a hacked-account ticket.
- Twitch suspension: how long it lasts, when it expires and how to appeal3 min readSuspended on Twitch? How long suspensions last, when violations expire (90 days to 2 years), how to appeal in the Appeals Portal and when to seek reinstatement.
- Snapchat account locked or hacked: how to unlock and recover it3 min readSnapchat account temporarily or permanently locked, or hacked? How to unlock at accounts.snapchat.com, appeal in the app and recover a compromised account.
- Yahoo account hacked: how to take it back and lock it down3 min readYahoo Mail hacked? Change the password, check forwarding, filters and reply-to, revoke app passwords and lock the account with 2-step verification.
- Pinterest account suspended or deactivated: why it happens and how to appeal3 min readPinterest says your account was deactivated? Why it happens, how to appeal in the app, Help Center or email link, the EU’s six-month appeal and what to avoid.
- Steam account stolen or hijacked: how to recover it — in the order Steam recommends3 min readSteam account stolen? Steam’s own order of steps: scan for malware, secure your email, then reset the password — plus Steam Guard and fake “Steam Support” messages.
- Epic Games or Fortnite account hacked: how to get it back3 min readEpic Games or Fortnite account hacked? Secure your email, try your linked console account, use “Trouble signing in?”, send a recovery request and turn on 2FA.
- Roblox account hacked: how to recover it — and why the first 30 days matter3 min readRoblox account hacked? Remove malware, reset the password, contact Roblox within 30 days using the right email, and set up 2-step verification with backup codes.
- Netflix account hacked or used without permission: how to take it back3 min readUnknown profiles, a new sign-in email or someone using your Netflix? Change the password, sign out devices, remove unknown profile emails and check charges.
- Spotify account hacked: how to get it back and keep it safe3 min readMusic playing that you didn’t start, a changed email or lost playlists? Reset the Spotify password, sign out everywhere, remove apps and prove ownership.
- Snapchat account hacked: the signs, how to get back in, and how to lock out the hacker for good4 min readLogin alerts, a changed number or Snaps you didn’t send? Reset your password, end unknown sessions and turn on two-factor authentication, as Snapchat advises.
- LinkedIn account hacked: how to get it back, lock out the intruder and clean up what they did3 min readLocked out of LinkedIn, or messages you didn’t send? Use LinkedIn’s unauthorized-access form, end unknown sessions, turn on two-step verification, clean up.
- Reddit account suspended, banned or flagged: what each status means and how to appeal it4 min readTemporary or permanent Reddit ban, spam flag or subreddit ban? What each means, the 3-day, 7-day, permanent ladder and the six-month appeal window.
03 / Official help pages10
Official help pages
The platform’s own pages these guides are built on. Every route listed here is free.
- Apple Support — Apple Account locked, not active or disabledsupport.apple.com
- Apple Support — what to expect during account recoverysupport.apple.com
- Apple Support — if your unlock request was deniedsupport.apple.com
- Apple Support — if your Apple Account was compromisedsupport.apple.com
- Apple Support — set up a recovery keysupport.apple.com
- Apple Support — set up a recovery contactsupport.apple.com
- Microsoft Support — recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft accountsupport.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Support — help with the account recovery formsupport.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Support — guidance notes for the recovery formsupport.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Support — Microsoft account recovery codesupport.microsoft.com
05 / For every platform35 guides
For every platform
- Official account recovery links for every platform (2026)3 min readThe genuine recovery, appeal and help-centre pages for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Google, X, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Telegram and Microsoft.
- Appeal deadlines by platform: how long you have to challenge a ban (2026)4 min readHow long you have to appeal a suspended or disabled account on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, Google, WhatsApp and Snapchat — and what happens after.
- How long does account recovery take? Waiting times and windows by platform (2026)4 min readAccount recovery, reopening and reinstatement wait times for Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch and Pinterest in one sourced table.
- Who else is logged in to your account? Where to check — and sign out — devices on 12 platforms4 min readWhere to see the devices logged in to your Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Telegram, Snapchat, TikTok and Discord accounts.
- How to turn on two-factor authentication on 12 platforms — and the backup that saves you when the phone is gone4 min readWhere to turn on two-factor authentication on Google, Apple, Microsoft, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Telegram and Discord.
- How to report a phishing email, text or fake login page — and what to do if you clicked3 min readGot a fake “your account will be closed” email or text? Where to report phishing to Gmail, Outlook, Google Safe Browsing, Meta, Amazon, the UK NCSC and the US FTC.
- Stop account hackers: a 15-minute security checklist for your social media3 min readA 15-minute checklist for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Telegram and Google: app-based 2FA, backup codes, the email behind it, sessions and phishing.
- Passkeys explained: what they are and how to set them up on Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook3 min readWhat a passkey is, why it can’t be phished, and how to set one up on Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook — plus the recovery options to keep before you rely on it.
- Online harassment: how to report it, and where to escalate when the platform ignores you4 min readHarassed on Instagram, TikTok or X? Document it, report it, switch on the safety tools, then escalate: eSafety, Report Harmful Content, the EU DSA — or the police.
- Disabled, suspended, restricted or locked: what your account notice really means3 min readWhat disabled, suspended, restricted, locked, banned, deactivated and memorialized mean on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and Google — and the first step for each.
- Account recovery scams: how to spot a fake recovery service5 min readFake “hackers”, Meta “insiders” and guaranteed unlocks: how recovery scams work, the red flags, what a real service looks like and what to do if you paid.
- Lost access to two-factor authentication: how to get back into your account3 min readNew phone, lost authenticator app, no backup codes? How to get past two-factor authentication on Instagram, Facebook and Google — and avoid future lockouts.
- Hacked account or online scam: where to report it, country by country4 min readOfficial places to report a hacked account or online scam in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, the UAE and more.
- Account suspended in the EU: your appeal rights under the Digital Services Act3 min readIf you live in the EU, the Digital Services Act gives you a statement of reasons, a free internal appeal and an independent dispute body. How to use them.
- Sextortion: what to do if someone threatens to share your intimate images4 min readBeing blackmailed with intimate images? Don’t pay, stop replying, keep the evidence, report it — and use the free Take It Down and StopNCII tools to block uploads.
- Hacked even with two-factor authentication on? How session hijacking and cookie-stealing malware work3 min readHow cookie-stealing malware lets attackers into your accounts without your password or 2FA code, the warning signs, and the clean-up order that locks them out.
- Hacker still reading your email? How to check Gmail and Outlook for forwarding, filters, rules and delegates3 min readA new password doesn’t remove a hacker’s forwarding address, inbox rules or delegates. Where to find and delete them in Gmail and Outlook.com, step by step.
- Third-party apps with access to your account: how to find and remove them on Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram and X3 min readQuiz apps, “follower checkers” and old logins can keep access after a hack. Where to review and revoke connected apps on Google, Microsoft, Meta and X.
- Your email or password showed up in a data breach: what to do in the first hour3 min readA breach notice or a Password Checkup alert? Which passwords to change first, how to spot the follow-up phishing, and when to freeze your credit.
- Do you need a password manager? How to choose one and set it up safely3 min readWhy a password manager is the simplest fix for reused passwords, the free built-in options from Google and Apple, and the settings that keep the vault itself safe.
- AI voice cloning scams: how to spot a fake call from a family member or your boss — and what to do3 min readScammers clone a voice from a short clip and call for urgent money. What the FTC and FBI advise: hang up, call back on a known number and agree a family code word.
- QR code scams (“quishing”): how fake codes steal logins and payments — and what to do if you scanned one3 min readFake QR codes on parking meters, in emails and on letters lead to look-alike login and payment pages. How to check a code before you open it, and what to do after.
- Your hacked account is posting crypto or giveaway scams: what to do in the first hour3 min readFake crypto giveaways or “investment” stories posted from your account? Warn your followers, take the account back, remove the posts and report — in this order.
- Will an unused account be deleted? Inactivity rules for Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and X — and how to keep yours3 min readGoogle and Microsoft can delete accounts unused for 2 years, Yahoo after 18 months; X wants a login every 30 days. What counts as activity and how to keep access.
- Doxxed: how to get your home address, phone number and personal details taken down — and stay safe3 min readYour address or phone number posted to target you? Save evidence, report it under platform privacy rules, get it out of Google and know when to call the police.
- SIM swap: your phone lost service and accounts are being reset — what to do now3 min readPhone suddenly shows no service and accounts start resetting? Signs of a SIM swap, how to get your number back, secure your accounts and stop it happening again.
- Phone lost or stolen: what to do in the first hour to protect your accounts, money and messages5 min readLock it with Find My or Find Hub, suspend the line, then secure your email, bank and WhatsApp from another device. The order that matters, from Apple and Google.
- Is my phone hacked? The signs of spyware and stalkerware, how to check, and what to do safely4 min readBattery drain, data spikes or someone knowing your private messages can mean spyware. How to check iPhone and Android, when it’s the account, and staying safe.
- Romance scams and “pig butchering” crypto scams: the warning signs, and what to do if you have already sent money4 min readAn online partner you’ve never met asks for money or pushes a crypto “investment”? FTC and FBI warning signs, how to check a profile, what to do if you paid.
- Fake job and “task” scams on WhatsApp and Telegram: how they work, the warning signs and what to do if you paid4 min readPaid to like videos, then asked to deposit crypto to unlock your earnings? That’s a task scam. How it works, FTC figures, red flags and what to do if you paid.
- Someone is using my photos: how to find fake profiles with a reverse image search and get them taken down4 min readYour photos on a fake or catfish profile? Find every copy with Google Lens and TinEye, save the evidence and report it on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more.
- Changing or losing your phone number: update your accounts first — or a stranger may receive your codes4 min readA new number can lock you out, and your old one goes to someone else. What to update first: email, Apple, Google, WhatsApp, bank and social media.
- Someone asked you to share a verification code: why it is always a scam, and what to do if you already sent it4 min read“I sent you a code by mistake” or a buyer who wants to “verify” you? Sharing a code hands over your WhatsApp, Google Voice or other account. What to do next.
- Scams on Vinted, Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin, Wallapop and Subito: the fake “payment received” link, and how to buy and sell safely4 min readA buyer sends a link to “receive your payment”? It’s a scam. The common tricks on Vinted, Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin and Wallapop, and what to do if you fell for one.
- Asked to prove your age online in the UK? What the Online Safety Act requires, the accepted check methods, and how to protect your data4 min readSince July 2025, UK apps must check ages before showing content harmful to children. The methods Ofcom accepts, what you share, and what to do if locked out.
Efe Recovery Services is an independent service and is not affiliated with Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Telegram, Discord, Twitch, Snap, Yahoo, Pinterest, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, Valve, Roblox Corporation, Epic Games.
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