Has your Facebook account been blocked? There are two ways to get your ban lifted:
- If you’ve been temporarily banned: Wait until Facebook lifts the ban (ranging from a few hours to 30 days).
- If you’ve been permanently banned: Appeal your Facebook ban. Check out our step-by-step guide below.
Both temporary and permanent bans typically result from violating Facebook’s Community Guidelines, such as by using a fake name, posting spam, or engaging in hateful speech.
You can also get locked out of your account if you fail a security check upon logging in from an unfamiliar location. In this case, simply use the code sent to you by Facebook in order to pass the security check. You can also try using NordVPN to change your virtual location.
Learn more about Facebook bans, how to avoid them, and how to send an appeal in the article below.
Facebook is a great platform to share the latest updates on your life. Unfortunately, you might find yourself unable to do so because you’ve landed in “Facebook jail” — or, in other words, your Facebook account has been banned.
This article guides you on how to get unbanned from Facebook. We’ll also discuss how long Facebook bans last, why Facebook “jails” users, and how to prevent your Facebook account from getting suspended.
How to Get Unbanned From Facebook
There are several ways to get unbanned from Facebook, depending on the type of ban. We’ll discuss these below.
1. Wait until the ban is lifted
Facebook often tries to give users a chance to “correct” their behavior rather than flat-out deleting their accounts. Offenses that aren’t extremely severe will usually get you a temporary ban, during which you can’t post or create any content.
If you’re only temporarily banned from Facebook, you can just wait it out. Temporary Facebook bans can last from several hours to several days.
How long do Facebook bans last?
Apart from the severity of the violation, the number of bans you’ve had before will determine how long Facebook will restrict your account. Below, you’ll find a brief overview of different Facebook bans.
| Number of Offenses | Consequences |
|---|---|
| One | You only get a warning. |
| Two to six | Facebook will restrict certain features, such as posting in groups, for several hours. |
| Seven | You can’t create any content for a day. This includes posting, commenting, and creating a Facebook page. |
| Eight | You can’t create any content for three days. |
| Nine | You can’t create any content for a week. |
| Ten or more | You’re unable to create any content for 30 days. |
Note:
If Facebook deems your violation severe enough, you might face additional restrictions. Moreover, if you keep repeating the same offenses, Facebook might disable your account.
2. File a Facebook suspension appeal
Is your Facebook account permanently banned? If you believe Facebook disabled your account without a good reason, you can request a review. The Facebook support team will then evaluate if their decision was fair.
To file a Facebook suspension appeal, follow these steps:
- Go to Facebook’s page for appeals to account suspensions.
- In the corresponding fields, enter your email address or mobile phone number, and your full name as listed on the account.
- Upload a digital copy of your ID. This can be a passport photo, a driver’s license, a national identity card, or anything else of that nature.
- Beneath the “Choose Files” button, there might be a field titled “Additional information.” If this is the case, use it to explain why your ban was unjust or why you believe it was a mistake.
- Click on “Send.”
If Facebook requires any more information after reviewing your appeal, they will contact you.
What is Facebook Jail?
Being in “Facebook jail” might sound ominous, but it’s just an informal way of saying a Facebook user is temporarily banned and prevented from creating any content with their account.
The term “Facebook jail” refers to blocks and bans that result from a clear violation of Facebook guidelines. These include posting spam, objectionable content, or copyright-infringing media.
What happens when you’re in Facebook jail?
When you’re in “Facebook jail”, you get a message saying you’ve violated Facebook’s Community Standards. You’ll no longer be able to create any content on the platform, such as posts, comments, or pages, for the duration of the ban.
However, you’ll still be able to use the platform passively and see other users’ content. To find out how long “Facebook prison sentences” generally last, check out the above section on Facebook ban durations.
Why Does Facebook Ban Accounts?
Facebook can decide to ban an account for many different reasons, such as:
- An account name that Facebook thinks is fake
- Very high Facebook activity that FB considers spamming
- Posting objectionable content that violates Facebook’s policy
- Copyright violations
Below, we’ll discuss these reasons for account suspension in more detail.
1. A fake account name
If Facebook suspects your account doesn’t include your real name as shown on your ID, then they might disable or delete your account. Now, you might say this makes it impossible to protect your privacy on Facebook — and we agree 100 percent.
However, Facebook makes it very clear that the above is not their priority. This is what it says in its Community Guidelines: “Facebook is a community where everyone uses the name they go by in everyday life. This makes it so that you always know who you’re connecting with.”
Text that might make Facebook believe your name is fake include the following:
- Numbers, symbols, incorrect or strange capitalization, repeating characters, or punctuation
- Using letters or characters from different languages
- Professional titles, such as M.D., Prof., etc.
- Using common words or phrases
- Curse words or offensive terms
2. Spam
Facebook is not a fan of spam. In other words, if you post or share a lot of content in a short time, you might get banned. The same goes for liking lots of posts or pages, sending out tons of friend requests, or “over-interaction” of any kind.
Facebook also states you shouldn’t incite others to “over-interact” with your content under false pretenses. For instance, encouraging people to click on a link that doesn’t lead to the promised page can also get you a ban.
Facebook doesn’t give any exact numbers to explain what constitutes spam. However, Facebook considers the following actions to be “spammy”:
- Sending other users “unwanted content or requests”
- Sending “bulk messages”
- Posting an “excessive” number of links or images to someone’s timeline
- “Sending friend requests to people you don’t know personally”
3. Posting or sharing objectionable content
Facebook has a huge “Community Standards” section on objectionable content. You should refrain from posting or sharing content that includes the following:
- Show, promote, or incite violence
- Depict child or adult sexual exploitation
- Bully or harass other users
- Show nudity and/or sexual activity
- Promote or lead to crime
- Deceive or lead to fraud
- Misinform others or spread lies
- Constitute hate speech
Posting or sharing content in one of these categories will surely send you straight to Facebook jail. Depending on the severity of your violation, you could face more severe consequences, such as account deletion.
4. Copyright violations
Facebook can ban you not just based on the nature of the content, but also where your content comes from. If you post someone else’s content, but present it as your own, Facebook will likely remove it.
These intellectual property rights can include anything from company trademarks to media such as music and videos.
How to Prevent Getting Banned on Facebook
We have now seen what kind of bans Facebook gives and why they ban users. Make sure you follow these tips to keep you out of Facebook jail:
- Observe Facebook’s rules for name creation. Avoid fake-sounding names or names that include numbers, symbols, or offensive phrases.
- Avoid spam or spam-like behavior, such as posting ten things on your timeline within one hour.
- Stay away from what Facebook considers objectionable content. This includes violence, bullying, hate speech, misinformation, sexual exploitation, and others.
- Avoid infringing on others’ copyright. When in doubt, it’s best to ask the author’s permission before sharing or posting something.
- Use a VPN to avoid receiving security checks from Facebook. Facebook typically sends security checks when it detects that you’re in an unfamiliar location. You can get yourself temporarily locked out of your account if you fail the security check.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- No logs, perfect for privacy
- Great for streaming sports and Netflix
How to Use a VPN to Avoid Facebook Security Checks
Facebook will ask you to perform a security check when you log in from an unrecognized location. Failing the security check can get you locked out of your account.
Are you traveling abroad? Virtual private networks (or VPNs) let you change your current IP address to an IP address from your home country. This reduces the chances of Facebook detecting an unfamiliar location.
Here’s a quick and easy guide on how to use Facebook with a VPN:
- Visit the NordVPN website and sign up for a subscription. NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee lets you try out the service for free. We recommend this service for its top-notch speeds, customer service, and privacy features.
- Install NordVPN on your device. NordVPN is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone devices.
- Open the NordVPN app and choose a location from the list of servers. For example, if you’re from the US and are visiting Japan, you should choose a US location to try and avoid getting a security check.
- That’s it! You can now browse Facebook as usual.
Conclusion: Two Ways to Get Unbanned From Facebook
Going to Facebook jail doesn’t have to be the end of the world. After all, there are a couple of things you can do to get around Facebook restrictions:
- Simply wait if it’s just a temporary ban (a few hours to 30 days).
- Appeal the Facebook ban using the official form.
Do you want to learn how to get your other social media accounts unbanned? Check out the useful guides below:
- Accessing WhatsApp Abroad
- How to Access Instagram in Russia
- What to Do If Skype is Blocked in Your Country
- How to Get Unbanned from Omegle
- How to Get Unbanned from Grindr
Do you have a specific question about Facebook bans and how to get unbanned on Facebook? Check out our FAQ below to see if we’ve already answered your question. If we haven’t, feel free to leave us a comment below.
There are several ways of getting unbanned on Facebook, depending on the type of ban you’re facing:
- Wait it out if you’re facing a temporary ban. These bans can last from a few hours up until 30 days.
- Appeal your ban if you believe it’s unjust.
- Use a VPN to get around Facebook restrictions of a geographic nature.
The duration of your Facebook ban primarily depends on how many times you have been banned before. Moreover, more severe offenses can carry harsher punishments and bans. Depending on these factors, your ban could range from a few hours to 30 days.
The time it takes to get unbanned from Facebook depends on the type of ban and how you proceed. If you wait for a temporary ban to be lifted, this could take anywhere from a few hours to 30 days, depending on the ban. If you appeal a bean, you’ll often get a response in five business days. Using a VPN will get rid of certain restrictions immediately.
If we’re talking about a literal Facebook ban, in the sense that Facebook blocked you because of a rule violation, the only way to circumvent it would be by filing an appeal or creating a new account.
More so than “banning your IP address,” Facebook could block certain features depending on your IP address. They could also give you an additional security check if your IP shows that you’re in a different part of the world all of a sudden. You can get around these inconveniences by using a VPN.
I have not violated any community standards whatsoever, yet I had my account restricted I Facebook. What do I do?
Hi, Keith. If you received a temporary ban, we recommend waiting it out, as the ban will likely get lifted within 30 days or less. If you received a permanent ban, you can file an appeal with Facebook. As of writing, there are no other methods to get unbanned from Facebook apart from these two options.