My account has been compromised
If your account has been compromised but you're still able to log in, this page will help you secure your account and stop unwanted behaviors. If you can't log in to your account, please see this troubleshooting article.
Has my account been compromised?
Have you:
- Noticed unexpected Tweets by your account
- Seen unintended direct messages (DMs) sent from your account
- Observed other account behaviors you didn't make or approve (like following, unfollowing, or blocking)
- Received a notification from us stating that your account may be compromised
- Received a notification from us stating that your account information has changed, and you didn't change it
- Noticed your password is no longer working and you are being prompted to reset it
If you've answered yes to any of the above, please take the following steps:
1. Change your password
Please change your password immediately from the Password tab in settings or click on request a password reset from the logged out page. Please select a strong password you haven't used before. If you can't log in to your account, please see this troubleshooting page.
Note: Changing an account's password does not automatically log the account out of Twitter for iOS or Twitter for Android applications. In order to log the account out of these apps, sign in online and visit Apps in your settings. From there you can revoke access for the application, and the next time the app is launched, a prompt will request that the new password be entered.
2. Make sure your email address is secure
Make sure that the email address tied to your account is secure and that you are the only one with access to it. You can change your email address from the Account settings tab. Visit our email account tips page for more information.
3. Revoke connections to third-party applications
While logged in, visit Apps in your settings. Revoke access for any third-party application that you don't recognize.
4. Update your password in your trusted third-party applications
If a trusted external application uses your Twitter password, be sure to update your password in that application. Otherwise, you may be temporarily locked out of your account due to failed login attempts.
Your account should now be secure, and you shouldn't see the unexpected account behaviors moving forward. If you're still experiencing issues, please file a Support request for assistance.
Protect your account with simple precautions!
If your account has been compromised, take these additional precautions:
- Delete any unwanted Tweets that were posted while your account was compromised.
- Scan your computers for viruses and malware, especially if unauthorized account behaviors continue to be posted after you've changed the password.
- Install security patches for your operating system and applications.
- Always use a strong, new password you don't use elsewhere and would be difficult to guess.
- Consider using login verification. Instead of relying on just a password, login verification introduces a second check to make sure that you and only you can access your Twitter account.
- Visit our Safe Tweeting help page for more information on avoiding hacks and phishing.
How do accounts become compromised? (Did somebody hack me?)
Accounts may become compromised if you've entrusted your username and password to a malicious third-party application or website, if your Twitter account is vulnerable due to a weak password, if viruses or malware on your computer are collecting passwords, or if you're on a compromised network.
Unexpected updates don't always mean that your account was hacked. Occasionally, a third-party application can have a bug that causes unexpected behavior. If you see strange behavior, changing your password and/or revoking connections will stop it, as the application will no longer have access to your account.
It's best to take action as soon as possible if updates are appearing in your account that you did not post or approve. You can find more information about account security on the Safe Tweeting help page.