--- title: "Meta account security checklist · Jeyki Security" description: "Check linked Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp accounts, secure sign-ins and recovery details, and help a parent without taking over their account." url: "https://jeyki.ca/guides/meta-accounts-center-security-checklist" --- 1. [Home](https://jeyki.ca/) 2. [Guides](https://jeyki.ca/guides) 3. Meta Accounts Center security checklist for families Step-by-step guide # Meta Accounts Center security checklist for families Check linked Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp accounts, secure sign-ins and recovery details, and help a parent without taking over their account. Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Written by Jeyki Security, free to use and print. [Email this to a parent](mailto:?subject=Meta%20Accounts%20Center%20security%20checklist%20for%20families&body=Hi%2C%20I%20thought%20this%20free%20guide%20would%20help%20you%3A%0A%0AMeta%20Accounts%20Center%20security%20checklist%20for%20families%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fjeyki.ca%2Fguides%2Fmeta-accounts-center-security-checklist%0A%0AIt%20is%20written%20for%20people%20in%20Canada%20and%20takes%20a%20few%20minutes.)Share or copy linkPrint this guide Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp can share convenient account features. A security review should start by checking what you have actually connected. Shared sign-in or a compromised recovery email can affect more than one account; having several Meta apps installed does not, by itself, mean they all share a login. This checklist is for your own accounts or for helping a parent or relative with their permission. Let the account owner enter passwords and codes. Work at their pace, and leave them able to sign in without you. ## First, check which settings you have Open settings inside Facebook or Instagram and look for Accounts Center or Meta Account. Meta began gradually replacing Accounts Center with an updated Meta Account in April 2026. The new experience can centralize passwords, two-factor authentication and contact details, while allowing people to keep different apps in separate Meta Accounts. Your screens may differ during the rollout. [Meta’s account update](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/04/meta-account/) Review the profiles and apps listed. Check any connected-login options before changing them. If you want to separate accounts, first confirm you can sign in to each and reach its recovery email. Follow the app’s instructions rather than guessing through unfamiliar prompts. ## Secure the recovery route Confirm that the email address and phone number shown are still yours and working. Update stale details, and investigate anything you do not recognise. Secure the email inbox itself with a unique password and two-step verification, because password-reset messages often arrive there. Meta’s Instagram Security Checkup covers recovery contacts, login activity and accounts that share login information. Use it to check the connections as well as the password. [Instagram security guidance](https://about.fb.com/news/2021/07/keeping-instagram-safe-and-secure/) ## Strengthen sign-in and review devices - Use a long, unique password wherever a separate password is required. A password manager can help you keep track of them. - Run Security Checkup and enable two-factor authentication. Use an authenticator app when it is practical for the person using the account. - Consider a passkey where the app offers it. Make sure the owner understands how they will sign in after a lost or replaced phone. - Review login activity and sign out devices you do not recognise. Turn on login alerts and check unexpected alerts inside the app. - Save any recovery codes the app provides somewhere private that the owner can find. Do not send them through chat. Meta recommends unique passwords, two-factor authentication and a review of existing sessions. Its newer account-support guidance also covers passkeys and Security Checkup. [Account protection](https://about.fb.com/news/2022/10/protecting-people-from-malicious-account-compromise-apps/), [current recovery and security tools](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/making-it-easier-to-access-account-support-on-facebook-and-instagram/) ## Check WhatsApp separately Adding WhatsApp to Accounts Center is optional and was introduced off by default. Personal WhatsApp messages and calls remain end-to-end encrypted when it is added. [WhatsApp and Accounts Center](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/whatsapp-joins-accounts-center/) In WhatsApp, open Linked devices and log out anything unfamiliar. Linking a computer or companion phone is a separate action from adding WhatsApp to Accounts Center. Only approve a device you are setting up yourself, and never follow an unexpected request to scan a linking QR code or share a registration code. Review WhatsApp’s own account-security settings and enable two-step verification using the options shown. WhatsApp manages its passkeys independently. [Linked-device guidance](https://faq.whatsapp.com/378279804439436/), [two-step verification](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1278661612895630/) ## Leave a simple family plan Write down which email is used for recovery, where passwords and recovery codes are stored, and who can help with permission. Keep the record private. Recheck it after a new phone or changed email address. Agree on one rule: an urgent request for money or a login code needs a separate check with the real person on a number you already know. A familiar profile photo is not enough. If an account is already taken over, use the [Facebook and Instagram recovery guide](https://jeyki.ca/guides/recover-hacked-facebook-instagram-meta-account). If the mailbox is involved, use the [hacked-email checklist](https://jeyki.ca/guides/email-hacked-canadian-checklist) too. Complete this review once access is restored. ## Sources 1. [Meta Account rollout and account grouping, Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2026/04/meta-account/) 2. [Instagram Security Checkup, Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2021/07/keeping-instagram-safe-and-secure/) 3. [Protecting accounts from malicious apps, Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2022/10/protecting-people-from-malicious-account-compromise-apps/) 4. [Account support and security tools, Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/12/making-it-easier-to-access-account-support-on-facebook-and-instagram/) 5. [WhatsApp and Accounts Center, Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/whatsapp-joins-accounts-center/) 6. [About linked devices, WhatsApp](https://faq.whatsapp.com/378279804439436/) 7. [About two-step verification, WhatsApp](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1278661612895630/) ## Related guides - [Recovering a hacked Facebook, Instagram, or Meta account](https://jeyki.ca/guides/recover-hacked-facebook-instagram-meta-account) Official recovery steps for a taken-over Facebook, Instagram, or Threads account, plus practical ways to secure it once access is restored. - [Email hacked? A free Canadian checklist](https://jeyki.ca/guides/email-hacked-canadian-checklist) Secure the account, protect your money, and tell the right people. Saves your progress and prints. ## Want help checking your family's accounts? The family cyber safety setup covers your key accounts and phones, with 3 scam checks over 90 days. It is a flat C$249. [See the family setup](https://jeyki.ca/services#family-setup)