All my accounts were disabled at once: why, and which one to fix first

When several Instagram and Facebook accounts go down together, it is usually because they are linked in the same Accounts Centre. One account went first and took the others with it. Find that first account and start your recovery there, because the others went down because of it.

This is the single most common situation we see. Of the people who have contacted us over the past year, more than 300 had several accounts disabled together: their Instagram, their Facebook, a second Instagram, sometimes a partner's or a child's. Many say "they are all linked to my phone" or "my wife made a new account for me and it got disabled today".

Why did all my accounts go down together?

Meta links accounts that share an Accounts Centre, and often the same phone, email or device. When it disables one account, it can take the linked ones down with it.

You can usually tell from the notices. An account taken down because of the link tends to say it was suspended or disabled because it is associated or linked with another account. The account that started it shows its own reason, such as account integrity or a breach of the community guidelines.

This also explains why new accounts get disabled so quickly. A fresh account made on the same phone, with the same details, is linked to the disabled ones from the start.

Which account should I try to recover first?

Start with the account that went down first. Our technicians call it patient zero.

It may not be the account you care about most. If your Instagram matters most but your Facebook went first, start with the Facebook. Meta's decision on patient zero is what the others hang off, so that is the case to make first.

Stay with patient zero. Only move on to another account after a long run of properly spaced attempts on it has got nowhere.

How do I work out which one was first?

1. Put the dates side by side. Line up Meta's emails and the notice on each account. The earliest is usually patient zero.
2. Read the reason on each one. The accounts that went down because of the link usually mention being associated or linked with another account. Patient zero shows its own reason.
3. Look for someone else's account in your Accounts Centre. A child's, a partner's or an old work account. If theirs went first, yours went down because of the link, not because of anything you did.

If you are still unsure, a person in Meta's support chat can often tell you which account the restriction started on.

What about a child's account linked to mine?

Since 10 December 2025, platforms including Instagram and Facebook have had to take reasonable steps to stop Australians under 16 from having accounts. When a child's account is removed, a parent's linked account can go down with it.

If that happened to you, your account went down because of the link. Don't change the child's date of birth to try to bring theirs back. Say plainly in your own appeal that your account was linked to a family member's account.

What should I avoid while they are down?

• Making new accounts on the same phone. They are linked from the start and are often disabled within days.
• Appealing every account at once, over and over. Focus on patient zero, and space your attempts.
• Unlinking or deleting accounts in a panic. Some people remove the account that matters most, then can't get it back.
• Buying, borrowing or sharing an account to get help. Meta checks identity against government ID, and a borrowed account puts the whole recovery at risk.

What happens to the other accounts?

Check each one as soon as patient zero is back. Some return with it. Others, especially ad accounts, business Pages or accounts a hacker was involved with, may need their own appeal. Keep the screenshots of every notice so you can make each case.

SafetyNet is an independent Brisbane cyber security company. We work for you, not for Meta. Meta makes the final decision on every account.

When the Recovery Kit helps

Working out patient zero is the first step in the Recovery Kit, the method our technicians use, set out one step at a time on your phone. After that it helps you set up an account Meta will verify, reach a real person in Meta's support chat, write the appeal for patient zero, and keep going with properly spaced attempts until you get an answer. A specialist on our team reads your first appeal before you send it.

It is A$79, one-time, with 12 months of access. It never needs your password or a login code. You need to be 18 or over, because the method uses Meta Verified.

If a business Page, ad account or shop went down with the rest, talk to our team instead. Business assets have their own rules.

Start the Recovery Kit

Frequently asked questions

Why was my Facebook disabled when only my Instagram broke a rule?

Because they are linked in the same Accounts Centre. When Meta disables one account, it can take linked accounts down with it. The linked ones usually say they were disabled because they are associated with another account.

Which account should I appeal first?

The one that went down first, which our technicians call patient zero. Compare the dates on Meta's notices and emails, and look for the account that shows its own reason rather than a link to another account.

Should I unlink my accounts in Accounts Centre?

Not while they are disabled. Unlinking is unlikely to change Meta's decision, and in our experience removing an account in a panic can make it harder to get back. Focus on recovering patient zero first.