How to Secure Facebook Browsing and Your Account (2026 Guide)

How do you secure Facebook browsing and keep your account safe? In 2011 we showed how to turn on Facebook’s optional HTTPS “secure browsing” setting to protect your login on public Wi-Fi. Facebook made HTTPS permanent for everyone in 2013, so that setting is gone. Today the threats are phishing links, stolen passwords and fake login pages. Here is how to secure Facebook in 2026, step by step.

Quick answer: Facebook always uses HTTPS now. To secure your account, open Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security, turn on two-factor authentication (an authenticator app or security key is best), check “Where you’re logged in” and remove unknown devices, turn on login alerts, use a unique strong password, and run Facebook’s Security Checkup and Privacy Checkup.

Is Facebook browsing secure?

Yes. Every page of facebook.com and the apps load over an encrypted HTTPS connection, so people on the same Wi-Fi cannot read your password or messages. Check that the address bar shows https://www.facebook.com. Most hacked accounts today come from phishing and reused passwords, not insecure connections.

How to secure your Facebook account

1. Turn on two-factor authentication: Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication. Choose an authenticator app or a security key rather than SMS where possible, and save your recovery codes.
2. Use a strong, unique password: short, simple passwords can be cracked by brute force, and then no other setting helps. Use a long password or passphrase (mixing upper and lower case, numbers and symbols helps), and never reuse your Facebook password elsewhere. A password manager makes this easy.
3. Check where you are logged in: in Password and security, open “Where you’re logged in” and log out of devices you do not recognise.
4. Turn on login alerts: get notified by app or email when someone logs in from a new device.
5. Run Security Checkup: Facebook walks you through these settings in a few minutes.
6. Review apps and websites: remove old games and apps you once logged into with Facebook.
7. Keep your email and phone up to date so you can recover the account.

Protect your privacy too

• Run Privacy Checkup to choose who sees your posts, friend list, phone number and email.
• Limit who can look you up by phone number.
• Turn off location history and review tagged photos.

Avoid Facebook phishing

• Facebook will never ask for your password in a message or email.
• Beware of messages saying your page will be disabled for “copyright” or “policy” violations; they link to fake login pages.
• Check links before clicking. Learn how to spot a fake phishing email.
• Do not accept friend requests from copies of people you are already friends with.

Using Facebook on public Wi-Fi

HTTPS protects your connection, but on shared computers always log out, do not tick “Remember password”, and use private browsing. Simply closing the browser does not always end your session; some browsers restore it for the next person. If you forgot to log out somewhere, use “Where you’re logged in” to log that device out remotely. The same advice applies to email; see how Gmail uses HTTPS.

If your account is hacked

Go to facebook.com/hacked to secure the account, change your password and email, and remove unknown devices. Read our guide for what to do if your Facebook gets hacked.

FAQ

Where is the secure browsing option on Facebook?

It no longer exists, because Facebook uses HTTPS for everyone by default.

Is SMS two-factor authentication safe?

It is much better than nothing, but an authenticator app or security key protects against SIM swap attacks.

Can I see if someone else logged into my Facebook?

Yes. Check “Where you’re logged in” in Accounts Center for devices, locations and times.

Includes material originally written by guest author Alan Tay of IT Security Column. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.

Have you turned on two-factor authentication on Facebook? Tell us in the comments.