Facebook account review: time, taking too long

In this article, we will answer several questions about the Facebook / Meta review process, such as how long does it take for Facebook to review your account? How you can speed up this process, and why does it take Facebook so long to review an account?

What is the Facebook account review?

Firstly, it is important to know what the Facebook account review actually is, and when to use it. The Facebook review consists of an online form that you need to fill in and submit. Below is what the form looks like.

As the form explains if you think your account was disabled by mistake, then fill in the necessary information and your profile will be considered for review. Even in the wording of this phrase, Facebook reserves the right to possibly not review your account.

Why are Facebook accounts reviewed?

There are many reasons why Facebook can decide to review an account, disabling it in the process. For example, if an account is deemed to pose any security threat, Facebook will automatically flag it for review. Accounts can also be blocked if the account was created using a false identity, posting spam messages, and because of age restrictions, among other reasons.

How long does it take for Facebook to review your account?

Being locked out of your personal or business Facebook account can be incredibly frustrating and understandably so. You want to access your account as quickly as possible, but the Facebook account review process can take a while, with no status updates, causing further frustration.

Now, as for how long Facebook takes to actually review an account… it depends. There is no set time limit or time frame for the Facebook review. Some users may find that their Facebook account is recovered relatively quickly within a few hours or days, others may find their account takes much longer, such as a few weeks or even months, and unfortunately, other users can wait indefinitely, with Facebook ultimately not unblocking an account. A typical time frame is anywhere from 48 hours to 45 days.

Whilst Facebook does use AI for their verification process which in theory should give quick response times if there are any discrepancies in the review process then your account can be flagged for a manual review which takes longer. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Facebook account review times were extended due to members of the Facebook support team working from home and putting a strain on the review process. Users saw the following message:

Reviewing your information may take longer than usual Thank you for sending your information. We have received it. We have fewer people available to review information due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It may take longer than usual to review your account. We're always looking out for the security of people on Facebook, so until then, you can't use your account.

If the delay between the day your account was disabled and the day that you requested a review of this action was longer than 30 days then your account will be permanently disabled and you will no longer be able to request a review.

How long does it take for Facebook to review your ID?

Often, Facebook accounts are blocked for suspected false account names, and Facebook can ask you to confirm your identity to check that the name on your ID and the name of your account match. Facebook recommends that you allow at least 48 hours for a response.

If you still haven’t heard anything after 48 hours, you can see if your ID was rejected. If Facebook does reject your ID then you should receive a message explaining why it was not accepted.

Should I request another review?

If your Facebook account is under review after having filled out the Facebook account review request, then the worst thing you can do is request another review. This is because requesting another review could have the adverse effect of putting your review at the back of the queue.

While sending Facebook another review request may seem like the only proactive thing that you can do in this situation, it is not. Sending multiple requests also has the potential to flag unusual activity with your account with Facebook. Often when performing repetitive actions on even a non-disabled Facebook account, such as trying to change your Facebook name multiple times in a short period of time, Facebook can disable certain actions. Facebook could even prevent you from requesting a review if you send too many review requests.

Can you actually talk to someone on Facebook?

Whilst you can contact a Facebook representative for certain issues, you are unable to do so for any issue related to technical support, which an account review and a disabled account fall under. So no, you cannot talk to someone on Facebook about your disabled account.