Facebook account restricted?

Updated 21 October 2026

Why acting early matters: Facebook's help pages say you can appeal a suspension within 180 days. If you don't appeal in that time, or the appeal fails, Facebook permanently disables the account. The page also says the time to appeal varies by region. The longer an account is down, the more followers, customers and conversations move on. See what is at stake

If your Facebook account works but you can't post in groups, comment, go live, message or use Marketplace, or your reach suddenly dropped, you are probably under a restriction. Open Account Status (tap your profile picture, then Help and support): it should show what is limited, why and, for some limits, until when. Where there is an option to request a review, use it. If you live in the EU, limits on your visibility are decisions Facebook must explain.

The restrictions people meet most

Facebook restrictions are often narrow, which is why they confuse people.

• Groups. You can't post or comment in groups for a period.
• Marketplace. You can't buy or sell, or your listings are hidden.
• Messaging. You can't send messages to people who aren't your friends.
• Live video and reels. You can't go live or your videos aren't recommended.
• Reach. Posts are shown lower in feed or not suggested to others.
• Monetisation. Payouts or creator features are paused.

Find out where the limit comes from

Not every restriction comes from Facebook itself.

1. Check Account Status. It lists actions Facebook took on your account and their end dates.
2. Check the group. Group admins can mute, limit or remove members without Facebook acting at all. In that case, talk to the admins.
3. Check Marketplace. Facebook can remove Marketplace access on its own, separately from the rest of your account.
4. Check Page or professional mode settings if your content earns money.

Once you know the source, you know who to ask.

Requesting a review

For a Facebook restriction:

• Use the request review or disagree option next to the item in Account Status or Marketplace.
• Keep your explanation short: what the content was, why it fits the rules, any context missing.
• Do it once per item. Repeating it rarely helps.
• Screenshot the restriction and its end date.

If the limit has a date and you can live with it, waiting is also an option. Avoid the activity that triggered it, like posting the same link in many groups.

Restrictions under EU law

If you live in the EU, the Digital Services Act covers decisions that limit visibility of your content and that suspend or end monetisation, not just bans. For these, Facebook must give a statement of reasons: the facts, the rule, whether automation was used and how to challenge it.

You can file a free internal complaint for at least six months from the day you were told about the decision. It must be handled carefully and not by automated means alone. You can also go to a certified out-of-court dispute body like Appeals Centre Europe, User Rights or Platform Control, which decide within 90 days of receiving your complaint. Your right to go to court stays.

Outside the EU, the review option in the app is the main route.

Habits that trigger restrictions

• Posting the same link or text in many groups.
• Sending many friend requests to people you don't know.
• Selling items Marketplace doesn't allow.
• Using tools that post or message automatically.

And never pay someone who promises to remove restrictions for you, or who asks for your login.

If a restriction turns into a lock, read Facebook account suspended. If you sell or advertise on Facebook, see Facebook business account banned. The Facebook hub has the rest.

Checked against: facebook.com, transparency.meta.com, facebook.com