Battle.net · Independent guide
Battle.net account hacked or locked?
A security lock after an unusual login, a real takeover, and a penalty on the account each have a different official fix. Blizzard's Can't Log In page covers the first two, and the Account Restrictions page covers the third. Only Blizzard can change the state of your account.
See Blizzard's recovery optionsWe never ask for your password, authenticator codes or restore code. Enter them only on battle.net or blizzard.com.
Concept illustration, not a screenshot of the recovery process.
On this page
Blizzard's own routes
Every step points to account.battle.net or Blizzard Support, nothing else.
No codes collected
We never ask for passwords, authenticator codes, restore codes or card numbers.
Independent guide
Respawnr is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment; follow what Blizzard's pages show today.
Available methods
Four self-service options on Blizzard's Can't Log In page, then a ticket or the Account Restrictions page if you need them.
Forgot password
The first door on account.battle.net/recovery if you still control the email on the account.
Problem with email
For an email you lost or someone changed; secure that email at its own provider first.
My Battle.net Account is locked
For a security lock after a suspicious login; Blizzard says it emails you the reason.
Remove my authenticator
Lost phone: verify by SMS to the number on the account, or use Restore Authenticator with your serial and restore code.
Hacked-account ticket
After recovery and a clean PC, submit a ticket; Support may ask for details that prove ownership.
Account Restrictions page
Only if a penalty was applied: it shows the restriction, when it ends and how to appeal, if possible.
Taken over and locked vs. back under your control
What a hacked Battle.net account typically looks like, and what recovered looks like.
Starting point
While someone else has your account, or it is locked
- Your password no longer works, or Blizzard has locked the account after a suspicious login.
- The email on the account may have been changed, so reset links go to someone else.
- Items or characters may be missing; Blizzard's article lists this among common problems but promises nothing.
- A penalty can appear, because Blizzard says it applies penalties no matter who was playing.
- Whatever let the intruder in, such as a reused password, phishing link or bad addon, may still be there.
After the change
After Account Recovery and a support ticket
- The email on the account is yours again and has its own strong password and two-step login.
- Your PC has been scanned for malware and keyloggers before you signed back in.
- The Battle.net Authenticator is on in the Battle.net Mobile App, as Support asks after reviewing a case.
- A new unique password, a phone number for Phone Notifications and, if you like, a passkey are set.
- Any penalty is handled only through the Account Restrictions page, where Blizzard allows an appeal, or the Account Hacked process, never a new account.
Blizzard Customer Support decides what is restored and when. Blizzard does not promise to return items, and a penalty stays unless Blizzard itself removes it.
Scope & boundaries
What this guide helps with
- Explain Blizzard's Can't Log In options and the hacked-account ticket in plain steps
- Help you tell a security lock, a takeover and a penalty apart
- Show how the Battle.net Authenticator, SMS Protect and passkeys protect you afterward
- Point you only to account.battle.net and Blizzard Support
Outside this guide’s scope
- Ask for your password, authenticator codes, serial or restore code
- Offer any way to skip or switch off someone's Battle.net Authenticator
- Help dodge a suspension or ban with a new account or tricks
- Recover, buy, sell or level an account for anyone, or sign in to it
Only Blizzard's own recovery tools and Customer Support can unlock or restore a Battle.net account, and only Blizzard can lift a penalty, always for the account's owner. Gold sellers and leveling services are a common way accounts get stolen, according to Blizzard, so anyone offering a shortcut is a risk, not a fix.
A few details worth knowing
How do I know if my Battle.net account was hacked or just locked?
A security lock follows a suspicious login, and Blizzard says it emails you the reason; you can usually clear it on the Can't Log In page or with a Phone Notifications code. A takeover means changed details or activity you did not do, which calls for Account Recovery and a hacked-account ticket.
Someone got a ban on my account while it was hacked. Will Blizzard lift it?
Blizzard says it applies penalties no matter who was playing, and that if you believe the account was compromised you should follow its Account Hacked process. Check the Account Restrictions page for the details and appeal options, and do not create a new account to get around it.
I lost the phone with my Battle.net Authenticator. How do I get back in?
On the Can't Log In page choose the authenticator option. You can verify by SMS to the number on the account, restore it with your serial and restore code, or contact Blizzard Support if you have neither.
Will Blizzard give back items or gold that were taken?
Blizzard's hacked-account article does not promise it, so nobody can guarantee it. Mention what is missing in your ticket and let Customer Support tell you what they can do.
Do I need to send anything to prove the account is mine?
Support may ask for details that prove you own the account, and the exact request depends on your case. Only share them inside Blizzard's own ticket form, never with a third party.
Official guidance
Check the platform’s current instructions and the options shown for your own account.