You can't make this change at the moment: This is because we noticed you are using a device you don't usually use and we need to keep your account safe. We'll allow you to make this change after you've used this device for a while.
In short
Meta blocks a sensitive account change (password, email, phone number, two-factor authentication) because it comes from a device or browser it does not trust yet. Make the change from the device you have used the longest with this account, usually the Facebook app on your phone; otherwise, advertisers say the block lifts after a while on the same device.
By Mathieu Malige, founder of Apogee
· Checked on 15 October 2026
Exact message
| Field | English |
|---|---|
| Title | You can't make this change at the moment |
| Message | This is because we noticed you are using a device you don't usually use and we need to keep your account safe. We'll allow you to make this change after you've used this device for a while. |
Where it shows up: in Meta’s Accounts Center, when you change your password, email or phone number or turn on two-factor authentication from a new device; advertisers also get it over the Business Manager two-factor authentication screen.
Why it happens
- A device Meta does not recognize yet. The message says it: Meta noticed a device you don’t usually use and blocks the change to keep the account safe, until you have used that device for a while. Meta gives no delay and has no help page for this message.
- It cuts ad access when Business Manager requires two-factor authentication. Most reports on r/FacebookAds and r/metaads come from advertisers who must turn on two-factor authentication to access a business portfolio: since the change is blocked, they lose access to their ads. Others hit it when changing their password or email, removing contact details added by a hacker, or creating a developer account.
How to fix it
Meta documents no procedure for this message. Advertisers’ reports point to these steps:
- Make the change from the device you have used the longest with this Facebook account, usually the Facebook app on your phone, rather than from a new computer or browser. For Business Manager, turn on two-factor authentication by SMS from that phone.
- If you no longer have such a device, keep using the same new device and the same connection, and try again regularly: the block lifts on its own after a while.
- If someone else added an email or phone number to your account, remove it through the Accounts Center of the linked Instagram app rather than through Facebook.
What worked for other advertisers
In the main r/FacebookAds thread on this message, advertisers share what lifted the block:
- From the linked Instagram app, deactivate the Facebook account temporarily through Accounts Center, then log back in to Facebook, which reactivates it: the device is then accepted. 6 confirmations (June 2024), for example “YOU HAVE TO DEACTIVATE YOUR FACEBOOK THROUGH YOUR INSTAGRAM PAGE”. Two other people say it did not work for them.
- Make the change in the phone app instead of the new computer: 3 confirmations (February 2024), “Just do the same thing from the app on your phone. Worked for me”.
- Wait while using the same device and connection: several advertisers say the block disappeared after a few weeks to 3 months (3 confirmations, March 2024), for example “Mine took 3 months.”
- To remove contact details added by a hacker, go through Instagram’s Accounts Center (personal details, then contact info) instead of Facebook (1 confirmation, July 2024).
Clearing the cache and cookies, reinstalling the app, “Forgot password”, “This wasn’t me” with an ID upload, or setting up two-factor authentication by SMS in the Meta Business Suite app did not lift the block for the advertisers who tried.
Source: r/FacebookAds thread on “You can’t make this change at the moment”
How to avoid it next time
- Turn on two-factor authentication and make security changes from the device you use every day with your Facebook account, before you need them on a new computer.
- When you change phone or computer, keep the old device logged in until the new one is accepted.
- Ignore people who offer to “unlock” the account in comments or private messages: many replies under these threads are scams.
The same message in other languages
| Language | Exact message |
|---|---|
| Spanish | No puedes hacer el cambio en este momento Esto se debe a que estás usando un dispositivo que no usas habitualmente y debemos proteger tu cuenta. Te permitiremos hacer este cambio una vez que hayas utilizado este dispositivo durante un tiempo. |
Sources
- r/FacebookAds thread on “You can't make this change at the moment” (Reddit)
- You can't make this change at the moment: noticed using a device you don't usually use (Meta Community Forums)
- Stuck at 2FA creation for my old profiles (r/FacebookAds, Reddit)
- Cannot access Business Manager from other device (r/metaads, Reddit)
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take before I can make the change?
Meta gives no delay. Advertisers who kept using the same device say the block lifted after a few weeks to 3 months.
I'm stuck at two-factor authentication for Business Manager. How do I get past it?
Turn it on by SMS from the device you have used the longest with your account, usually the Facebook app on your phone. Advertisers say this works where a new computer fails.
I just bought a new phone. What should I do?
If you still have your old phone or a computer you have long used with the account, make the change there. Otherwise, keep using the new phone until Meta accepts it.
Does clearing the cache or reinstalling the app help?
Not according to advertisers who tried; neither did “Forgot password” or sending an ID through “This wasn’t me”.
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