Maintaining security for online sites and services — particularly social media accounts — takes diligence. If you still log into Instagram with a weak password, a password that is duplicated on other sites, or one that might have been compromised in a hack or data breach, it might be time for a change.
Thankfully, whether you want to change your Instagram password on your computer or mobile device, you can do it in just a few steps.
Note: If you log into Instagram using Facebook, you need to change your password through Facebook's settings, not through Instagram.
The steps to change your password in the mobile app are essentially the same for both iOS and Android.
1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Tap your account icon in the lower-right corner to go to your profile page.
Quick tip: If you have multiple Instagram accounts and want to change the password for a different account, tap and hold the account icon at the bottom of the screen and choose the account you want from the pop-up window.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right of the screen and tap Settings.
After tapping the three horizontal lines, select "Settings." Stefan Ionescu/Insider4.
Tap Security.
5. On the Security page, tap Password.
Select "Password" at the top. Stefan Ionescu/Insider7.
Enter your current password and then type the new password you want to use. When you're done, tap Save (if you're using iOS) or the checkmark (on Android).
1. Open the Instagram website.
2. Click the hamburger menu (the three-dot icon) in the bottom-left corner, and in the menu that appears, click Settings.
Click the account icon and then select "Settings" in the dropdown menu. Stefan Ionescu/Insider3. In the left side menu, click Change Password.
4. On the right side, enter your current password and then type the new password you want to use. When you're done click Change Password.
How to reset your Instagram password if you've forgotten itIf you've lost or forgotten your password, you may need to reset it. You can do that from the login screen on the mobile app or in a browser on desktop.
On the Android app:1. On your Android device, open Instagram so you can see the login screen.
2.
Under the username and password fields, tap Get help logging in.
3. Enter your email address, phone number, or username, and then tap Next.
4. You'll get a message with instructions on how to reset your password.
On the iOS app:1. On your device, open Instagram so you see the login screen.
2. Under the username and password fields, tap Forgot password?
3. Choose which tab you want to use — Username or Phone — and enter the appropriate credentials associated with your account, then tap Next.
4. Follow the instructions in the message you receive to reset your password.
On the desktop site:1. Go to the Instagram website in a browser and on the login screen, under the username and password fields, click Forgot password?
2.
Enter your email address, phone number, or username and tap Send Login Link.
3. You'll get a message with instructions on how to reset your password.
Dave Johnson
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts.
Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
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Knowing how to change your Instagram password or reset it is an important part of following good security practice for your account. It’s generally a good idea to refresh all passwords every once in a while (and ideally use one of the best password managers), and Instagram is no exception to this — even if it’s arguably less of a target for hackers due to the lack of card details stored within.
So whether your login has been revealed in a data breach, you want to make things more secure (don’t use the same password across sites!) or you’ve simply forgotten what you picked first time, here’s how to change your Instagram password or reset it.
Note that these instructions are for people who use an independent login.
Since its acquisition in 2012, you have been able to sign in using your Facebook credentials, and if you do this then you’ll want to change your password there instead.
Assuming that you are using an independent login, here's how to change your Instagram password or reset it.
For most people, changing your Instagram password is best done via the app.
Start the Instagram app on Android or iOS and you’ll be greeted with the latest photos from your feed. You need to head to your profile page, and you do this by tapping your icon in the bottom right-hand corner.
This will be an unnecessary step for most, but if you have multiple profiles on the app (if you have business and personal accounts, say) make sure you’re on the right one. If you’re not, simply tap the arrow next to your name and select the one you want to alter.
Tap the three horizontal lines to the right of your profile name to open the options menu.
At the very bottom of the list of options, you’ll find a cog icon and the word “Settings”. Tap it.
In the submenu that opens, you’ll spot an option labelled “Security” fourth item down. Select it.
The first option in the list is “Password”. Tap it.
Just type in your current password once, and your new password twice, and you’re done. If you’ve forgotten your existing password, then there’s a link here to reset it.
Don’t forget to add your new chosen login to any password managers you might be using.
The process changing your Instagram password is pretty similar on desktop.
Head to www.instagram.com . Once again, you’ll be met with a feed of photos from accounts you follow.
(Image credit: Alan Martin)Press your icon in the top right-hand corner, and then click “Settings.”
From the navigation list in the left-hand side, press “Change Password” — it's the second option down.
Enter your new choice of password (twice) and your old password to confirm it’s really you, and not somebody who’s grabbed your laptop without you logging out. Once again if you’ve forgotten your password, you can reset it by pressing the link labelled “Forgot Password?”
Of course none of this is much use if you can’t log in to your account in the first place. Here’s how to reset your Instagram password if you’ve forgotten it.
Either open the app or head to www.instagram.com . If you’re not already logged in, you’ll be met with a log-in screen that looks similar on both.
Underneath the login box, there’s a linked labelled “Forgot password?” Press it.
In order to reset a password without knowing what it is, Instagram needs something more from you. Enter either your associated email address, the account name or (if connected) your mobile phone number. Then press “Send Login Link.”
(Image credit: Alan Martin)Instagram will contact you via email with two links you can press. One logs you straight back in with the immediate option to change your password if you want. The other just lets you reset the password.
Either way, enter it twice and you’re done.
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When using your account for a long time or spamming attacks, the question arises of how to change your password on Instagram. If this is not done, it is likely that the profile will be blocked by the administration of the social network.
Contents
The password from Instagram needs to be changed in several cases:
In such situations, it is advisable to change the password in order to avoid unexpected blocking, as well as various mailings and reposts from your account.
Most users use mobile devices to access their personal profile. You can also change the password through the network application. This is done in the following way.
At the top, enter " Current password ", average -" New password "(Generate it or come up with it yourself). At the bottom, confirm it.
If you're worried about forgetting your password, use the autofill feature. It is automatically configured on most modern Android devices.
On PC, there are several ways to launch the application. However, not every one of them has the ability to log in when you forgot your Instagram password.
The password is changed in the same way as on smartphones. For the method to work, you need to install the emulator and Instagram in it.
On a Windows 10 PC, you can install an app that you download from the Microsoft Store:
In the list of options found, click " Download ". If it says " Run " instead, the program is already installed.
You can recover your password if you forgot it by clicking on the blue button " Forgot your password ".
It appears at the time of authorization.
When creating a password to enter your Instagram account, you must come up with a complex combination that consists of at least six characters. Such a code will be difficult for hackers to pick up.
Login and password - data for authorization in the account, "keys" for accessing personal data.
Knowing it, the other person will have full control over the page: they will be able to delete data, send spam, share photos from the "Archive". You can recover your password on Instagram in the following ways: through the “Reset password by number or email” function, using technical support or Facebook profile.
Table of contents
It is recommended to change the password from social networks once a month.
Or, depending on the activity of the account owner, once every two weeks. You can change an existing password to a new one if the user correctly enters the old one or is sure of its spelling. In the opposite situation, you need to use " Reset via Facebook ".
You can change your password on Instagram using the standard settings (section "Privacy and security"). To change the password:
The system will ask you to enter the old one once and the new one twice. You need to enter carefully, taking into account the case.
You can change your Instagram password from the computer version:
After this procedure, you need to log in again on your smartphone with new data. If the profile is linked to Facebook, it is easier to log into the account using it.
To protect your profile from hacking and hijacking, enable two-factor authentication. Then the problem with the password will not become critical, and the password can simply be changed if you forget it.
The problem can occur in two cases: when authorizing and entering data, or when changing the old one. For users who have previously connected other social networks, it will not be difficult to reset data through Facebook.
The rest can use three types of recovery:
The first two methods are suitable for those who have not been hacked, but simply forgot the password.
The third one is used more often in cases where there is a suspicion of an account being hacked or there is no way to log in, even with the correct data entry.
If the user cannot log in to the account, the "Forgot password" section below the entry line will help. The system will offer: recovery by email and phone number. They must match those used for registration.
To recover or reset your password using the link, you must specify your email address during registration. It can be added later by specifying it in the main profile information. The function is available in the "Forgot password" section during authorization.
Instructions on how to restore access to the profile:
A link will be sent to the email address, clicking on which will open the data reset window.
After that, you can enter new information and log in using it.
If the account owner has not sent a request for recovery, immediately contact technical support. The account may have been hacked or a technical error has occurred.
In this way, you can reset your Instagram password from your phone or web version. Browser-based Instagram has the same feature: Forgot your password.
If the recovery link is not received:
In this case, you need to use the following methods to return access.
More often, an Instagram account is linked through a phone number. To restore access, SMS is sent, where a special code is indicated.
If the old SIM card is out of date, it is recommended to change the phone number on Instagram in a timely manner.
Also, the “Robot will call” system is used: the automatic system will send a request in the form of a standard call. The user does not need to pick up the phone - authorization will occur instantly after receiving the request.
But this option is only available on a smartphone. From the computer version, you can receive the code in SMS and enter it in the appropriate line. Specifying a number that does not match the registration number, the user will not receive a response message.
To change from your phone, you need to go to the same section: "Forgot your password" and indicate the registration number in the recovery methods.
If you do not receive an SMS to reset your password:
Most access problems are due to operator errors or smartphone settings. In such cases, the user should check the signal strength, try sending a message to his phone from another number.
If there are no failures in the operation of the mobile device, try restoring it later or contact technical support.
Linking your page to Facebook makes it easier to reset your Instagram password from your computer or phone. Instagram automatically connects to a profile in another social network and resets data, without SMS and email address. It remains to enter a new one and log in with it.
The "Reset password via Facebook" section is available in the profile settings " Privacy and Security " and when you sign in to your account. An inscription appears under the input line, clicking on which will open a tab with the entrance to the Facebook page.
Instructions on how to log into Instagram via Facebook if you forgot the access code:
The same, available in the authorization section. When entering data from Facebook, you need to make sure that you are logged into the linked profile. If you specify a username and password for a page that was not previously used for Instagrama, the system will prompt you to create a new profile. You can enter the page without a password if the account was registered using Facebook.
The method will not work if the profile on another social network has been deleted.
Help Center deals with issues related to:
You can apply using the link: you can create an appeal here.
Or create a ticket in section " Support ". Instructions on how to find out or change your password by contacting technical specialists:
Next, the user needs to select a category for their question. Technical support does not answer everything, so choose one of the first three. In the input field that appears, describe your problem.
The access recovery scheme will take from a few to 72 hours. The user needs a photo with a code sent to his email box, indicate the devices from which he was logged into the social network.
The first thing the profile owner should do if messages or letters are not received in the mail is to check the email for hacking.
Spam or deleted emails may contain important emails or other signs of scammers.
