How to delete my instagram account completely
How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account or Delete Instagram
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How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account or Delete Instagram: A Quick Guide
If you feel like you need a break from social media, it is okay to deactivate your Instagram account temporarily, or even delete Instagram for good.
We recommend that you download your Instagram data before you deactivate or delete your account.
Follow these steps to deactivate Instagram:
- Log in to Instagram on a browser.
- Click on your profile picture, choose “Profile” > “Edit Profile.”
- Scroll down and click “Temporarily disable my account.”
- Choose a reason in the “Why are you disabling your account” section.
- Re-enter your password and confirm your decision.
If you want to delete your Instagram account, the process is not very different. Check out the article below for step-by-step instructions.
If you are concerned about your privacy on Instagram, using a VPN can help to safeguard your data. A VPN protects your internet traffic from prying eyes and makes it harder for hackers to breach your privacy. We recommend picking a trusted VPN like NordVPN.
Continue reading the article below for more information about how to deactivate or delete your Instagram account.
Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms in the world, with over one billion active users every month.
While this translates to a lot of perfectly curated photos and stories to scroll through, it also makes the platform ripe for scams. Cyberattacks and fraud are rife on Instagram. We’ve reported on several Instagram cyberattacks this year, including a phishing attack that bypasses Gmail’s security filters.
Meanwhile, studies indicate that excessive use of social media platforms like Instagram can adversely affect your mental health. In fact, in 2021, Instagram tried to suppress an internal study that showed the negative effects of the app on teenage girls.
Are you concerned about your privacy? Are flashy influencers grinding on your patience? Do you want to spend less time scrolling through Instagram and focus on improving your productivity?
It may be time to deactivate your Instagram account, or perhaps delete Instagram altogether!
In this post, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to deactivate Instagram temporarily or delete your Instagram account permanently.
Deactivate vs. Delete: Which Is Right For You?
Instagram doesn’t want you to leave, so deleting your account is not your only recourse. You can also choose to deactivate it.
Here are the key differences between deactivating and deleting Instagram.
| Delete Your Instagram Account Permanently | Deactivate Your Instagram Account Temporarily |
|---|---|
| Deleting your Instagram account is irreversible | If you deactivate your Instagram account, you can reactivate it at any time just by logging in |
| When you delete your Instagram account, all your photos, followers, likes, and comments are permanently removed | If you deactivate your account, your photos, followers, comments, and likes are preserved |
| If you delete your account, you could lose your username if someone else claims it | If you deactivate Instagram, your account is hidden indefinitely, but no one can take your username |
Download and Backup Your Instagram Data
Whether you plan to deactivate or delete your Instagram account, we recommend that you grab a copy of all the things you’ve shared on the Instagram app.
How to download your Instagram data on the iPhone and Android app
Here’s how to download your Instagram data on your iPhone or Android device:
- Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Tap the three lines in the upper right corner.
- Select “Your activity.”
- To download your account data, click on “Download Your Information.”
- Next, click on “Request Download.” You can change the email address shown to have the data sent to another address.
- Enter your password.
- Tap “Request Download.”
It can take 48 hours to 14 days to receive your file. You’ll receive an email with the subject line “Your Instagram Data.” Click the link in the email to download your file. The file usually includes your profile information, photos, comments, and other data.
How to download your Instagram data on a computer or mobile browser
If you’re accessing Instagram on a web browser, here’s how to request your data file:
- Click your profile picture in the upper right corner.
- Choose “Settings” (the small cog icon).
- Select “Privacy and Security.”
- Scroll down to “Data Download” and click “Request Download.”
- Enter an email address to receive the download link, or leave the default email you used to log in.
- Choose the format for your data file — HTML or JSON. HTML is relatively easier to use.
- Type in your Instagram password.
- Click “Request Download.”
Within 48 hours, you will receive an email titled “Your Instagram Data.” Click the link in the email to download your file.
How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account
Not quite ready to walk away from Instagram? If you feel like a brief separation is all you need, then consider deactivating your Instagram account.
Unfortunately, you can’t deactivate an Instagram account from the iPhone or Android app. You’ll need to use your computer or mobile browser to cut ties with the social media platform.
Here’s how to deactivate your Instagram account on your computer or a mobile browser.
- Open a browser window and log in to the Instagram account you want to deactivate.
- Click your profile picture in the top right.
- Choose “Profile” > “Edit Profile.”
- Scroll down and click “Temporarily disable my account.”
- From the “Why are you disabling your account?” section, select a reason from the dropdown menu. You won’t be able to proceed until you select a reason.
- Re-enter your account password.
- Click “Temporarily Disable Account” to deactivate your Instagram account.
Your Instagram account will be hidden and won’t show up in search results.
Your username, photos, likes, followers, and comments will be preserved.
Note: The moment you log back into your account, it will be reactivated. You can only deactivate your Instagram account once per week.
How to Reactivate Your Instagram Account
If you’ve deactivated your Instagram account but want to access it again, follow these steps.
- Launch the Instagram app on your smartphone or tablet, or open Instagram in a web browser.
- On the Instagram home screen, enter your login credentials.
- Tap “Login” and your account will be restored.
If you change your mind right away after deactivating your account, you may have to wait up to 24 hours before you can reactivate it. Instagram typically takes several hours to complete deactivation requests. Until that process is complete, you won’t be able to reactivate your account.
How to Stay Safe on Instagram
If privacy and safety are the primary reasons you’re considering deactivating or deleting your Instagram account, there are ways to enhance your privacy on the social media platform.
We recommend using a VPN like NordVPN to encrypt your web traffic and hide your IP address from hackers and other prying eyes.
We have an article on how to tweak your privacy settings on Instagram for improved security. Our article on the most common Instagram scams is also a great resource. If you have kids, check out our guide on how to protect your kids on Instagram.
How to Delete Your Instagram Account Permanently
If you’re ready to completely delete your Instagram account, you’ll need to be on your computer with a web browser. Unfortunately, you cannot delete an Instagram account via the app on iPhone or Android.
Here’s how to delete your Instagram account permanently.
- Log in to Instagram on a browser. If you have more than one Instagram account, be sure you are logged in to the account you want to delete.
- Go to the “Delete Your Account” page. Unfortunately, there is no menu option to access this page easily, so you need the direct link.
- From the dropdown menu in the “Why do you want to delete [account name]” section, select the reason you want to delete your Instagram account. You will be asked for additional information, depending on the option you select.
- When you’re done, re-enter your Instagram account password.
- Click the “Permanently delete my account” button.
Your account will be deleted immediately, including all the photos, likes, followers, and comments associated with your account. You should see a message confirming this that reads, “Your account has been removed. We’re sorry to see you go!”
For all intents and purposes, your Instagram account has now been deleted.
However, Instagram says it may take up to three months for your account data to be completely removed from its servers. Instagram’s Data Policy also points out that some information may be retained on its servers beyond this 90-day window for legal purposes.
Final Thoughts
Instagram can be fun, but it poses a potential risk to your privacy and—in some cases—mental health. There are different opinions about the right way to use social media, but it is clear that taking a break is necessary sometimes.
It is perfectly fine to deactivate or permanently delete your Instagram account. Instagram and all other social media will be there when you are ready to use them again.
If you’re looking to do a social media cleanse, we have articles on how to delete your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Telegram accounts.
How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account or Delete Instagram: Frequently Asked Questions
Check out the FAQ section below for answers to specific questions about how to deactivate or delete your Instagram account.
How do I delete my Instagram account from a phone?
Since Instagram doesn’t let you delete your account within the app itself, you’ll need to log on to Instagram via a web browser. Once you do, follow these steps to delete your Instagram account permanently.
- Go to the “Delete Your Account” page.
- In the “Why do you want to delete [account name]” section, choose the reason you are deleting your account.
- Re-enter your Instagram password.
- Click the “Delete [username]” button.
For more instructions, read our article “How to Delete Your Instagram Account.”
What is the difference between deleting and deactivating my Instagram account?
When you delete your Instagram account, all your photos, followers, likes, and comments are gone forever.
Your username is also up for grabs. However, when you deactivate your Instagram account, your data is preserved, and you can reactivate your account at any time.
How do I deactivate an Instagram account?
You can only deactivate your Instagram account by logging in via a browser.
Follow the steps below to deactivate your account.
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Choose “Profile” > “Edit Profile.”
- Scroll down and click “Temporarily disable my account.”
- Choose a reason from the “Why are you disabling your account?” section.
- Re-enter your password.
- Click “Temporarily Disable Account.”
How do I reactivate an Instagram account?
To reactivate your Instagram account, all you have to do is log in via the app or a browser, and it’s done automatically. If you’ve just deactivated your account, you’ll have to wait for 24 hours before you can reactivate it.
Liz Wegerer Author
Tech journalist
Liz is a professional writer with a special interest in online privacy and cybersecurity. As a US expat who travels and works in diverse locations around the world, keeping up with the latest internet safety best practices remains her priority.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account (2022)
Of course, there comes a time when you might want to disconnect from your social platforms, and not just temporarily. More often than ever, people are choosing to delete their social media presence to live a life less focused on online culture. Whether you’re trying to protect your future job aspects by deleting your social media or just reaching for your phone a little bit less, deleting your social media accounts may lead to a healthier life.
Permanently deleting your Instagram account may seem like a significant step, but it’s easy to carry out if you’re ready to be free of your profile and get some spare time back in your life. Let’s look at how to delete your Instagram account permanently.
Save Your Instagram Data before Deleting Your Account
Before you act out of frustration or want to make a move to delete your Instagram account permanently, it is a good idea to back up your Instagram data. You can’t add it back later, and you may have valuable photos, interactions, and friends. When you delete your account, Instagram will do just that, delete your account and everything in it, including your photos, likes, comments, and friends. To save your account data, follow these steps:
- Open Instagram and tap the profile icon in the lower right corner.
- Tap the hamburger icon (Menu) in the top right corner, then tap Settings at the bottom.
- Select Security, then tap the Download Data option.
- Enter your email address and tap Request Download.
Within 48 hours, Instagram will email a complete file of your profile to the email address you provided. The email contains your photos, comments, profile information, and everything else you may need to access in the future. Even if you think you’ll never need this data again, it’s an essential step to ensuring that your information is protected if you ever want to view it. If you don’t do this, you’ll lose your data completely, and you’ll never get it back, no matter how hard you try.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
After you’ve saved your Instagram data, you can move on to deleting your Instagram account. There are two options for users. The first is to permanently delete your Instagram account and everything associated with it, while the second is a temporary option.
Permanently deleting your Instagram account can only happen using a browser, but you can do that on both mobile and desktop browsers. Before your profile disappears forever, Instagram makes your account temporarily invisible for 30 days. Therefore, you can reinstate it if you change your mind. Here’s how to permanently delete your Instagram account:
- Go to the unique Delete Your Instagram Account page on your browser (ensure that you’re logged in).
- Select a reason for deletion from the drop-down menu.
- Click or tap the Delete button to confirm your decision.
Temporarily Delete/Disable Your Instagram Account
If you are only looking for a break from Instagram or don’t want to make an irrational decision, disable your Instagram account rather than delete it. Disabling logs you out and hides your profile. As far as your followers are concerned, you may as well have deleted the account. However, this method allows you to reinstate your profile at any time when temporarily disabled by simply logging back in.
Follow these steps to disable your account:
- Go to Instagram.com from your browser on any device (you cannot do this from the app).
- Log in if prompted to do so.
- Click or tap on the profile icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Click or tap Profile, then select Edit Profile.
- Scroll down and tap Temporarily disable my account to the right of the Submit button.
- You get asked why you are doing this. Select an option from the drop-down menu.
- Re-enter your account password.
- Click or tap Temporarily Disable Account.
Delete or Disable Instagram without Username or Password
If you have been hacked and want to protect your personal information, you might find the above deletion/disable steps easy, but not if you don’t remember your login credentials. Unfortunately, there is no way to delete or disable an account without first logging in, nor can Instagram do it for you.
If you cannot remember or find your password, or if it got changed by someone else, follow the below steps to access your account.
Access Instagram without Username/Password on Android or iPhone
- Launch the Instagram app.
- Tap Get help logging in under the Login button.
- The Find your account screen appears. Type in your username, email, or phone, then tap Next. You can also select Log in with Facebook or Continue as [your FB name].
- On the new screen, choose Send an email, Send an SMS, or Log in with Facebook.
- Enter the confirmation code sent to you and tap Next.
If all went well with the above steps, you should now be on your Instagram account.
If you think you got hacked, you might not be able to use one or all of these methods, depending on how thorough the hacker has been at changing your recovery information.
- Open the app.
- Tap Get help logging in under the login fields.
- Select the option that allows you to enter your username.
- Tap Need more help?
From here, you can follow the prompts to contact Instagram. They will likely ask you for information regarding the account, such as previously used passwords, recovery information, etc.
Is There Any Way to Get My Account Back After Deletion?
So, officially there’s no option to get your account back after permanently deleting it. Still, several users swear by a workaround method, as explained below.
To sum it up, you need to report your account as hacked to Instagram, just as we’ve done above. Here’s how to do it.
- First, type in your username or email address and click on Instagram’s Get help signing in option.
- From here, select Trouble logging in.
- Follow the prompts, including selecting the type of account you’d like to recover, then choose My account was hacked to proceed.
- Then select hear more about your experience.
- Fill out the forms, and Instagram will send you an email within a few hours. You will eventually need to provide some verification, such as images that you’ve uploaded to that account, your username, email address, and verification code, for this to work.
Instagram Account Delete/Disable FAQs
How long does Instagram keep my data after I delete my account?
Instagram states that it can take up to 90 days to completely delete your account, meaning Instagram may still have pieces of information about your account stored on its servers. However, Instagram’s Data Policy also states that the company may keep information about your account beyond 90 days. The information the company may retain is for legal purposes or related to a violation of the company’s Terms of Use.
Can I delete my child’s account?
Unfortunately, you cannot delete your child’s Instagram account, at least not without the user’s login information.
Instagram’s policy on account deletion states that only the account owner can delete the profile using the instructions above.
How long until Instagram deletes your account?
If you go through the deletion process outlined above, your Instagram account gets deleted after 30 days following the request, and your IG account becomes invisible so nobody can see it. However, all data stored in backups can take up to 90 days to delete.
If you’re wondering how long it takes Instagram to delete inactive accounts or accounts reported for spam or bots, the answer is less known. Instagram periodically deletes completely inactive accounts and bot accounts through their system. However, no one except for Instagram is entirely sure how often this happens or the parameters for deletion.
Wrapping Up
By resetting and deleting your Instagram account for good, you can finally give yourself some personal time to escape and leave behind the ever-present slog of online culture.
Of course, temporarily deactivating your account is a good option if you’re looking to get away for a while, but otherwise, delete away to protect your identity and personality—and your sanity. Do you have any experience or questions regarding deleting an Instagram account? Please share with us in the comment section below.
HOW TO DELETE ACCOUNT ON INSTAGRAM - 2 options: permanently and temporarily
If you need to delete your profile on Instagram, follow the instructions. After that, the user will not be able to upload old photos and stories to his mobile phone.
We advise you to save photos and stories dear to your heart from the archive to your phone in advance. After a month or two, they cannot be returned, they are deleted from the servers.
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How to delete an Instagram account from your phone
Getting rid of the page without leaving the application on your smartphone is real.
To do this, do the following:
1. Go to the Instagram program and go to the profile.
2. Tap on the menu (three bars) on top and click on "Settings".
3. Go to "Help" and "Help Center".
4. Go to "Manage Account".
5. In the "Search" line, enter "Delete profile".
6. Find the "How to delete your account" guide and tap on the link.
7. Take any of the reasons for leaving and write down your password.
After that, the account is deactivated and disappears completely after 30-90 days.
Useful: Review of Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G NE - argued in 8 sections The request to be removed from the servers takes up to three months. This time the link is still active, but there will be no content inside. All publications, likes and comments will not be seen by other users.
After a month or two, Internet users will no longer see the account itself. The information will be deleted. But at the same time, a backup (backup copy) may be on the servers of the service itself for a couple of months.
This is stated in the data usage policy.
The steps on how to permanently delete an Instagram account are the same as in the paragraph above: go to settings, go to help. In the search, register "Delete profile", take "How to delete an account." After tapping on the link, where to choose one of the reasons for getting rid of the page.
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How to temporarily delete an Instagram account
If you don’t want to leave social networks, but you just need to disable your Instagram account for a while, then follow these instructions. So photos, likes and comments will remain hidden: no one can access them. And they will appear only after the account is restored. You cannot turn off the profile in the application - only in the web version. How it's done:
- Open the social network Instagram.com in the browser itself.
- Click on the avatar and go to your profile.
- A page with a menu will open: there you can enter the mobile phone number, gender and other features of the account.
- Scroll and select "Temporarily disable account".
Next, you should find the reason why you want to deactivate the acc. If the point is that you need to delete a comment, you get a lot of ads, or the social network is distracting, Instagram will suggest solutions without deleting it. For those who still want to move away from social networks, just click "Temporarily disable".
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How to delete an Instagram account from a computer
Nickname will be lost when deleting a profile. If another user wants to take this "name" for himself, he can do it. And upon return, you will have to create a page with a new nickname.
Sometimes others may have time to take this name - consider this before deleting your Instagram account.
For those who decide to leave online, the algorithm is as follows:
All steps on how to delete an Instagram account are suitable for any type of profile - personal or professional. The instructions are identical in both cases.
But if you just want to hide the page and keep posting, hiding is enough. To do this, go to the privacy settings and check the box next to "Closed account". After that, only those who have already been subscribed can watch what is happening on the page. No one will even be able to view the content anonymously and through bots.
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How to delete an Instagram account: instructions
Sometimes it is useful to take a break from social networks, but self-discipline allows this only to a few. Then deleting the profile comes to the rescue. We explain how to delete from Instagram permanently or temporarily, saving data
Since March 21, 2022, the social networks Facebook and Instagram have been banned in Russia by a court decision, and the holding company Meta Platforms, which owns them, has been recognized as an extremist organization and is also banned.
Some users notice that they devote too much time to managing their Instagram account to the detriment of work and personal affairs. Even the owner of Instagram, Meta, admitted in internal documents that its social networks have a negative impact on sleep, work, parenting, work productivity and personal life of approximately 12.5% of users. And scientists from the University of British Columbia found that users' own lives begin to seem insufficiently bright and interesting compared to what they see on Instagram.
Meanwhile, until the spring of 2022, the social network was consistently in the top 10 in terms of downloads in Russia and in the world. The international agency We Are Social estimated that in 2021 Instagram ranked fourth in our country in terms of the number of users (61.2% of Russian Internet users go there), and in total 67.8% of the Russian population (99 million people) use social networks. The average Russian spends 3 hours a day outside of work at the monitor or with a smartphone.
In November 2021, Instagram began testing the Take a Break feature. It will allow users to escape from the continuous viewing of the feed. In the settings, it will be possible to set reminders for breaks, for example, 10, 20 or 30 minutes. After that, the application will issue a warning about the need to rest. However, this feature has been opened to a limited number of users so far.
For now, everyone has the only alternative - to give up Instagram for a while or for good.
How to permanently delete an Instagram account
This option should be chosen when the profile is definitely no longer useful: for example, if we are talking about the account of a company that has closed.
Before deleting a profile, Instagram will offer to save data from it. To do this, you need to send a download request. After that, an email will be sent to your email within 48 hours with a link where you can download photos and videos. You can also request a copy of your data through the Instagram app for Android and iPhone.
To do this, open the menu in the profile, go to the "Settings" - "Security" section and select the "Download data" item. Next, you will need to enter your email address and account password.
Download request from Instagram
Even after deleting the profile, it will be visible on the social network for another 30 days. During this time, the user can change his mind and restore the account. If within a month the owner of the profile has never logged into the system, then the account is permanently deleted.
In the web version
To delete a profile using a computer, you need to perform several steps:
- go to the social network site and click on the "Help" button in the lower right corner;
- go to the "Help Center" and select the line "Delete your account" in the left menu;
- follow the link suggested in the article;
- specify the reason for deleting the profile;
- confirm the action by entering a password.
From a smartphone
To delete an Instagram profile using your phone, you need to take more steps:
- enter your profile in the application and click on "Settings";
- in the menu that appears, select the "Help" line and go to the "Help Center";
- on the page that opens, select the item "Manage your account";
- in the search bar enter the query "Delete profile";
- go to the article "How to delete your Instagram account";
- follow the link in the article;
- indicate the reason for deleting the account and enter the page password.
How to temporarily delete an Instagram account
The user can also stop using Instagram for any period and then restore the page. However, you can do this no more than once a week. A temporarily deleted profile is not visible to other users of the social network. To restore it, you just need to log into the application.
In the web version
To temporarily deactivate your profile using a computer, you must perform the following steps:
- go to the social network site under your account;
- click on the profile photo and select "Settings" in the menu that opens;
- at the bottom of the page, click on the link "Temporarily disable my account";
- on the page that opens, indicate the reason for the temporary disconnection and enter the account password.
From the phone
As in the case of the "permanent" deletion, temporary blocking of Instagram will require more steps:
- go to your profile;
- go to the "Settings" section and select the "Help" item;
- in the menu that appears, click on the line "Help Center";
- on the support page, open the "Manage your account" item;
- in the search bar, enter "Temporarily disable";
- go to the article "How to delete your Instagram account";
- click on the link "How to temporarily disable your account" and find the article "Instagram.
com website from a mobile browser"; - click on the link in the first paragraph of the instruction and go to the mobile browser;
- on the main page of the account, click on the "Edit profile" button;
- select the link "Temporarily disable my account" at the bottom of the page.
Is it possible to delete a blocked Instagram account
To delete your account, you need to know your username and password. A forgotten password can be reset using an email address, phone number, or Facebook account. If the user does not have access to the email address specified during registration, and his Instagram and Facebook accounts are not linked, then the support service will not be able to provide access to the account.
In the event that an Instagram account has been blocked by the social network itself, its owner will see a corresponding message when logging in. He can appeal this decision. To do this, you need to open the app, enter your username and password, and then follow the instructions on the screen.
