How to have a private account on instagram
Want to set your Instagram account private? Follow below-given steps
Here is a complete step by step guide which you can follow so that only approved followers can see what you share.
India Today Web Desk
New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 13, 2020 18:55 IST
Steps you can follow to set your Instagram account to private | Representational image
By India Today Web Desk: If you want to hide your post content by a particular individual or group of people who might go looking for you on Instagram, you can change your privacy setting. By default, anyone can see your profile and posts on Instagram, but Instagram gives you the option to make your account private so that only followers you approve can see what you share.
Do you know how to set your Instagram account to private? Here is a step by step guide which you can follow to set your Instagram account to private. If your account is set to private, then only would the followers you approved be able to see your photos or videos on hashtag or location pages.
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Here is a step-by-step guide which you can follow to set your Instagram account to private from the Instagram app. You can set your Instagram account to private from your Android as well as an iOS device.
Step 1: First you need to open the Instagram app on your Android or iOS device.
Step 2: Then go to your profile, then tap Settings.
Step 3: From the given option tap Privacy and then Account Privacy.
Step 4: Next you need to tap next to Private Account to make your account private.
If you want to set your account to private through your computer or using a mobile browser, you can follow the below-given steps:
Step 1: At first you need to go to instagram.
com on your computer or mobile browser.
Step 2: After that you need to click Human icon, then click Menu.
Step 3: Next you need to click Privacy and Security.
Step 4: Below the Account Privacy, click to check the box next to Private Account.
So Instagram allows you to make your account private at any time. You can follow the above-given steps to make your account private. Remember, when you make your account private, your existing followers won't be affected.
Important points about private accounts- Remember that the private posts you share to social networks may be visible to the public depending on your privacy settings for those networks. For example, If you share a post to Twitter that was set to private on Instagram may be visible to the people who can see your Twitter posts.
- Once you make your Instagram account private, people who want to follow you will have to send you a follow request to see your posts.
- All the follow requests which you will receive will appear in
- Activity, where you can approve or ignore them.
- If someone who is already following you before you set your posts to private and you don't want them to see your posts, you can simply block them.
- Any Instagram user can send a photo or video directly to you even if they're not following you.
Apart from the above points, keep in mind that business profiles users will not be able to make their accounts private. In case if you want to make your business account private, you first have to switch back to a personal account.
(Information source: Instagram help)
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How To Make Instagram Account Private & Why You Should
By Joseph Maring
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Instagram makes it very easy to set a profile to private or public.
For users looking for more privacy on the app, it's an unignorable feature.
Instagram can sometimes be too much to handle but, by making an account private, users can regain control over how they use the social media app. While private accounts aren't a new Instagram feature, it's definitely worth considering using.
Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has skyrocketed as one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Users can share photos on their timeline, add to Instagram Stories, get lost on the Explore page, and even do a bit of shopping. In addition to seemingly endless features, Instagram has also attracted a downright massive audience — over 1 billion monthly users. Having so many people on the app can often bring unwanted attention to people's profiles but, thankfully, this is a fairly easy thing to avoid.
Related: Instagram Users Can Block Specific Words, Phrases & Emojis From DMs
To make an Instagram account private, Instagram says to open the app and tap the profile icon on the bottom navigation bar.
From there, tap the three lines in the upper-right corner, tap 'Settings,' tap 'Privacy,' and then tap the toggle next to 'Private Account.' Instagram then shows a pop-up message with more details about switching to a Private Account, informing users that doing so only allows followers to view the account's photos/videos. After reviewing this, tap the 'Switch to Private' button to confirm the change. If someone switches to a Private Account but wants to disable it, they can do so at any time by re-tapping the toggle next to Private Account.
Switching to a private Instagram account is easy enough, but why would someone want to do this in the first place? For most people, it all comes down to privacy. If an Instagram account is public, anyone can look it up in the app and view anything they've posted. Private accounts can still be searched and found on Instagram, but unless someone is following the account, they can't view any of their posts. If they choose to follow a private account, the account owner needs to approve their follow before that person can see any pictures or videos that have been shared.
Whether someone is sharing personal photos or wants to limit their interactions with strangers on Instagram, setting up a private account is well worth the minimal effort required to create one. It takes mere seconds, can be undone just as quickly, and is a great way to add a layer of privacy that otherwise isn't there. Some people may be perfectly fine keeping their account public, but going private is a smart move for those that aren't.
Next: How To Make A Remix Video On Instagram
Source: Instagram
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About The Author
Joseph Maring (1653 Articles Published)
Joe has been actively writing and talking about consumer tech since 2012.
His biggest passion lies with smartphones, but he's happy to talk your ear off about just about anything with a CPU. He lives in Kalamazoo, MI with his wife, two cats, and pit bull/boxer mix.
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How to close an Instagram profile from outsiders
By default, each registered account on the Instagram social network is open to all users. Any owner of an Instagram page can view posts and Stories, send private messages and leave comments. For those who do not like publicity, it is possible to hide their publications from outsiders.
- Why restrict access to your Instagram account
- How to close an Instagram profile using a smartphone or tablet
- How to close an Instagram account using a computer
- How to add or remove followers on a closed Instagram profile
- How to make a closed Instagram profile reopen
- How to close a business -profile on Instagram
- In what cases it is necessary to close the profile on Instagram
In some cases, it becomes necessary to block annoying visitors so that they cannot interact with the owner of the Instagram account.
Privacy settings allow you to restrict access to the profile to unwanted interlocutors, spammers and scammers. Also, such a decision may be due to the desire to hide their activity from a certain circle of people.
After activating a private Instagram profile, new followers will need to request permission to follow and view posts. Approve the application from each specific follower or reject, the creator of the account will decide. If a particular subscriber is undesirable, it can be removed using the option of the same name.
If you use Instagram through the official mobile application, the procedure is as follows:
- Log in to Instagram with your username and click on the avatar icon located in the lower right corner.
- Click on the three-bar icon at the top of the screen.
- In the pop-up menu, you must select the "Settings" item (on iOS devices it is called "Settings").
- On the new page, you will need to go to the "Privacy" section.
- In the "Closed account" line, you must turn the switch to the active position.
- To confirm, click on the "Make private" button.
After enabling this option, only existing followers, as well as those who have received appropriate approval from the account owner, will have access to visiting the page on Instagram. If a particular subscriber annoys with insults or unwanted communication, it is enough to add him to the so-called "black list".
To do this, you need to visit the profile of the ill-wisher and click on the ellipsis symbol at the top of the screen. After that, a list of functions will be displayed in which you will need to select the “Block” item. As a result, a window will appear with a warning that this user will no longer be able to write to you in Instagram Direct, view posts and Stories. This window will ask you to confirm the blocking of the user.
The procedure for activating a closed account on the desktop version of Instagram consists of the following steps:
- Go to the official Instagram website and log in to your account.
- In the upper corner, click on your avatar image.
- After that, a menu will open in which you will need to click on the "Settings" button.
- Next, you will need to go to the "Privacy and Security" tab.
- It remains to tick the box "Closed account" to restrict access to outsiders.
If you make your Instagram profile private, then new followers will have to send a subscription request to the account owner. The corresponding requests will appear in the "Actions" tab located on the bottom panel.
Applications can be approved or ignored at your discretion. In order to allow access to publications for a specific subscriber, you will need to click on the "Confirm" button located opposite the profile picture.
To return the ability to see your posts on Instagram to strangers, you need to follow the reverse procedure. To do this, in the Instagram profile settings, you need to go to the "Privacy" section. Then uncheck the box next to the "Closed account" line, turning your account into a public one.
A warning will appear on the screen that the privacy settings have changed, and now all users will be able to visit the page without the approval of the creator. Here you will need to confirm your action by clicking on the "OK" button.
For a business account on Instagram, switching to a closed profile type is inappropriate, since such an action is guaranteed to lead to the loss of some of the existing followers. In addition, this feature is only available for personal accounts. It is important to understand that Instagram is characterized by an engaged audience that actively engages with business account holders.
Potential customers will want to familiarize themselves with the assortment of the promoted brand. This will not be possible if the creator restricts entry to interested users.
This feature will be useful in cases where there is a desire to protect your page from uninvited guests and unfriendly commentators, and make your stay on the Instagram social network more comfortable.
After that, only current subscribers will be able to view the published photos, videos and stories. If you do not have the task of promoting your account and gaining more followers, then you may like this solution.
In addition, the "Restrictions" function is available in Instagram, which allows you to get rid of a group of users. After its activation, messages and comments will be hidden from unwanted users (until the account owner approves it).
Please leave your opinions on the current topic of the article. Thank you so much for the comments, dislikes, responses, subscriptions, likes!
Kristina Gorbunovaauthor
How to close an Instagram profile from strangers
By default, each registered account on the Instagram social network is open to all users.
Any owner of an Instagram page can view posts and Stories, send private messages and leave comments. For those who do not like publicity, it is possible to hide their publications from outsiders.
- Why restrict access to your Instagram account
- How to close an Instagram profile using a smartphone or tablet
- How to close an Instagram account using a computer
- How to add or remove followers on a private Instagram profile
- How to make it private Instagram profile reopened
- How to close a business profile on Instagram
- When to close an Instagram profile
In some cases, it becomes necessary to block annoying visitors so that they cannot interact with the owner of the Instagram account. Privacy settings allow you to restrict access to the profile to unwanted interlocutors, spammers and scammers. Also, such a decision may be due to the desire to hide their activity from a certain circle of people.
After activating a private Instagram profile, new followers will need to request permission to follow and view posts.
Approve the application from each specific follower or reject, the creator of the account will decide. If a particular subscriber is undesirable, it can be removed using the option of the same name.
If you use Instagram through the official mobile application, the procedure is as follows:
- Log in to Instagram with your username and click on the avatar icon located in the lower right corner.
- Click on the three-bar icon at the top of the screen.
- In the pop-up menu, you must select the "Settings" item (on iOS devices it is called "Settings").
- On the new page, you will need to go to the "Privacy" section.
- In the "Closed account" line, you need to turn the switch to the active position.
- To confirm, click on the "Make private" button.
After enabling this option, only existing followers, as well as those who have received appropriate approval from the account owner, will have access to visiting the page on Instagram.
If a particular subscriber annoys with insults or unwanted communication, it is enough to add him to the so-called "black list".
To do this, you need to visit the profile of the ill-wisher and click on the ellipsis symbol at the top of the screen. After that, a list of functions will be displayed in which you will need to select the “Block” item. As a result, a window will appear with a warning that this user will no longer be able to write to you in Instagram Direct, view posts and Stories. This window will ask you to confirm the blocking of the user.
The procedure for activating a closed account on the desktop version of Instagram consists of the following steps:
- Go to the official website of Instagram and log in to your account.
- In the upper corner, click on your avatar image.
- After that, a menu will open in which you will need to click on the "Settings" button.
- Next, you will need to go to the "Privacy and Security" tab.
- It remains to tick the box "Closed account" to restrict access to outsiders.
If you make your Instagram profile private, then new followers will have to send a subscription request to the account owner. The corresponding requests will appear in the "Actions" tab located on the bottom panel.
Applications can be approved or ignored at your discretion. In order to allow access to publications for a specific subscriber, you will need to click on the "Confirm" button located opposite the profile picture.
To return the ability to see your posts on Instagram to strangers, you need to follow the reverse procedure. To do this, in the Instagram profile settings, you need to go to the "Privacy" section. Then uncheck the box next to the "Closed account" line, turning your account into a public one.
A warning will appear on the screen stating that the privacy settings have changed, and now all users will be able to visit the page without the approval of the creator.
Here you will need to confirm your action by clicking on the "OK" button.
For a business account on Instagram, switching to a private profile type is inappropriate, since such an action is guaranteed to lead to the loss of some of the existing followers. In addition, this feature is only available for personal accounts. It is important to understand that Instagram is characterized by an engaged audience that actively engages with business account holders.
Potential customers will want to familiarize themselves with the assortment of the promoted brand. This will not be possible if the creator restricts entry to interested users.
This feature will be useful in cases where you want to protect your page from uninvited guests and unfriendly commentators, and make your stay on the Instagram social network more comfortable. After that, only current subscribers will be able to view the published photos, videos and stories. If you do not have the task of promoting your account and gaining more followers, then you may like this solution.
