How to Delete or Deactivate Your Instagram Account

Instagram is a popular social media platform that allows users to share photos, videos, and connect with friends and family. However, there may come a time when you want to take a break from the constant scrolling and distractions, or you may have privacy concerns. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of deleting or deactivating your Instagram account.

Deleting Your Instagram Account Permanently

Before you proceed with deleting your account, keep in mind that once your account is deleted, you won’t be able to sign up again using the same username, and all your photos, comments, likes, and followers will be removed permanently. To delete your Instagram account:

1. Log into your Instagram account from a computer or mobile browser (you can’t delete your account from the Instagram app).
2. Go to the ‘Delete Your Account’ page.
3. From the drop-down menu, select the reason why you want to delete your account (e.g., privacy concerns, too many ads, created a second account).
4. Instagram will provide you with some helpful articles based on your selected reason. If none of the reasons apply, choose ‘Something Else’.
5. Re-enter your account password when prompted.
6. Click on the ‘Permanently delete my account’ button.

If you have multiple Instagram accounts and want to delete one of them:

1. From the top-right corner of the ‘Delete Your Account’ page, click on the account’s username.
2. Click on the settings gear icon next to the username and then click on ‘Log Out’.
3. Log into the account you wish to delete and follow the steps mentioned above.

Deactivating Your Instagram Account Temporarily

If you don’t want to permanently delete your account, you can choose to deactivate it temporarily. This option will hide your profile, photos, comments, and likes until you reactivate your account by logging back in. To deactivate your Instagram account:

1. Log into your Instagram account on the web (you can’t deactivate your account from the Instagram app).
2. Click on the profile icon and select ‘Profile’ from the top-right corner.
3. Choose the ‘Edit Profile’ option and scroll down until you find the ‘Temporarily disable my account’ option.
4. Select a reason for disabling your account from the drop-down menu.
5. Re-enter your password when prompted.
6. Click on the ‘Temporarily Disable Account’ button.

Please note that you can only deactivate your Instagram account once a week.

Accessing the Delete Your Account Page from the Instagram App

Although you can’t delete your account directly from the Instagram app, you can navigate to the ‘Delete Your Account’ page using these steps:

1. Go to your profile in the Instagram app.
2. Tap on the hamburger menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the top-right corner.
3. Tap on ‘Settings’ on the bottom-right side.
4. Go to ‘Help’ and then tap on ‘Help Center’.
5. In the browser window that appears, go to ‘Managing your account’.
6. Tap on ‘Delete Your Account’ and then click on ‘How do I delete my account?’
7. Scroll down and tap on the link that leads you to the ‘Delete Your Account’ page.

From there, follow the steps mentioned in the “Deleting Your Instagram Account Permanently” section.

Conclusion

Whether you want to take a temporary break or permanently cut ties with Instagram, you now have the knowledge to delete or deactivate your account. Remember to carefully consider your decision, as deleting your account is irreversible.