How to delete Instagram account: permanently, online (2023)
Instagram is a great way to stay up-to-date with friends and family, but sometimes you may want to take a break or detox entirely from social media. In this guide, we will show you how to delete your Instagram account.
How to delete an Instagram account permanently?
Deleting your Instagram account is irreversible, meaning you will lose all your photos and information. This is why the social media site provides you with the option to temporarily disable your account so that you may restore it at a later date.
To permanently delete your account in Accounts Centre
To permanently delete your Instagram account, rather than simply disabling your account, you have to login to your account in the browser version of the platform:
- Here, lick on the three lines
More in the bottom left
- Then choose Settings
- Click Accounts Centre > Personal details.
- Click Account ownership and control
- Click Deactivation or deletion
- Click the account that you want to permanently delete.
- Click Delete account, then click Continue (alternatively, here you can choose the option to temporarily deactivate your account).
- To confirm this action, you will have to write your password.
To permanently delete your account on Delete your account page
You can also delete permanently your account using Instagram's "Delete your account" page on the web. You will be prompted if you're not already logged in.
- Go to Instagram's "Delete your account" page on the web. You will be prompted if you're not already logged in.
- Select your reason for deleting from the drop-down menu next to Why are you deleting your account:
- Re-enter your password, and click or tap Permanently delete my account.
If you want to delete your Instagram account because you've forgotten your login information you can reset your Instagram password. If for whatever reason you no longer have access to the mobile number or email address associated to your Instagram account, then there isn't really much you can do. If you cannot recover your password, our Instagram account will no be deleted but will remain inactive and inaccessible.
How to delete an Instagram account from your phone?
As we mentioned before, you cannot delete your Instagram account through the Instagram app on your mobile device. Instead, you will need to log in to Instagram on your mobile browser and follow all the steps described above. These steps should also work if you are looking for how to delete your Instagram account on iPhones and not simply on Android devices. If you only want to temporarily remove the distraction of Instagram, then you can remove the Instagram app from your mobile but still keep your Instagram account active.
Can you reactivate a deleted Instagram account?
If you temporarily disable your account, you can recover your profile and previous posts by reactivating them. However, if you have chosen to permanently delete your Instagram account, you will not be able to recover it. To regain access to the Instagram app, you must recreate an account. If you are unsure wether you want to keep your account active or not, consider temporarily disabling it instead of deleting it.
How to recover deleted or archived photos on Instagram?
Instagram has recently introduced an archive option that allows you to hide your images; Instagram stores them in-app so that you don't have to worry about deleting them and losing the comments and likes that it had. If you want to recover these images, head to the Archive section in your Instagram app (the clock in the top-left corner of the screen), and select the image that you would like to recover:
Then, press Show on Profile:
If you have deleted an image from the app but have not disabled Instagram's automatic saving feature, you should be able to locate the image in your Camera Roll or in your chosen folder. Should you use Instagram on a laptop, you can always download your images as you go along using this tutorial, so you never lose them. If you don't have Instagram on your computer, you can always download Instagram for PC.