If you’ve decided to delete Instagram, whether because you’ve outgrown the need for a certain finsta or because its parent company Meta is once again courting controversy, the process is neither as quick nor as straightforward as it should be. It was previously impossible to do so from within the Instagram app.
Take a moment if you’d like to publish the standard “I’m deleting Instagram” message. After then, you have two options on how to proceed.
Deleting Instagram Using the iOS or Android App
Using the app is the simplest option for iPhone users to erase Instagram. To do so, navigate to your profile and select Settings from the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner. Then navigate to Account and scroll to the end of the menu. Under the Branded Content button, there will be a Delete Account button.
If you have it, tapping on it will bring up a menu asking if you want to delete or deactivate your account. You can learn more about these options in the “Temporarily suspending your Instagram account” portion of this tutorial. If you press the Delete account option, you will see a notification stating that you have until a particular date to log back in and cancel the deletion.
When you tap the red Continue removing account button, a web page will load. Here, after answering a question about why you’re deleting your account and entering your password to confirm, you can complete the account deletion procedure.
According to Apple’s regulations, Instagram’s iOS app must enable account deletion. During our testing, this option has not always been accessible on the Android app. If you don’t have the Delete Account option, you must use the website.
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Deleting Instagram on the web
If you’re unable to delete your account via the app, you’ll need to follow these steps, which may be completed on a computer or mobile device as long as you’re using a browser.As stated multiple times on Instagram’s account deactivation page, your data will not be instantaneously deleted; Meta will hold it for 30 days. However, your profile and posts will be hidden.
- You must first visit Instagram’s specific account deletion request page, which may be accessed here or by following the link in its account deletion support article. If you are not logged into Instagram for the web (which is likely the case for the majority of users), you must input your credentials. In fact, it’s likely that you’ll need to enter your password twice during the deletion process, so it’s definitely a good idea to review it now.
- You should be directed to a screen with the old Instagram logo and a dropdown asking why you wish to cancel your account. Depending on your selection, you may be presented various links to Instagram’s support centre offering to resolve your troubles or a message urging you to double-check which account you’re deleting.
- No matter which option you choose, a password-reentering field will appear underneath the links. After doing so, tap or click the Delete (your account name) option and confirm your decision.
Don’t forget to delete the Instagram app from your phone if you’re truly breaking up with Instagram. This will save you some space and also create a slight barrier between you and re-registering for the service.
How to Un-Delete Your Instagram Account
Be warned that you will not be able to reactivate your account if it has been more than 30 days since you requested Instagram to deactivate it. Your username will become available after your account is deactivated, but it’s possible that someone else has already claimed it.
However, if you are within the 30-day window, you can retrieve your account, including with its posts and direct messages. Simply return to Instagram and sign in using your credentials. You will get a notification stating that you have requested the deletion of your account, along with the date your data will be removed. To prevent this from occurring, click the “Keep Account” button.
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Temporarily Suspending Your Instagram Account
You can suspend your account instead of completely deleting all your photographs and conversations if you wish to remove it from public view without erasing them.
Again, Meta requires you to utilise the web version of Instagram as opposed to the app, but at least you won’t need to find a link in a support page.
- After logging into Instagram.com, navigate to your profile and click the Edit Profile button (if you’re using a mobile browser, you’ll need to hit the settings cog).
- From there, navigate to Edit Profile > Temporarily disable my account (at the very bottom of the page). Similar to cancelling your account, you will be required to choose a reason for suspending your account and provide your password.
To re-enable your account, simply log back in using the app or the website. You will only be able to temporarily suspend your account once per week, so if you inadvertently log back into your profile, your postings will be online and available to followers for a short time.