How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account in 3 Easy Steps
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. At some point, you may wish to take a break from the platform or delete your account entirely. There are a few reasons why someone may want to delete their Instagram account:
- Take a break from social media – Instagram can be addictive and time-consuming. Deleting your account for a while allows you to focus on other things.
- Concerns over privacy and data collection – Instagram collects a lot of personal data. Deleting your account removes your data from their systems.
- Too many distractions or temptations – For some, Instagram can be distracting or promote unrealistic expectations. Deleting the app removes these temptations.
- Cyberbullying or harassment – Unfortunately, Instagram can facilitate cyberbullying. Deleting your account allows you to avoid negative interactions.
- Want a fresh start – Deleting your account wipes the slate clean if you want to start fresh and rebuild your profile.
Deleting your Instagram account is a personal decision. This guide covers how to temporarily disable or permanently delete your account. We’ll also look at downloading your data, and tips for adding music to Instagram Stories before deleting your account.
How to Temporarily Disable an Instagram Account
Temporarily disabling your Instagram account is a way to take a break from the platform without deleting your profile. When your account is disabled, your profile, photos, comments, and likes will be hidden until you reactivate your account.
Here is how to temporarily disable your Instagram account:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile page.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Tap Settings > Account > Temporarily disable my account.
- Select an option for why you are disabling your account:
- Need a break
- Account was hacked
- Other
- Re-enter your password and tap Temporarily Disable Account.
- Your account will now be disabled.
- To reactivate it, simply log back into Instagram with your username and password. Your profile and all your content will be restored.
The main benefit of temporarily disabling over permanently deleting your account is that it pauses your profile while keeping all your photos, followers, and information saved. This lets you take a break without losing your Instagram presence. Your username will also still be associated with your account when disabled, so no one else can take it.
How To Permanently Delete An Instagram Account.
Permanently deleting your Instagram account will remove all of your content from Instagram and cannot be undone. Here is a step-by-step guide to permanently deleting your Instagram account:
- Log into your Instagram account through a web browser or the mobile app.
- Go to your profile page.
- Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Scroll down and select Help.
- Tap Help Center.
- Type “How do I delete my account” in the search bar.
- Tap How do I delete my account? under the Most Helpful Articles section.
- Select an option for why you want to delete your account.
- Re-enter your password when prompted.
- Select Permanently delete my account.
- Tap OK to confirm.
Once you permanently delete your Instagram account, your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers will be removed and will no longer be recoverable. You will not be able to sign up with the same username again after account deletion.
If you have concerns about lost content or want to save your photos and other information before deleting your account, you can download a copy of your Instagram data for backup. Go to Settings, scroll down to Security, then select Download Data to request a download of your information from Instagram.
Permanently deleting your Instagram account is irreversible, so consider downloading your data for safekeeping if you have photos or other content you want to save. Otherwise, be sure you are ready to let go of your account before proceeding with permanent account deletion.
What Happens When You Delete an Instagram Account
When you delete your Instagram account, it is permanently removed along with most of the data associated with it. Here’s an overview of what exactly happens:
- Your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers will be permanently deleted. Your posts and media will no longer show up anywhere on Instagram.
- Your username will become available for anyone else to claim after the account is deleted.
- Instagram will remove data related to your account from their servers. However, some data may still be retained for legal obligations and security purposes.
- Any purchases you’ve made on Instagram, such as badge subscriptions or shopping checkout history, will no longer be accessible. You won’t get refunds for any purchases.
- You won’t be able to retrieve anything you’ve shared or posted on Instagram once the account is deleted. The only way to save your data is to download it before deleting your account.
- Your direct messages may still be retained for a limited time before getting permanently erased.
- If you regret deleting your account, there is no reliable way to recover it. Instagram does not provide an option to undo account deletion.
So in summary, deleting your Instagram account permanently removes your presence and data from the platform. The effects are irreversible, so download anything you want to keep before proceeding with deletion. Your username will become available to claim again as well.
How to Download Your Instagram Data Before Deleting
Before deleting your Instagram account permanently, you may want to download a copy of your Instagram data for your records. Here’s how to download your Instagram archive:
- Go to your Instagram profile and click on the menu icon in the top right corner. Select Settings.
- Scroll down and select Security.
- Click on “Download Data” under Data Download.
- You’ll see a pop-up explaining what is included in your Instagram archive. Click on “Request Download” to continue.
- Enter your email address and click Next. Instagram will send a link to download your data when it’s ready. This usually takes about 48 hours.
- Check your email for a message from Instagram titled “Your Instagram data is ready.” Click on the “Download Data” link.
- This will download a zip file containing your Instagram data to your device. The file will contain your photos, videos, stories, profile info, comments, messages, and more.
- Save and back up this Instagram data archive before deleting your account permanently. Once your account is gone, you won’t be able to retrieve anything.
So before you delete your Instagram account, be sure to download a copy of all your Instagram data for your records. Just follow the steps above to request and download your Instagram archive.
