Deleting your Instagram account permanently removes your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers. This walks you through requesting deletion from the official account page and understanding the grace period before everything is gone for good.
What you'll need
- Your Instagram login details
- A phone or computer with a web browser
Step by step
- Back up anything you want to keepBefore deleting, download your data from Settings under Accounts Center and Your information and permissions. Once the account is gone you cannot recover any photos or messages.
- Open the delete account pageGo to the Delete Account page in a web browser, or in the app tap your profile, open Settings, then Accounts Center, Personal details, and look for the account ownership and controls option.
- Log in and choose to deleteSign in with the account you want to remove, then select the option to permanently delete the account rather than deactivate.
- Pick a reason and confirmChoose a reason from the dropdown, re-enter your password to confirm your identity, then tap the delete button.
- Wait out the grace periodInstagram hides your account right away and permanently removes it after about 30 days. Do not log back in during that window or deletion may be cancelled.
Handy tips
- Download your data first so you keep a copy of photos, videos, and messages.
- If you only want a break, deactivate instead so you can return later with everything intact.
- Deletion is easiest from a web browser because the in-app path can be buried under several menus.
Heads up
- Deletion is permanent after the grace period. Photos, videos, followers, and messages cannot be recovered.
- Logging back in within about 30 days cancels the deletion request, so stay signed out if you truly want it gone.
FAQ
Can I get my account back after deleting it?
Only if you log in before the roughly 30-day grace period ends. After that the account and its content are permanently removed and cannot be restored.
Will deleting Instagram also delete my Facebook account?
No. They are separate accounts even if linked through Accounts Center. Deleting one does not delete the other.
Does my username become available again?
Instagram does not guarantee you can reuse a deleted username, and it may not be offered to others either. Treat the name as gone once you delete.