Instagram profiles can be deleted in seconds, which removes all images and videos from the platform. However, this last step to permanently delete the account is often not necessary. Users who only want to make their profile no longer accessible to the public can temporarily deactivate their Instagram profile.
These days we share a lot of personal information with social networks. As the Facebook scandal has taught us, sometimes a little too much information. While deleting all of your social networks is a bit extreme, we understand that for some it might seem like the easiest solution to protecting your privacy.
Indeed, social media represent the most important voice of our time, and constitute an interesting feedback tool. But what you share with the public, whether it's private or business information, is up to you. Each platform therefore allows you to terminate your membership in the social network, and to erase the traces of your activities on social media.
Whether for delete your Instagram account permanently on iPhone, Android or PC or to deactivate it temporarily, in this article I share with you the full explanation and the methods to follow depending on the platform.
How to permanently delete your Instagram account
If you dig into Instagram's settings using the web interface, the only option you're going to find is to temporarily deactivate your account. However, if you know the secret link, you can permanently delete it. We will tell you about each of these options. Note that Instagram does not allow you to delete, or temporarily deactivate your account from the app. You must use your browser, and the web interface.
This process is final, it will delete all your photos, videos, “stories” and other pseudonyms from the American platform after 30 days. If you decide to come back to the images social network later, you may no longer be able to use the same nickname. It's a small risk, you have to keep it in mind. You take the risk of abandoning it for good.
It should also be noted that the deletion of an Instagram account is done in 2 steps:
- After requesting the deletion of an account, the Instagram profile is deactivated for 30 days (the content of the account is then invisible on the platform).
- After 30 days of deactivation, the Insta account is permanently deleted.
Delete your Instagram account from iPhone and Android
- Visit the Instagram website from a mobile browser and sign in to your account.
- follow this link https://www.instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent/ , which takes you to the "Delete your account" page.
- Open the drop-down menu next to "Why are you deleting your account" and choose the option that works best for you.
- Enter your Instagram password again when prompted.
- Press Delete [username].
- Delete the application from your iPhone or Android smartphone. (optional)
Delete your Instagram account from a computer
- Visit the Instagram website from a computer browser and sign in to your account.
- follow this link https://www.instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent/ , which takes you to the "Delete your account" page.
- Choose an option from the drop-down menu next to Why are you deleting your account ?.
- Enter your password again.
- Click Remove [username].
Delete an Instagram account from the app
As mentioned above, Instagram tries to prevent deletion of Instagram accounts as much as possible. Thus, it is currently impossible to delete your Instagram account using the iPhone or iOS application. Thereby deleting your instagram account permanently is only done via the browser in 2024.
Why do you want to quit Instagram?
When you go to the delete page, Instagram will ask you this question. The social network will offer you several choices. Based on these options, Instagram will offer you alternatives to deleting the account.
- Confidentiality issue : it is possible to block a user. You can put your account in private. Only authorized contacts will be able to view your photos.
- Usage problem : Instagram invites you to consult its help section.
- Too many advertisements
- I can't find any account to follow : To remedy this, it is possible to synchronize the contacts of your phone. With the search tool, indicate the hashtags that you might like.
- I want to delete something : it is possible to delete a comment or to remove an already uploaded photo.
- Takes too long : For this option, Instagram advises you to temporarily deactivate the application on your phone.
- I created another account
- Something else.
Go for the last choice “Something Else” to bypass Instagram's suggestions and move on to deactivating your account permanently.
There you have it, your account has been deleted. Note that in this case, it is not possible to restore your account. Therefore, if you are unsure of yourself, it is better to choose the more secure option, and temporarily deactivate your account.
Delete an Instagram account without the password
Unfortunately, Instagram only allows you to delete an account if you have a password. If it is your personal account, you can try the forgot password option to recover the account and thus apply the procedure indicated in the previous section. Another method to consider for to delete your Instagram account permanently without a password is to mark it as “A fake account”. For this we find in the help section of Instagram a form for spoofed accounts.
>>>>>>> Access the form <<<<<<
This is a fairly simple form that asks for name, email address, fake account username, photo ID, and description of the situation. Obviously, the deletion of the account is not done automatically, because the Instagram team must take the time to analyze the request.
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Deleting one of several Instagram accounts
Over the past few years, several Instagram accounts have become popular. Many sub accounts or sub accounts are pet or fan accounts. It sounds interesting, but after a while I lost interest. It is possible to delete accounts from Instagram when you have multiple accounts.
Follow these steps to delete your unwanted accounts from Instagram:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Tap your profile picture at the bottom right of the page.
- Tap the arrow next to your username.
- Select the account you want to delete from Instagram in the drop-down menu.
- Tap the button with three lines, and then tap Settings.
- Go to section "Connections" at the bottom of the page and press "Multi-account connection".
- Tap the account you want to delete. It will ask you "Delete the account?"
- Press the red button "Delete" and it is no longer a multi-account.
- Then switch your account to the junk account.
- Access the "Connections" section again and select "Disconnect x Account".
- Choose whether or not you want Instagram to remember your login information.
- Hit "Logout" and your junk account is gone forever.
There you go, your unwanted Instagram account is now gone. Once you have completed these steps, you will realize that you no longer have multiple accounts when you go to the Connections section. Of course, if you had two accounts.
It may seem like a long process, but it is the only suitable way to delete one of your multiple accounts. If you do not press the red "Delete" button in the "Connections" section and remain on your main account, you might accidentally end up deleting your Instagram profile.
If you decide to go away just for a few weeks, it is best to opt for temporary deactivation of your Insta.
How to deactivate your Instagram account temporarily
If you no longer wish to appear on Instagram for the moment, but plan to return in the future, deactivating your account temporarily is probably an interesting avenue for you. By deactivating your account, your profile will no longer be visible and will not appear in search results. However, when you decide to reactivate your account, it will be intact; you will find your list of friends, your photos and your interests there as if by magic!
If you deactivate your Instagram account, you can only do so once a month.
Before going to the drastic step of removal, some users will first take the decision to temporarily deactivate their account. This allows you to take a break from using the social network and resume, or not, later without losing your data.
Temporarily deactivate your Instagram account from the web interface
- Open your browser and Instagram.com.
- Log in.
- Click on your profile avatar at the top right.
- Click on Modify my profile, next to your name.
- Scroll down and click on the option Temporarily deactivate my account.
- Choose the reason you are deactivating your account, enter your password, and click the button Temporarily deactivate your account.
- Click on Yes. Your account has been deactivated, which means that your profile, comments, and "likes" will be hidden until you reactivate your account.
The procedure is therefore very easy. Note that Instagram keeps all your data if the account is only deactivated.
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Reactivate a disabled Instagram account
If you want come back to Instagram after deactivating your account, the good news is, it's pretty easy. You will need to return to the Instagram website and log in with your account information, where it will allow you to reactivate your account, which will bring you directly back to where you started.
Back up your Instagram profile before deletion
On the one hand, Instagram is quite generous when it comes to making a backup, since it allows you to download all your photos, but also a lot of information: likes, comments, contacts, captions of your photos ( including hashtags), searches, and more.
On the other hand, apart from the photos, everything will be compressed into JSON files (JavaScript Object Notation). You can read them, or rather decrypt them, by opening them with simple word processing software like Notepad, Wordpad, or TextEdit, but the format is not really practical.
Anyway, if you ask for a backup of your Instagram account, it is probably so as not to lose your photos. Good news: you will have them in JPEG format, and sorted by date. Bad news: they have a too low resolution, 1080 × 1080. Instagram uses this format to store them, and there's no reason for that to change, so brace yourself.
Just follow these few steps to download a saving your Instagram profile on a smartphone or tablet :
- Open the Instagram app.
- Tap your profile icon at the bottom right.
- Open the menu at the top right, then select Settings. This section is hidden at the bottom right.
- Go down to Security and confidentiality, then choose Download data.
- Accept the default email address to receive the backup, or change it.
- Confirm the email address, and enter your Instagram account password.
- Wait 48 hours (usually it only takes a few minutes), then you will receive an email with a link allowing you to download the archive which contains all your data.
- Click the link, log into the Instagram website using your username and password, then click Download data to start the download of the ZIP archive which contains all your photos, and other information relating to your profile.
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It's a little easier to get a copy of your Instagram profile through the website, especially if you are using a desktop computer, or a laptop. Follow these few steps:
- Open Instagram.com and sign in.
- Click on your profile avatar at the top right.
- Enter Modify my profile, right next to your name.
- From the menu on the left, select Security and confidentiality.
- Go down, and click on Request a download, in the section Download data. Instagram will then send you an email with a link that will direct you to the archive that contains your photos, and other information relating to your profile.
- The following steps are the same as in the previous case: open the email, and click on the link.
- Log on to the Instagram website.
- Click on Download data to start the download of the ZIP archive which contains your photos, and other information relating to your profile.
Now that you've backed up your photos, you can delete your Instagram account.
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