How To Temporarily Deactivate Your Instagram Account
If you temporarily disable your account, Instagram hides your profile, photos, comments, and likes. They still exist in a cloud server, waiting for you to return in the distant future .
To do this, you need to log into your Instagram account in a web browser, not on an app. You can then click on the person icon in the top right and then select “Edit Profile.”
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You then need to scroll down and click on the option “Temporarily disable my account from the bottom right.
Instagram will ask you, “Why are you disabling your account? and you need to select one of the suggestions they offer.
They will then ensure that it is really you disabling your account, asking you to re-enter your password.
Once Instagram has verified your identity, it will give you the option to click on “Temporarily Disable Account.
Make sure that you either remember your Instagram username and password or leave yourself a reminder , so that you can return to Instagram in the future to reactivate your account.
How To Reactivate An Instagram Account
If you previously deactivated your Instagram account but now want it back, follow these steps.
If you change your mind right away after deactivating your account, you may have to wait up to 24 hours before you can reactivate it. Instagram typically takes several hours to complete deactivation requests. Until that process is complete, you wont be able to reactivate your account.
How To Delete An Instagram Account On Iphone
As with the Instagram deactivation process, you cant delete your Instagram account using the Instagram app. You have to do it from an internet browser. Heres a step-by-step guide on how to delete your Instagram account permanently.
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When You Deactivate Your Instagram Account
Deactivating your Instagram account is much different than deleting it. When you deactivate an Instagram account, you are only temporarily disabling it. All your photos, comments, likes, and even your profile will be hidden from the public and your followers, but theyre not gone forever. Your account will remain hidden until you decide to reactivate it.
S To Disable An Instagram Account

Deleting your permanently may not be the best idea because you never know when you might need your account to scroll over some pictures you may have deleted from your gallery once again. Instagram is kind of your digital gallery where you upload all your best pictures and when your phones storage is full, you may delete those photos from your gallery. Hence, Instagram can also be a storehouse of your best pictures and an engaging place. Therefore, do not delete your account permanently. Instead, here are the steps that will help you learn how to temporarily disable instagram effectively.
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How To Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
Remember that if you choose to delete your Instagram account permanently, you will lose all of your Instagram online assets your profile data, your photos, videos, likes, comments, and your followers. Once you click that Delete button, it is irretrievable, and you will have to begin the account creation process from scratch should you decide to return in the future. At the very least, you should check that you have copied all of your photos and videos elsewhere, as you won’t be able to retrieve them from here if you make a mistake. We include instructions on how you can get Instagram to send you a download of all of your data near the end of this post.
Once you delete your account, your username will be “used up.” You can’t sign in again to re-establish it. If you come back to Instagram in the future, you will have to create a new username.
You cant delete your account from the app, so you will have to log into your Instagram account from a web browser, such as Google Chrome or Apple Safari.
Go to your Delete Your Account page. Instagram will then ask you, Why are you deleting your account?. Select one of the suggested options. They will then ask you to re-enter your password. This is clearly an additional line of defense to ensure that nobody else gains access to delete your account.
At this point, Instagram gives you yet another chance to rethink your decision. Instagram asks you whether you want to Permanently delete my account.”
What Deactivating Your Instagram Account Means
Maybe your other half is annoyed about how much time you spend on social media. Or worse maybe your boss is annoyed! Simply logging out isnt enough to stop you from hopping back on the Gram. Your iPhones time limit function isnt doing anything to help. Or maybe youre not that naughty, but simply cant find time for Instagram anywhere.
Maybe Instagram just isnt for you.
Deactivating your Instagram account is a solution to any of these problems.
Youre not deleting your account, youre just deactivating it. That means it disappears until you are ready to restart that account again, whether thats tomorrow or next year. Thankfully, all of your photos, username, bio and archive will still be there for you when you return. Its just like taking a vacation and coming home again. All your friends and family will still be there to welcome you home.
Of course, not everyone wants to bite the bullet and permanently delete their Instagram account. You certainly might regret it! Thats why the deactivation option is great. Your account disappears temporarily but it still exists. No one can steal your username, your pictures remain and you can claim it back at any time!
If you want to trial run life without Instagram, try deactivating your account for a little while to see if its the best option for you to be Instagram-free.
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Here’s How To Deactivate Or Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
Instagram can be a blessing and a curse. With more than 2 billion users, the photo sharing platform is a great way to keep up with what friends and celebrities you love are doing. But it can be tiring to feel like you have to document everything you do, and the onslaught of “picture-perfect” moments from everyone else’s lives can increase anxiety.
If Instagram is feeling like a ball and chain, you may be considering getting rid of your account. Follow the instructions below to temporarily disable or permanently delete Instagram. If you’re looking to do a complete social media detox, you can see our instructions for deleting , TikTok, Snapchat and as well.
Keep in mind that once you delete your account, this action can’t be undone. All your photos and account history, including followers, likes and comments, will be permanently removed and you won’t be able to sign up using the same username if you ever create another account.
Should Your Delete Or Deactivate Your Instagram Account
If you have currently had enough of Instagram and all the time you spend preparing posts and reading those made by others, your best bet may be to deactivate your Instagram account. Deactivation means that you effectively put the account on hiatus. It still sits on the Instagram servers, waiting for you to one day return and bring it back to life.
The advantage of deactivating your account, rather than deleting it, is that you have a way to return at some stage in the future should you change your mind. Many an angry Instagrammer has declared that they have had enough of Instagram and deleted their account, only to sheepishly return in the future, having to begin a new account with no remnant remaining of their old online identity.
If you have suffered cyberbullying or honestly believe you will never return to Instagram, you might feel tempted to permanently delete all traces of your account, however.
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How To Deactivate Your Instagram Account Or Delete It For Good
When it comes to social media, Instagram is the ultimate virtual connector. With stunning visuals and increasingly useful features, Instagram is easily one of the top social media platforms in the world. But, like all good things, there are times when it must come to an end.
Whether you need a short social media detox or youre looking to go off the grid forever, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about deactivating your account before you delete Instagram permanently.
What Does Disabling Your Instagram Do
Temporarily disabling your Instagram account erases your profile from the social network for the period of time that you want off the site. Your Instagram URL will become invalid, users wont be able to find you in search, and they also wont be able to contact you.
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References and Further Readings :
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Delete Your Instagram Account
Be careful while using this method. It will permanently delete your Instagram account with all the posts, photos, likes, and comments. You can re-create the Instagram account with the same username but your follower count will be gone, along with all the data.
Use this method only if you completely get rid of Instagram from your life.
1. Visit Instagram on the web and sign in using your account.
2. Go to the dedicated Delete Your Account page and select your reason to delete the account.
3. Re-enter your password and confirm your decision.
After deleting the account, you have up to one month to change your mind. During the 30 days, you can come back to Instagram and log in again and get access back.
How Often Can You Temporarily Disable Your Instagram Account

You can temporarily disable your Instagram account as many times as you like, as long as it is only once per week. Instagram only lets you temporarily disable your account once per week. The option will be unavailable if you have temporarily disabled your account within the past seven days. This is a privacy setting to prevent people from using fake accounts.
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Deactivate Vs Delete: Which Is Right For You
Instagram doesnt want you to leave the platform right away, so its not an all-or-nothing proposition. Instagram gives you two options permanently deleting your account or temporarily deactivating it.
Here are the key differences.
Delete Your Instagram Account Permanently | Deactivate Your Instagram Account Temporarily |
---|---|
Deleting is permanent and cannot be undone | When deactivating, you can reactivate your account at any time just by logging in |
When deleting, all your photos, followers, likes, and comments are permanently removed | When deactivating, your photos, followers, comments, and likes are preserved |
When deleting, you could lose your user name if someone else claims it | When deactivating, you can hide your account indefinitely and not lose your username |
Delete Or Deactivate Instagram
Lets first understand the difference between deactivating and deleting an Instagram account.
Deleting your account is a permanent action. It will permanently delete all your account data, including photos you have posted, comments or messages you have sent or received, and other information associated with that account.
On the other hand, when you temporarily disable Instagram, you remove it from being seen by others until you reactivate your accountwhich you can do at any time. Your account will not be permanently deleted but will disappear from the public eye.
So the difference in these two options boils down to permanencedeactivation is removing your account temporarily, while deletion means goodbye forever.
DID YOU KNOW? As per social media stats, Instagram has one billion monthly active users worldwide, making it one of the most popular social media sites. |
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How To Deactivate And Hide Your Instagram Account
Instagram gives you two options if you want to take a break from the service: you can temporarily disable your account or completely delete it.
Temporarily disabling your account hides your profile, photos and comments but does not delete them. Follow these steps:
- Visit Instagram.com from a computer web browser
- Tap the profile icon on the top-right of the page.
- Choose “Edit Profile.”
- Select the link that says “Temporarily disable my account.”
- Choose why you’re deciding to deactivate Instagram.
- Enter your password.
- Select the option to temporarily deactivate Instagram.
That simply deactivates your account. If you want to remove everything permanently from Instagram, move on to the next step.
How To Delete Instagram Account On Ios
All terms for Android apply to iOS as well.
So, if you want to delete Instagram account on iOS, this is not possible.
You can permanently delete an Instagram account on iOS by connecting to the web site via a browser, not via the application.
Even if you delete the application from the device, your account will not be deleted. Only the application is deleted.
This is not allowed in any version of the iOS operating system. This is a limitation that Instagram applies to all mobile devices.
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How To Disable Your Instagram Account On Your Pc
Deactivating your Instagram account on a desktop computer is very similar. Heres how to do it:
How Long Can You Temporarily Disable Your Instagram
There is no time limit, per se. We know that with , you can deactivate your account for 30 days, and then you must reactivate it, or else your account will be permanently deleted.
For Instagram, you can keep your account disabled for as long as you like, whether that be 10 months or 10 days.
The only restriction Instagram has regarding disabling your account is that you can’t do it more than once a week. If you disabled your account, reactivated it, then wish to deactivate it four days later, you will not be allowed. Be mindful of the request, and do not do anything to jeopardize your existence on the application.
If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance use disorders in your area or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.
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How To Temporarily Disable Your Instagram Account
Khamosh Pathak is a freelance technology writer who specializes in tutorials. His work has also been published on Lifehacker, iPhoneHacks, Zapier’s blog, MakeUseOf, and Guiding Tech. Khamosh has nearly a decade of experience writing how-tos, features and technology guides on the internet. Read more…
Want to take a break from Instagram? Thats perfectly reasonable. Instead of deleting the app or your profile, try temporarily deactivating your Instagram account. When you can come back in a month, everything will be just as you left the social network.
Get Out For Good: Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account

Just like disabling your account, you need to delete your account using Instagram.com in a web browser.
As an alternative to disabling or deleting your account, consider limiting access to your profile by .
In a web browser, navigate to the Instagram Account Deletion page and log in if necessary.
The account deletion page is accessible only through the direct link. You can’t get there from your profile.
Next to Why do you want to delete, click the drop-down arrow and select a reason.
Based on your reason, Instagram suggests deletion alternatives that may be a better solution for you. For example, if you selected Too busy/too distracting, Instagram may suggest removing the application from your mobile device instead of deleting your account.
If you want to go ahead with the account deletion, enter your password and select Delete .
Deletion is permanent. You can’t restore your account and its contents, including photos, videos, and comments.
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How To Deactivate Or Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
As a photo-sharing platform, Instagram is actually pretty good. Compared to its rivals, Instagram offers you more features and options. Also, it has a TikTok type feature called Reels, where you can watch or share shorter videos.
Although Instagram is a great platform to connect with other users, many users end up wasting time on it. Like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram is also an ultimate source of distraction for many, which is why many users want to delete their accounts.
You May Still Lose Followers Though
Theres a catch, though. When you have deactivated your Instagram account and then reactivated it again, you may find that you have lost followers. But if you have, it is not because of the fact that you have been unfollowed, because people cant unfollow you, remember?
Instead, if you find that youve lost followers while your Instagram account has been disabled, it is because some of your followers have been banned, deleted their accounts, or temporarily deactivated them. As for having deleted their accounts or become banned, this is permanent, but once they reactivate their Instagram account after having temporarily deactivated it, youll get your followers back.
This is why you might lose followers despite having deactivated your account and it should technically not be possible to lose followers.
If you temporarily deactivate your Instagram account, Instagram will not delete any of your followers, either.
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