Delete an Instagram Account
If you've decided to delete your Instagram account, you'll be happy to know that--while the process isn't as simple as one might assume it to be--you can indeed delete your account from either a mobile device or a computer. Once you do so, your account information, content, and data will be irretrievably deleted as well.
Contents
Steps
Deleting Instagram on Mobile
- Tap your Instagram app to open Instagram. You can't delete Instagram directly from the "Edit Profile" menu, but you can do so from within the "Help Center" option in your Instagram settings.
- Open your profile. Your profile, or account page, is where all of your photos and media are stored; you can access it by tapping the person-shaped icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Tap the Settings gear. You'll find this in the top right corner of your screen; on Android platforms, it resembles three horizontal dots.
- Tap the "Help Center" option. This should be toward the bottom of the Settings menu in the "Support" group of options.
- Tap "Managing Your Account". This will take you to a menu with account options, including deletion.
- Tap the "Delete Your Account" link. Doing so will take you to a dedicated account deletion page.
- Tap "How do I delete my account?". While you don't need to read the contents of this page, doing so will give you a good idea of the ramifications of deleting your Instagram account and the alternatives at your disposal.
- Tap the "Delete your account page" link. You'll find this option in step one of the page content.
- You can also tap the "Temporarily disable your account" link here if you want a less permanent solution. You can re-enable a disabled account whenever you choose to do so.
- Enter your account's username and password. This will verify your intention to delete your account.
- Tap "Login" to proceed to the "Delete Your Account" page.
- Select a reason for deleting your account. To do this, tap the bar at the bottom of the page below the "Why are you deleting your account?" text; you can then choose a reason from the drop-down menu.
- Tap the "Done" button to proceed.
- Enter your account password again. This should be further down the page, beneath the "To continue...enter your password" text.
- Tap "Permanently delete my account". After doing so, your account will be permanently erased, along with all relevant content and data!
- Note that, if you would like to rejoin Instagram at any point, you won't be able to use the same username that you had for this account.
Deleting Your Instagram on a Computer
- Open your preferred web browser. While you can't delete Instagram from your account, you'll be able to do so by accessing Instagram's dedicated "Delete Your Account" page. Note that deleting your account is a permanent gesture; once completed, you won't be able to access your username or any media from your account again.
- Navigate to Instagram's Delete Your Account page. If you aren't currently logged into Instagram, you'll need to enter your Instagram username and password to access this page.
- You may have to click the "How do I delete my account?" option, then click the "delete my account page" link again from the drop-down text.
- Read Instagram's brief description of deletion. You'll notice a link to "temporarily disable" your account; if you're looking for a less permanent solution, click this link instead.
- Select a reason for deleting your account. To do this, click the field next to "Why are you deleting your account?" and select a reason from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your password again. You can do this next to the "re-enter your password" text beneath the "reason for deleting" field.
- Click "Permanently delete my account". This will completely erase your Instagram account from existence!
Tips
- Remember to download any photos/videos you wish to save before deleting your account.
Warnings
- You can't deactivate your Instagram username and reactivate it later. Once you delete your account, it's gone for good.
Related Articles
- Use Instagram
- Get Followers on Instagram
- Follow Someone on Instagram
- Get More Likes on Your Instagram Photos
- Get Instagram on Your Android Phone
- Access Instagram on a PC
- Post on Instagram
