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 How to delete your Instagram account permanently or deactivate it temporarily

You can delete your Instagram account permanently from the account deletion page.

If you think you might want to recover your Instagram account later, you can also deactivate it temporarily.

To delete or deactivate your Instagram account, you'll need to use a web browser, not the app.

This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

Instagram is one of the most popular social media sites around — and one of the most addicting. If you want to tone down your Instagram habits, you can always delete or deactivate your Instagram account.

The difference between the two options is that deleting your Instagram account is permanent, while deactivating is temporary and lets you get your account back later.

To delete or deactivate your Instagram account, you'll need to use a desktop web browser or the web browser on your smartphone. You can't do it through the mobile app.

Here's how to do both.

Quick tip: Once you've deleted or deactivated your Instagram account, you'll probably want to delete the app off of your phone too. Check out our guides on how to delete apps on an iPhone or Android device to do it.

How to delete your Instagram account permanently

1. On a desktop or mobile web browser, go to the Instagram website and log into your account using your username and password.

2. Once logged in, go to the account deletion page. 

3. From the drop-down menu at the top of the screen, choose the reason that you're deleting your account. 

4. Once you've chosen your reason for deleting, you'll be asked to re-enter your password. Do so, and then click the blue Delete [Account Name] button.

You'll have to explain why you're deleting the account. Instagram

Instagram notes that it'll take a month for your data to be fully erased. Until then, your account will just be hidden from public view.

How to deactivate your Instagram account temporarily

If you think you want to recover your Instagram account later, you should disable it temporarily. This hides it from public view, but lets you restore it whenever you like.

1. Log into your Instagram account on the web and go to your profile page, then click Edit profile at the top of the page.

2. At the bottom of the page that opens, select Temporarily disable my account.

The option to disable your account will be at the bottom of the page. William Antonelli/Insider

3. Select a reason that you're disabling your account and re-enter your password.

4. Click Temporarily Disable Account.

Give a reason and your password. William Antonelli/Insider

To reactivate your account in the future, simply log back into the Instagram app with your username and password. 

William Antonelli

Editor & Staff Writer for Tech Reference

William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he's helped grow Tech Reference from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@insider.com. Read more Read less

How to deactivate your Instagram account

If you’re getting a bit tired of Instagram, you might want to consider deactivating your account. With Instagram, you have two choices: You can learn how to deactivate your Instagram account, or you can delete it completely. We’ll review both options, so you can decide if you’d rather take a break or cut ties with Instagram forever. Just be cautious, as deleting your Instagram account removes all of your content permanently, and you won’t be able to get it back.

Be sure to check out our guide on how to use Instagram if you need any additional help.

Temporarily disable your Instagram account

By temporarily disabling your Instagram account, your profile, along with its photos, videos, comments, and likes, will be hidden (until you reactivate it). Disabling your account is a perfect way to take a bit of a vacation from Instagram. Another option to consider is merely muting a few friends, if that’s your main reason for disabling your account.

Note: The following instructions only work for Instagram accounts that do not use a Facebook account to log in. If you want to disable your Instagram account but your account uses Facebook to log in, you'll need to remove your Facebook account from your Instagram account and then reset your Instagram account's password. To do this successfully, you'll need to have access to the email account that is associated with your Instagram account. Once your Facebook account is unlinked from your Instagram account and you have reset your password for your Instagram account, you can use the following instructions to temporarily disable your Instagram.

Here's how to deactivate your Instagram account:

Step 1: Visit Instagram.com using a web browser; you can not complete this process from within the Instagram app on mobile.

If not already logged in, log in to your Instagram account.

Step 2: Click on your Profile Photo in the top-right corner, then select the Profile option.

screenshot

Step 3: At the top of the page, click the Edit Profile button.

Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Temporarily Disable My Account.

screenshot

Step 5: Instagram will ask why you're disabling your account. Select a reason from the drop-down menu, and then enter your password.

screenshot

Step 6: To complete the process, click Temporarily Disable Account.

Your Instagram account should now be temporarily disabled. To enable your Instagram account again, simply log back in using the website.

Permanently delete your Instagram account

If you know that you definitely won’t be coming back to Instagram, you can permanently delete your account. It is critical to note that deleting your account will remove your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers. There is no way to retrieve them once the process has been completed. Additionally, you won’t be able to use that same username again if a new user ends up taking it before you decide to sign up with it again.

If you are positive that you want to delete your account, follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit the Instagram Delete Your Account page. If not already logged in, log in to your Instagram account.

Step 2: Next to Why Are You Deleting Your Account?, select an option from the drop-down box.

Step 3: Enter your Instagram password to confirm.

screenshot

Step 4: Click Delete [Your Username].

By following the above process, you will have submitted a deletion request to the Instagram team. After 30 days, Instagram will permanently delete your account and all information. Instagram notes that it may take up to 90 days for the process to complete, but your account will not be visible to others during this time.

Are you over Instagram? How to delete or deactivate your Instagram account.

Maybe it's the pandemic doomscrolling, the unsettling revelations about how toxic Instagram is for teenage girls or you are just craving more time for IRL moments with the people you love and less time oversharing your life online.

Whatever the reason, if you are done with Instagram, you have two choices. Make a permanent break (delete your Instagram account forever with no give backs) or take a temporary break (deactivate your Instagram account with the intention of coming back later like Britney Spears).

Pro tip: Before you delete or disable your account, download your data. You can request your data on a mobile browser, desktop or in the app. (Instructions below).

If you are ready to delete or deactivate your Instagram app, fire up a web browser on your desktop or phone. You cannot delete or deactivate your Instagram account on the app. Then follow this step-by-step guide.

►Done with Facebook, too?: Here's how to deactivate or permanently delete your Facebook account

How to delete your Instagram account:

1. Go to the Instagram website and log into your account.

2. Go to the account deletion page.

3. From the drop-down menu, choose the reason you are deleting your account.

4. Enter your password again. Then click or tap the delete button.

The fine print: Instagram says it will take 30 days for your account and data permanently erase your account. During that time, your account will not be accessible on Instagram.

How to deactivate your Instagram account

1. Go to the Instagram website, and log into your account.

2. Go to your profile picture in the top right, click or tap your profile and then “Edit Profile.”

3. Scroll down, then click or tap “Temporarily disable my account” in the bottom right.

4. Choose the reason you are deactivating your account from the drop-down menu next to “Why are you disabling your account?” and enter your password again.

5. Click or tap “Temporarily disable account.”

The fine print: If you want to reactivate your account, log into the Instagram app.

Story continues

How to download your Instagram data

From a computer:

1. Log into your account, and go to your profile picture then click Settings.

2. Click Privacy and Security.

3. Scroll to the Data Download section and click Request Download.

4. Enter your email address and click Next.

5. Enter your Instagram account password and click Request Download.

6. You will receive an email with a link to your Instagram data. Click Download Data and follow the instructions to finish downloading your information.

In the Instagram app:

1. Log into your account, and go to your profile.

2. Tap on the menu icon in the top right then tap Settings.

3. Tap on security, then tap “Download Data”

4. Enter your email address and tap “Request download”

5. Enter your Instagram account password, and tap Next, then tap Done.

6. You will receive an email with a link to your Instagram data. Click Download Data and follow the instructions to finish downloading your information.

Done with Instagram? How to delete or deactivate your account

From a mobile browser:

1. Log into your account, and go to your profile.

2. Tap Settings in top left then tap Privacy and Security.

3. Scroll down to Data Download and tap Request Download.

4. Enter your email address and tap Next.

5. Enter your Instagram account password and tap Request Download.

6. You will receive an email with a link to your Instagram data. Click Download Data and follow the instructions to finish downloading your information.

More social media help:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Instagram: How to delete or deactivate your account