Social media has become an integral part of many people’s lives, and Instagram is no exception. However, sometimes you may want or need to permanently delete your account, either for personal reasons or because you have a duplicate profile. This article provides a simple and safe method to do just that.
What You Need to Know About Permanently Deleting Your Instagram Account
If you wish to get rid of your account for good, ensure you’re prepared to commit, as this action cannot be undone. Once your account has been deleted, all the data will be gone, including not only your photos and videos, but also followers and comments.
If you are unsure about completely deleting your account, you could think about deactivating it temporarily instead—this way, your content will be hidden but can be restored whenever you decide to reactivate your account.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account: A Step-by-Step Guide
The first thing you must understand is that you cannot delete your account using the Instagram application. It is crucial that you conduct this process through the browser on your computer or mobile device. Now, follow these steps to say goodbye to your Instagram presence forever:
- Log in to your account with the web browser of your choice.
- Visit Instagram’s “Delete Your Account” page at https://www.instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent/
- Select a reason for why you are deleting your account from the drop-down menu
- You’ll be prompted to re-enter your password once more as a security measure
- Lastly, click on the red button that says “Permanently delete my account”
That’s it! Your account and all its data should now be permanently deleted. It may take some time for Instagram to completely erase your information from their servers, but after this point, there is no way to reactivate or recover any account details.
A note about multiple accounts
If you have more than one Instagram account with different usernames and security details, make sure you are logged into the correct profile before proceeding with the above steps. Deleting the wrong account could be a costly mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions About Permanently Deleting Your Instagram Account
Can I use my email address or username to create a new account?
Once your account has been permanently deleted, the username can no longer be used. However, you can use the same email address associated with the now-deleted account if you decide to sign up again or create another profile.
Does Instagram retain any of my data after deletion?
After permanently deleting your account, Instagram typically erases your account-specific data within 90 days. Bear in mind, though, that copies of any photographs or videos might be retained in their databases as part of your followers’ feeds, direct messaging histories, or when shared with other apps and services integrated with Instagram.
Will other users still see my comments and likes after my account is deleted?
No, once your Instagram account has been permanently removed, any interactions you’ve had with other users will vanish as well.
I accidentally deleted my Instagram account. Can I get it back?
Unfortunately, there is no way to restore a permanently deleted account. Be cautious and double-check that you are absolutely sure before following the steps to erase your user profile. However, if you deleted it only very recently, then it would be worth reaching out to Instagram’s customer support to check if they can help.
A fresh start: creating a new Instagram account after deletion
If at some point you decide to return to the world of Instagram photography, and social networking, you can simply create a new account without any hassle. Keep in mind, however, that there is no way to recover any data from the previous profile, so it will be an entirely clean slate.
