How to permanently delete your Instagram account

Social media can be a lot of fun, but it can also get a bit overwhelming. Scrolling through Instagram feeds of photoshopped images of people who seem to be living the perfect life while yours definitely doesn’t feel that way isn’t the best recipe for good mental health . Posting content can also have a negative impact, as you strive to create posts that match the unreachable perfection that you’ve seen in other accounts.

The trouble is, social media apps are designed to be addictive. The algorithms are built to keep you coming back for more by trying to give you content that you’ll like over and over and over. Even with the best of intentions, it can be hard to keep off social media. It’s all too easy to fall back into without really realizing it.

If you feel like social media is doing you more harm than good, then you go for the nuclear option and delete your account. That will ensure that even if you’re tempted to scroll through someone’s feed or make a few posts of your own, you’d have to go through the hassle of setting up a brand-new account in order to do so.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to Instagram , then deleting your account isn’t easy at first glance. Thankfully, there’s a useful Instagram account deletion link that you can use on a desktop or laptop to take you straight to the right place. If you’re on the app, you’ll have to go through a few menus, but it’s not too bad once you know where to look. If you just want to remove the stress of feeling that everyone is judging your posts, you can always opt to make your account private, too, so that only followers can see it.

If you’ve finally decided that you have better ways to spend your time than scrolling through Instagram or posting your own content, then here’s how to delete your Instagram account.

How to permanently delete your Instagram account on a computer

You can delete Instagram from your desktop or laptop

All of your Instagram data will be lost when you delete your account. For this reason, you may want to save your photos, videos, and posts beforehand. You can download your Instagram data report, which will include all of your photos, comments, profile information, and more.

Once you’ve downloaded any data that you want to keep, you’re ready to delete your account. You can follow a link that will take you directly to a web page for deleting your Instagram account. If you don’t want to use the delete Instagram account link, however, then you can also do so through your Instagram account settings.

1. Log into your Instagram account via Instagram.com and then visit the Delete Your Account page.
2. Select the reason for deleting your account from the drop-down menu. You’ll need to select a reason before proceeding.
3. Re-enter your password.
4. Click the Delete [username] button.
5. You can also delete your account via the Accounts Center by clicking on the More on the bottom left of the screen.
6. Click Settings.
7. Under Settings, click Accounts Center.
8. In the left-hand menu, select Personal details.
9. Select Account ownership & control.
10. Click Deactivation or deletion.
11. Choose the Instagram account that you want to delete.
12. Select Delete account and click Continue.
13. Follow the instructions to delete your account.

Once your account deletion request has been processed, the account will stay hidden for 30 days before it is permanently deleted. If you change your mind, you can log back in and cancel the process within this time frame. For more details, visit the Instagram support page.

How to permanently delete your Instagram account on the app

Delete Instagram from your phone or tablet

If you’d prefer to delete your data using the app on your phone, these are the steps to follow. Again, since your Instagram data will be lost when you delete your account, you’ll probably want to save your photos, posts, and videos before you follow these steps.

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Tap the Profile icon in the bottom right of the screen.
3. Tap the Menu icon in the top right of the screen.
4. Select Accounts Center.
5. Tap Personal details.
6. Select Account ownership and control.
7. Tap Deactivation or deletion.
8. Choose the Instagram account that you want to delete.
9. Select Delete account.
10. Tap Continue and follow the instructions to delete your Instagram account.

How to make your Instagram account private on a computer

Hide your account from everyone but your followers

If deletion is too drastic, you could make your account private instead. This means that only followers that you have approved can see your posts and other private accounts that you follow or that follow you. Your content won’t be visible to anyone that isn’t in your followers list.

1. Log into your Instagram account via Instagram.com.
2. Click on the Menu icon at the bottom of the left-hand menu.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under Who can see your content, select Account privacy.
5. Toggle Private Account on.
6. Click Switch to Private to confirm your decision.

If your account is private, it means only your followers will be able to see your photos and videos. New followers will also need your approval before being able to follow you. Do note that business profiles can’t be made private. They will have to be converted back to a personal account first.

Posts that you share to group profiles may also be visible to the public if the group’s profile is public. You will also not be able to tag people who don’t follow you. For more details, you can visit the Instagram support page.

How to make your Instagram account private on the app

Only share your Instagram content with those you trust

If you’re opting for making your account private, but you’d like to do so from the app, here are the steps to follow.

1. Open the Instagram app and sign in.
2. Tap on the Profile icon at the bottom right of the screen.
3. Click the Menu icon at the top right of the screen.
4. Tap Account privacy.
5. Toggle Private account on.
6. Tap Switch to private to confirm your decision.
7. If you wish, you can see who will be able to view your private account by tapping Review Followers.
8. You’ll see a list of your current followers. If there are any that you don’t want to be able to view your private account, tap Remove to delete them from your followers list.