If you are looking to get rid of Instagram from your life, deleting the account would be your first thought. However, it is not necessary to be so strict. You can start by temporarily deactivating your account. But how do you delete or deactivate an Instagram account and what is the difference between the two options? Find the answer here.
You should delete or deactivate your Instagram account
Deactivation is a temporary process to disable and hide your profile without permanently deleting any data. Deactivate your Instagram account when you want to take a temporary break from Instagram.
On the other hand, the deletion is permanent and will disable your account and remove your data from the server forever.
How to delete your Instagram account on desktop and mobile
Deleting your Instagram account is only possible from a mobile browser or desktop. The feature is not available on the Instagram app.
Follow these steps to delete an Instagram account:
- On your desktop or mobile, open. There is no option to delete the account in your profile settings, so you will need to do so via this direct link.
- Log in to the account you want to delete.
- Choose an appropriate reason for deleting the account from the drop-down menu.
- Once you've done that, enter your account password and click or tap the “Delete [username]” button to confirm the deletion.
How to deactivate Instagram from a computer
If, on the other hand, you plan to deactivate your Instagram account, follow these steps. Note that you can only deactivate your account from a computer or mobile browser.
- Log in to your.
- Click the profile picture icon in the upper right corner and select "Settings" from the menu.
- Scroll down and click "Temporarily deactivate my account". If you don't find it, be sure to click the Edit Profile tab from the left sidebar. Alternatively, use the
- Enter the reason for your account deactivation in the drop-down menu and the password for your account and click on “Temporarily deactivate account”.
How to deactivate Instagram from cellualre
- Open from the browser of your mobile device (Chrome, Safari, etc.) and log in.
- Tap the profile picture icon at the bottom and click the "Edit Profile" button.
- Scroll down and tap "Temporarily deactivate my account".
What happens to your profile, photos / videos, likes, comments and tags
Deactivating your Instagram account hides your profile so that it doesn't show up in search results or when tagged. All your Instagram data, including published posts (photos and videos), stories, reels, saved posts, likes and comments, will be safe when you deactivate your account.
On the other hand, deleting your Instagram account will erase your data from the servers. You can download your data to keep it safe before deleting your account.
What happens to followers and follower lists
Your followers and follower lists will remain intact if your account is deactivated. But when you delete the account, you will lose your followers. You will need to start from scratch and follow people again if you decide to restart your account.
What happens to Instagram direct messages
Your Instagram messages will be kept after deactivation. The other person can still access it in their inbox and you can too after reactivating the account. Conversely, deleting your account will remove the messages for you, but the other person will still be able to see and read them.
What happens to your Instagram username
Your username is protected and no one can use it while your account is disabled. Reactivating your account will assign the same username to your profile.
However, deleting the account will free up your username. If you decide to create a new Instagram account, using the old username is only possible if it was not used by someone else.
How to download Instagram data from computer
- Log in to.
- Click the profile picture icon and select "Settings"
- Click on "Privacy and Security" in the left sidebar.
- Scroll down and click "Request Download".
- Enter your email address to receive the data and select the data format. Press the "Next" button.
- Enter your Instagram password and click "Request Download".
It could take Instagram up to 24 hours to email the data. When you receive the email, download the file.
How to download Instagram data from mobile
- In your Instagram app, tap the profile picture icon at the bottom to go to the profile screen.
- Tap the hamburger icon and select "Settings" from the menu.
- Go to “Security → Download data”.
- Enter your email address to get a copy of your shared data, then verify your password.
On the mobile browser, open the profile screen. Tap the Settings icon in the top left corner. Go to “Privacy and security → Request download”. Enter your email address and password to receive the data by email.
How to reactivate your Instagram account
Log into Instagram with your old username and password. This will reactivate your Instagram account.
Deleted accounts cannot be reactivated. However, Instagram grants you a grace period of 30 days from the date the cancellation request is sent during which you can cancel the request.
