How To Delete Instagram Account

While deleting your Instagram account is easy, you need to be aware of what happens to your data

There are many reasons why people may choose to delete their Instagram account. Some common reasons include the need to reduce social media time, limit corporate tracking or escape cases of cyberbullying. Irrespective of the reason, the process for deleting Instagram account is the same for everyone. Let’s check the details for better understanding.

How to delete Instagram account

It is important to first understand the difference between deactivating Instagram account and permanently deleting the Instagram account. If you are not careful, you may lose important data. Deactivation of Instagram account is temporary. You can choose this option if you want to hide your posts, profile, etc. from others.

This option is best if you are not sure what you want to do with your Instagram account in the long term. With deactivation, you can reactivate your Instagram account anytime you want. It will be like taking a temporary break from Instagram and taking time to think what you want to do next.

In comparison, deletion of Instagram account is permanent. After a specific period, you will not be able to access your Instagram account. You can delete your Instagram account if you are sure about what you are going to do. To delete your Instagram account, follow the step-by-step process given below.

• Step 1 – Log into your Instagram account
• Step 2 – Tap the three lines (Menu) and go to Settings
• Step 3 – Click on Accounts Center and go to Manage Accounts
• Step 4 – Select the account, after which, you will see option for Deactivate Account or Delete Account
• Step 5 – Choose the option you need and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once you have confirmed the Delete account option, the process to delete your Instagram account will commence. If you want permanent deletion, make sure you do not login again after choosing the Delete option. In case you change your mind, you can request your account to be reactivated within 30 days. However, this may vary by region and not applicable for all users.

After 30 days, it is usually not possible to recover your Instagram account after you have deleted it. It can take up to 90 days for your Instagram account to be fully deleted. Your account may be inaccessible from the day of deletion to Instagram users. However, Instagram may retain the data on its servers for a specific period. After the specific timeframe, all your Instagram data will be permanently deleted. It includes your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, followers, etc.

Important things to do before deleting your Instagram account

You may have a real need to delete your Instagram account. But you also need to consider the fact that deleting your Instagram account means deletion of important parts of your personal or professional life. Due to this, it is recommended that you download your Instagram data before deleting your account. You can also choose to deactivate the Instagram account instead of deleting it. The choice is yours entirely.

Before deleting your Instagram account, you can download all your data. You just need to go to the Settings > Accounts Center > Your information and permissions. You then need to click on Export Your Information and choose Create Export. After this, just follow the instructions to download your Instagram data. You can download to your device or save the data on external platforms such as Google Drive.

When downloading Instagram data, you can customize the type of data you want to download. This way, you can choose the data that is really relevant to you. It can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to download your data. Instagram will notify you when the download is ready. If you want to avoid these hassles, you can simply choose the Deactivate Instagram option instead of going for permanent deletion.