Find out how to permanently delete your Instagram account or temporarily disable your profile – and come back whenever you want. You can do this using your phone’s or computer’s browser (use the full screen and avoid getting confused with small print). Read below for valuable tips on disabling or deleting your social network.
It is worth noting that if you had any problems with your account, such as reposting accounts selling fake Ray-Ban on Instagram or having your email exchanged for a Russian address, you can still recover them. See if it’s the case to delete Instagram or recover.
Consider turning off Instagram instead of deleting it.
If in doubt, review the walkthrough.
Table of Contents
How to delete an Instagram account on your phone
How to delete the Instagram account by mobile phone? Has…
ATTENTION: Note that the entire process is done on the web version of Instagram.com, never in the app.
How to permanently delete Instagram
It is not possible to delete your profile directly from the app, but you can still do it on your mobile. First, remember that your account, along with activities on the profiles you followed, will be deleted.
It may take up to 48 hours for you to receive a download link and some of the deleted data may be temporarily stored for security reasons.

You will not find the option by accessing the menus, use the direct link. Here is how to permanently delete your Instagram account.
How to delete your Instagram account
- Go to the delete account page ( instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/permanent);
- If you have not logged into Instagram, you will be asked to sign in;
- Select an answer to the question Why are you deleting your account?; Depending on your answer, Instagram may suggest other solutions …
- Soon after, enter your password to confirm the deletion;
- When confirmed, tap on “Delete my account permanently” ;

That’s all! Your Instagram account has been deleted forever on the Internet.
Note: the page still has the old, blue Instagram interface, but it’s official.
How to temporarily disable Instagram
When you deactivate an Instagram account, your profile and photos are hidden (cannot be seen, found in the search, nor are photos liked), but saved until you return to the social network. Interestingly, Instagram also doesn’t let you deactivate the account through the iOS (iPhone) or Android app – you need to do it through the platform’s website.
How to temporarily disable Instagram
- Go to instagram.com in your internet browser;
- Log in or click on “Sign in as @username ”;
- Touch the user icon and go to your profile;
- Touch Edit Profile at the top of the screen;
- Scroll to the end and click on “Temporarily deactivate my account”;
- Enter a reason and your password to complete account deactivation.
When you confirm the deactivation of Instagram, by tapping the “Temporarily deactivate account” button, your photos, comments and likes will be hidden until you reactivate your account by logging in again. When you log in, anywhere, your account will come back.
NOTE to make the decision in the future:
The URL TO temporarily disable is:
and
The URL to permanently delete is:
What happens if you delete Instagram?
If you decide to return by creating another profile, you will not be able to use the same username to create the new account or edit an existing account. Instagram “freezes” @.
The system does not allow reactivating deleted accounts. The option to permanently delete will only appear after choosing a reason in the menu. Make sure the reason is sufficient to delete. The application can give you better ways.
When you delete your account (a permanent decision), profile, photos and videos, your comments (made and received), likes and friendships will be permanently removed.
In addition, if you just want to hide the photos, you can do so by archiving posts.
How to delete the Instagram app
If your intention is to delete only the app, not your account, see how to delete the Instagram app from Android or iOS (iPhone and iPad ) and “give it a break”.
For security reasons, Instagram says it cannot delete the account for you.
Accounts for children under 13
It is common for parents to want to delete their children’s Instagram account for various reasons. To create an account, Instagram requires the user to be at least 13 years old. If your child, nephew or grandchild is under 13 and creates an Instagram account, the social network suggests that you show them how to delete the account.
However, if orders are not obeyed, it is still possible to report the account of someone under 13 using a form. Or, if you believe that someone is impersonating your child under the age of 13. To delete a child’s account, you need to confirm that he is under 13 in some way.
- Link to under 13s account reporting form
According to Instagram, if you report a child’s account that was made with a false birth date and the child’s age can be “reasonably confirmed” as under 13, the platform will delete the account. You will not receive confirmation that the account has been deleted, but you will no longer be able to view it on Instagram because the content has been deleted. To report, you need to know the username (a @), the child’s full name and the child’s birth year.
No need to be a parent
Instagram asks you to inform your type of relationship with the child: parents, siblings, family (grandparents and uncles), non-family (friend, classmate, teacher, etc.) or Other. If it is not possible to reasonably confirm that the reported child is under 13 years of age, Instagram will not take any action in the case.
But there are a lot of children’s accounts on Instagram…
It is true.
It is more common for Instagram to consider a child problematic to use social media alone (without adult supervision) and interact with other accounts – sending likes, making comments or even writing messages in Direct (inbox).
Monitored accounts, registered with e-mails from parents or babies and children not yet literate – who obviously are not interacting alone on the platform – are often asked to answer forms to keep their profiles active. The experience of fathers and mothers who choose to keep the accounts in the air is very different. If you like you may learn how to unlink a Facebook account on Instagram.