Instagram is a fantastic tool and a great way to share your pictures with the world, but it isn’t perfect. There may come a time when you want to know how to delete Instagram account. Whether you’re deleting your account for security reasons, because you’re worried you’re spending too much time on there, because you want to distance yourself from Facebook (who own Instagram) or any other reason, here are the steps to deleting Instagram.
Is It Temporary or Permanent?
The first thing to decide is whether you want to permanently delete your account or simply take it down temporarily instead.
Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
When you delete an account permanently, it will remove your entire account and profile. That means that your photos, videos, followers, likes, and even comments will be removed from the platform.
There’s also no way to restore a permanently deleted account, so you’ll never get back the things you’ve lost.
Another thing to note about permanently deleting your account is that your username will still be in the Instagram database. You won’t be able to create another account using that name, and nor will anyone else.
You may wish to download all of your pictures and videos and other relevant information before deleting your account permanently. That way, you won’t regret the choice to delete your account.
Temporarily Deactivate Instagram Account
Do you want to take a break from the app but don’t want to have to get rid of your account permanently? In that case, you should consider temporarily deactivating it. Deactivating your account means that your profile, along with your photos, videos, comments, and likes, are hidden but still on the servers.
Other people won’t be able to see your account or what you’ve posted, but you have the option of restoring everything again when you’re ready.
To get your suspended account back, all you have to do is log back into the app. Your account will be just how you left it as if you hadn’t gone anywhere at all.
Choosing to deactivate your account rather than delete it is suitable for people who want to get away from Instagram but aren’t ready to completely cut ties with the service and have their data disappear.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
As mentioned before, we recommend that you take some time to download and copy everything on your account before you permanently delete it. You can download all of your photos, videos, comments, and profile information easily.
Follow this link to download your data directly from Instagram. Instagram will ask you to enter your email address and account password to log into your account and verify you are who you say you are. From there, you can click on the “Request Download” button to begin the process. It will take up to 48 hours for Instagram to collect all of the data together and send it to you. Be patient, and your data will reach you eventually. Having to wait a little extra time to get your information also means that you have the chance to carefully consider if you really want to delete your account or not.
Once you’ve got your data and you’re ready to know how to delete Instagram account, here are the steps on how to permanently delete your Instagram account;
Here's How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
- Open up the Instagram website and log into your account. You need to deactivate your account through the web version of Instagram, as it can’t be done through the phone app. So, you will need to use the website.
- Click on the link to the “Delete Your Account” page
- Instagram will ask you for the reason you are deleting your account. This is just for them to know how they could improve the app to prevent other people from leaving. Choose the option that best reflects why you want to delete the app.
- Enter your Instagram password again when prompted to do so
- Choose to “Permanently Delete my Account”
As you can see, the process to permanently delete your account is relatively straightforward.
How to Temporarily Deactivate an Instagram Account
Here are the steps for temporarily deleting an Instagram account;
- Open the Instagram website and log in as usual
- Open your Profile page and choose “Edit Profile.”
- Click “Temporarily disable my account.”
- Instagram will ask you for a reason you want to deactivate your account, so choose the one that is most relevant to you
- Enter your password again when prompted
- Click “Temporarily disable account.”
Why Do People Delete Instagram Accounts?
There are lots of reasons why people want to know how to delete Instagram account. The main reasons are because it takes up too much of their time, they are concerned about privacy, and they become too reliant on approval from others.
Instagram is a Time-Waster
Time can pass in the blink of an eye as an Instagrammer. It’s easy to get caught up looking through people’s profiles and checking hashtags and losing yourself in that digital world. That’s to say nothing of how long people spend getting the perfect photo and editing it to perfection to post on the app. Time may fly when you’re having fun, but sometimes it just flies.
Privacy Concerns
Instagram opens up a portal into your home life, and the only way you can close it is to delete your account. People can find out all sorts of things about you through your account – stuff you’d rather strangers didn’t know. There are also privacy concerns over how Facebook handles user data. You have to be proactive in your approach to protecting your privacy.
Desire for Approval
Instagram is essentially like some kind of high school clique. Everyone who doesn’t use all the latest filters or follow all the latest trends is ostracised. It feels terrible to be an unpopular person who doesn’t have as many followers or likes as everyone else. You become consumed by a need to be approved by strangers on the internet. Instagram is a hive for peer pressure and seeking validation. Some people realise how reliant they become to social media for approval and take steps to counter that.