To delete your Instagram account permanently, open Instagram’s Accounts Center, choose Personal details (or Profiles and personal details), find Deactivation or deletion, select your Instagram profile, then choose Delete account and follow the confirmation prompts. The menu wording can differ as Meta gradually updates Accounts Center. Deleting is not the same as logging out, uninstalling the app, or temporarily deactivating your profile.
Checked October 12, 2026. The steps below are based on Meta’s published account-removal guidance. You should read the final confirmation screen carefully because it controls the deadline for reversing a deletion request.
Before you delete: three things to do
- Export anything you want to keep. In Accounts Center, look for Your information and permissions and the option to download or export your information. Allow time for the export before proceeding.
- Check linked profiles. If you manage multiple Instagram and Facebook profiles, confirm the exact Instagram account shown on the deletion screen. Do not assume deleting one profile deletes another.
- Check what you will lose. Your profile, posts, videos, photos, comments and followers are affected. Saved copies of content other people hold, including screenshots, may remain outside your control.
How to delete your Instagram account on iPhone or Android
- Open Instagram and sign in to the profile you want to remove.
- Tap your profile photo, then open the three-line menu. Depending on the app version, you may see Settings and activity, Settings and privacy, or a similar settings entry.
- Open Accounts Center or Meta Account settings.
- Select Personal details. In some newer layouts you first open Profiles and personal details or choose Manage for the relevant account.
- Open Account ownership and control, where that intermediate menu appears, then choose Deactivation or deletion.
- Choose the Instagram account to remove. Read the username shown here; it matters when several accounts share one Accounts Center.
- Select Delete account, not Deactivate account. Tap Continue and finish the reason, password and security checks requested on-screen.
- Read the displayed scheduled deletion date before confirming. Keep a record of it for your own reference.
If the settings labels do not match your screen, use the current instructions in Instagram’s Help Center or Meta’s official account-deletion guide. Accounts Center menus are being revised in phases, so old screenshots may be inaccurate.
How to delete Instagram from a computer
- Sign in at instagram.com.
- Open More, then Settings from the site navigation.
- Choose Accounts Center or the equivalent Meta account-settings link.
- Open Personal details and, when shown, Account ownership and control.
- Choose Deactivation or deletion, select the correct Instagram account, and pick Delete account.
- Follow the confirmation screens, including any password verification, and review the final deletion date.
You do not have to remove Instagram from a phone before requesting deletion on a computer. The deletion applies to the account rather than a particular installation of the app.
Delete vs. deactivate: which one do you need?
| Action | What happens | Can you come back? |
|---|---|---|
| Delete account | Requests permanent account removal after the stated cancellation window | Usually possible only before the displayed deletion deadline |
| Deactivate account | Temporarily hides the profile and much of its activity | Typically yes, by signing back in |
| Log out | Ends your current session | Yes; it does not remove the account |
| Uninstall Instagram | Removes the app from that device | Yes; the account remains online |
If you might want your profile back later, deactivation may be the better choice. The route through Accounts Center is largely the same; choose Deactivate account on the decision screen instead.
How long does account deletion take?
Meta generally describes a cancellation window of about 30 days after you request Instagram account deletion, although the exact availability can depend on your region and the message shown to you. The final confirmation flow is your best source for the specific deadline. Do not treat a hidden profile as proof all stored copies have disappeared immediately. Meta’s documentation distinguishes the account deletion date from the time needed to finish removing data from storage and backups.
To cancel while it is still allowed, sign back in and follow the offered prompts to keep the account. Once the confirmed cancellation period has passed, you should not assume the profile or content can be recovered.
What to do if you cannot find “Deactivation or deletion”
Check the account-management menu
Look within Accounts Center for either Personal details > Account ownership and control or a layout called Profiles and personal details. Meta notes that some users see updated Meta Accounts labels. A direct help-center route may point you to the latest menu version.
Confirm you are signed in to the right profile
Use the profile switcher to check the username. If multiple accounts are connected, some screens show a list before they show deletion options. Selecting the wrong row could affect the wrong account.
Resolve password or security prompts legitimately
If verification fails, use Instagram’s own account-recovery process. A third-party ‘instant account deletion’ site should not be given your Instagram password or verification codes. No outside service can guarantee that Meta will bypass its verification process.
Will deleting Instagram delete your Facebook account?
Not automatically. Instagram and Facebook profiles can be managed together in Accounts Center without being the same profile. Check each account named in the final action before confirming. If you only want to stop people seeing your activity while keeping an account, review our separate guides to turning off Instagram active status and using Instagram’s Restrict feature.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete Instagram without opening the app?
Yes. Use Instagram’s website in a desktop or mobile browser, then navigate to Accounts Center and the same deletion control.
Does uninstalling Instagram delete my account?
No. Removing the app deletes its local installation, not your online profile. If your goal is simply to troubleshoot storage, see how to clear Instagram’s cache instead of removing the account.
Can I delete one Instagram account and keep another?
Yes, provided you choose the intended profile on the account-selection screen. Read the account name during confirmation; do not rely on which profile was most recently used.
Can I recover a deleted Instagram account after 30 days?
Do not count on it. Instagram normally provides a limited cancellation period, and the definitive deadline is the one shown during your deletion request.
Is temporarily deactivating Instagram the same as deleting it?
No. Deactivation is designed to be reversible, whereas deletion requests permanent removal after a cancellation window.
Official sources and image credit
Official instructions: Instagram Help Center — delete or deactivate and Meta Help Center — deletion settings and account selection. Photo: Jaelynn Castillo, Browsing Instagram (2016), CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The image is a historical Instagram app photograph, not a 2026 settings screenshot.
