If you are tired or have any other reason to take long break from social media, then deactivating or deleting your Instagram account will help you do this. After deactivating, your profile and posts are not visible, but they are still safe and can be recovered whenever you want to get them back. Alternatively, deleting an account means you can remove it permanently, and you did not recover it. This guide will inform you how to deactivate or delete your Instagram account.
It's important to know how to deactivate or delete your Instagram account. Here, you can learn everything step by step, including whether you are worried about privacy issues or want a long break. There are only two ways to pause your account temporarily or delete it permanently, and Instagram makes it easy. Let's talk in detail about both topics so that you can make your decisions according to social media needs.
What's the Difference Between Deactivating and Deleting Instagram?
The main difference is that when you deactivate your account, it's a temporary step, and after some time, you can recover your account, but when you delete your account, it will be permanently closed and not recovered.
- Deactivating your Instagram account means you are taking a break from this platform. Your Instagram profile and other data remain safe, and you can get back to it anytime when you want. It is the best way to get social media detox or a short pause.
- On the other side, deleting Instagram means you can close it permanently. All your data, like photos, videos, comments, and followers related to Instagram, will be erased forever.
How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account?
Deactivating Instagram on Your Phone
Here are the steps on how to deactivate your Instagram account:
- Go to the Instagram app and open it on your phone or other devices.
- Click on the profile picture to reach the settings.
- Tap on three horizontal lines present in the right corner.
- After that, look for the setting option.
- Scroll down and click on the Account option.
- Here, you can see the option Temporarily Disable My Account at the bottom.
- After tapping on that option, Instagram asks you for confirmation. Follow the instructions and complete the process.
This step temporarily hides your Instagram profile and posts, but all your data will be saved until you’re ready to return.
Deactivating Instagram on a Computer
Also, learn to deactivate Instagram on a computer for a better experience.
- Open Instagram.
- Log in to your account by using your username and password.
- Tap on the profile picture in the right corner at the top and choose Settings from the menu.
- In the settings, go to the Edit Profile option.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Temporarily Disable My Account.
- They will ask you for a reason and for confirmation. Follow the instructions to complete the process.
Remember, this is a temporary deactivation, so you can reactivate your Instagram account anytime by logging back in.
How to Delete Your Instagram Account?
After that, now learn how to delete your Instagram account by following these steps:
- Open Instagram and give your username and password for login.
- Tap on the profile picture at the top right corner.
- Open the Setting option. This will take you to your account settings.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Delete Your Account. This option is present at the end of the settings menu.
- After that, Instagram asks you why you deleted the account. Give them the specific reason for deleting the account.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm and complete the deletion process. This may include entering your password again to verify your identity.
Important Reminder:
When you delete your account, all your data, including photos, videos, comments, and followers, is erased permanently. And there is no way to recover them again. Before making your choice, think properly.
Why You Might Want to Delete Your Instagram Account?
Suppose you want to take a permanent break from social media like Instagram and are worried about your data privacy. In that case, deleting your Instagram account is the only way to protect you from anything bad. But remember that its a permanent process, and you did not recover it again.
What Happens When You Permanently Delete Your Account?
The answer is that by deleting the Instagram account, there is no way to get it back. Simply say your important data like photos, videos, comments, and settings will be lost forever. It's not like the deactivation process. Once you deactivate it, after some time, recover it when you want. So save photos or videos before applying the deletion process.
What Happens After Deactivation or Deletion?
Once you have deactivated your Instagram, then all the photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers are unable to be seen by anyone, but your data is still saved on Instagram servers. After you reactivate, all your data will be recovered.
On the other hand, deleting is a different process. If you ever delete your account, then all the data on that account will be removed from Instagram servers and unable to recover. Sometimes, it might take some time to remove all your data.
FAQs
How long can I temporarily deactivate my Instagram account for?
It is your own preference how much time you want to deactivate your account; there is no limit from Instagram for deactivation, and you can easily reactivate it at any time by logging back in.
What happens if my Instagram account is deactivated for 30 days?
If your account is deactivated for 30 days, don't worry; it is not permanently gone; your profile, photos, videos, and followers are unable to be seen by anyone who visits your profile.
What does a deactivated Instagram look like?
After deactivating your account, it looks like you have deleted your account. If someone tried to visit your profile, he didnt see anything. All your activities, like comments and likes or your posts, get hidden.
