One way or another, you end up being fed up from social media. It is not surprising as social media is trying to get involved in our lives as much as it can and it gets frustrating sometimes. Instagram, like its parent corporation Facebook, is no stranger to privacy scandals and many other issues. If you want to know how to delete Instagram account, you must have several reasons to do it.
In 2018, there was a security flaw found on Instagram which leaked users’ passwords in plain text. The feature of ‘Download your data’ was the main reason and it was introduced to enhance the security and protect user’s privacy but it went otherwise. After this, Instagram quickly announced that only a small number of users were affected by it and the issue has been resolved. However, incidents like these pose a continuous threat to users’ privacy and it is frustrating.
There are several reasons for you to delete Instagram account such as it automatically tracks your location to show you the ads accordingly. It shows you in-app activities such as likes, comments, and stories with other users. It also lets others know when were you active last time.
There could be several reasons for you to delete Instagram account. If you have decided to do it, we have got your all covered.
How to Delete Instagram Account Permanently on iPhone & Android?
If you want to delete Instagram account permanently, here are some easy and simple to follow steps:
Step 1: To get started, open your Instagram app on an iPhone or PC. Log in with the credentials of the account you want to delete.
Step 2: Now that you have logged in, go to the menu option. Here, you will Instagram help center option, click on it. Go to ‘Managing your account’ and on the next page, click on ‘Delete your Account’.
Step 3: Here, you will see three options. Click on the middle one saying ‘How do I delete my account?’ and some steps will be shown to you to follow.
Step 4: Now, after going through the steps, click on ‘Delete Your Account’ from the link that is shown to you. Now, pick up the reason from the options visible about why are you deleting your account. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 5: Select the reason from the menu and proceed. You can also click on ‘something else’ if you don’t find the right reason from the options.
Step 6: Now re-enter your password and confirm it to finally delete your Instagram account.
Step 7: Once you have entered the information about your account, the option to permanently delete your account will appear.
Step 8: Click on ‘Permanently Delete My Account’ and there you are done. Your account with all your data will be gone.
It is very important to know that once you have deleted your account, you won’t be able to sign up with the same username again.
Downloading your Account Data
Once you delete Instagram account permanently, there is no way that you can retrieve the data. So, if you want to download all your data before deleting the account, it can be done. Here is what you will need to do:
Step 1: Go to your Instagram profile and click on ‘settings’.
Step 2: Now click on ‘Privacy and Security’ and click ‘Request Download’.
Step 3: Enter the email address where you would like to receive the link of the data.
Step 4: Within 48 hours, you will receive an email with the link to your data. It will be titled ‘Your Instagram Data. You can download it and keep it with you.
This is how you can save your data before completely deleting your account.
How to Deactivate/Disable Your Instagram Account Temporarily?
Unlike permanently deleting your Instagram account, you can deactivate your account where all your data will be hidden until you reactivate it. If you want to deactivate your Instagram account, here are the steps:
Step 1: You won’t be able to find the disabling option from your application on the mobile phone. For this purpose, log in to your Instagram account on PC/Laptop.
Step 2: Now, go the main page where you will see an icon on the bottom, tap on it, and click on ‘edit profile’.
Step 3: Now scroll down the page and click on the ‘Temporarily disable my account’ option on the bottom right.
Step 4: Now choose the option from the drop-down menu to tell why are you are disabling the Instagram account. Retype your password.
Step 5: When you have chosen the reason, only then the final button of disabling your account will appear.
Step 6: Click on ‘Temporarily Disable Account’ and there, your account is deactivated. Your data will be hidden.
After following these steps, your Instagram account will be deactivated and all your data will be hidden.
How to Reactivate Instagram Account?
You might want to get back to your Instagram activities after having a break. Luckily, if you hadn’t deleted your account permanently, you can go back to it and reactivate it. For this, all you have to do is to log in to your Instagram account once again with your original details. It will restore your disabled account. All your data will still be there when you get back to your account.
Now that you have learned how to delete Instagram account, it will be easy for you to do it any time. Social media can get frustrating and irritating most of the time, and there is no harm in getting a break.