Thinking of stepping away from Instagram? Whether you’re taking a break or saying goodbye permanently, Instagram offers two options: deactivate or delete your account. In this updated guide, we’ll show you how to do both — using the latest method through Accounts Center.
- You can permanently delete your Instagram account.
- Or you can temporarily disable it.
📥 Download Your Instagram Data (Optional but Recommended)
Before deleting your account, it’s smart to download a copy of your information (like photos, videos, and posts). Once your account is deleted, this data will be lost forever.
To download your data:
- Open Instagram > Go to Settings > Your activity > Download your information.
- Enter your email and follow the instructions to receive your data.
🔴 How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account (Updated Method)
⚠️ Once deleted, your profile, posts, followers, and comments will be permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
✅ New Method via Accounts Center (2025)
You can now delete your account through the Meta Accounts Center. Here’s how:
- Open the Instagram app or go to instagram.com.
- Tap your profile > tap ≡ Menu > Settings and privacy.
- Tap Accounts Center (bottom of the list).
- Tap Personal details > Account ownership and control.
- Tap Deactivation or deletion.
- Select the account you want to delete.
- Tap Delete account > Continue and follow the instructions.
⏳ What Happens After You Request Deletion?
- Your account is scheduled for deletion.
- You have 30 days to cancel the deletion by logging back in.
- After 30 days, your account and all its data will be permanently removed.
- It may take up to 90 days to fully erase your content from backup storage.
- Instagram may keep some data for legal and safety purposes as outlined in their Privacy Policy.
🔒 Important: Instagram cannot delete your account for you. You must log in to delete it yourself.
Final Tips
- Always back up your content before deleting your account.
- If you’re facing login issues, try resetting your password before starting the deletion process.
- Accounts deleted for violating Community Guidelines may not be recoverable.