How To Delete Instagram Account Forever? (Step By Step Guide)

May 27, 2026

Do you want to deactivate or delete your Instagram account forever? Although this is the most fashionable social network at the moment, for various reasons you may be considering completely eliminating your presence on this platform. If so, you are in the right place.

Curiously, the option to “delete account” does not appear anywhere in the app, and only the “deactivate button” is visible. You should know that there is a hidden way to do it, which is what I want to talk about today.

Of course, always make sure that the decision to permanently delete your presence from it is the right one, because then you would lose everything (photos, videos, memories…) and you would not be able to recover it.

How to Delete an Instagram Account Permanently?

First of all, if you want to delete your Instagram account forever, you must follow the steps I will explain below.

NOTE: Keep in mind that to deactivate or delete an account, you must do it from a computer and not from your mobile.

Access your profile

The first step to delete it is to access it with your password and email, just as you did previously to leave it inactive.

Therefore, enter from instagram.com.

Make a backup

Rescue the content you want to keep.

It is very likely that before closing it completely, you will want to review it in case you want to save some of your Instagram posts.

To do this, I recommend you download them and then transfer them to a removable hard drive, a flash drive, or to the cloud.

Luckily, Instagram makes it easy for you to back up your posts, comments…

From the PC, go to “Settings”, “Privacy and Security,” and choose the “Data download” option. Or, if you prefer, use this link to download your Instagram backup.

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Go to the link to delete the account

As is often the case on social networks, the option to delete it permanently is out of sight for users, since they are obviously not interested in losing followers.

In the case of this, although you could reach this option by clicking on several options, the fastest way is to click on this direct link.

Reason for leaving

When deactivating it, the application will ask you the reason for abandoning it.

What I do not know is whether it will be for reasons of improving the service, based on user responses, or as a simple preliminary step to delay “the inevitable”.

Re-enter password

After selecting an option, the application will prompt you again to enter your password as a security measure to prevent anyone other than you from deleting it.

Click on “Permanently delete my account.”

On the same page where you are asked to indicate the reason for closing it and enter your password, you will see a button with a red background labeled “Delete my account permanently”.

Here, there will be no turning back: if you click on it, your account will disappear forever, along with the content of the photos and videos you shared with your IG followers.

How do I temporarily deactivate my Instagram account?

If, instead of deleting yourself from Instagram forever, you just want to deactivate it for a certain time, follow the steps I indicate.

NOTE: Yes, I must warn you that the process I describe can only be carried out on a computer, since, for security reasons, the platform does not allow it on a smartphone.

Access your profile from a computer

First, you must access it from instagram.com with the profile you want to delete, then enter “Enter” and the email you used to register it, along with the corresponding password.

If you do not remember the password, you must click the link “Have you forgotten your password?” and follow the steps the application indicates.

Edit profile

Once you are inside it, click on your icon, on “Settings,” and select the “Edit Profile” option.

Select the option “deactivate account.”

You must go to the bottom right and click on the link “ Temporarily disable my account ”.

Disable the profile

After having selected this option, the platform will be able to ask you a questionnaire, made up of some questions related to why you want to leave it.

You complete it in a few seconds, and you will have deactivated your Instagram, so from that moment on, you will be invisible to all other users present on it.

This means that they will not be able to mention you, tag you, or anything similar: for all intents and purposes, you will have eliminated your presence in it.

To reactivate it, you only need to log in to Instagram again with your data. Deactivation can only be done once a week. If not, it may indicate that you have been hacked or that a bot is using it.

Reasons for Wanting to Close or Delete an Instagram Account

In this section, I will point out the main factors that can make us close our personal or professional profile on this social network:

Delete it to create another

This is one of the main reasons to close it permanently. Over time, people mature and want to give another touch to their stay on social networks.

Therefore, you can take time to spend with someone with whom you feel more identified.

Lack of use

If you are not using it, the most logical thing to do is close it. It does not make any sense to have personal data and photos circulating on the network when you do not get any benefit from it.

Couple conflicts

Social networks are sometimes a reason for jealousy and disputes between couples. One way to radically solve this problem is to stop having a presence in it, to save the couple.

Addiction to social networks

The Internet, and especially these social channels, can cause addiction. If you spend too much time on Instagram and it is leaving you behind in family, work, etc., it is best to delete it.

On the other hand, it has also been shown that social networks can promote obsessive behaviors. There are many people who fall into anxiety or depression problems for not achieving the notoriety they want.

Job search

Knowing the life habits of future employees who will be part of medium and large companies is an increasingly common practice among them.

If you have used the social network to insult others, photos where you are partying somewhat impaired with alcohol or have made inappropriate comments, it is reason enough to delete your Instagram today.

Privacy

The continuous scandals to which Facebook is subjected due to problems regarding the privacy of its users has not exactly served to make people trust these policies, with many people having decided to delete their profiles on these platforms.

Excess competition

Sometimes, brands find they cannot meet their marketing objectives on social networks due to competition and opt for other social networks or communication channels.

It is no longer necessary

Some companies or businesses open profiles with a specific objective. Once this objective is met, the most logical thing to do is close said presence there and focus on those that you are going to take advantage of.

Bullying issues

Unfortunately, “cyberbullying” is one of the big problems today, and social networks are one of the means that bullies have to persecute their victims.

This is because they can hide their true identity relatively easily.

Therefore, it is recommended to stop using these digital channels and, if the problem lies with this platform, delete the current profile permanently.

Why Does Instagram Want to Delete Your Account?

Before I tell you how to do it, I would like you to know that Instagram can delete your account in certain circumstances, such as if one of its policies is not followed.

Although at the beginning of creating your profile we say yes to everything and accept without reading, we have indicated the terms of use imposed by this social network.

But so that this does not happen to you, we are going to see what the main reasons are for which the platform may want to lock it:

Spam with worthless content

If you have created a profile to advertise your services or products at all costs and in an intrusive way, you should know that it is one of the main reasons you may be left without it.

Inadequate photographic material

It is not allowed to upload photos with any violent content (both in publications and in stories or Stories), pornographic or nude, illegal, or discriminatory of any kind; therefore, if you do so, you already know that you are exposing yourself to its closure.

Copyright

If you steal a photo or video from another person’s timeline, you will be infringing on intellectual property rights. If the affected person files a complaint against your profile, Instagram will delete the content within a couple of days and, later, your profile.

Phishing

The usurpation of an account that is not yours, as well as giving likes or commenting on behalf of a third party, is another reason the tool may close your profile.

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you to get to know this social network better and, of course, to deactivate or delete your Instagram account.