How to deactivate an Instagram account

Key Takeaways

Uninstalling social media apps can help prevent burnout.
Deactivating Instagram helps with detoxing from the app and getting away from the constant doomscroll.
It’s not permanent — reactivating Instagram is a simple process requiring only logging in.

Social media has undoubtedly become an integral part of your day. Checking your friends’ statuses or stories, scrolling for updates on the news and pop culture, or looking for cool products to buy are ideal ways to pass the time on a variety of different apps. But, I’m sure you’ve felt social media burnout before and want to find a way to stop it. You can try uninstalling the apps on your phone for a while, but if you’re someone who’s on their computer all day for work, typing in all those URLs will suck you right back in.

There are other ways to get rid of your reliance on social media, and that’s to deactivate or delete your accounts. Deactivating allows you to take a break and not lose your follower lists, friends, or the accounts you follow. Whether it’s X, Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, you’ll have to rebuild your social media presence all over again if you delete your account entirely — that’s why deactivating an account is smarter.

An Instagram icon and an eye with a slash through it side-by-side.

How to make your Instagram account private

Control who can see your posts by limiting the access of your Instagram account to those you choose.

Deactivating Instagram is simple and will get you off the app and website for any given period of time. It can help you detox from your social media obsession and ease the habit of scrolling. Read on to learn how to deactivate your Instagram account.

Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media app that is owned by Meta. It lets users post stories, posts, photos, videos, reels, and more as well as shop for online items.

Why would you want to deactivate your Instagram account?

It’s the less permanent solution

Instagram app on phone on colored background

Having an Instagram account lets you stay in the know about news, pop culture, local events, and more. You also can stay up to date on what’s going on with your family and friends, but there are plenty of reasons why you might want to take a break from the app.

There’s so much the e-commerce side of Instagram can provide, like great items for your home, wardrobe, or life. But if you’re trying to curb your spending or stop your sprees before they become too bad, deactivating your account might be a good start. The same goes for anyone wanting to limit other people’s access to their information. Even if you make your account private, it will still register that there is an account. Deactivating it makes for a cleaner way to hide your account for however long you want.

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Other reasons someone might include exhaustion, online bullying, the toxic culture that can be on social media, and more. There are some dark sides of the internet, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed any time you open up an app, it might be a good idea to take a break. Deactivating allows you to take that break without making it a permanent choice.

Instagram isn’t the only social media app you can deactivate. You can deactivate X, Facebook, and TikTok as well without permanent implications on your account.

How to deactivate your Instagram account

There are a number of steps involved in the process

Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter icons on an iPhone

Bastian Riccardi / Unsplash

In order to deactivate your Instagram account, you want to make sure that you only want to take a pause from the platform. Deactivating your Instagram account will put it on pause for 30 days, but you will be able to reactivate it at any time. It’s important to note that you have to log in to the account again from either a mobile browser, smartphone app, or computer browser to sign off on the deactivation. Someone who happens to steal your phone won’t be able to deactivate your account without knowing your password.

The steps for deactivating your Instagram account are:

Log into Instagram and click on your profile in the bottom right corner.
At the top right, click on the Menu button.
Click on Accounts Center, which is the first option at the top (you’ll see a Meta logo above this.)
Scroll down and click on Personal details.
At the bottom, click on Account ownership and control.
The second option is Deactivation or deletion. Click on that.
Both your Facebook and Instagram accounts will show up (if you have them.) Click on the Instagram account.
The top option is to Deactivate account. That should be highlighted. Click Continue at the bottom.
You will be asked to re-enter your password. Do so and click Continue.
You will then be asked for a reason for deactivation. Select one and click Continue.
One final button appears that says Deactivate account. Click it.

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After that, your account will be deactivated. Instagram sets a timespan of 30 days that it will remain deactivated without you having to reactivate it. But you are able to reactivate it — if you want to — before those 30 days are up.

How to reactivate Instagram

Your account can be back up in running in no time

In order to reactivate your Instagram account, you don’t actually have to go through the steps you took to deactivate it. All you’ll need to do is open up the mobile app or visit the platform’s website in a browser and log into your account. This will reactivate it, and it will be as though you never deactivated it in the first place.