How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account (Step by Step)

Permanently deleting an Instagram account removes your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes and followers for good - but only after a 30-day grace period Instagram builds in to give you a chance to change your mind. Here is the full process, in order.

1. Back up anything you want to keep first

Once the 30 days are up, everything is gone - there is no way to recover a single photo afterward, even by contacting Instagram support. Before you request deletion, download your data archive so you have a personal copy of your photos, videos, messages and profile information saved outside the app.

2. Find the delete option (it is website-only)

Instagram deliberately does not put permanent deletion inside the mobile app - it only exists on the full website, even if you are browsing from your phone. To get there:

• Open a browser and go to instagram.com, then log in
• Go to your profile, then Edit profile
• Scroll down and select Delete your account
• Choose Permanently delete my account from the dropdown (deactivation is the other option in the same menu)
• Instagram will ask why you are leaving, then ask you to re-enter your password to confirm

3. Confirm and start the countdown

After you confirm, your account is immediately hidden from other users - but it is not erased yet. This is the same 30-day grace period used for deletion, designed as a safety net against accidental or impulsive requests.

4. Stay logged out for the full 30 days

This is the part people get wrong most often: logging back into the account at any point during the 30 days automatically cancels the deletion and fully restores everything, exactly as it was. If you are certain you want to leave, avoid logging in - including through apps or websites that use "Sign in with Instagram."

Not sure yet? Consider deactivating instead

If there is any chance you might want the account back, deactivating is the safer choice - it hides everything the same way, but reverses the instant you log back in, with no waiting period. See our full deactivate vs. delete comparison before you decide.

What happens once the 30 days end

After the grace period closes, Instagram permanently erases the account and its content from its systems (aside from anything retained briefly for legal or safety reasons). Your username eventually becomes available for someone else to claim, though Instagram does not publish an exact timeline for when.