Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms today; however, not everyone has fallen in love with the video and picture-sharing platform. There are several reasons why people might not enjoy using Instagram. For some, it might be the amount of time they spend scrolling through pictures and videos. This might impact their ability to be productive. Other people might not like the drive to compete with other people to post the best images. Regardless, there are people who are looking to delete or deactivate their Instagram accounts.
There are several ways for people to close down their accounts on Instagram. It is important to do this carefully to make sure their data is protected appropriately. Some people might want to delete their accounts for good while others might want to suspend their profiles temporarily while preserving everything they have posted. With this in mind, there are a few common questions that people would like to have answered.
Should You Delete or Deactivate Your Instagram Account?
The answer to this question is personal as different people approach their Instagram profiles in various ways. To answer this question, it is important to take a look at why someone might want to delete or deactivate their account on Instagram.
First, some people do not like the amount of time they spend on the app. There are also some users reporting that they are seeing a lot of ads on the Instagram platform as well. We know that there are Instagram advertising agencies that just target users on Instagram, Some people spend inordinate amounts of time cropping and styling every image and video they post. Other people spend too much time scrolling through people’s stories looking for that perfect picture or image. For those who want to get rid of the distraction, it might be a good idea to deactivate the account. The major advantage of deleting an account on Instagram is that there is going to be an opportunity to return to the profile in the future. Employing a trustworthy password manager can securely store this sensitive information for easy access when needed. Sometimes, people suffer a change of heart and want to return to Instagram. In this case, deactivation will preserve this opportunity.
On the other hand, some people want to delete their profiles entirely. In some cases, people are the victims of cyberbullying and do not want to return to the world of social media down the road. Other people might have had their data stolen. Finally, some people might run an Instagram profile for a business and that company has shut down. Regardless, there are situations where it is preferable to completely delete and close the account rather than deactivate it.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Your Instagram Account
If someone has decided to disable or deactivate an Instagram account, this will hide likes, comments, photos, videos, and the profile from view. The account still exists on a backup server so deactivation will not purge the profile. The account will wait patiently for the user to return. It might even be tempting. In order to deactivate an Instagram account, there are a few steps to follow.
- First, log in to Instagram via a web browser. Do not log in on the app as deactivation cannot be completed through the mobile app.
- After this, click on the person icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Then, select the “edit profile” option from the menu.
- After this, scroll down and click on the option that is labeled “temporarily disable my account.” This option is located in the bottom right portion of the screen.
- Once this option has been selected, Instagram will ask for a reason why the account is being suspended.
- After this question is answered, Instagram will ask for a password to verify the identity of the person using the profile.
- Finally, Instagram will allow the account to be disabled temporarily
It will be important to store the username and password of the Instagram profile just in case the account should be reactivated in the future.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
If you decide to delete the Instagram account permanently, keep in mind that you are going to lose all of your content on your profile. This includes photos, videos, friends, followers, and more. This means that if you decide to return to Instagram down the road, you will have to start from scratch.
Before you delete your Instagram account, make sure that all of your photos and videos have been copied to another location. Once you delete your account, you will not be able to retrieve them from Instagram. Furthermore, if you decide to return to Instagram, you will need to pick a new username. Your old username will already have been taken.
- If you want to permanently delete your Instagram account, you will need to login to a web browser. You cannot use the mobile app.
- Access the “your account page.”
- From this page, you can select the “delete your account” option.
- Again, Instagram will ask you why you are deleting your account. You will need to select an option to move forward.
- After this, you will have to enter your password once again to verify your identity.
- Instagram will make you think about it one more time. Then, you will be able to permanently delete your account.
Remember that after this process is done, your account will be purged from Instagram. You will not be able to access it in the future. This is why you should store your photos and videos somewhere else if you want to use them for another purpose down the road.
How to Reactive Your Instagram Account
If you decided to deactivate your Instagram account, you may want to reactivate it later. Perhaps you were too busy in the past or maybe you just wanted to take a break. When you reactivate your account, you will be able to pick up where you left off. In order to reactivate your Instagram account, you will need to log in with your old username and password. When you log in, Instagram will ask you if you want to reactivate your account. Select the appropriate choice and your account should appear exactly as you left it. All of your photos and videos should be there; however, a few of your followers might have deserted you during your hiatus.
How to Access or Review Your Data on Instagram
There has been a lot of attention paid to the storage of personal data on social media profiles. There have been numerous scandals related to people’s personal data being stored for business use. Instagram is sensitive to this and has made it easy for people to review their data. How you are going to access and review your own data is dependent on what server you are using.
If you are using Instagram via the web, start by going to your profile. Then, select the settings icon. From there you can select the “privacy and security” option. Finally, scroll down to the “account data” option and view your data from there. You should be able to see everything Instagram has related to your account.
In the mobile app, the process is similar. Go to your profile first. Then, select the icon that has three horizontal bars. From there, you can access settings and then the “security/account data” option. Finally, click on the “view all” option to take a look at your account and data.
It is important for people to review their data on a regular basis. They should make sure that all of their information is correct while changing or removing things that might be inaccurate or that they don’t want to be stored on the social media platform.
How to Download Your Instagram Pictures and Account Details
Before you decide to delete or deactivate your Instagram account, you should download all of your data first. In order to do this, you need to follow a few steps. If you are using the web browser version of Instagram:
- Go to your profile and select the Settings icon
- After this, click on “Privacy and security”
- Next, scroll down to the “data download” option and click on “request download”
- Instagram will then ask for your email address and Instagram password
- Be sure you enter the same email address that you want to use to retrieve your data
- Shortly, Instagram will send you an email with a link to your data
- Click on the “download data” link and follow the instructions provided
If you are using the mobile app version of Instagram:
- First, click on the three horizontal bars to bring up the menu from your profile
- After this, click on the “settings” icon
- Again, scroll to the “security” section
- Select the “download data” option
- Finally, enter your email address and click the “request download” option
- Instagram will ask you for your email and password before they send you a link to the email address you entered above
- Once the link arrives, click on it and follow the instructions to retrieve your data
It may take up to two days for Instagram to send you a link to download your data. Be patient and give them 48 hours before repeating the process in search of another link.
Deleting or Deactivating Your Instagram Profile and Account
This is a brief overview of the various options when it comes to deleting and deactivating your Instagram account. Prior to taking any of these measures, make sure to protect your data by downloading your photos and videos somewhere else. Furthermore, be sure to think about whether deletion or deactivation is best. While there are numerous advantages of Instagram, there are also some downsides to the platform as well. Anyone who is thinking about deleting or deactivating their account should take a look at the helpful information listed above.
