How to delete Instagram: permanently or just for a while

People who want to quit Instagram often need a break rather than a permanent goodbye. Instagram has two different buttons for that, and one of them can’t be undone. Everything here comes from the Instagram Help Center as of November 2026: what each button hides, where it lives in the menu and what to save before you delete.

1 / 5Delete or deactivate

1. 01
   Temporary deactivation

   When you deactivate, your photos, comments and likes are hidden until you log back in. Logging in brings everything back — nothing is lost.

2. 02
   Once a week

   You can only deactivate your account once a week. Deactivate today, come back tomorrow, change your mind again — and you’ll have to wait a week.

3. 03
   Permanent deletion

   Deleting removes your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes and followers for good. Instagram itself suggests deactivating if you just need a break.

4. 04
   You’ll need to log in

   Only someone who can log in to the account can deactivate or delete it. Instagram won’t do it for you, so if you’ve forgotten your password, recover access first.

2 / 5What happens after you delete

1. 05
   30 days

   30 days after your request, your profile and all your information are permanently deleted and can’t be recovered. In the meantime, other people can’t see your posts.

2. 06
   Changed your mind?

   Instagram says the number of days you have to cancel a deletion varies by region. On Facebook and Threads, logging back in cancels it; Instagram’s Help Center doesn’t spell out the exact step. So don’t wait until the last day — log in as soon as you can and see what you’re offered.

3. 07
   Up to 90 days

   Once it starts, the deletion process can take up to 90 days. Copies may stay in backup storage longer, in case of a disaster or data loss.

4. 08
   What stays with others

   Under Instagram’s Terms, if someone used your content within the rules and hasn’t deleted it, it may remain.

3 / 5Before you delete

1. 09
   Download a copy

   Once your account is deleted, you lose access to the export tool. Accounts Center › Your information and permissions › Export your information — choose which information, the date range and the media quality.

2. 10
   It takes time

   Preparing the export can take up to 30 days, and the link arrives by email. Once it’s ready, you have 4 days to download it. So start the export a few days before you delete.

3. 11
   Paid subscription

   If you have Meta Verified, logging out or deleting the app won’t cancel it — cancel the subscription separately.

4. 12
   Business account

   Instagram’s Help Center doesn’t say outright what happens to a linked Facebook Page, ads or shop when you delete a professional account. Your ad account is separate from your Instagram profile, so pause any running ads and check your payments first.

4 / 5Where the button is

1. 13
   On your phone

   Profile › menu in the top right › Accounts Center › Personal details › Account ownership and control › Deactivation or deletion › choose the account › Delete account or Deactivate account › Continue.

2. 14
   On a computer

   On instagram.com, click More in the bottom left › Settings, then follow the same steps in Accounts Center.

3. 15
   The menu is changing

   Meta is gradually renaming Accounts Center to Meta Account, and some people see Profiles and personal details instead of Personal details. Can’t find it? Look for Deactivation or deletion — it’s in both versions.

4. 16
   One account, not all of them

   You choose a specific account to delete. According to Facebook’s Help Center, deleting one profile doesn’t affect other profiles in the same Meta Account, and deleting Threads doesn’t delete Instagram or Facebook.

5 / 5Your username and other options

1. 17
   Same username

   After deleting, you can sign up again with the same username if no one else has taken it. The exception: if your account was removed for breaking the rules, you may not be able to use that username again.

2. 18
   Private account

   If you just don’t want strangers to see you, there’s no need to delete anything: Settings › Account privacy › Private account. A business profile can’t be private — switch to a personal account first.

3. 19
   Just logging out

   Logging out on your phone or removing saved login info doesn’t deactivate or delete your account — your profile is still visible on Instagram.

✓The bottom line

If you need a break, deactivate: everything is hidden and comes back as soon as you log in. Permanent deletion becomes irreversible after 30 days and is fully complete within 90. Download a copy of your data before you delete — you won’t get another chance — and on a business account, sort out ads and subscriptions first.

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