How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account Temporarily

Deactivating hides your profile, posts, comments, and likes without deleting anything. The account comes back exactly as it was the next time you log in. The setting lives in Meta's Accounts Center, not in the main Instagram settings list.

Open Settings and activity

Open the Instagram app, tap your profile picture in the bottom right, tap the three horizontal lines in the top right, then tap Settings and activity.

Open Accounts Center

At the top of the settings screen, tap Accounts Center.

Go to Deactivation or deletion

Tap Personal details, then Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion.

Choose the account and Deactivate

Tap the Instagram account you want to deactivate. If you have several profiles in Accounts Center, make sure you pick the right one. Select Deactivate account, then tap Continue.

Give a reason and enter your password

Pick a reason from the list, tap Continue, and type your Instagram password when asked. Tap Deactivate account to finish. You are logged out immediately, and your profile disappears from search, from your followers' feeds, and from any place your username appeared.

Reactivate by logging in

To bring the account back, open Instagram and log in with your username and password. Everything is restored, including followers, posts, and messages. There is no separate reactivate button.

Deletion is different. On the same screen there is a Delete account option. Choosing it starts a 30-day countdown. During those 30 days the account is hidden and you can cancel by logging in. After 30 days the account, its photos, and its messages are gone for good. Pick deactivation if there is any chance you want the account back.

Once a week. Instagram only lets you deactivate an account once per week. If you reactivate and change your mind the same day, you have to wait before deactivating again. On the website, click More, Settings, Accounts Center, and follow the same path from there.