How to Make Your Instagram Account Private

By default anyone can see what you post on Instagram. A private account limits your posts, Reels, and Stories to people you approve, and new people have to send a follow request. The switch takes about a minute in the app.

Open your profile

Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner.

Open Settings and activity

Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner of your profile, then tap Settings and activity.

Tap Account privacy

Under Who can see your content, tap Account privacy. On the website, click More, Settings, then Account privacy in the left column.

Turn on Private account

Tap the Private account toggle so it turns on. Instagram asks you to confirm. Tap Switch to private.

Review your existing followers

Switching to private does not remove anyone who already follows you. Tap Followers on your profile and use the three-dot menu or Remove button next to any account you do not want there. Removed followers are not notified.

Handle new follow requests

From now on, anyone who wants to follow you sends a request instead of following instantly. Tap the heart icon at the top of your feed to open notifications, then tap Follow requests. Tap Confirm to accept someone or Delete to turn them down. People are not told when a request is deleted, and they can send another one later.

What stays visible. Posts you already shared to other places stay there. That includes a post cross-posted to a Facebook page, a post embedded on a website, and a post someone forwarded in a message. Making the account private only changes who can see your content on Instagram itself. Your profile picture, name, username, and bio also stay visible to everyone.

Business and creator accounts. Professional accounts cannot be private. Go to Settings and activity, Account type and tools, Switch to personal account, confirm, and then follow the steps above. You can switch back to a professional account later, which makes the account public again.