How to recover Instagram account?
In this step-by-step guide, we'll explain how to recover your Instagram account in various situations. You'll learn what to do if your account has been hacked, how to restore access to a blocked profile, and whether it's possible to recover a deleted account.
Instagram may block your account
Remember that Instagram, like any social network, has terms and conditions that every user must adhere to. If these terms and conditions are violated, the site administrator may block your account, temporarily or permanently denying you access. Furthermore, the administrator is not obligated to inform the user of their intention to block access.
In this situation, when you attempt to log in, you'll be informed that access to your profile has been blocked. This information will appear on the screen, and you won't be able to use your account. The only way to unblock Instagram is to appeal – you can do so using the features offered by the app. Simply open the app, enter your username, and confirm your identity with a password. After selecting the appeal option, follow the on-screen instructions.
Unfortunately, if you blatantly violated Instagram's terms and conditions, you won't receive a positive response to your appeal. It's also possible that your account was blocked by mistake or an application error, in which case the administrators will restore your account access.
How to recover an Instagram account that has been deleted?
Unfortunately, an account you've permanently deleted cannot be recovered. What if you notice someone has deleted it on your behalf? Every internet user should know that login information should be protected, but email and phone numbers are easily intercepted. Passwords are even worse: to delete your Instagram account, someone must know your password, or worse, have access to your email account. This allows them to change your login information, for example, set a new password. If you notice you can't log in, notify the Instagram administrators. Be sure to change your email passwords.
If you decided to delete your profile yourself, but did so in a fit of emotion and want to recover your account with its photos, videos, and followers, unfortunately, this won't be possible. When the account owner deletes the profile, all information contained therein is permanently deleted and is not stored by the Instagram app.
You can only recover an Instagram account if it has been temporarily deactivated. The process of recovering your Instagram account is simple. Consider deactivating your account even if you no longer wish to use it today. This works very well: in the Settings tab, you'll find the Edit Profile option. In the lower right corner, under your account details, you'll find the "Temporarily deactivate account" button – click it, and you're done. You can use the service again.
Stolen Instagram account – what to do?
Instagram account theft is a common problem reported by users of this social networking site. Considering the lucrative nature of having an Instagram account with a large number of followers, it's no wonder that thefts occur. What situations should alert you? Any message asking you to reset your password via email or phone is likely an attempt to take over your account.
This email from Instagram administrators only arrives when the user requests a password reset. Therefore, if you haven't requested a new password, don't respond to this message. Hackers try to take over Instagram accounts using other phishing techniques – be wary of suspicious messages. After such a theft, regaining access to your accounts can be difficult. If you receive such a message, visit the official Instagram website and change your password yourself.
How to recover a stolen Instagram account?
If the hackers succeeded and you no longer have access to your accounts, the only thing you can do is submit an official Instagram support ticket. You'll need a few pieces of information to file a report. Make sure you remember your login details (username, email address, phone number, and account password)—this will make the entire process much easier. The form you need to fill out to recover a stolen account is very detailed, but it allows administrators to confirm the identity of those requesting help in regaining access to their account.
Reporting a stolen Instagram account step by step:
- Open the official Instagram website and go to the login screen.
- Then select the option: "Need help."
- Use the email address and phone number you used when registering your Instagram account.
- You will receive a six-digit account recovery code on your phone number via SMS and email.
- Enter the code – this should be enough to recover your account.
- You can now log in to your account.
What can you do to avoid this in the future? Change your account password and remember to avoid clicking on any links in suspicious text messages or emails. There are also situations where you won't be able to recover your account using the security code Instagram sends via text message.
You have the right to report a hacked account in the app. How do you do this on iOS? Open the login window on your smartphone and click "Forgot your password?", then "Need help?". Press "Next" and follow the on-screen instructions. The same procedure as for iOS applies to Android.
To unblock your Instagram accounts, use an email address that is inaccessible to others. Further instructions on how to recover your account will be sent to this address. These instructions will include verifying your identity. You will receive an email within 72 hours of submitting a successful request.
In this case, the username and password you used to register for Instagram or Facebook aren't enough. To confirm that you're the account owner, you'll be asked to take a photo with a code sent to you by Instagram support. After receiving the selfie with the card, the app will ask for your email address, phone number, and the type of device you used to register (i.e., Android or iOS). You'll then receive further instructions at the email address you provided to help you recover your account in the app.
While this may seem complicated, it doesn't take long and allows you to regain access to your lost account. This way, you'll be able to reuse the photos and content you've posted in the past. Many Instagram users choose not to recover their accounts, but instead create new ones. This isn't a good solution, as their photo and content database still exists in the virtual world, but is being used by others. In such a situation, it's worth seeking help from the app's administrators to regain access.