How To Deactivate Instagram Without Waiting a Week

At times, it becomes necessary to take a break from social media and implement measures to ensure that break is enforced. Platforms like Instagram offer various options to leave the app and make your account temporarily disappear while you take a break. You can choose to either temporarily disable your account or delete it altogether. However, please note that if you decide to disable your account, there is a minimum waiting period of one week before you can do so.

Instagram imposes a limit of five times for disabling your account, but alternatively, you can choose to permanently delete your account, with Instagram permanently storing your data. This article will guide you through the process of temporarily disabling your account or permanently deleting it while preserving your Instagram data.

What’s the Difference Between Temporarily Deactivating Your Account and Deleting It?

Instagram is a platform that is filled with a wide variety of content, and in today’s world, this abundance of information can become overwhelming and detrimental to one’s mental health. Additionally, there is the possibility of being targeted by cyberbullying, even though Instagram takes measures to combat it. In such situations, taking a break from the platform can be a form of self-care and well-being.

Temporarily disabling your Instagram account ensures that your profile photo, posts, comments, and likes are hidden from your followers and the general public until you decide to reactivate it. When your followers search for you by your username during the period of account disablement, no information will be displayed. However, rest assured that your username remains secure and won’t be claimed by anyone else until you reactivate your account.

On the other hand, permanently deleting your Instagram account results in the permanent removal of your posts, comments, likes, and profile photos from the platform. If you’re fortunate enough that your username is still available when you decide to return, you can reclaim it. In case you choose to back up your data before deleting your account, Instagram allows a grace period of 30 days before your data is completely erased, providing you with an opportunity to start fresh if desired.

How To Temporarily Deactivate Your Account on Instagram

To deactivate your Instagram account, you have the option to do so from either a computer or a mobile device, be it an Android or iOS device. However, it is important to note that you cannot deactivate your account directly from the Instagram app. If you wish to deactivate your Instagram account using a mobile device, you will need to use a web browser.

Here are the steps to deactivate your Instagram account from a mobile device using a web browser:

1. Open your mobile browser and navigate to the Instagram website. Log in to your account.
2. Tap on the profile icon located at the far right of the bottom navigation bar.
3. Select “Edit Profile” from the options.
4. Scroll down and click on “Temporarily deactivate my account” at the bottom.
5. Choose the reason from the provided options for deactivating your account.
6. Enter your password and click on “Temporarily Deactivate Account” to proceed.

How To Screen Record on Instagram

Alternatively, if you wish to deactivate your Instagram account using a computer, follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and enter Instagram’s URL.
2. Log into your account.
3. Click on your profile photo located at the top right of the page and select “Profile” from the dropdown menu.
4. Scroll down and click on “Edit Profile.”
5. Locate “Temporarily deactivate my account” at the bottom of the page.
6. Select the reason from the available options for deactivating your account.
7. Enter your password.
8. Click on “Temporarily Deactivate Account” and confirm your decision by clicking “Yes.”

By following these steps, you can deactivate your Instagram account either from a mobile device using a web browser or from a computer.

How To Permanently Delete Your Account on Instagram

If you decide to permanently delete your Instagram account, please note that you have a 30-day window after submitting the deletion request before all your data is permanently erased. However, it is recommended that before deleting your account, you log in and obtain a copy of your data, including posts and photos, from Instagram. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Tap on the profile icon to access your profile.
2. Click on the gear icon to open the settings menu.
3. Select “Privacy and Security.”
4. Under the “Download Data” section, click on “Request Download.”
5. Enter your email address, choose the desired file format for the information, and click “Next.”
6. Re-enter your password and click on “Request Download.”
7. Instagram will take approximately two days to send you the complete data, which includes your posts, profile information, comments, likes, and all other relevant details about your Instagram account. This information will be valuable for future reference and to maintain the security of your data.

To permanently delete your Instagram account, follow these steps:

1. Access Instagram’s “Delete My Account” page using a web browser on your mobile or computer.
2. If you are not already logged in, you will be prompted to do so.
3. Select the reason from the provided options for deleting your account.
4. Re-enter your password.
5. Click on “Delete” to confirm the deletion.

Keep in mind that everything associated with your Instagram account will be permanently deleted after 30 days of your deletion request. The information will become irretrievable after this period. However, the deletion process may take up to 90 days to complete, and certain copies of your content may still remain in Instagram’s backup storage. Additionally, Instagram may retain your information for purposes related to terms violations, prevention of harm, and legal matters.

Conclusion

Deactivating your Instagram account is subject to the strict policies set by Instagram, which cannot be circumvented. Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider your decision before deactivating and reactivating your account on the app.