Having trouble accessing your Instagram account?

Whether your account was disabled in the past, or recently hacked, here's how you can recover it.

NOTE: Please note that we cannot provide technical support regarding this blog post. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Instagram support by following the steps here.

Deactivated vs Disabled vs Hacked Instagram Account

Before we dive into the steps required to restore an Instagram account, it's important to determine the reason that you've lost access in the first place, as the process is different depending on the cause.

A deactivated Instagram account is one that the user themselves has chosen to pause or hide. This is done via the account settings and is temporary. Once deactivated, the account's profile, photos, comments, and likes will be hidden until it is reactivated again, which can be done by simply logging in.

A disabled Instagram account is one that was deactivated by Instagram administration. This could be due to repeat violations of the platform's intellectual property policy, or for sharing fraudulent or misleading content.

A hacked Instagram account is one that has been illegally taken over by another user, often with the intent to blackmail the account owner (many hackers will charge the account owner a fee to restore ownership of their account).

Depending on the status of your Instagram account, you can follow the steps below to restore it.

How To Recover A Deactivated Instagram Account

If you personally deactivated your Instagram account, all you need to do to reactive it is log back in. It's that simple!

You can deactivate your account again at any time, but keep in mind that you may only do so once per week.

How To Recover A Disabled Instagram Account

If your account was disabled by Instagram administration, you will receive a popup informing you when attempting to log in.

An account can be disabled for a variety of reasons, including violating community guidelines and terms of use.

If you believe your account was disabled unfairly, you can dispute it and attempt to recover your disabled Instagram account by visiting the contact page here.

Fill in your information, including your appeal.

IMPORTANT: Phrase your appeal carefully! If you believe your account was disabled by mistake, do not apologize as this could be construed as an admission of guilt.

How To Recover A Hacked Instagram Account

Was your Instagram account hacked? If so, don't stress! There are ways to recover a hacked account without having to give in to the hacker's requests.

Change Your Account Details

The first thing you should do is try to regain control of any affected Instagram accounts.

While it's likely that the hacker has changed your login email address or password, you can reset this by requesting a login link to your phone number. Here's how:

• Open the login screen on the Instagram app.

• Tap Get Help Signing In or Forgot Password depending on your device.

• Enter your phone number and submit to send login link.

• Follow the instructions to regain access to your account.

Regain Access To Your Hacked Account

If the above instructions did not work, you can contact Instagram customer service and report your hacked account to regain access.

• Open the login screen on the Instagram app.

• Tap Get Help Signing In or Forgot Password depending on your device.

• If you're on Android, enter your username, email, or phone number and tap Next.

• Tap Need more help?

• Follow the on-screen instructions.

You will likely have to provide a security code to confirm your identity and complete the Instagram account recovery process.

Secure Your Account

If the above instructions have helped you regain access to your account, it's time to secure it! If your account is associated with the same email address as before, be sure to change your Instagram password, revoke any access to third party apps or Facebook accounts, and turn on two factor authentication.

It's important that you ensure that you make your account secure immediately upon recovery, to prevent any additional issues.

Frequently Asked Questions