How do I recover my Instagram account?

In a nutshell: Recovering your Instagram account can be straightforward, depending on the issue. If you've forgotten your password or username, visit the Instagram homepage, click "Forgot password?" and provide your email, phone number, or username to receive a reset link. Follow the instructions in the email or SMS

Jan 23, 2026

Introduction

Checking Instagram and uploading content onto the social media platform has become a part of everyday life. So, there's nothing more frustrating than when you go to log in and find that you can't.

Whether you've forgotten your password or username, previously deactivated your account, or are seeing a message that your account has been disabled, don't panic. Follow these few steps to recover your Instagram account, and you'll soon be back to sharing photos and videos with the world.

Visit the Instagram homepage

Open a new browser window and head to the Instagram homepage.

Click on Forgot password?

If the reason you need to recover your Instagram account is that you have forgotten your password, click on Forgot password?

Enter your email, phone number or username

Enter the email address or phone number you used when creating your Instagram account. Alternatively, enter your Instagram username. Click on Send login link.

Check your inbox

Check your email or SMS inbox for a message from Instagram. If you entered a username, a pop-up will tell you whether the recovery message has been sent via email or SMS.

Don't see anything in your inbox? Check your spam or junk folder.

Follow the link

Open the message and click on Log in as username.

Create a new password

Following the link will open a new browser window, prompting you to create a new password. Type a new password, re-enter it, and click Change Password. You can choose to skip this stage if you wish by clicking Skip.

Make a note of the new password

You should now have full access to your Instagram account. Don't forget to make a note of the new password so you don't get locked out again!

Sign in via Facebook

If you have a Facebook account that you previously linked to Instagram, it's possible to sign in via Facebook. On instagram.com, click on Log in with Facebook. Enter your Facebook email and password, follow the screen prompts, and you'll be back into your Instagram account.

Recover a deactivated or deleted account

If you previously deactivated or deleted your Instagram account, recovering it is easy. Simply go to instagram.com, enter your username, email, or phone number, enter your password, and click on Log in.

You may be asked to agree to new terms of use, so ensure you follow any on-screen instructions. Note that deleted accounts are only recoverable for 30 days.

Recover a disabled Instagram account

If you receive a message when signing in that your account has been disabled, you can appeal the decision.Go to the homepage and attempt to log in.When the disabled account message appears, click Appeal.Complete the form, providing as much information as possible.Submit the form.The review process can take several days, so be prepared to wait for your account to be recovered.

Conclusion

The method you use to recover your Instagram account will depend on why you lost access in the first place. If you've forgotten your username or password or want to reactivate your account, recovery is a simple process of requesting a reset email, signing in via Facebook, or signing in as normal.

However, if your Instagram account has been disabled for reasons outside your control, you need to file an appeal. Still can't recover your account? Then it could be time to contact Instagram's customer support team for assistance.

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Jeff truly believes that all customers deserve good service. He’s been building tools, inventing phone tree hacks and helping customers since before his days at GetHuman. He's also a Google GDE and involved in the Angular community.

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Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for Instagram Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like Instagram in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our How do I recover my Instagram account? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

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