Let’s face it, Instagram can be overwhelming at times.
With the amount of video content you see daily, it almost feels like scrolling has become an unstoppable habit because you do not want to miss out on the “next interesting reel.” An hour of scrolling turns into 4 hours in quick time, and if you’re like my cousin, your screen time might even be touching the roof.
Whether you’re tired of social media addiction or you simply feel Instagram serves no purpose to you anymore, deleting your account seems like a logical idea.
The problem is it isn’t as straightforward of a process as it used to be. In the past, you’d just head over to Settings and see the option to delete your account right away. That’s not the case anymore.
The process is a little confusing nowadays, especially after the few latest updates. However, you can sit back and follow along as I lay out the steps in the most straightforward manner in this post.
If you prefer watching a step-by-step tutorial of the process instead, here’s a quick video:
Let’s learn more.
Why You Might Want to Delete Your Instagram Account
No matter how addicting Instagram can be, there are situations where deleting your account seems like the best thing to do. Here are some reasons why you might want to delete your Instagram account.
#1. Comparing Your Life with Others 👥
It’s easy to get caught up in the perfect world portrayed by the users of Instagram, which isn’t a reality most of the time. You might also be tired of comparing your life with others’ pretty moments and wishing why you were not living that kind of life.
This is a major problem in our society, and the sooner we realize the impact of it, the better for us.
Also read: Learn A New Skill With These Apps
#2. Need for a Break 🌴
Taking breaks is necessary, and it applies to all aspects of life. If you feel like you really need a break from social media altogether, deleting your account can be a great step in that.
Being constantly bombarded with notifications and the need to be connected “always” can be mentally draining for most people.
#3. Consuming Too Much Time a Day ⌛
If you spend too much time scrolling on Instagram, there’s a huge possibility that it’s affecting your schedule. You might notice yourself using Instagram even when it’s time to work or to sleep.
Backing Up Your Data
Before we proceed with the deletion process, you can backup and download your account’s entire data by going to your profile, tapping on the 3 lines, tapping on Your Activity, and finally tapping on Download your information.
This will allow you to download your account’s data, such as stories, photos, reels, archived posts, etc.
How to Delete Instagram Account Permanently
Here are the steps you need to follow to delete your Instagram account permanently.
Step 1: Open Instagram and tap on the Profile icon.
Step 2: Tap on the three lines at the top right corner.
Step 3: Tap on Settings and Privacy.
Step 4: Scroll down until you see Help. Tap on it.
Step 4: Tap on Help Center.
Step 5: You should see a screen like this. You need to tap on the three lines at the top right corner.
Step 6: Tap on Manage Your Account.
Step 7: Tap on Delete Your Account.
Step 8: From here, you need to tap on where it says, “Temporarily deactivate your Instagram Account.”
Step 9: Scroll down until you see a link with the text “Delete your Instagram Account.”
Step 10: Tap on the iPhone App Help dropdown menu.
Step 11: Tap on Mobile Browser Help.
Step 12: Scroll down until you see a link with the text “Delete your account.” You need to tap on it.
Step 13: From here, you need to select a reason why you want to delete your account. Once you see the most suitable reason, tap on it, or ust n the “Something else” option.
Step 14: To confirm, you’d have to enter your password.
Step 15: Finally, tap on Delete, and you’re done.
Those were the steps you needed to do from your end. Next, Instagram will take 30 days to complete the deletion process. Within those 30 days, if you change your mind about deleting your account, you can simply log back in, and it’ll revoke the deletion.
During the 30 days window, your account will not be visible to the public.
How to Deactivate Your Instagram Account
If you’re unsure whether you want to delete your Instagram account permanently, I recommend deactivating it. This will allow you to return to your account whenever you want to and avoid any irreversible damage.
Deactivating is a great temporary solution for problems like mental fatigue and an affected schedule due to social media.
The steps to deactivate your account are almost the same as deleting your account, except, on the page where you select a reason to delete your account, you need to tap on the link with the text “Temporarily Deactivate.”
Select your reason for deactivating on this page, enter your password, and tap the temporarily deactivate button.
Upon deactivating your account, your entire account, including all your photos, comments, and likes, will be hidden until you log back into your account.
Tips to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed While Using Instagram
Sometimes more than deleting or deactivating your Instagram account, you need better ways to manage your app use. The ideal scenario is not to let the app consume you. Here are some quick tips to help you always stay on top of the app.
#1. Unfollow Unnecessary Accounts 👤
If you notice that some accounts you follow make you feel bad about yourself or are not adding value to your life, it’s time to unfollow them.
#2. Take Regular Breaks 🌴
As mentioned in this post, taking a break is necessary for every human. Over-exposure to social media can be mentally draining because there is too much information out there, and our brain needs a rest from time to time.
#3. Quality > Quantity ✅
Instead of consuming every little piece of content that pops up on your screen, try to engage with the accounts that truly add value to your life. Focus on quality rather than quantity.
#4. Use the Mute Feature 🔇
Every phone has this feature, and thank God for it. If you keep feeling overwhelmed by social media, you must use the mute feature more often to reduce the noise.
Closing Thoughts
Deleting your Instagram account might seem like a big step, and that might hold you back. However, if you’re confident that the result of it will be beneficial for you, I recommend going ahead with it.
If you’re unsure, there’s always an option to deactivate it or try and become better at managing the overwhelm that comes with it.
Next, learn how to turn off a business account on Instagram and move to a personal account.
