How to Reactivate Your Instagram Account

This article provides instructions on how to reactivate your Instagram account after temporarily disabling it, as well as steps to follow if your account is locked. If your account is deleted, however, your only option is to create a new account.

Make sure your account has been deactivated for a specific period of time. After selecting deactivate account, Instagram typically takes a few hours to complete the process. During this period, you cannot reactivate your account.

• If the account has been deactivated for more than a day, you can log back in as usual.

Note that you cannot reactivate a deleted account. If you choose to delete your Instagram account, reactivation is not possible after deletion.

Open Instagram. Tap the Instagram app, represented by the colorful camera icon.

Enter your username, email address, or phone number in the first field. You can use any login details associated with the account you want to reactivate.

• Depending on the screen shown, you may need to first click the Log In button to access the login page.

Click the Log in button at the bottom of the screen. Once your account information is correctly entered, you'll log into Instagram and reactivate your account.

Follow the on-screen instructions. Depending on how long your Instagram account has been deactivated, you may need to agree to the updated Terms of Service or verify your phone number before you can access your account.

• Logging in will reactivate your account, so no additional activation steps are necessary after you log back in.

Confirm that your account is suspended. Open the Instagram app and try logging in with the correct information. If you see a message saying "Your account has been disabled" (or something similar) after selecting Log in, your account has been locked by Instagram due to a violation of the Terms of Service.

• If you receive an error message (such as "Incorrect password or username"), your account has not been locked by Instagram. Try following the login troubleshooting steps.

Submit an appeal to Instagram. Go to https://help.instagram.com/contact/606967319425038 using a web browser. You can use this form to request Instagram to grant you access to your account.

Enter your full name. In the "Full name" field near the top of the page, enter your first and last name as it appears on your Instagram account.

Enter your username. Type your Instagram username in the "Your Instagram Username" field.

Enter your email address and phone number sequentially. You can do this in the "Your email address" and "Your phone number" fields.

Enter your appeal request. In the last field of the page, write a brief message explaining why you believe your account should be reactivated. When crafting your appeal, follow these guidelines:

• Explain why your account was deactivated and that you think it was a mistake.
• Avoid apologizing in a way that implies guilt.
• Keep a polite tone and refrain from using offensive language.
• End with a thank you.

Click the Send button at the bottom of the page. This will submit your appeal to Instagram; if they choose to reactivate your account, you will be notified and able to log in again.

• You can repeat the appeal process several times each day until Instagram makes a decision.

Try logging in with your email or phone number. If logging in with your username doesn't work, try using your email address or phone number instead.

• Similarly, if you usually log in with your email or phone number, try using your username to log in.
• The password must be entered correctly, regardless of which login method you choose.

Reset your password. If you can't remember your Instagram account password, you can reset it using either your phone or computer.

Turn off your phone's Wi-Fi when logging in. If the Instagram app (not your login details) is having issues, switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data may resolve the login problem.

Use a different platform to access Instagram. Your phone or computer may have cached data preventing you from logging in; if that's the case, try using a different device, computer, or browser to log in.

Uninstall and reinstall the Instagram app. In some cases, reinstalling the Instagram app can fix login issues caused by the app.

• If the app hasn't been updated in a while, this action will also ensure you have the latest version of the app.

Consider whether you've violated Instagram's Terms of Service. If you receive a message saying your account doesn't exist, Instagram may have deleted your account due to a breach of their Terms of Service.

• Common violations include posting sensitive content, disrespecting others, promoting harmful products, and engaging in fraud.
• Violating the Terms of Service often leads to your account being suspended or deleted without prior notice.

• Using services to access Instagram's API (like apps that help you post photos or services that track who unfollowed you) often leads to your account being disabled.
• Back up your Instagram photos to ensure you’re covered in case your account gets deleted.
• Sometimes Instagram experiences glitches that prevent login even when your login details are correct. For this reason, don't worry if you can’t log in right away; wait a day and try again.

• Violating Instagram's Terms of Service can result in your account being permanently deleted without any prior notice.