How to switch your Instagram account from public to private
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge
Anyone who has followed a social network knows that sometimes the most innocuous post can attract unpleasant responses, especially on apps like Instagram, where your content — whether video, image, or text — can be out there for anyone to see. There are any number of reasons you might want to set your account to private, even if only temporarily. It would make it so that only people you approve can follow you and see the stuff you post on your grid or in your Stories.
This isn’t a perfect solution. For example, although only your followers can see your posts while your account is private, some aspects of your account, such as your profile, will remain public.
Anyway, let’s begin.
Screenshot: Meta
It’s not hard to find and toggle on Instagram’s Private Account feature.
To toggle your Instagram Private Account on:
Using the iOS or Android mobile app, tap on your profile icon in the lower-right corner and select the three-line hamburger icon in the top right. Using the web app, look for the hamburger icon at the bottom left.
On Android, scroll down and select Account privacy. On iOS, select Settings > Account privacy. On the web app, you’ll find Account privacy in the Settings column on the left.
Toggle Private Account on.
If you want to pare down your followers, you can do that as well.
Screenshot: Meta
You can remove any followers you want to drop.
Go to your profile by selecting your personal icon.
Select the word “followers” to the right of your profile picture.
Tap or click the Remove button next to any followers you want to drop. You’ll be asked to confirm the removal and told that those followers will not be informed of their removal.
In your settings, you can also click the link to the Accounts Center if you want to deal with issues with other Meta apps as well, such as Facebook and Threads, or add other security features such as two-factor authentication.
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge
Anyone who has followed a social network knows that sometimes the most innocuous post can attract unpleasant responses, especially on apps like Instagram, where your content — whether video, image, or text — can be out there for anyone to see. There are any number of reasons you might want to set your account to private, even if only temporarily. It would make it so that only people you approve can follow you and see the stuff you post on your grid or in your Stories.
This isn’t a perfect solution. For example, although only your followers can see your posts while your account is private, some aspects of your account, such as your profile, will remain public.
Anyway, let’s begin.
Screenshot: Meta
It’s not hard to find and toggle on Instagram’s Private Account feature.
To toggle your Instagram Private Account on:
Using the iOS or Android mobile app, tap on your profile icon in the lower-right corner and select the three-line hamburger icon in the top right. Using the web app, look for the hamburger icon at the bottom left.
On Android, scroll down and select Account privacy. On iOS, select Settings > Account privacy. On the web app, you’ll find Account privacy in the Settings column on the left.
Toggle Private Account on.
If you want to pare down your followers, you can do that as well.
Screenshot: Meta
You can remove any followers you want to drop.
Go to your profile by selecting your personal icon.
Select the word “followers” to the right of your profile picture.
Tap or click the Remove button next to any followers you want to drop. You’ll be asked to confirm the removal and told that those followers will not be informed of their removal.
In your settings, you can also click the link to the Accounts Center if you want to deal with issues with other Meta apps as well, such as Facebook and Threads, or add other security features such as two-factor authentication.