How to Hide Your Instagram Account and Prevent Other Users from Finding You

By default, almost anyone who has an account on the app can see the photos you share on your Instagram profile. If you don't want to be seen, there are a few things you can do to hide your Instagram account and prevent your contacts and others from finding you on the social network.

For example, by removing specific information, even if someone has your phone number, they won't be able to find you on Instagram . This guide will detail additional options that will help you hide yourself from prying eyes.

Delete your Facebook account from Instagram

To make sharing easier, Instagram lets you link your Facebook account to the app (and vice versa). If you want to prevent people from finding you on Instagram, this article recommends not doing so.

Linking two accounts means that both apps will have access to each other’s friend lists. So whenever one of your Facebook friends creates an account on Instagram, your profile will show up as a friend suggestion. Since this is something we want to avoid, let’s go ahead and unlink your Facebook from Instagram.

Make your Instagram account private

Making your account private is one of the easiest ways to make your profile less visible. Even if someone eventually finds you, they won’t be able to see your posts unless you give them permission to do so.

Remove your phone number from Instagram

Before you remove your phone number from Instagram, keep in mind that you won’t be able to turn on two-factor authentication. You’ll also need to have a verified email address for this feature to work, as Instagram requires at least one verified way to contact you in case of emergency.

You can turn off two-factor authentication by going to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication and turning it off from there.

1. To delete your phone number, tap your profile icon and select Edit .

2. Swipe down to Personal information settings .

3. Remove your phone number from the Contact Info field .

Delete phone number

Once your phone number is deleted, people who have saved your number to their mobile phone will not be able to find you after they activate “ Contacts Connection ”.

Turn off Instagram contact sync

You may have used this option when you first set up your Instagram account. However, if you want to stay hidden, you should turn it off. You will need to use your mobile device for this.

Prevent friends from finding you in similar accounts

The person you’re trying to avoid can easily find you if they happen to be following an account similar to yours. To prevent this from happening, access Instagram on a desktop browser. Oddly, you can’t turn this option off from your phone or tablet.

1. Go to your Instagram profile on your PC and click the Edit Profile button .

2. Scroll down to the bottom where you will see a box you can uncheck to prevent your account from appearing in any similar account results.

3. Click the  blue Submit button.

From here you can also add or remove your phone number in case you didn't follow the steps described above.

Disable your online status

If you want even more privacy, turning off your online status is a step in the right direction.

Block certain accounts

Want to make sure someone can't find you no matter what? Block their account if you know their exact username.

Temporarily disable your account

The only way to be 100% sure someone will never find you is to delete your Instagram account . But since that's a bit extreme, you can choose to temporarily disable your account for peace of mind.

This means your photos, likes, and comments will be hidden until you decide to log back into the app.

Note : You can only deactivate your account once a week.

To deactivate your account, you must use Instagram on your PC or log in to your account on your mobile browser.

1. Go to your profile and click the Edit Profile button .

2. Click on the Temporarily disable my account option  at the bottom.

3. Select the reason why you are deactivating your profile and re-enter your password.

4. Click Temporarily disable account  and then click Yes to confirm your choice.