3 Easy Ways to Reactivate Your Instagram Account

A quick and easy guide to restoring a deactivated Instagram account

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: September 4, 2024

Do you want to reactivate your Instagram account? If your Instagram account was deactivated or temporary disabled, you can easily reactivate it again by logging in . However, if your account was deleted, you won't be able to restore it. If you can't log in, you can send an appeal to Instagram's support team or troubleshoot common errors. This wikiHow will show you how to activate your Instagram account and appeal a disabled account on your computer or mobile device.

Things You Should Know

You'll need to wait at least a day after deactivating to reactivate your account. You can't restore a deleted account.
To reactivate an account, simply log in to your account. You may need to re-accept Instagram's Terms of Use.
To reactivate a suspended account, use Instagram's appeal form to send a request for account access.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Reactivating an Account

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1
Make sure your account has been deactivated for long enough. If you temporarily deactivated your Instagram account, it usually takes a few hours for Instagram to finish the process. During this time, you won't be able to reactivate your account.
- If your account has been deactivated for more than a day, you should be able to log back in without any trouble.
- If you chose to delete your Instagram account , you won't be able to reactivate it. Your only option is to create a new account .
If you uninstalled Instagram, you can easily reinstall it from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Play Store (Android). Otherwise, just tap the Instagram camera icon on your home screen to launch the app.

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3
Enter your username, email address, or phone number. Do so in the top text field. You can use any of these credentials so long as they're associated with the account you want to reactivate.
- Depending on the screen to which Instagram loads, you may first have to tap a Log In button or link in order to view the login page.
4
Enter your password. Do this in the "Password" text field.
- If you don't remember your password, you'll need to reset it .
5
Tap Log in . It's at the bottom of the screen. As long as your login credentials are correct, this will reactivate your Instagram account.
- Depending on how long your Instagram account has been deactivated, you may have to accept updated Terms of Use or verify your phone number before you can proceed to your account.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Appealing a Disabled Account

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1
Verify that your account is suspended. Open the Instagram app and try logging in with the correct credentials. If you see a message which says "Your account has been disabled" (or something similar) appear after tapping Log in , Instagram has disabled your account for violating the Terms of Use. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you just see an error message (e.g., "Incorrect password or username"), your account hasn't been disabled by Instagram.
To do so, go to https://help.instagram.com/contact/606967319425038 in any browser. You can access this form on your computer, Android, iPhone, or iPad.
In the form, you'll need to provide your full name, Instagram username, and your current email address and phone number.
4
Enter your appeal request. In the last text box on the page, type in a brief message explaining why you think your account should not be deactivated. When writing your appeal, remember the following guidelines:
- Explain that your account was deactivated, and you believe the deactivation to be a mistake.
- Avoid apologizing, as doing so implies some form of fault.
- Keep your tone pleasant and never use harsh language.
- End your appeal with a "Thank you!".
5
Click Send . It's a blue button at the bottom of the page. Doing so will send your appeal to Instagram; if they choose to reactivate your account, you'll be able to log in when notified.
- You can repeat the appeal process several times per day until Instagram reaches a decision.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting Login Issues

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1
Try logging in with your email or phone number. If attempting to log in with your username isn't working, consider using your email address or your phone number.
- Likewise, you might try logging in with your username if you usually use your email or phone number.
- Your password needs to be correct regardless of your selected login credential.
If you can't remember the correct password for your Instagram account, you can reset it from your phone or computer.
If the Instagram app (not your login information) is the problem, using cellular data instead of Wi-Fi can resolve some login issues.
Your phone or computer may have cached information which is preventing you from logging into your account; if so, using a different phone, computer, or browser to log into your account may fix this problem.
5
Uninstall and reinstall the Instagram app. In some cases, reinstalling Instagram will resolve login issues caused by the app.
- If your Instagram app is out-of-date, doing this will also make sure that you have the most recent version of the app.
6
Consider whether you violated Instagram's Terms of Use. If you're receiving a message that says your account doesn't exist, your account may have been deleted by Instagram due to a Terms of Use violation.
- Common violations include posting nudity, bullying other users, promoting harmful products, and fraud. ^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- Terms of Use violations often result in your account being suspended or deleted without warning.

Community Q&A

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Question

I have temporarily disabled my account 2-3 months back but now when i try to login it shows the login but screen appears blank and a message pops up saying couldn't refresh feed. What should I do?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Staff Answer

The part about the "couldn't refresh feed" sounds like an app version problem or internet connection issue. Try using a web browser on a computer or laptop or connect to a more reliable network on your phone and update the app, then try again.

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How many times can you deactivate your Instagram?

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You need to wait 7 days before reactivating an Instagram account, then you have to wait another 7 days before you can deactivate it again. This could go on ad infinitum if you had nothing better to do…

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Can I get my Instagram back after deleting it?

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According to the terms and conditions of Instagram, deletion of your account is permanent. You will have lost access to both the old account and your previous username. If you disabled the account temporarily, you can restore it (just follow the instructions in the article above). Think hard before deleting your Instagram!

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Instagram sometimes develops a bug that can prevent you from logging in even if your account details are correct. For this reason, you shouldn't panic if your account won't let you log in; wait for a day, then try again.

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Back up your Instagram photos to ensure that you'll be fine if your account is deleted.

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Warnings

Violations of Instagram's Terms of Use can result in a permanently deleted account with no warning.

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Using a service that accesses Instagram's API (e.g., an app that posts on your behalf, a service that tells you who unfollowed you, etc.) will almost always result in your account being deactivated.

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3 Easy Ways to Reactivate Your Instagram Account

Things You Should Know

Steps

Reactivating an Account

Appealing a Disabled Account

Troubleshooting Login Issues

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

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