Download Article
Stop following random Instagram users by securing your account
Download Article
Have you noticed that you're suddenly following a bunch of random Instagram accounts? This usually happens when spammers get control of your account, either by hacking into it, or through a third-party app you've approved. To prevent your Instagram account from automatically following others, you'll need to make sure nobody can access your account but you. This wikiHow article teaches you how to stop automatically following Instagram accounts by removing access to connected apps, updating your password, and turning on two-factor authentication.
Stopping Automatic Following on Instagram
Auto following is usually the result of giving a third-party app or website access to your Instagram account. Go to your profile, tap the menu icon, and press “Settings and Privacy.” Tap “Website permissions” and “Apps and Websites.” Then, remove any apps you don’t want connected to your account.
Steps
-
Click or tap your profile icon or picture . The first thing you'll need to do to stop auto-following accounts is to block access from third-party apps. Start by going to your Instagram profile in the mobile app or on the web at https://www.instagram.com .
-
Tap the three-line menu ☰ . You'll find the menu icon at the top-right corner of your profile if you're using the Instagram mobile app, or at the bottom-left on a computer .Advertisement
-
Tap Settings and privacy . If you're using a computer, click Settings instead.
-
Scroll down and tap Website permissions . If you're using a computer, you can skip this step.
-
Tap Apps and websites . This takes you to the list of apps and websites you've connected to your Instagram account.
-
Tap Remove under apps or websites you don't trust. You'll see three tabs: "Active," "Expired," and "Removed." On the Active tab, you'll see apps and websites that currently have access to your account. Remove any apps or websites that you don't recognize, as well as any connected apps that claim to get you followers.
- For example, if you've used a bot in the past to get followers , you'll see that bot here. [1] X Research source These bots are often responsible for auto following on Instagram, so remove any that you've added.
- Once you've removed the app that's responsible for automatically following accounts, you can safely unfollow the random Instagram users .
- If you don't see any apps listed here, it's likely that somebody has gained access to your Instagram account. See Change Your Password in the Mobile App or Change Your Password on a Computer to secure your account.
Advertisement
-
Tap the profile icon or your profile photo . You'll see one of these two options at the bottom-right corner of the screen. [2] X Research source
- If you're following random accounts on Instagram, it may be because somebody gained access to your account. This method will help you secure your account by resetting your password.
-
Tap the three-line menu ☰ . You'll see this in the top right corner of your screen.
-
Tap Settings and privacy . It's at the top of the menu.
-
Tap Accounts Center . It's at the top of the menu.
-
Tap Password and security . This option is under the "Account settings" header.
-
Tap Change password . A list of your Meta accounts, including any linked Facebook accounts, will appear.
-
Select your Instagram account. This takes you to the "Change password" screen.
-
Enter your current password. To change your password, you need to enter the current one correctly in the "Current password" text field.
- If you don't know the password, you can read about resetting a forgotten Instagram password.
-
Enter your new password twice. You'll need to enter your password and confirm it correctly before you can continue. If you misspell your password between the two entries, you'll need to re-enter it to proceed.
- Make sure your new password is at least 8 characters long and has a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
-
Tap Change password . It's at the bottom of the screen. You'll get an email confirmation that you've changed your password.
- Now that you've updated your password, you can safely unfollow the random accounts.
-
Enable two-factor authentication. The best way to keep your Instagram account secure is to require an additional step for logging in. When you use two-factor authentication, you'll receive a confirmation code via text, WhatsApp, or through an authentication app like Google Authenticator . This prevents anyone who doesn't have access to your phone from logging in as you. To turn it on:
- Return to your Settings and privacy and go to Accounts Center > Password and security .
- Tap Two-factor authentication .
- Select your Instagram account.
- Tap Get started . [3] X Research source
- Select an authentication method. If you don't have any of the listed apps, you can download them from the App Store or Play Store, or choose Text Message .
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Advertisement
-
Go to https://instagram.com and sign in . You can change your password in any web browser for Windows, Mac, or Linux.
- If you've been following random accounts automatically, your account may be compromised. This method will help you change your password.
-
Click More . You'll see this next to three horizontal lines at the bottom-left corner of the page.
-
Click Settings . It's the first option at the top of the menu.
-
4Click Accounts Center . It's at the top of the menu.
-
5Click Password and security . This option is in the left panel.
-
Click Change Password . You'll see this at the top of the right panel.
- If you have multiple Meta accounts, select your Instagram account before you continue.
-
Enter your current password. To successfully change your password, you need to enter your current one correctly in the "Current password" text field.
-
Enter and confirm your new password. You'll need to type your new Instagram password twice to confirm. Your new password should be at least 8 characters long and have a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
-
Click Change Password to confirm. As long as your passwords match, you'll receive an email confirmation that you've changed your password.
-
Turn on two-factor authentication. The best way to keep your Instagram account secure is to require an additional step for logging in. When you sign in, you'll need to verify a code that you'll receive on your phone through text message, WhatsApp, or Google Authenticator. This way, nobody will be able to gain access to your account without the secondary code. To turn it on:
- Return to your Instagram Settings and go to Accounts Center > Password and Security .
- Click Two-factor authentication .
- Select your Instagram account.
- Select a security method and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- To avoid auto following accounts in the future, make sure never to approve unknown third-party apps.Thanks
- If anyone contacts you on Instagram and asks you to send them a code, it's usually a scam. Never provide any codes to anyone on Instagram, especially those you receive through two-factor authentication or text message.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
References
About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Open Instagram
.
2. Tap the profile icon (Android) or your profile picture (iOS).
3. Tap the three-line menu
icon.
4. Tap Settings
.
5. Tap Security
.
6. Tap Password
.
7. Enter your current password.
8. Enter your new password twice.
9. Tap the checkmark
icon.
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 621,102 times.
Advertisement
