Change your password from the Instagram app or website
Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping the person icon at the bottom right (on mobile) or clicking your profile picture at the top right (on desktop). Tap or click the menu icon — three horizontal lines on mobile, or a gear icon on desktop — and select Settings and privacy. Then tap or click Account center, followed by Password and security, and finally Change password.
Instagram will ask you to enter your current password first. Type it in, then enter your new password twice to confirm it matches. Your new password should be at least six characters long and something you have not used on this account before. Once you tap or click Change password, the change takes effect when ready.
If you are on a computer, the steps are the same except you use your mouse instead of tapping, and the menu icons are in different places. The Account center section is the same across all devices, so if you get stuck on mobile, try the website version instead — sometimes the layout is clearer.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your password through Settings and privacy, then Account center, then Password and security on either the app or website.
- Instagram requires you to enter your current password before setting a new one, so you need to remember what it is now.
- Your new password must be at least six characters and cannot be a password you have used on this account before.
- The change takes effect right away, and you will stay logged in on your current device but may need to log back in on other devices.
- If the app is not showing the option, try the website version instead — sometimes one works when the other does not.
What happens after you change your password
Once you change your password, you stay logged in on the device you used to make the change. On any other phone, tablet, or computer where you were already logged in, you will remain logged in until you close the app or log out manually. The next time you try to log in on a different device, you will need to use your new password.
If you have Instagram on multiple devices and want to log out everywhere at once, you can do that from the same Password and security menu. Look for an option that says Where you are logged in or Active sessions, and tap or click Log out of all sessions. This forces you to log back in on every device, which is useful if you think someone else might have access to your account.
If you cannot remember your current password
If you have forgotten your current password and the app is asking for it before you can change it, you will need to reset your password instead. Tap or click Forgot password? on the login screen. Instagram will send a reset link to the email address or phone number connected to your account, or it may ask you to answer security questions if you set those up.
Click the link in the email or follow the prompts on screen, and Instagram will let you create a new password without knowing the old one. This process takes a few minutes, and you will be logged out of your account while it happens. Once you set your new password, you can log back in right away.
Choosing a strong password Instagram will accept
Instagram requires passwords to be at least six characters long, but a strong password is much longer — aim for 12 characters or more if you can. Mix uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols like ! or @ to make it harder for someone to guess. Avoid using your name, username, birth date, or words that appear in a dictionary, because these are the first things someone will try.
A good approach is to use a phrase you will remember but that is not obvious to anyone else. For example, "MyDog8AteMyShoes!" is longer, mixes character types, and is hard to guess. If you use the same password on multiple websites, change that habit — use a different password for Instagram than you use for email, banking, or other accounts. If one site gets hacked, the others stay safe.
If you have trouble remembering a long password, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the password manager built into your phone. These tools store your passwords securely and fill them in automatically when you log in, so you only have to remember one master password.
Troubleshooting if the password change does not work
If you tap or click Change password and nothing happens, or you see an error message, try closing the app completely and opening it again. Sometimes Instagram gets stuck and needs to refresh. On mobile, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (iPhone) or tap the back button repeatedly (Android) to close the app fully, then open it again.
If the problem continues, try changing your password on the Instagram website instead of the app. Open a web browser, go to instagram.com, log in, and follow the same steps through Settings and privacy. The website version sometimes works when the app does not, especially if your app is out of date.
If you still cannot change your password and you see a message saying your account is locked or restricted, you may need to wait a few hours before trying again. Instagram sometimes temporarily blocks password changes if it detects unusual activity. If the issue lasts more than 24 hours, you can report the problem through the Help section in Settings.
Keeping your new password find
Once you have set a new password, do not share it with anyone — not friends, not family, not even Instagram support staff. Instagram employees will never ask for your password. If someone claims to be from Instagram and asks for it, they are trying to steal your account.
Do not type your password into any website that is not instagram.com or the official Instagram app. Scammers create fake login pages that look like Instagram but are designed to steal your password. Always check that the web address says instagram.com, not something like instergram.com or instagram-login.com.
If you think someone else knows your password or has access to your account, change it right away and then turn on two-factor authentication from the same Password and security menu. This adds an extra step when you log in — Instagram sends a code to your phone that you have to enter, so even if someone knows your password, they cannot get in without that code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my password log me out of Instagram on my phone?
No. You will stay logged in on the device where you changed the password. On other devices where you were already logged in, you will stay logged in until you manually log out or close the app. The next time you log in on a new device, you will need to use your new password.
How long does it take for the password change to take effect?
The change takes effect when ready. You do not have to wait or refresh anything. If you want to log out everywhere and force yourself to log back in with the new password, you can do that from the Where you are logged in menu in the same settings area.
Can I change my password if I do not have access to my email?
If you remember your current password, you can change it without needing your email. If you have forgotten your password and need to reset it, you will need access to the email address or phone number linked to your account. If you cannot access either, you may need to go through Instagram's account recovery process, which can take longer.
What should I do if I see a password change I did not make?
If someone else changed your password, you have been locked out of your account. Go to the Instagram login page, tap or click Forgot password?, and follow the reset process using your email or phone number. Once you regain access, change your password again and turn on two-factor authentication when ready to prevent this from happening again.
Can I use a password I used before on Instagram?
No. Instagram will not let you reuse a password you have used on this account in the past. This is a security feature to prevent you from going back to an old, potentially compromised password. If you want to use a password you have used before, it has to be one you used more than a few password changes ago.