Delete your own comment in three taps
To remove a comment you wrote, open the post where you left it. Find your comment in the thread below the photo or video. Press and hold on your comment — a menu will appear with several options. Tap Delete, then confirm when Instagram asks if you're sure. Your comment is gone when ready.
This works the same way whether the post is yours, a friend's, or a public account's. Instagram removes your comment from the thread right away, and nobody gets a notification that you deleted it. The post itself stays up — you're only removing your words from it.
If you can't find your comment in the thread, it may have been deleted by the post owner or hidden by Instagram's filters. Scroll through the full comment section to make sure you're looking at the right post, especially on older posts with many comments.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold your comment, then tap Delete from the menu that appears — no other steps needed.
- Deleting your comment removes it from the thread when ready, and the post owner won't see a notification about it.
- You can only delete comments you wrote yourself; the post owner can delete anyone's comments on their posts.
- If you want to change what you said rather than remove it entirely, you can edit your comment by pressing and holding it and selecting Edit.
Edit a comment instead of deleting it
If you made a typo or want to rephrase something, you don't have to delete and rewrite. Press and hold your comment and tap Edit. Change the text, then tap outside the comment box or press Done. Instagram shows that the comment was edited, but the post owner and other people can still see what you wrote.
Editing is faster than deleting and reposting because your comment stays in the same spot in the thread. People who already read it will see the updated version when they look again. This is useful when you catch a mistake right after posting.
When the post owner deletes your comment
The person who posted the photo or video can delete any comment on their post, including yours. You'll notice your comment is gone from the thread, but you won't get a notification that they removed it. If you want to know why, you'd have to ask them directly.
This is their right on their own posts. Some people delete comments that are off-topic, rude, or spam. Others delete comments for personal reasons. If your comment keeps getting deleted on someone's posts, that's a signal they don't want that kind of interaction.
Comments hidden by Instagram's systems
Sometimes your comment disappears from a thread even though you didn't delete it and the post owner didn't either. Instagram's automated filters may have hidden it because it triggered their spam or harassment detection. This happens most often if your comment contains links, repeated words, or language Instagram's system flags.
If this happens, you won't get a notification. Your comment is still technically there, but only you and the post owner can see it. If you think Instagram made a mistake, you can report it through the app, but there's no may provide the comment will be restored.
Deleting comments on your own posts
If you posted a photo or video and want to remove a comment someone else left, press and hold that comment and tap Delete. You can delete any comment on your posts — there's no limit. The commenter won't get a notification, but they may notice their comment is gone if they look back at the post.
You might delete comments to keep your posts on topic, remove spam, or hide negative feedback. Some people delete comments regularly; others rarely do. It's entirely your choice what stays on your posts.
Bulk deleting old comments you wrote
Instagram doesn't have a tool to delete all your comments at once. If you want to remove many comments you wrote across different posts, you'll need to do them one at a time. Go to each post, find your comment, press and hold it, and tap Delete.
This is tedious for large numbers of comments, but it's the only way to remove them individually. Some people use third-party apps that claim to delete comments in bulk, but these often require you to give them access to your account, which carries security risks. It's safer to delete comments manually, even if it takes longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a comment after someone replies to it?
Yes. Deleting your comment removes it from the thread, and any replies to it will also disappear. The people who replied won't get a notification that you deleted your comment, but they'll notice their replies are gone if they look back at the post.
Does the person see a notification when I delete my comment?
No. Instagram doesn't send notifications when you delete your own comments. The post owner and other people will only notice if they happen to look at the thread and see your comment is missing.
What if I delete a comment and then want to post it again?
You can rewrite and post the comment again. Instagram treats it as a new comment, so it will appear at the bottom of the thread with a new timestamp. There's no way to restore a deleted comment to its original position.
Why can't I find the delete option on my comment?
Make sure you're pressing and holding directly on the text of your comment, not on the username or timestamp. If you're still not seeing the menu, try closing the app and opening it again. On some older phones or with older app versions, the menu may take a moment to appear.
Can I delete comments on Instagram Stories?
Yes, the process is the same. Open the story, find the comment in the replies, press and hold it, and tap Delete. Story comments disappear the same way as post comments, and the person won't get a notification.