What you need before you start
You need three things to create an Instagram account: a working email address or phone number, a password you have not used anywhere else, and a username you want to be known by. Instagram will ask for your full name, but you can use a nickname or partial name if you prefer — this is separate from your username and can be changed later without affecting your account.
Before you begin, decide whether you want to use an existing email address or create a new one just for Instagram. Using a separate email makes it harder for someone who knows your main email to find or access this account. If you use your main email, write down the password somewhere safe — not in a note on your phone, but in a physical notebook or a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password that encrypts what you store.
You will also need to decide right now whether you want a private account (only people you approve can see your posts) or a public account (anyone can see your posts). You can change this later, but starting private gives you control from day one.
Key Takeaways
- Use a password you have never used on any other website, and store it somewhere you can find it again if you forget.
- Consider using a separate email address just for Instagram so your main email stays harder to find.
- Set your account to private when you create it if you want to control who sees your posts — you can change this later.
- Do not use your real location, phone number, or home address in your profile, and turn off location tagging in your settings after you finish creating the account.
- Two-factor authentication (a second login step using your phone) makes your account much harder to break into and takes less than two minutes to turn on.
The step-by-step process on your phone or computer
Go to instagram.com on a web browser, or read the Instagram app from the Apple App Store (if you use iPhone) or Google Play Store (if you use Android). Open Instagram and tap "Create new account" at the bottom of the login screen.
Enter your email address or phone number. Instagram will send you a code — check your email inbox or text messages for it. Type that code into Instagram to confirm you own that email or phone number. Then create a username (this is what other people will see and use to find you) and a strong password. A strong password has at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols — for example, "BlueMoon#2847$Desk" is stronger than "password123".
Add your full name (Instagram calls this your "name", separate from your username). You can use a nickname here. Then add a profile photo if you want one — you can skip this and add one later. Tap "Next" and Instagram will ask if you want to follow suggested accounts. You can skip this too.
Before you finish, go to Settings (the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner, then "Settings and privacy"). Tap "Account type and tools" and switch to a private account if you want one. Then go back and tap "Privacy, safety and security" to turn on two-factor authentication — this adds a second step when you log in from a new device, making it much harder for someone else to access your account even if they know your password.
What information to keep private in your profile
Your profile is visible to anyone on Instagram unless you set it to private. Do not put your home address, phone number, or the name of your workplace in your bio or profile. Do not use your account to post photos that show your street address, house number, or the outside of your home where someone could find you.
Your location can be turned off in Settings. Go to "Privacy, safety and security", then "Location", and turn off "Allow access to your location". This stops Instagram from tagging where you are when you post. Even if you turn location off, do not post photos in real time — wait until you have left a place before you share a photo from there, so no one can figure out where you are right now.
If you use Instagram to message people, be aware that Instagram stores those messages and can see what you write. Do not send passwords, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information through Instagram messages. If someone you do not know asks you to move your conversation to a different app or website, that is usually a sign they are trying to scam you.
Protecting your account from being hacked
Two-factor authentication is the single most important setting to turn on. It means that even if someone gets your password, they cannot log in without also having access to your phone. Go to Settings, then "Security", then "Two-factor authentication" and turn it on. Instagram will ask you to choose between getting a code by text message or using an authentication app like Google Authenticator or Authy. Text message is easier; an app is slightly more find.
Check your login activity once a month. Go to Settings, then "Security", then "Login activity". You will see a list of devices and locations that have logged into your account. If you see a login you do not recognize — especially from a city you have never been to — tap it and select "This wasn't me" to log that device out and change your password when ready.
Do not reuse your Instagram password on other websites. If another website gets hacked and your password is stolen, hackers will try that same password on Instagram, Facebook, Gmail, and everywhere else. Using a different password on each site means a breach at one place does not put your other accounts at risk. A password manager stores all your different passwords in one encrypted place so you only have to remember one master password.
What to do if you forget your password
Go to the Instagram login screen and tap "Forgot password?" Enter your username or email address. Instagram will send you a link to reset your password — check your email (including spam folder) for it. Click the link and create a new password. Make sure it is different from your old one and different from passwords you use elsewhere.
If you cannot find the reset email, check that you entered the correct email address. If you entered the wrong email when you created your account, you may not be able to recover it. This is why writing down your email and password somewhere safe matters — if you lose access to the email address you used to create Instagram, you lose access to the account.
Connecting Instagram to Facebook or other accounts
Instagram will ask if you want to connect your account to Facebook. You do not have to do this. Connecting them means your Facebook friends can find you more easily on Instagram, but it also means Instagram and Facebook share information about what you do on each platform. If you want to keep your Instagram separate from your Facebook account, skip this step.
You can connect or disconnect Facebook later by going to Settings, then "Accounts and passwords", then "Facebook". The same applies to other accounts — you can add them or remove them whenever you want. There is no penalty for saying no to any of these options when you create your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create an Instagram account without an email address?
You can use a phone number instead of an email address. Instagram will text you a code to confirm the number. However, using an email is safer because you can recover your account if you lose access to your phone number — your phone company can reassign your number to someone else after a while.
What if someone else already has the username I want?
You will have to choose a different username. Instagram usernames are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved. You can try adding numbers, underscores, or periods to your preferred name — for example, "sarah_photography" instead of "sarahphotography". You can change your username later without losing your account or followers.
Do I have to use my real name on Instagram?
No. The "name" field (separate from your username) can be anything — a nickname, a business name, or initials. Your username is what people use to find you, so that is the one that matters for privacy. You can change your name in Settings anytime without affecting your account.
Is it safe to use the same password on Instagram and Facebook?
No. If one of those companies is hacked, your password is stolen and someone can log into both accounts. Use a different strong password on each site. A password manager like Bitwarden stores all your passwords encrypted so you only remember one master password.
Can I delete my Instagram account and create a new one with the same email?
Yes, but you have to wait 30 days after deletion before you can use that email to create a new account. During those 30 days, Instagram keeps your data in case you change your mind and want to reactivate. After 30 days, the account is permanently deleted and you can use the email again.