You can delete your own photos from Instagram in seconds, and the person who posted them is the only one who can remove them

To delete a photo you posted on Instagram, open the app, find the post on your profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner of that post, and select "Delete". The photo disappears when ready. No one else can delete your photos — not followers, not people you tagged, not Instagram itself unless the photo breaks their rules. If someone else posted a photo of you that you want gone, you have different options depending on whether you want to ask them to remove it or report it to Instagram.

Deleting a photo removes it from your profile, from your followers' feeds, and from any saved collections. People who already saw it may remember it, but the link stops working and the image no longer appears anywhere on Instagram. If you posted a photo by accident, deleted it, and want to put it back, you'll need to upload it again — Instagram doesn't keep a trash folder.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the photo on your profile, tap the three dots, and select "Delete" to remove any photo you posted yourself.
  • Deleting a photo removes it from your profile and feeds when ready, but people who saw it may still remember it.
  • If someone else posted a photo of you, you can ask them to delete it, or report it to Instagram if it violates their rules.
  • Photos you delete are gone permanently — Instagram does not save deleted photos in a trash folder you can recover from.
  • Deleting a photo does not delete the comments, likes, or captions that were on it; those disappear when the photo does.

How to delete a photo you posted yourself

Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping your profile icon at the bottom right. Scroll to find the photo you want to delete. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of that post — they appear when you hover over the photo on a computer, or when you tap the photo on a phone. A menu will pop up with several options.

Select "Delete" from that menu. Instagram will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" again. The photo is now gone from your profile, your followers' feeds, and Instagram's search. This takes effect when ready. If you change your mind within a few seconds, you may be able to undo the action by tapping the "Undo" button that appears at the bottom of the screen, but this window closes quickly.

What happens when you delete a photo

When you delete a photo, everything attached to it disappears too — the captions you wrote, the hashtags, the location tag, all the comments, and all the likes. Anyone who saved the photo to a collection will see that it's no longer available when they try to view it. If you tagged other people in the photo, the tag is removed from their profiles.

The photo's URL stops working. If someone shared a direct link to that photo and another person clicks it later, they'll see an error message saying the post is no longer available. However, if someone took a screenshot of the photo before you deleted it, they still have that image — deleting from Instagram doesn't erase copies people made.

How to handle photos someone else posted of you

If another person posted a photo that includes you and you want it removed, your first step is to ask them directly. Send them a message or comment on the photo asking them to take it down. Many people will delete it without any fuss if you explain why you want it gone.

If they refuse or don't respond, you can report the photo to Instagram. Tap the three dots on their post, select "Report", and choose the reason — you can report it for being inappropriate, for violating your privacy, or for other reasons. Instagram reviews reports and may remove the photo if it breaks their rules. However, Instagram does not remove photos straightforward because you don't want to be in them; the photo has to violate a specific policy like harassment, hate speech, or nudity.

You can also untag yourself from the photo without asking the person who posted it. Tap the three dots, select "Untag yourself", and your name will no longer appear on that photo. The photo stays up, but it's no longer connected to your profile.

Deleting multiple photos at once

Instagram does not have a built-in tool to delete many photos in one action. If you want to remove several photos, you'll need to delete them one at a time using the three-dot menu. There is no batch delete feature, even on a computer.

If you want to delete your entire account rather than individual photos, that's a different process — you would go to Settings, select "Help", then "Delete Account", and follow Instagram's steps. Deleting your account removes all your photos, profile information, and followers permanently. This is different from deactivating your account, which hides your profile temporarily but keeps your data.

Recovering a photo you deleted by mistake

Once you delete a photo from Instagram, it is gone permanently. Instagram does not have a recovery or trash folder where deleted photos sit for a period of time before being erased. If you deleted a photo and want it back, you'll need to upload it again from your phone or computer.

If you have the original photo file saved on your device, you can straightforward post it again. If you don't have the original file, you may be able to find a copy if someone else shared it or if you posted it to another platform like Facebook or your phone's cloud storage. Once you upload it again, it will have a new post date — it won't restore the old comments and likes from the original post.

Why Instagram might delete your photo without you asking

Instagram can remove your photo if it breaks their Community Guidelines. This includes photos with nudity, graphic violence, hate speech, harassment, or spam. If Instagram removes your photo, you'll get a notification explaining which rule it violated. You can appeal the decision if you think it was wrong.

Instagram also removes photos if they contain copyright material — for example, if you posted a screenshot of a movie or a song's album art without permission. If your photo is removed for copyright, the copyright holder reported it, not Instagram itself. You can dispute a copyright claim if you believe you have the right to use the image.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a photo someone tagged me in?

You cannot delete a photo that someone else posted, but you can untag yourself from it. Tap the three dots on the photo, select "Untag yourself", and your name will no longer appear. The photo stays on their profile, but it's no longer connected to yours.

Will people know I deleted a photo?

People won't receive a notification that you deleted a photo. However, if someone was looking at your profile or had the photo saved, they'll notice it's gone. There's no way to hide the fact that a photo was deleted — it straightforward disappears from your profile.

What if I delete a photo but someone already shared it?

If someone shared your photo to their story or reposted it, deleting your original photo doesn't remove their copy. They would need to delete their own post. You can ask them to remove it, or report their post to Instagram if it violates your rights.

Can I delete just the caption without deleting the photo?

Yes. Tap the three dots on your photo, select "Edit", and delete the text in the caption box. You can also add new text or leave it blank. The photo stays up, but the caption is gone.

Does deleting a photo remove it from search results?

Yes. Once you delete a photo, it no longer appears in Instagram's search results or explore page. However, if someone has the direct link to the photo saved, they'll see an error message when they try to visit it.