What you need to start an Instagram account

To register for Instagram, you need a working email address or phone number, a password you create yourself, and a username. Instagram will ask for your full name, but you can use any name you want — it does not have to match your legal documents. You can change your username and display name later, so do not worry if you want something different in six months.

You do not need a credit card, a phone number on file, or any payment method to create a basic account. Instagram is free to use. The company makes money from advertising, not from charging users.

If you are under 13, you cannot create an account — Instagram's terms of service require users to be at least 13 years old. If you are between 13 and 17, your account will have different privacy settings by default, and some features will be restricted.

Key Takeaways

  • You can register using either an email address or a phone number, and you create your own password at signup.
  • Your username is what other people see and use to find you; your display name is separate and can be anything you want.
  • Instagram will ask you to verify your email or phone number by clicking a link or entering a code before your account is fully active.
  • You can change your username, display name, profile photo, and bio at any time after you create your account.
  • Instagram may ask you to provide additional information like a phone number or email later, especially if you forget your password.

Step-by-step registration on the Instagram app or website

Open the Instagram app on your phone or go to instagram.com in a web browser. On the login screen, look for a link that says "Create new account" or "Sign up." Click or tap it.

Instagram will ask you to enter either your email address or your phone number. Choose whichever one you use most often and remember easily. Type it in carefully — if you make a typo, you will not receive the verification code. Then create a password. Instagram will show you a strength indicator; a strong password has uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols mixed together.

Next, Instagram asks for your full name. This is the display name that appears on your profile. You can use your real name, a nickname, a business name, or anything else. You can change this later without losing your account.

Then you choose a username. This is different from your display name. Your username is what people type after the @ symbol to find you — for example, @sarah_photography. Usernames can only contain letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. Instagram will tell you when ready if the username you want is already taken. If it is, try adding a number or underscore to make it unique.

Instagram will send a verification code to your email or phone. Check your email inbox (or spam folder) or look for a text message. Enter that code into Instagram to prove you own the email address or phone number. Your account is now active.

What happens after you verify your email or phone

Once you verify, Instagram may ask you to add a profile photo and write a short bio. You can skip both of these and add them later. If you skip them now, your profile will show a blank circle instead of a photo, and your bio will be empty.

Instagram will also suggest people to follow and ask if you want to connect your contacts. You do not have to do this. You can follow people later by searching for them or browsing the Explore page.

Your account is now ready to use. You can post photos and videos, send messages, and follow other accounts. You can change your profile photo, bio, username, and display name at any time by going to your profile and tapping "Edit profile."

Choosing a strong password you can remember

Your password is the only thing protecting your account from someone else logging in and posting as you. Instagram cannot see your password — only you know it. If you forget it, Instagram can send you a reset link, but you will need access to your email or phone number to use it.

A strong password is at least 8 characters long and mixes uppercase letters (A–Z), lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and symbols (!@#$%). For example, "BlueSky2024!" is stronger than "password123." Do not use your name, your birthday, or words from the dictionary — those are straightforward to guess.

Write your password down in a safe place, or use a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password that stores passwords for you. If you use the same password on multiple websites and one of them gets hacked, someone could try that password on Instagram too. Using a different password for each site protects you.

What Instagram does with the information you provide

When you register, Instagram collects your email address, phone number, username, display name, and password. Instagram also tracks which device you use, your location (if you allow it), and what you do on the platform — what you post, like, comment on, and follow.

Instagram uses this information to show you personalized ads. The company is owned by Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp. Your data may be shared across these platforms to build a more complete profile of you for advertising purposes.

You can limit some of this tracking by going to Settings > Ads > Ad preferences and choosing "See less" for ad categories you do not want to see. You can also turn off location tracking in your phone's settings. These changes do not delete the data Instagram already collected — they only affect what happens going forward.

If you cannot remember your username or password

If you forget your password, go to instagram.com and click "Forgot password?" on the login screen. Instagram will send a reset link to the email address or phone number you used when you registered. Click the link and create a new password.

If you forget your username, you can search for your account using your email address or phone number instead. On the login screen, enter your email or phone number in the username field. Instagram will recognize it and let you log in. Once you are logged in, you can see your username on your profile.

If you cannot access the email address or phone number you used to register, you will have a harder time getting back into your account. Instagram may ask you to verify your identity using a photo of yourself or other information. This process can take several days.

Registering on a computer versus a phone

You can register for Instagram on a computer by going to instagram.com, or on a phone using the Instagram app. The steps are the same either way. The main difference is that the app is usually faster and easier to use on a phone, while the website is easier to use on a larger screen.

If you register on a computer, you can still use the app on your phone later by logging in with the same username and password. Your account is the same across all devices — your posts, followers, and messages are all in one place.

Some features work better on the app than on the website. For example, posting a video or photo is simpler on the app. Editing your profile and changing your password work well on both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a fake name or a business name instead of my real name?

Yes. Your display name can be anything you want. Many people use nicknames, business names, or creative names. Your username is separate and also does not have to match your real name. The only restriction is that you cannot impersonate someone else or use a name that violates Instagram's community guidelines.

What if the username I want is already taken?

Try adding a number, underscore, or period to make it unique. For example, if @sarah is taken, try @sarah_photography or @sarah2024. You can also change your username later if you think of something better, as long as no one else has claimed it.

Do I have to give Instagram my phone number?

No. You can register using only an email address. Instagram may ask for a phone number later for security reasons, but it is not required at signup. You can add it later in your account settings if you want to.

Can I have more than one Instagram account?

Yes. You can create multiple accounts using different email addresses or phone numbers. You can switch between them in the app by tapping your profile picture and selecting "Switch accounts." Each account is separate and has its own followers, posts, and messages.

Is it safe to register with my real email address?

Yes, as long as you use a strong password and do not share it with anyone. Your email address is how Instagram sends you password reset links and security alerts. If you are concerned about privacy, you can create a separate email address just for Instagram, but your real email is fine to use.