How Long Can You Deactivate Instagram?

Deactivating an Instagram account is a common practice that allows users to stay away from social media chaos without deleting their profile.

If you’ve been using Instagram for a while now, you must have deactivated your account at least once in your lifetime.

I personally deactivate my Instagram account at least twice a year to distance myself from the unrealistic world of social media.

If you haven’t deactivated your Instagram account yet, you might wonder:

How long can you deactivate Instagram?

When I deactivated my account for the first time, I also had this same question, but back then, there were not many online articles giving a straightforward answer to this question.

To clear your confusion, in this post, we’ll discuss how long can you deactivate Instagram, how many times you can deactivate your account, and what happens after you deactivate your profile.

In short, we will clear up all the confusion that people mostly have about deactivating Instagram.

How Long Can You Deactivate Instagram?

So, here comes the burning question: How long can you deactivate your Instagram?

Is it 24 hours?

Three months?

One year?

Or ten years?

The answer is – forever.

There is no Instagram deactivation limit,

Instagram has no restrictions on how long an account can be deactivated on the platform.

You can keep your account deactivated for as long as you want and revive it with the click of a button anytime. Your account will stay hidden, and no one can access your profile until you reactivate it again.

How Often Can You Deactivate Instagram?

Now, you may have one more question: how often can I deactivate my Instagram?

Unfortunately, there is a restriction on this activity. You can only deactivate your account once a week.

This means that if you deactivate your account and reactivate it on the same day, you must wait at least 7 days to deactivate it again.

Does Deactivating Instagram Hurt Your Account?

No, deactivating your Instagram does hurt your account. Your pictures, videos, messages, comments, and everything else stay unchanged. 

Everything will be the same as you left it when you reactivate your account.

However, there is one downside to deactivating Instagram for a prolonged period.

Due to the ever-changing world of social media, when you deactivate your account for an extended period, all your followers may forget about you, and your account reach may die.

If you’re a creator, this can affect your overall account performance, and your years of hard work will go to waste.

That’s why, even though deactivating Instagram once in a while is a good idea, and I encourage everyone to do it, if you’re a creator or business owner, you should think twice before making this decision.

What Happens When You Deactivate Instagram?

When you deactivate Instagram, your account becomes completely invisible on the platform, and all your photos, videos, comments, and reels are hidden from the outside world.

Not even your close friends can access your profile, and they will get a “user not found” error whenever they try to visit it.

If someone searches for your username, your profile won’t appear in the search results, and no one will be allowed to tag you in their posts or reels.

In short, your identity will temporarily vanish away from the platform like you never existed.

However, you can always reactivate your account anytime. Just log in using your account credentials, and your account will be back to life.

Your profile won’t change, and it will stay the way it was before. 

How to Deactivate an Instagram Account

Deactivating an Instagram account is super easy and takes less than a minute.

Here’s how to do it;

Step 1. Open your Instagram app and head over to your profile.

Step 2. Tap the “three-line” icon at the top right corner of the screen to open the “Account Centre.”

Step 3. Tap on “Personal details.”

Step 4. Tap on “Account ownership and control” and again tap on “Deactivation or deletion.”

Step 5. Choose a profile, select “Deactivate account,” and tap on “Continue.”

Step 6. Follow the on-screen instructions, and you’re done!

That’s how easily you can deactivate your Instagram account in just a few steps.

How to Reactivate Instagram Account

To reactivate your account, you just have to log in to your Instagram account using the same old login credentials.

Once you log in, your account will be automatically visible to the rest of the world.

FAQs

How Long Does it Take to Deactivate Instagram?

Once you follow the instructions and deactivate your account, your profile will immediately be invisible on the platform.

Does Instagram delete your account after 30 days of deactivation?

No, Instagram will never delete your account, even if you keep it deactivated for years.

Will I lose my followers if I deactivate Instagram?

No, you will not lose any followers if you deactivate Instagram. Since no one can access your profile, they also won’t be able to unfollow you until you reactivate it.

Can I reactivate my Instagram account after one year?

Yes, absolutely. You can reactivate your Instagram account anytime you want, even after a year.

What happens if I don’t reactivate my Instagram?

Nothing happens. Your profile stays deactivated and invisible.

Can deactivated Instagram accounts be traced?

If any law enforcement or government agencies direct Instagram, they can still retrieve information on deactivated accounts.

Conclusion

We hope by now you clearly know how long can your instagram account be deactivated.

To sum up, you can keep your account deactivated for life, and it will remain the same as before.

All your pictures, comments, messages, and reels will be the same without any change.

But if you’re a creator, it can harm your account reach and may hurt your overall brand reputation.

So, before you deactivate your account, take a moment and think twice.