# How to change or reset your Instagram password Canonical: https://postmesh.app/blog/how-to-change-instagram-password By PostMesh team. Published 2026-10-31; updated 2026-10-31. To change your Instagram password, go to your profile, tap Menu, then Password and security, then Change password, pick the account and enter your current and new password; on a computer, click More, Settings, Accounts Center, then Password and security. If you've forgotten it, tap Forgot password? on the login screen and Instagram sends a link to your email or phone. Changing an Instagram password is quick when you know the old one. It gets harder when you don't, when the reset email never shows up, or when someone else changed it first. This guide covers every one of those cases with the exact steps from Instagram's own help center pages, opened and checked for this article, for the iPhone and Android apps, the website and a phone's browser. ## The short answer If you're logged in and know your current password, Instagram's page on [changing your password](https://help.instagram.com/129844100551729) says to change it from Password and security in your settings. If you're logged out and can't remember it, its page on [recovering your password](https://help.instagram.com/409847499070242) says to reset it from the login screen using your email address, phone number or username. If someone else changed it, use Instagram's hacked-account route, covered further down. Changing your password also logs you out of all your other devices. **Which situation are you in?** - I'm logged in and know my current password → Change it in Password and security. It takes under a minute. - I'm logged out and forgot my password → Tap Forgot password? and use the link sent to your email or phone. - The reset email or text never arrives → Check spam, request a new link, or tap Reset using Facebook if your accounts are linked. - Someone else changed my password → Use the security email from Instagram, or go to instagram.com/hacked. *Pick your case, then follow the matching section.* | Situation | Where to go | What you need | | --- | --- | --- | | Change a password you know | Menu › Password and security › Change password | Your current password | | Change it on a computer | More › Settings › Accounts Center › Password and security | Your current password | | Forgot your password | Login screen › Forgot password? | Access to the email or phone on the account | | No access to email or phone | Forgot password? › Reset using Facebook | Linked Instagram and Facebook accounts | | Reset link doesn't work | Request a new reset email | A fresh link; older ones may have expired | | Someone else changed it | Security email from Instagram, or instagram.com/hacked | A secure email only you can access | ## How do I change my Instagram password in the app? Instagram's steps are the same for iPhone and Android. You need to be logged in and to know your current password. 1. **Go to your profile**: Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right. 2. **Open the menu**: Tap Menu in the top right. 3. **Open Password and security**: Tap Password and security. 4. **Pick the account**: Tap Change password, then tap the account whose password you want to change. 5. **Enter both passwords**: Enter your current password, then your new password. 6. **Confirm**: Re-type the new password and tap Change password. Instagram app: Profile › Menu › Password and security › Change password *After Change password, tap the account you want to update.* Instagram, Password and security: - Change password (tap this) - Two-factor authentication - Where you're logged in *Three settings Instagram's help pages place under Password and security. Change password is the one you want.* ### If you manage several accounts The step where you tap the account matters. Password and security can cover every account in the same Accounts Center, so Instagram asks which one you're changing. Check the username before you save. Instagram's page on [adding and switching profiles](https://help.instagram.com/1696686240613595) says you can have up to 10 accounts logged in at once, so it's easy to update the wrong one. ### On an iPad or Instagram Lite Instagram's change-password page lists separate instructions for the iPad app and Instagram Lite for Android. If your screens don't match the steps above, open that section of Instagram's page, or use the website steps below. ## How do I change my Instagram password on a computer or phone browser? On the website, the setting sits inside Accounts Center. Instagram gives these steps for a computer: 1. **Open Settings**: At instagram.com, click More in the bottom left, then click Settings. 2. **Open Accounts Center**: Click Accounts Center, then click Password and security. 3. **Pick the account**: Click Change password, then click the account. 4. **Save**: Enter your current password and your new one, re-type the new one, then click Change password. instagram.com: More › Settings › Accounts Center › Password and security › Change password *On a computer, Password and security is inside Accounts Center.* ### In a phone's web browser Instagram's mobile browser steps start differently: tap your profile picture in the bottom right, tap Settings in the top left, tap Password and security, then Change password and the account. Enter your current and new password, re-type the new one and tap Change password. If you mostly use Instagram in a browser, our guide to [using Instagram on a computer](/blog/can-you-post-on-instagram-from-desktop) covers what else works there. ## How do I reset my Instagram password if I forgot it? If you're logged out and can't remember your password, Instagram's recovery page says you can reset it using your email address, phone number or username. The login screen differs slightly by device: on iPhone, Forgot password? is above Log in; on Android, it's below Log in. 1. **Tap Forgot password?**: It's on the login screen, above Log in on iPhone and below Log in on Android. 2. **Identify the account**: Enter your username, email address or phone number, then tap Continue. 3. **Open the link**: Instagram sends a link to your email or phone. Open it. 4. **Set a new password**: Follow the on-screen instructions to create the new password, then log in. 1. Tap Forgot password? on the login screen 2. Enter your username, email or phone 3. Tap Continue, or Send login link on a computer 4. Open the link sent to your email or phone 5. Create the new password and log in *The reset flow from Instagram's recovery page.* On a computer, Instagram's steps are: click Forgot password? on the login screen, enter your username, email or phone, click Send login link, then click Ok and follow the on-screen instructions. ### Reset with your email address Enter the email address on the account and Instagram sends the link there. Use the address you signed up with or later added; Instagram's page on [email addresses that can't be found](https://help.instagram.com/372185676193504) says a not-found error may mean you registered with a different email or mistyped it at sign-up. ### Reset with your phone number Enter the mobile number on the account and Instagram's recovery page says the link can go to your phone instead. That helps if your inbox filters Instagram's mail. ### Reset using Facebook If your Instagram and Facebook accounts are linked, Instagram's not-found page says that after tapping Forgot password? and entering your details, you can tap Reset using Facebook. Instagram's page on [missing reset emails](https://help.instagram.com/407128569340564) also lists Facebook verification as a way in when the email doesn't arrive. If you're trying to change your Facebook password as well, see our guide on [changing a Facebook password](/blog/how-to-change-facebook-password). ### If you forgot your username too You don't need it. Instagram's [forgotten username page](https://help.instagram.com/1645522102409931) says you can log in or reset your password with your email address or phone number instead. Once you're in, your username is at the top of your profile. ### If none of this works Instagram's recovery page says that if you can't reset your password this way, go to [instagram.com/hacked](https://www.instagram.com/hacked/) in a desktop or mobile browser to secure your account. That page asks for your username, phone number or email address to find the account and then walks you through the next step. ### If you reset your password and still can't log in A new password doesn't help when the login fails for another reason. If Instagram asks for a two-factor code and your phone is gone, use one of the backup codes you saved; Instagram's two-factor page says a backup code lets you log in when you've lost access to your phone or email and can't get login codes. If you see a notice that your account is disabled, the password isn't the problem: Instagram has taken action on the account, and our [suspended account guide](/blog/instagram-account-suspended) explains the review. If you get in and your email, phone number or username look different, someone else changed them, so go straight to the hacked-account section below. ## Why didn't I get the Instagram password reset email? Instagram's page on missing reset emails gives two main reasons: the email is going to your spam folder, or you mistyped your email when you first signed up. The second one is serious. Instagram says that if you mistyped your email address when signing up, it isn't able to give you access to the account through that email. **If the reset email doesn't arrive** - [ ] Check your spam and junk folders - [ ] Request a new email, since older links can expire - [ ] Try your phone number instead of your email - [ ] Tap Reset using Facebook if your accounts are linked - [ ] Ask your email provider to allow mail from instagram.com - [ ] Check you're using the email you signed up with *Each step comes from Instagram's pages on reset emails and reset links.* Instagram's missing-email page suggests three ways to find it: check your spam folder, reset through Facebook verification if your accounts are linked, and ask your email service provider to make sure you can receive email from the @instagram.com domain. ### The link in the email doesn't work Instagram's page on [reset links that aren't working](https://help.instagram.com/158807987592157) says to request a new password reset email, because the previous one may have expired. When the email arrives, choose the option to reset your Instagram password. Instagram specifically says not to choose to log in from the email if your goal is a new password. ### Instagram says it can't find your email Try your phone number or username instead, then try any other email you might have used. Instagram's not-found page says that if you can't access the email you registered with and didn't link your Instagram and Facebook accounts, it's unable to give you access to the account. ### You no longer have that email or phone number Instagram's page on [losing access to your email or phone](https://help.instagram.com/358911864194456) suggests asking your email provider to help you recover the inbox, since Instagram can't help you get back into your email. If you can still log in to Instagram with a password, phone number or Facebook, change the email or phone on your profile to one you control. Instagram says both the old and the new address will get a request to confirm or deny the change. ## Does changing your Instagram password log you out of other devices? Yes. Instagram's page on [accounts at risk](https://help.instagram.com/273359857992105) says that once you update your password, you're logged out of all other devices, which means anyone else logged in to your account loses access. That's the main reason to change your password if you think someone has your login: it ends their session as well as blocking the old password. It also means you'll have to log back in on your own tablet, laptop and any other phone. Have the new password handy, and if you use two-factor authentication, have your code method ready too. ### Log out of specific devices without changing your password If you only want to end one session, such as a friend's phone or an old laptop, Instagram's [login activity page](https://help.instagram.com/2761108904184084) gives this path in the app: Instagram app: Profile › Menu › Password and security › Where you're logged in › Select devices to log out *After Where you're logged in, tap one of your accounts, scroll down, pick the devices and tap Log out.* On a computer, Instagram's steps are More, Settings, Password and security, then Where you're logged in, then click an account, Select devices to log out, pick the devices and click Log out. Instagram notes not everyone has this setting in Meta Account or Accounts Center yet. If you don't, look for Security and then Login Activity in the app, or Login Activity in the menu on the left on a computer. ### What This Wasn't Me does In the older Login Activity screen, Instagram says you can tap This Was Me and Confirm for a login you recognize. For one you don't, tap This Wasn't Me and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password and secure your account. Instagram adds that these options may not appear if there hasn't been a login from a device or browser it doesn't recognize. ## Does changing my Instagram password change Threads or Facebook? Instagram's steps have you pick one account after tapping Change password, so you're changing that account's password. For Threads, Instagram's page on [changing your Threads password](https://help.instagram.com/1012605650899479) says that if you created your Threads profile with Instagram or Facebook, your password is most likely the same for both apps. It won't be the same if you created a separate password just for Threads, or if you removed the profile you signed up with from the same Meta Account as Threads. Facebook has its own password and its own steps. Accounts Center ties the accounts together for features like logging in across them, according to Instagram's [Accounts Center page](https://help.instagram.com/1731078377046291), but the change-password flow asks you to choose which account you're updating. If you use the same password on Facebook and Instagram, change both, and make them different while you're at it. ## How does two-factor authentication work with your password? A password alone can be guessed, phished or leaked. Instagram's [two-factor authentication page](https://help.instagram.com/566810106808145) says two-factor authentication protects your account by requiring a code when someone tries to log in from a device Instagram doesn't recognize. Its [security tips page](https://help.instagram.com/369001149843369) calls it the single most effective step to protect your account from hackers, and says Instagram turned it on by default for creator accounts. 1. **Open Password and security**: In the app: Profile, Menu, Accounts Center, then Password and security. On a computer: More, Settings, See more in Accounts Center, then Password and security. 2. **Choose two-factor authentication**: Tap Two-factor authentication, then select the account. 3. **Add a method**: Choose the security method you want and follow the on-screen instructions. **Authentication app** - Recommended by Instagram - Works on several devices - Set up only in the Android or iPhone app **Text message** - Code sent to your mobile number - Use a number already on the account or add one - Needed before WhatsApp codes **WhatsApp** - Codes arrive in WhatsApp - Turn on text message codes first *The three methods Instagram offers. You need at least one.* ### Save your backup codes If a code can't be sent, Instagram's [backup code page](https://help.instagram.com/1006568999411025) says you can log in with a backup code. In the app, go to Profile, Menu, Password and security, Two-factor authentication, choose the account, then Additional methods and Backup codes. You must be logged in to see them, so copy them somewhere safe now, not when you're locked out. Tap Get new codes to replace a set you think someone has seen. ### Trusted devices When you log in with two-factor authentication, Instagram lets you tap Trust this device so you won't need a code there next time. Its 2FA page warns not to do this on a public or shared device. After a password change, it's a good moment to review which devices you trust and remove any you no longer use. ### Changing phones or numbers Two-factor authentication ties your login to a phone or an app, so plan ahead when either changes. Instagram's 2FA page shows that you add and turn off methods from the same Two-factor authentication screen, so add the new number or authentication app while you can still log in, then turn off the old one. Instagram recommends an authentication app partly because you can connect several devices to it, which means losing one phone doesn't lock you out. Keep your backup codes somewhere that isn't the phone you're replacing. ## What should I do if someone else changed my Instagram password? Act quickly, and start with your email. Instagram's [hacked account page](https://help.instagram.com/149494825257596) lays out the recovery steps in order, and says some may not be available depending on the type of account, so try them all. 1. Look for an email from security@mail.instagram.com 2. Select secure my account if your email was changed 3. Request a login link from Forgot password? 4. Request a security code or support on a phone 5. Verify your identity, sometimes with a video selfie 6. Or start at instagram.com/hacked in a browser *Instagram's recovery steps, in the order its hacked-account page lists them.* ### Check your email for Instagram's security message If you got an email from security@mail.instagram.com saying your email address was changed, Instagram says you may be able to undo the change by selecting secure my account in that message. Its page on [email changes](https://help.instagram.com/1682636905358680) explains why this works: when the email on an account changes, Instagram emails the original address with a link to reverse the change and the new address to allow it. If you didn't make the change, deny it from the original address. ### Request a login link or a security code If more than your email was changed, request a login link: tap Forgot password?, enter the username, email or phone number on the account, tap Send login link, complete the captcha, then open the link in your email or text message. If that doesn't work, Instagram says you may be able to request support from a mobile device. Use a secure email address that only you can access, and watch it for next steps. ### Verify your identity For an account without photos of you, Instagram says you'll get an email from Meta's support team asking for the email or phone number you signed up with and the type of device you used at the time. For an account with photos of you, you may be asked for a video selfie turning your head in different directions. Instagram says the video is never visible on Instagram and is deleted within 30 days, and if it can't confirm your identity, you can submit a new one. ### If you can still log in If someone tried to get in but you still have access, Instagram's hacked page lists what to do: change your password or send yourself a reset email, turn on two-factor authentication, confirm the phone number and email in your settings are correct, check Accounts Center and remove linked accounts you don't recognize, and revoke access for suspicious third-party apps. If the person who got in is someone you know, a new password locks them out, but they can still see your public profile. Our guides on [what restrict means on Instagram](/blog/what-does-restrict-mean-on-instagram) and [turning off your active status](/blog/how-to-turn-off-active-status-on-instagram) cover the quieter ways to limit what one person sees. ### If it's a business or creator account Instagram's page for [professional accounts where a hacker is still taking actions](https://help.instagram.com/588993474002733) says to log in to Meta Business Suite at business.facebook.com with your Instagram details, open Business Settings, then People under Users. If you see managers you didn't add, it says you can remove them by switching the Instagram account back to personal, then switching back to professional. Your insights data is kept for 90 days during the switch. ### Getting more help If the self-service routes fail, our guide to [contacting Instagram support](/blog/how-to-contact-instagram-support) lists every official channel. If your account was disabled rather than hacked, the route is an appeal, covered in our [disabled account appeal guide](/blog/instagram-account-disabled-appeal). If the hacker changed your username, Instagram's forgotten-username page suggests looking for Instagram's email about changed account information, or asking a friend to visit your profile and screenshot the current username. Our guide on [checking if an Instagram username is available](/blog/how-to-check-if-an-instagram-username-is-available) explains how to see whether your old handle is free. > Instagram's page on [recent emails](https://help.instagram.com/760602221058803) says Instagram will never contact you about account security through direct messages. Ignore anyone who messages you offering to recover your account, especially for a fee. ## Why did I get a password reset email I didn't ask for? Usually someone mistyped. Instagram's page on [unrequested reset emails](https://help.instagram.com/231141655544451) says the email doesn't necessarily mean your account was hacked; people trying to log in to their own account sometimes enter your email or username by mistake. It adds that only people who know your password, or who click the login link in that email, can log in to your account. So don't click it, and don't forward it. ### How to tell if the email is really from Instagram Instagram's recent emails page lists the addresses official security messages come from: @support.facebook.com, @support.instagram.com, @facebookmail.com, @mail.instagram.com and @global.metamail.com. You can also check inside the app. Go to Profile, Menu, Meta Account, Login and security, then Recent emails, and tap your profile. Instagram shows official emails sent in the last 14 days, with security and login emails under Security. If the email in your inbox isn't listed there, treat it with suspicion and don't click its links. If you're still uneasy, Instagram suggests resetting your password and turning on two-factor authentication. That takes two minutes and removes the worry. ## How do I choose a strong Instagram password? Instagram's rules and advice are spread across a few pages. Put together, they're clear. Its change-password page suggests a combination of at least 6 numbers, letters and punctuation marks. Its accounts-at-risk page says your password must be at least six characters, but recommends at least eight for higher security, and adds that longer passwords are usually more secure. **A strong Instagram password** - [ ] At least 8 characters, even though 6 is the minimum - [ ] Mixes numbers, letters and special characters like $, @ and % - [ ] Avoids repeated characters and patterns - [ ] Contains no name, birthday, email or phone number - [ ] Isn't used for any other account - [ ] Is kept in a password manager *Every item comes from Instagram's own security and password pages.* - Avoid personal details. Instagram's security tips page warns against your name, birthday, address, the names of your partner or children, and generic passwords like password 1-2-3. - Make it unique. Instagram says your password should be different from the ones you use for other accounts, like your email or bank. - Use a password manager. Instagram's security page recommends a third-party password manager to keep passwords unique and change them regularly. - Never share it. Instagram says never give your password to someone you don't know and trust. - Secure your email too. Instagram points out that anyone who can read your email can probably also access your Instagram, so change your email passwords and make sure no two are the same. ### Why Instagram may ask you to change your password Sometimes Instagram prompts you to change it. Its accounts-at-risk page says this happens when your password is weak or may have been exposed or compromised by outside sources, for example when you used the same password on another site that had a data breach, or when your account was synced with an unauthorized third-party app. Instagram says it never stores a copy of your password. If you see this prompt, change it right away and pick something you haven't used anywhere else. ## What happens to apps and schedulers after a password change? Changing your password ends sessions on your other devices, and that can include tools that rely on being logged in. Instagram's security page warns that giving an app your login details, whether a username and password or an access token, can give it complete access to your account. If an app ever had your password, change it, then remove apps you don't use: Instagram's page on [apps and websites](https://help.instagram.com/1144624522593085) gives the path Profile, Menu, Website permissions, Apps and websites, Active, then Remove next to the app. Be wary of apps that promise to show who unfollowed you or who views your profile and ask for your Instagram login to do it. You don't need them. Our guide to [seeing who doesn't follow you back](/blog/who-doesnt-follow-you-back-on-instagram) shows how to check by hand, and the [Instagram handle checker](/tools/instagram-handle-checker) tests a username against Instagram's rules without asking you to sign in to anything. If you schedule with PostMesh, nothing in PostMesh needs your new password, because [PostMesh never asks for or stores your Instagram password](/platform/instagram). Its Instagram connection uses Instagram Login, so changing your password doesn't touch it. If Instagram ever asks you to reconnect, Connections will say so. Our guide to [scheduling Instagram posts](/blog/how-to-schedule-instagram-posts) covers the other ways to schedule as well. ## How do I keep my Instagram account secure after changing my password? A new password fixes today's problem. These habits, each taken from Instagram's security pages, keep it from coming back. 1. Turn on two-factor authentication, ideally with an authentication app, and save your backup codes. 2. Check Where you're logged in every few months and log out of devices you don't recognize. 3. Keep the email and phone number on your account current, so a reset link reaches you. 4. Log out on shared computers, and don't tick Remember me on a public one, as Instagram's security page advises. 5. Remove third-party apps you no longer use, and never share your login with an app you don't trust. 6. Review Recent emails before clicking any security link that lands in your inbox. If you're making bigger changes to your account, our guides on [deactivating Instagram](/blog/how-to-deactivate-instagram) and [deleting an Instagram account](/blog/how-to-delete-instagram-account) both need you to be able to log in, so it's worth getting your password sorted first. And if you lost access because Instagram took action on the account rather than because of a password, start with our guide to [suspended Instagram accounts](/blog/instagram-account-suspended). ## Questions ### Can I change my Instagram password without the old one? Not from Settings, which asks for your current password. Log out and use Forgot password? on the login screen to reset it with a link sent to your email or phone. ### How long does an Instagram password reset link last? Instagram doesn't publish an exact time. Its help page says an older reset email may have expired, so request a new one if the link fails. ### Why does Instagram log me out after changing my password? Instagram logs you out of all other devices when you update your password, so anyone else using your login loses access. Log back in on your own devices with the new password. ### What's the minimum length for an Instagram password? Six characters. Instagram recommends at least eight, mixing numbers, letters and special characters. ### Can I reset my Instagram password with Facebook? Yes, if your accounts are linked. After tapping Forgot password? and entering your details, tap Reset using Facebook. ### Is my Threads password the same as my Instagram password? Usually, if you created Threads with your Instagram profile. It's different if you set a separate Threads password or removed the Instagram profile from the same Meta Account. ### What if the reset email goes to an address I can't access? Try your phone number or Reset using Facebook. If you can't access the email and didn't link Facebook, Instagram says it can't give you access to the account. ### Does Instagram ever send password help by direct message? No. Instagram says it never contacts you about account security through direct messages; official emails come from addresses like @mail.instagram.com. ### Should I change my password if I get a reset email I didn't request? It isn't required, since the email alone doesn't mean you were hacked. Don't click the link, and change your password and turn on two-factor authentication if you're concerned. ### Where do I find Instagram backup codes? In the app, go to Menu, Password and security, Two-factor authentication, choose the account, then Additional methods and Backup codes. You must be logged in to see them. ## Sources - [Instagram Help: Change your Instagram password](https://help.instagram.com/129844100551729) - [Instagram Help: Recover your Instagram password](https://help.instagram.com/409847499070242) - [Instagram Help: If you didn't receive the password reset email you requested from Instagram](https://help.instagram.com/407128569340564) - [Instagram Help: Links in password reset email from Instagram aren't working](https://help.instagram.com/158807987592157) - [Instagram Help: If your email address can't be found during a password reset](https://help.instagram.com/372185676193504) - [Instagram Help: Lost access to email or phone number linked to Instagram account](https://help.instagram.com/358911864194456) - [Instagram Help: What to do if you forget your Instagram username](https://help.instagram.com/1645522102409931) - [Instagram Help: Why Instagram tells you your account is at risk](https://help.instagram.com/273359857992105) - [Instagram Help: View your recent Instagram login activity](https://help.instagram.com/2761108904184084) - [Instagram Help: Change your Threads password](https://help.instagram.com/1012605650899479) - [Instagram Help: About Accounts Center](https://help.instagram.com/1731078377046291) - [Instagram Help: Add and switch between multiple Instagram profiles](https://help.instagram.com/1696686240613595) - [Instagram Help: Securing your Meta Account with two-factor authentication](https://help.instagram.com/566810106808145) - [Instagram Help: How you can use a backup code on Instagram](https://help.instagram.com/1006568999411025) - [Instagram Help: Secure your Instagram account](https://help.instagram.com/369001149843369) - [Instagram Help: If you think your Instagram profile has been hacked](https://help.instagram.com/149494825257596) - [Instagram Help: What to do if the email for your Instagram account was changed](https://help.instagram.com/1682636905358680) - [Instagram Help: Professional account where a hacker is still taking actions](https://help.instagram.com/588993474002733) - [Instagram Help: Why you received an Instagram password reset email that you didn't request](https://help.instagram.com/231141655544451) - [Instagram Help: Review recent emails sent from Instagram](https://help.instagram.com/760602221058803) - [Instagram Help: Manage apps and websites you've logged into or connected on Instagram](https://help.instagram.com/1144624522593085) - [Instagram: My Instagram was hacked](https://www.instagram.com/hacked/)