TL;DR: Open your profile, tap the menu, go to Account privacy and turn on Private account. From then on only followers you approve see your posts, reels and stories. Your name, username, profile photo and bio stay visible to everyone, so keep those clean. Business and creator accounts can't be private, so switch back to a personal account first. Then tighten who can message, tag and find you.

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Public by default

Instagram's help centre says that by default anyone can see your profile, photos and videos, unless you're under 18. A private account limits what you share to followers you approve. Teen accounts start private.

How to switch to private

  1. Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines).
  2. Tap Account privacy.
  3. Turn on Private account and confirm.

On a computer, open Settings from the More menu and find the same Account privacy toggle. The official help article covers each device.

If the option is greyed out, you probably have a business or creator account. Switch back to a personal account in Settings first, then make it private.

What strangers can still see

So don't put your school, workplace, city or phone number in your bio, and pick a profile photo that doesn't show your home or children. Our guide to username searches shows how one handle can link your accounts across sites.

Five more settings worth changing

  1. Remove existing followers you don't know. Going private doesn't remove people who already follow you.
  2. Messages: limit who can message you so strangers land in requests, not your inbox.
  3. Tags and mentions: approve tags manually so you aren't linked to other people's posts.
  4. Story sharing and remixing: turn off sharing of your stories and posts.
  5. Location: don't add locations to posts, and check whether the Instagram app needs location at all. See do geotagged photos reveal your address.

Private isn't invisible

Followers can screenshot or forward anything. Approved followers can be fake accounts. And Instagram may still suggest your account to people who have your number in their contacts, just as Facebook does with People You May Know. Be choosy about follow requests, and watch for the common Instagram scams that start with a friendly DM.

Do Facebook too while you're at it: how to make Facebook private.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make my Instagram account private?

Go to your profile, tap the menu, tap Account privacy and turn on Private account.

What can people see on a private Instagram?

Your name, username, profile photo, bio and follower counts. Posts, reels and stories are only visible to approved followers.

Why can’t I make my Instagram private?

Business and creator accounts can’t be private. Switch back to a personal account first.

Does going private remove my current followers?

No. Existing followers stay. Remove anyone you don’t know from your followers list.

Are Instagram accounts private by default?

Not for adults. Instagram says profiles are public by default unless you’re under 18.

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