Many users nowadays deactivate Instagram accounts to escape social media but are unaware of how a deactivated profile will look to their followers or other Instagram users.
So here’s what a deactivated profile will look like.
A deactivated Instagram account means that all contents on your profile won’t be visible to anyone nor searchable online. This can be temporary or as long as you plan to keep the account deactivated. However, you can easily regain your account by logging in and activating your profile.
Deactivating your Instagram account is a temporary and not a permanent action. It means you have the flexibility to regain access to your account, which is why people prefer to deactivate rather than delete the Instagram account.
If you’re wondering what exactly happens once you deactivate your Instagram account and how other people will view it, this article will explain everything about deactivating your Instagram account.
How Does a Deactivated Instagram Profile Look Like?
Deactivating your account is an excellent way to “delete” your profile. Actually, you don’t delete it, but more like turn it off. A deactivated Instagram will have the features mentioned below:
- Your profile will be hidden from others.
- Your posts, videos, comments, and likes will remain invisible.
- People will not be able to search your profile.
- Your followers will stay, but nobody can search your profile to unfollow the account.
- Some things, such as your messages or comments, will remain visible.
You can reactivate your account at any time by simply logging back into your account. Instagram will fully restore your profile and information.
How To Deactivate Your Instagram Account
You can easily deactivate your Instagram account by following these steps:
- Open the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap the hamburger menu icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings and privacy.”
- Tap the “Account Centre” option at the top.
- Tap on “Personal details” under “Account settings.”
- Tap on “Account ownership and control.”
- Tap on “Deactivation or deletion.”
- Choose the account you wish to deactivate if you have multiple accounts logged in.
- Choose the “Deactivate account” option and tap “Continue.”
- Enter your password and tap “Continue.”
- Choose an option for “Why are you deactivating your account?” and tap “Continue” at the bottom.
- Tap “Deactivate Account” to confirm.
To retrieve your Instagram, you need to log in with your credentials, and you will get access to your Instagram account with all your backed-up data.
What Happens to Your DMs if You Deactivate Your Instagram Account?
Nothing really happens to your direct messages, as all the data is stored when you temporarily disable your account.
Old messages will still be visible, but new messages can’t be sent or received. If someone sends a message to a deactivated profile, the message will be sent but not delivered.
How To Know if Someone Has Deactivated Their Profile?
If you cannot search for a profile on your account, you may wonder if you’ve been blocked or whether that person has deactivated their profile.
Here are a few ways to check if someone has deactivated their Instagram account.
- You can ask a friend or someone else to search for the profile through their account. Whether they are friends or not, they can still search for their profiles. If the profile is not visible on a different account, the user deactivated it.
- You can create another Instagram account with a different Email address. In this way, you can check yourself and search for a profile. If the user is visible from another account, then the user might have blocked you.
- Lastly, you can search for the profile on a browser if you know the exact username. If the account is deactivated, the browser will show an error message saying, “Sorry, this page isn’t available.”
What Happens if You Delete Your Instagram Account?
Deleting your Instagram account is a permanent action. Once done, you can’t have your account back. After deleting your account, you must create an entirely new account if you wish to use Instagram again.
The following happens when you delete your Instagram account:
- Your profile, photos, videos, comments, and likes will be removed permanently.
- Deleted accounts cannot be reactivated.
- You can’t sign up again with the same username.
- Your old direct messages to others will still be visible, but instead of displaying your name, it will just say “Instagrammer.”
Endnote
Deactivating your account is just like deleting your account, but temporarily. It can be retrieved, unlike the deleting your account option, which is a permanent action.
When you deactivate your account, your profile, pictures, videos, comments, and likes will be invisible to all Instagram users.
