How to protect your privacy on Instagram

Instagram is a popular photo and video sharing platform with over a billion monthly active users. It allows you to share your photos with friends and family easily. As you are sharing your personal pictures, it is important to take some steps to ensure your privacy.

These tips will allow you to share your pictures with friends and family without compromising your personal information.

Best Instagram privacy tips

Enable two-factor authentication

It’s always recommended to use two-factor authentication to protect your account.

• Open Instagram and tap the profile icon at the bottom right corner.
  
• Now, swipe left and tap the settings icon at the bottom of the screen.
  
• Now, click on ‘Security’ and click on ‘Two-factor authentication’.
  
• Now, click on ‘Get Started’ and turn on ‘Text message’.
  

Set your account to private

Instagram allows you to set your profile to private, allowing only your approved followers to view your posts.

• Open Instagram on your phone and tap the profile icon at the bottom right corner.
  
• Now, swipe left and tap the settings icon at the bottom of the screen.
  
• Now, click on ‘Privacy’ and select ‘Account Privacy’.
  
• Now, enable the option near ‘Private account’.
  

Revoke third-party access

If you have provided access to third-party apps to your Instagram account, they can access your data. Make sure that you only grant access to trusted apps.

To revoke access to apps that you have already authorized, follow the steps below:

• Open a browser and log in to Instagram.
  
• Now, tap the profile icon at the top right corner and click on the settings icon.
  
• Now, click on ‘Authorized apps’ at the left-hand side.
  
• Go through the apps listed and click on the ‘Revoke access’ and then tap ‘Yes’.
  

How to block someone

• Open Instagram and click on the profile icon at the bottom right corner.
  
• Now, click on ‘Followers’ and lock for the person you want to block.
  
• Then, click on that person’s profile and tap the overflow button (three dots).
  
• Then click on ‘Block’ and in the pop-up, once again click on ‘Block’.
  

Turn off activity status

• Open Instagram and click on the profile icon and go to settings by swiping left.
  
• Now, click on ‘Privacy’ and click on ‘Activity Status’.
  
• Now, disable the ‘Show Activity Status’ option.
  

Disable direct messages for stories

• Open Instagram and go to settings.
  
• Now, click on ‘Privacy’ and click on ‘Story’.
  
• Now, in the ‘Allow Message Replies’ section, select ‘Off’.
  

See also:

How to protect your privacy on Snapchat

Instagram’s Boomerang gets SloMo, Echo, and Duo effects - to match up to Snapchat and TikTok

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