How to Delete Instagram: Get over your FOMO and kill your account

There are plenty of reasons to delete your Instagram account. Maybe you're spending too much time aimlessly scrolling through the platform or perhaps you've realized you're obsessing over the likes and views on the photos you share. Whatever the reason may be, terminating or disabling your Instagram account is easy. Similar to Facebook, which owns the photo-sharing app, Instagram users can opt to temporarily switch off their account or permanently kill it.

How to temporarily disable your Instagram

The advantage of temporarily disabling your Instagram account is simple: You can always come back without losing your profile, shared content, likes, captions and comments. For those who think they'll suffer from deleter's remorse, a temporary termination is the perfect solution to test the waters.

To temporarily disable your account, visit Instagram.com from a mobile browser or computer and log into your account — users cannot disable their account using their app. On the upper right corner, there will be an icon shaped like a person. Select the icon, click "Edit Profile," and then scroll down to tap on "Temporarily disable my account."

Users will then be prompted to select an option from a drop-down menu for "Why are you disabling your account" and will then be asked to re-enter their account's password. Users will not be able to disable their account without answering why they are choosing to disable it.

Finally, selecting "Temporarily Disable Account" will shut down your Instagram for however long you want to lay low.

How to permanently delete your Instagram

Deleting your Instagram is as final as it gets — your profile, photos, videos, comments, captions, likes and followers will be gone for good. Instagram will not be able to reactivate a permanently removed account and users "can't sign up again with the same username or add that username to another account."

To permanently delete your account, visit Instagram's Delete Your Account page from a mobile browser or computer — users cannot delete the account using their app. If you're not logged in, the page will ask you to sign in using your password.

Then, users will be prompted to select an option from the drop-down menu for "Why are you deleting your account?" and will be asked to re-enter the account's password. Without selecting a reason for deleting the account, a user will not be able to permanently remove it. Finally, clicking on "Permanently delete my account" will delete your Instagram for good.