Instagram takes an account down for one of two reasons: it breaks the rules, or it's one of a handful of special cases raised by the right person with the right documents. Copies of you go through the impersonation report. Scams, spam and abuse get reported from the profile. A profile of someone who has died can be memorialized at anyone's request, or removed at the family's. Children below the minimum age have their own form. Your own old account? Log in and delete it. Accounts that play by the rules stay up, whoever objects.
Five cases at a glance
| Case | Route | What you'll need to show |
|---|---|---|
| A copy of you | Report from the fake profile, or the impersonation form | That you're the one being copied |
| Scams, spam or abuse | A profile report in the app | The profile itself, plus how it breaks the rules |
| Someone who has passed away | Memorialization, or removal requested by close family | Evidence of the death; for removal, evidence of the family link or of legal authority |
| A child too young for Instagram | The underage report form | The account; Instagram then checks who runs it |
| An old account of your own | Deletion from your settings | Access to the account |
Copies of you
Have an Instagram account? Report the copy straight from its profile. Don't have one? Instagram's impersonation form is the way in. Either way the copycat isn't told who flagged it; intellectual property reports are the only kind that reveal the reporter. Screenshots, the profile link and any DMs the copy sent decide how seriously your report is taken. The ID step and the extra options for brands are in our guide to fake accounts.
Scams, spam and abuse
Instagram's help pages state that spam accounts, fake accounts and anything else that breaches its Community Standards can be taken down. Filing a report takes a minute:
- On the offending profile, open the menu beside the username.
- Choose Report, pick the problem and answer the questions that follow.
- The menu of reasons covers, among others, bullying and unwanted contact, violence or hate, restricted goods, nudity, scams and fraud, false information, intellectual property, impersonation and users younger than 13.
- Follow-up: the app may let you track what happened to your report.
- Can't report it yourself, because you have no account or they've blocked you? Instagram suggests asking a friend who has an account to file it, with links and screenshots attached.
Pictures of you that are private or intimate go through separate channels, described in content about you.
When the account holder has died
- Memorialize: any person who knows of the death can request it. Instagram wants something that shows the death happened, an obituary or a news report for instance.
- Remove: reserved for verified close family. Expect to supply a birth or death certificate, or documents showing that under local law you legally represent the person or their estate.
Login details for a memorialized profile are never handed over, and signing into somebody else's profile breaks Instagram's policies in every situation.
Children who are too young
Thirteen is the minimum in most places. Instagram's own list of exceptions includes South Korea, Quebec, Spain and Florida, where the age is 14, and Australia, where it's 16. One form handles both accounts run by children under that age and accounts posing as your child.
If Instagram can't confirm that someone old enough runs the account, it says it deletes it. Profiles that represent a younger child need a line in the bio making clear that a parent or manager is in charge. Is it your own child's account? Then deleting it together is the simplest fix. How age checks work: age verification and appeals.
An old account of your own
Only the logged-in owner can ask for an account to be deleted; Instagram won't do it for you. So the order is recover first, delete second:
- Regain access with no email or phone or hacked account.
- Request deletion in the settings, then read deleted or deactivated accounts for the grace period and what to download before it ends.
A stranger using an account you abandoned to pose as you is a different matter: report that as impersonation.
Requests we turn down
- "Take this account down, it's annoying." An account that sticks to Instagram's Community Standards won't be closed by any report, and we won't try.
- Mass or made-up reports. Every report we file describes real behaviour, backed by real evidence.
- Sellers of "account takedowns". No outsider can delete an Instagram account or promise a verdict. More in recovery scams.
Common questions
Can I have a stranger's Instagram account shut down?
Yes, but only when it breaks Instagram's rules (copying you, scamming people, harassment) or fits a special case such as a deceased owner or an underage user. You supply the evidence; the decision is Instagram's.
What does Instagram need to remove the account of someone who died?
For memorialization, something that shows the death, like an obituary. For removal, which only verified close family can request, a birth or death certificate or documents proving legal authority.
Can I close my Instagram account if I forgot the password?
Not as things stand. Deletion has to be requested from inside the account, so win access back first and delete afterwards.
Is my report anonymous?
Yes, except for intellectual property reports. The reported account isn't told who flagged it.
An account that needs to go?
Send the link and a line on what the account does. You'll hear for free which route applies and which documents to gather. We file truthful reports only and never need your password.
Sources
- Report a post or profile on Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Report an account that's impersonating you on Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Report a deceased person's profile on Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Report an Instagram user under the minimum age (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- How to report something on Instagram if you don't have an account or can't see it (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Types of accounts that are removed from Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Permanently delete or deactivate your Instagram profile (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com