How to Make Instagram Account Private – Step by Step Guide
When your Instagram account is public, anyone on the internet can see your photos, videos, stories, and reels — even people who do not follow you. Switching to a private account gives you full control over who can see your content. Only people you approve as followers will be able to view your profile.
In this guide, we show you exactly how to make your Instagram account private on Android, iPhone, and computer — step by step.
What Changes When You Make Your Account Private
- Only approved followers can see your posts, reels, and stories
- New follow requests must be approved by you manually
- Your posts will not appear in public search results or Explore
- People who do not follow you cannot see your follower or following list
- Your existing followers can still see all your old and new content
- You can still message anyone — private accounts can send and receive DMs freely
How to Make Instagram Private on Android
Open the Instagram App
Open Instagram on your Android phone and make sure you are logged in to the account you want to make private.
Go to Your Profile
Tap your profile icon at the bottom right of the screen to open your profile page.
Tap the Three Lines Menu
Tap the three horizontal lines (☰) at the top right corner of your profile page to open the side menu.
Tap Settings and Privacy
Tap Settings and Privacy at the top of the side menu. This opens the main Instagram settings page.
Tap "Account Privacy"
On the Settings page, tap Account Privacy. You will see the Private Account toggle on this page.
Toggle "Private Account" ON
Tap the toggle next to Private Account to turn it on. The toggle will turn blue when enabled. A confirmation popup may appear — tap Switch to Private to confirm.
Done — Your Account is Now Private
Your Instagram account is now private. You will see a lock icon (🔒) next to your username on your profile page confirming this.
How to Make Instagram Private on iPhone
The steps on iPhone are almost identical to Android:
Open Instagram and Go to Profile
Open the Instagram app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right.
Tap the Three Lines → Settings and Privacy
Tap ☰ → Settings and Privacy from the top right of your profile.
Tap Account Privacy → Toggle Private Account ON
Tap Account Privacy and switch the Private Account toggle to ON. Tap Switch to Private in the confirmation popup.
How to Make Instagram Private on Computer
Open Instagram on Browser
Go to instagram.com in your browser and log in to your account.
Click Your Profile Icon → Settings
Click your profile icon at the top right, then click Settings from the dropdown menu.
Click "Privacy and Security"
In the Settings menu on the left side, click Privacy and Security.
Check "Private Account" and Save
Under Account Privacy, tick the checkbox next to Private Account. Click Submit to save. Your account is now private.
Private vs Public Account — Comparison
| Feature | Public Account | Private Account |
|---|---|---|
| Who Can See Posts | Everyone | Approved followers only |
| Who Can See Stories | Everyone | Approved followers only |
| Appears in Explore | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Follow Requests | Auto accepted | Manual approval needed |
| Can Send DMs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Best For | Influencers, brands | Personal privacy |
How to Manage Follow Requests on a Private Account
Once your account is private, new followers need your approval. Here is how to manage requests:
- Tap the heart icon (❤) at the bottom of the app to see notifications
- Tap Follow Requests at the top to see all pending requests
- Tap Confirm to approve a request or Delete to reject it
- You can also approve or delete requests from someone's profile page
- Rejected users are not notified — they just remain in a pending state
Frequently Asked Questions
📋 Quick Summary
- Go to Profile → ☰ → Settings and Privacy → Account Privacy
- Toggle Private Account ON and confirm
- A 🔒 lock icon will appear next to your username when private
- Existing followers are not affected — only new visitors are blocked
- New followers need your manual approval on a private account
- Business and Creator accounts cannot be made private directly