On social media platforms that appeal to large audiences, such as Instagram, the desire to share your posts only with certain people is a very common need. Content that can be seen by everyone can sometimes lead to undesirable reactions. Such situations create the need for users to make their accounts more private and controlled. Instagram offers the private account feature to meet these needs. By making your account private, you can ensure that only your approved followers can see your posts. However, this feature does not allow you to remain completely anonymous. For example, some information remains public, such as your profile photo, username, and bio.
Steps to make your Instagram account private
Activating the private account setting on Instagram is quite simple and fast. Here, let’s examine step by step how you can perform this process both via the mobile application and the web:
Making Private Accounts via Mobile Application (iOS and Android)
- Go to your profile: Go to your profile page by tapping your profile icon in the bottom right corner of the app.
- Access the settings menu: Click on the three-line menu icon (hamburger menu) in the upper right corner.
- Go to account privacy settings: Tap “Settings” in the menu that opens, then select the “Who can see your content” tab.
- Activate Private Account Option: Go to the “Account Privacy” section and activate the “Hidden Account” option.
Once you complete these steps, only followers you approve will now be able to see your posts and stories. Once your account is private, follow requests must be approved manually, giving you complete control over who has access to your account.
Making Private Accounts on the Web
You can also make your account private on the web version of Instagram. To perform this operation via web browser, follow these steps:
- Go to your profile page: After logging into Instagram in the browser, click on your profile icon in the upper right corner.
- Access the settings menu: Click on “Settings” at the top right of your profile page.
- Go to the account privacy tab: Select the “Privacy and Security” section from the menu that opens.
- Enable Private Account Option: Check the “Hidden Account” option under the “Account Privacy” heading.
You can activate the private account feature via the web by following these steps. Thus, you can easily manage your privacy settings from both mobile and web platforms.
Edit your follower list
Making your account private not only allows you to control your follower requests, but also allows you to edit your existing follower list as you wish. It is possible to remove unwanted people from your follower list with a very simple process. Moreover, these people do not receive any notification that they have been unfollowed. Here are the steps on how to edit your follower list:
- Go to your profile: Tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the app.
- Access your follower list: On your profile page, click the “Followers” button next to your profile picture.
- Remove unwanted followers: Click the “Remove” button next to each follower in the list. Instagram will ask you to confirm this action. After you approve, the person you removed from your follower list will not be informed of this situation and will not be able to access your posts.
With these steps, you can control your follower list as you wish and ensure that only the people you want to interact with you see your content.
Additional security steps: Two-factor authentication
Although the private account feature limits your posts to only your followers, you may need to take further precautions for your security. Attacks and phishing attempts, especially on social media accounts, increase the risk of unauthorized access to users’ accounts. To avoid such situations, it is recommended to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on Instagram.
Thanks to two-factor authentication, when logging into your account you will need to log in not only with your password, but also with a verification code sent to your phone. This provides an additional layer of security against unauthorized access to your account. Here are the steps on how to enable two-factor authentication:
- Go to the settings menu: From your profile page, tap the three-line menu and go to the settings section.
- Enter Accounts Center: Open the “Accounts Center” section in the Settings menu.
- Enter the password and security section: Log in to the “Password and security” option under the account settings section.
- Turn on Two-Factor Authentication: Click on the “Two-Factor Authentication” option under password and security settings and activate this feature.
By enabling this feature, you can increase the security of your account and protect yourself from unwanted access.
Enabling privacy settings on Instagram ensures that your content is viewed only by the people you want and gives you more control. However, even if you make your account private, some elements, such as profile information, remain public. Additionally, it is crucial to enable additional security measures such as two-factor authentication to ensure the security of your account. Nowadays, when social media accounts are frequently targeted, you can place both your privacy and security on a more solid foundation with such additional measures.