Tired of getting messages from strangers? Want to share posts just with your friends and family? Switching your Instagram account to private or public can change your whole experience. In this article, we’ll show you what happens when you make your account private or public, and whether there are any better alternatives than changing your account privacy. Ready to take control of your Instagram? Let’s get started.
Note: Professional accounts (business or creator accounts) can’t be private. If you want to make your account private, you need to switch back to the personal account.
Table of Contents
What Happens When You Make Your Instagram Account Private
When you change your Instagram account from public to private, here are all the changes you can expect.
- Who Can See Your Posts/Reels/Stories/Live: Only approved followers can see your posts and stories. Others see a message stating, “This account is private” on your profile page.
- Visible Profile Information: Everyone can see your profile picture and bio. The number of posts, following, followers, and mutual followers are also visible to everyone. Also, everyone can see all the mutual followers. All users can also copy your profile link.
- Follow Requests: New users must send follow requests to follow your account, which you can approve or deny.
- Existing followers: Users who already follow you remain following. You have to remove them manually from the followers list if required.
- Direct Messages: Anyone can still send direct messages to you by selecting “Send Message” from the three-dot menu. You will receive them under the Requests option in your DM.
- Tagging: Anyone can still tag you in their posts, stories, and comments. But only your approved followers can see your mention in their posts or story.
- Tagged Photos: When someone tags you in a photo, it won’t appear in the “Photos of You” section of your profile unless you approve it.
- Third-party Apps: Access to your account information through third-party apps may be limited or restricted. Anyone cannot download your posts or reels using such apps.
- Ads and Data Collection: Making your account private does not stop Instagram from collecting data and showing targeted ads.
What Happens When You Make Your Instagram Account Public
Here’s what happens when you make your Instagram public.
- Who Can See Your Posts/Reels/Stories/Live: Anyone, even users without an account, can view your posts, reels and stories.
- Directly Follow: People can directly follow you even and don’t need your approval.
- Discoverability: Users can find your posts and reels from Instagram searches, hashtags, geotags, etc.
- Searchability: Your posts can appear in Google search results if you have many followers and a professional account.
- Pending Friend Requests: All pending follow requests are automatically approved. To prevent this, delete unwanted requests before switching. If there are many pending friend requests, Instagram will only accept a few requests.
- Download or Remix Reels: Anyone on Instagram can download or remix your reels unless you change the settings.
Other Privacy-Related Features to Note
In case, you have an issue with a particular user or feature, you don’t have to make your entire account private, here are other options on Instagram that can solve the issue easily. You can find these options on the main page of Instagram settings.
- Use Block and Restrict Features: If specific users are bothering you, use the block or restrict features to limit their interactions with your account.
- Blocking: Block users to prevent them from seeing your profile, posts, and stories. Blocked users cannot send you messages or interact with your account in any way.
- Restricting: Use the restrict feature to limit unwanted interactions without fully blocking someone. Restricted users can comment on your posts, but only you can see their comments. Messages from restricted users go to your message requests, and they won’t see when you read their messages or your activity status.
- Hide Activity Status: You can turn off the activity status to prevent others from knowing when you are online.
- Manage Direct Messages: Manage who can send you direct messages. You can filter messages to receive only from people you follow
- Upload Posts and Stories to Close Friends: If you only want to share your posts with your friends and family, instead of making your account private, add your friends and family to your close friends list and share content only with close friends.
- Turn Off Comments: You can disable comments completely or only allow for people you follow and your followers.
- Private Story Replies: You can restrict who can reply to your stories. Choose between everyone, users you follow, or turn off replies entirely
- Tagging Permissions: Control who can tag you in their posts. You can allow tags from everyone, only people you follow, or no one.
Now that you know what happens when you make your account private or public, here’s how to change your Instagram account to private or public.
FAQs
1. Can I switch back and forth between private and public accounts?
Yes, you can switch between private and public at any time. Changes take effect immediately.
2. Will my current followers be affected if I switch to private?
No, current followers will remain. New users will need to send follow requests.
3. Can people still find my account when it’s private?
People can search for your account, but they will only see your profile picture and bio, not your posts.
4. Why is my Instagram account is private by default?
Instagram automatically sets accounts for users under 16 (or under 18 in certain countries) to private by default. This helps protect young users from unwanted interactions.
