Social Media Instagram How to Delete Instagram Photos and Videos Regret posting that photo or video to Instagram? by Elise Moreau Freelance Contributor Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others. our editorial process Facebook Twitter Elise Moreau Updated on February 20, 2021 Tweet Share Email The Ultimate Guide to Instagram The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Introduction Instagram Basics How to Use Instagram Instagram Tips for Beginners Check Messages on Instagram Add or Change an Instagram Background Search Instagram for Tags and Users Add Music to Instagram Video Use Instagram Video Chat Try Instagram Shopping Get Verified on Instagram Clear Search History on Instagram Posting on Instagram The Best Time to Post Save a Draft of a Post Repost an Instagram Story See Previously Liked Posts Post a GIF to Instagram Add Multiple Photos to Stories Save Instagram Videos How to Quickly Repost Photos Saving Photos Deleting Photos and Videos View Saved Posts With Instagram Collections Working With Followers Mute Someone on Instagram See Who Unfollowed You on Instagram Block Someone On Instagram Unblock Someone on Instagram See Who Viewed You Great Tools to Track Comments Remove Followers on Instagram Tips to Get a Shoutout on Instagram Attract More Instagram Followers Delete 'Suggestions for You' IG Tips & Tricks Instagram Tips and Tricks to Try Add Highlights on Instagram Learn About Instagram Direct Use Instagram's Close Friends Feature How to Delete or Deactivate Your Account Reactivate Your Account Reset Your Password Get Started With Location Tagging How to Repost Shoot Videos with Instagram Video Understanding IG Privacy & Security Hide Your Story on Instagram Does IG Send Screenshot Notifications? Make Your Instagram Account Private See Who Saved Your Instagram Posts Download Everything IG Knows About You Manage Multiple Instagram Accounts Hiding Photos Rather Than Deleting Them How to View Private Instagram Accounts Engaging Users on Instagram Start an Instagram Live Video How to Sell on Instagram Use an Instagram Creator Account Make Money as an Instagram Influencer How to Get More Likes Things You Should Definitely Do Get on the Instagram Explore Page The Best Instagram Apps to Boost Engagement How to Make a Poll Instagram Extras: Captions & More Steal These: The Best Instagram Captions Discover the Best Instagram Filters Have Fun With Instagram Hashtags Use Emoji Hashtags on IG The Easy Way to Track IG Hashtags How to Use the IG Questions Sticker Using Instagram on Other Platforms Can You Get Instagram on Apple Watch? Use Instagram on a PC or Mac Get Instagram for iPad What is the Galaxy S10 Instagram Mode? View Instagram on the Web Online Connect Instagram to Facebook Tools for Posting From the Desktop What to Know Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture or icon. Tap the post you want to delete to view it, then tap the three dots above it.Select Delete, then tap Delete again to confirm. Alternatively, tap Archive to remove your post without deleting it.To restore your deleted Instagram photos within 30 days, go to Settings > Account > Recently Deleted. This article explains how to delete photo or video posts from your Instagram account. We'll also cover archiving posts if you prefer not to delete them. Delete Instagram Photos or Videos First, make sure you have access to a compatible mobile device with the official Instagram app installed. You can only delete posts while signed in to your account within the app, meaning you can't delete anything if you try signing in using a web browser at Instagram.com. Open the Instagram app (sign in to your account in necessary) and tap the profile icon in the bottom menu to go to your profile. Tap the post you want to delete to view it. In the top right corner of the screen of every photo and video post, you'll see three dots. Tap these to pull up a menu of options. Select Delete. Alternatively, you can archive Instagram posts, which effectively hides them from other users. To finalize the permanent deletion of your Instagram post, you'll be asked to tap Delete again just to confirm that you actually do want to delete your post. Remember that once a post is deleted, it can't be undone. Need a break from Instagram? Consider temporarily deactivating your Instagram account. Deleting vs. Archiving Instagram Posts Here's a brief summary of the difference between archiving and deleting: Archiving: Hides your post from your profile so nobody else can see it (even you)Gives you the option to put your post back on your profile anytime you want, with no time limit for how long it can stay in your archiveKeeps all your likes and comments on the post Deleting: Removes your post from your profile, including all the likes and posts that it gotCan't be undone after 30 days Instagram Recently Deleted Folder When you delete an Instagram post, it goes to your Recently Deleted folder for 30 days before it disappears forever. No one else but you will be able to access the post until then. If you decide you want to view or restore your deleted Instagram photos during that time, go to Settings > Account > Recently Deleted. If you want to restore or permanently delete a post, you must provide identity verification via text or email. This feature was put in place to protect your photos from getting deleted by hackers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit