You can create a second Instagram account without deleting your first one
Instagram lets you add another account directly in the app — you do not need a second phone, a second email, or any special setup. You can switch between accounts instantly, and both stay logged in at the same time. The process takes about five minutes and works the same way on iPhone and Android.
The catch is that you need a separate email address or phone number for each account. If you only have one email, you can create a free second email in Gmail or Outlook in about two minutes, then use that for your new Instagram account.
Key Takeaways
- You need a separate email address or phone number for each Instagram account, but you can create a free email in Gmail or Outlook if you only have one.
- Both accounts stay logged in at the same time, and you can switch between them by tapping your profile picture at the bottom right and selecting the other account.
- The entire process — creating a new email and setting up the Instagram account — takes about five to ten minutes.
- You can add up to five accounts total to one phone, and each one keeps its own followers, posts, and messages separate.
Create a new email address if you need one
Open Gmail.com or Outlook.com in your phone's web browser. On Gmail, tap Create account at the bottom of the login screen. On Outlook, tap Create one. You will be asked for a first name, last name, and a new email address you want to use.
Pick something simple — you do not need to remember it after today. Something like "yourname.insta2@gmail.com" works fine. Write down the email and password you create, because you will need them in the next step. The whole process takes two minutes.
Add a new account in the Instagram app
Open Instagram and go to your profile by tapping the person icon at the bottom right. Tap the three horizontal lines (called a menu) at the top right, then scroll down and tap Settings and privacy. Tap Account center, then Accounts.
Tap Add account. You will see two choices: Log in or Create new account. Tap Create new account. Enter the new email address you just made, create a password, add a username, and fill in your birthdate. Tap Next when you finish each screen.
Instagram will ask you to confirm your email. Go back to Gmail or Outlook, find the email from Instagram, and tap the confirmation link. Return to the Instagram app — your new account is now set up and ready to use.
Switch between your accounts
Once both accounts are added, switching between them takes one tap. Go to your profile (person icon at bottom right), then tap your username at the top. A menu will drop down showing both accounts. Tap the one you want to use, and Instagram switches instantly.
Both accounts stay logged in, so you can jump back and forth as many times as you want. Your followers, messages, and posts stay completely separate — what you post on one account does not show up on the other.
What to do if you forgot your password
If you cannot remember the password for either account, tap Forgot password? on the login screen. Instagram will send a reset link to the email address connected to that account. Open the email, tap the link, and create a new password.
If you cannot access the email address anymore, you can also reset your password using your phone number or username instead. Tap Need more help? below the password field and follow the options Instagram shows you.
Remove an account if you change your mind
If you want to stop using one of your accounts, go to Settings and privacy > Account center > Accounts. Find the account you want to remove and tap it. Scroll down and tap Remove account. Instagram will ask you to confirm — tap Remove again.
Removing an account from your phone does not delete it from Instagram. The account still exists, and you can log back in from any phone or computer using the email and password. If you want to permanently delete the account instead, you have to do that from a web browser on a computer, not from the phone app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same email for two Instagram accounts?
No. Each Instagram account needs its own email address or phone number. If you only have one email, create a second one free in Gmail or Outlook — it takes two minutes and you do not need to use it for anything else.
Will my followers see that I have a second account?
No. Your accounts are completely separate. Your followers on one account cannot see the other account unless you tell them about it or they find it by searching. The accounts do not link to each other automatically.
How many accounts can I add to one phone?
Instagram lets you add up to five accounts to one phone. You can switch between all of them instantly without logging out. If you need more than five, you would have to log out of one and log in to a different one.
What happens to my messages if I switch accounts?
Your direct messages stay with the account they belong to. When you switch to your other account, you will see only the messages for that account. Messages do not move between accounts — each account has its own separate inbox.
Can I delete one account without deleting the other?
Yes. You can remove one account from your phone while keeping the other one logged in. If you want to permanently delete an account instead of just removing it from your phone, you have to go to Instagram.com on a computer, log in to that account, and use the delete account option in settings.