The quickest way to change your Instagram email
Open Instagram on your phone or computer and go to your profile. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, or your profile picture on desktop), then select Settings and privacy. Choose Account information, then tap Email. Enter your new email address and tap Change email. Instagram will send a confirmation link to both your old and new email addresses — you must click the link in the new email to complete the change.
The whole process takes about two minutes if you have access to both email accounts right now. If you don't have access to your old email, or if you're locked out of your account, the steps are different — see the section below on account recovery.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your email directly in Settings and privacy > Account information > Email on any device where you're logged in.
- Instagram sends confirmation links to both your old and new email addresses, and you must click the new one to finish the change.
- If you no longer have access to your old email, use the account recovery process instead of trying to change it in settings.
- The new email takes effect immediately after you confirm it, and you can use it to log in right away.
What happens to your old email after you change it
Once you confirm your new email address, Instagram stops using the old one for your account. You won't receive login codes or password reset emails at the old address anymore — they'll go to the new one instead. The old email address becomes available for someone else to use on Instagram, though Instagram doesn't immediately delete the connection between that address and your account history.
If you still have access to your old email account, you can keep it or delete it. There's no requirement to keep it active. However, if you ever need to recover your Instagram account in the future, having access to the email you used when you created the account can make recovery faster, so don't delete old emails you used for Instagram if you can avoid it.
Changing your email when you can't access the old one
If your old email account is closed, hacked, or you simply can't access it anymore, you can't use the normal email change process. Instead, go to the Instagram login page and tap Need more help? at the bottom. Select Can't log in?, enter your username or phone number, and tap Next. Instagram will ask you to verify your identity — you can do this by uploading a photo of your ID, answering security questions, or confirming a code sent to a phone number on your account.
Once you've verified your identity, you'll be able to set a new password and add a new email address. This process can take a few hours to a few days depending on how quickly Instagram reviews your identity verification. During this time, you won't be able to log in, so plan accordingly if you need to post or check messages.
Using a phone number instead of email
Instagram lets you log in with either an email address or a phone number. If you want to reduce how many email addresses you're using, you can add a phone number to your account and use that to log in instead. Go to Settings and privacy > Account information > Phone number and enter your number. You'll receive a text with a confirmation code.
Once your phone number is confirmed, you can log in using that number and your password, even if you change your email later. This is useful if you're switching email providers and don't want to worry about losing access to an old email address. You can have both a phone number and an email on your account at the same time.
What to do if you don't receive the confirmation email
Instagram sends the confirmation link from noreply@instagram.com. Check your spam or promotions folder — sometimes email providers filter it there by mistake. If you still don't see it after checking spam, wait a few minutes and try again, because the email can take up to 10 minutes to arrive.
If you've waited 15 minutes and still haven't received anything, go back to Settings and privacy > Account information > Email and look for a Resend button. If you see it, tap that to request a new confirmation link. If the button doesn't appear, try logging out and logging back in, then repeat the email change process from the start.
Changing email on a shared or family account
If you manage an Instagram account for a business or family member, you can change the email without needing their password. Log in to the account you manage, go to Settings and privacy > Account information > Email, and change it the same way you would for your own account. The confirmation link will go to the new email address you enter.
However, whoever has access to that new email address will be able to reset the password and lock you out. If you're managing an account for someone else, make sure you trust whoever controls the new email address, or use an email address you control yourself. You can also set up two-factor authentication in Settings and privacy > Security > Two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email without confirming the link?
No. Instagram requires you to click the confirmation link in the email sent to your new address before the change takes effect. Until you do, your old email remains active on your account and you can still log in with it.
What if I change my email by mistake?
If you haven't confirmed the link yet, the change hasn't gone through — just ignore the email. If you already confirmed it, go back to Settings and privacy > Account information > Email and change it again to the correct address. You'll need to confirm the new link.
Does changing my email affect my followers or posts?
No. Your followers, posts, messages, and everything else on your account stays exactly the same. Only the email address used to log in and receive account notifications changes.
Can I use the same email for multiple Instagram accounts?
No. Each Instagram account must have its own unique email address. If you try to use an email that's already connected to another account, Instagram will show an error. You'll need to use a different email for each account.
How long does it take for the email change to be official?
The change is official as soon as you click the confirmation link in the email sent to your new address. You can log in with the new email immediately after that.