You can delete your own Instagram photos in three taps from your phone or computer
To remove a photo you posted, open Instagram and go to your profile. Find the photo you want to delete, tap or click the three dots in the corner, and select "Delete." Instagram will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" again and the photo is gone. The whole process takes about 10 seconds.
Once deleted, the photo disappears from your profile, your followers' feeds, and search results. People who saw it before deletion may still remember it, but they cannot find it on Instagram anymore. If you change your mind within a few seconds, you can sometimes undo the deletion by tapping the undo prompt that appears briefly after you delete.
The steps are the same whether you use the Instagram app on iPhone or Android, or the web version on a computer. The three-dot menu appears in the same spot on all versions.
Key Takeaways
- Deleted photos vanish from your profile, your followers' feeds, and Instagram search results immediately.
- You can only delete photos you posted yourself — you cannot remove photos other people tagged you in.
- Instagram may show an undo option for a few seconds after you delete, but after that the photo is permanently gone.
- Deleting a photo does not notify your followers or leave a trace that the photo ever existed.
- You can delete multiple photos one at a time, but Instagram does not have a bulk delete feature for several photos at once.
How to delete a photo on the Instagram app
Open the Instagram app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Scroll through your posts until you find the photo you want to remove. Tap the three dots (or three horizontal lines, depending on your phone) in the top right corner of that post.
A menu will appear with several options. Tap "Delete" at the bottom of the menu. Instagram will ask "Delete post?" — tap "Delete" again to confirm. The photo is now gone from your profile and your followers' feeds.
If you realize immediately that you made a mistake, look for an "Undo" button that may appear at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds. Tap it to restore the photo. After those few seconds pass, the undo option disappears and the deletion becomes permanent.
How to delete a photo on Instagram's website
Go to Instagram.com and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Profile." Find the photo you want to delete and hover your mouse over it. Three dots will appear in the top right corner of the photo — click them.
A dropdown menu will show. Click "Delete" at the bottom. Instagram will ask you to confirm by clicking "Delete" again. The photo will be removed from your profile immediately.
The web version works the same way as the app, and the photo disappears from all places at once — your profile, your followers' feeds, and search results.
What happens to comments and likes when you delete a photo
When you delete a photo, all the comments people left on it disappear too. Any likes the photo received are also removed. People who commented or liked the photo will not see a notification that the post is gone — the photo simply vanishes from their view.
If someone had saved your photo to their Instagram collection, they will still see it in their saved folder, but the link to the original post will be broken. They cannot view it or interact with it anymore.
You cannot delete photos other people tagged you in
If someone else posted a photo and tagged you in it, you cannot delete that photo from their account. You can only remove the tag so the photo no longer appears on your profile, but the photo itself stays on their account.
To untag yourself, go to the photo on the other person's profile, tap the three dots, and select "Remove me from post." The photo stays where it is, but it no longer shows up when people visit your profile or search for you.
If you want the photo taken down entirely, you can report it to Instagram or send the person a direct message asking them to delete it. Instagram may remove photos that violate its community guidelines, but a photo that simply makes you uncomfortable usually stays up unless the person who posted it chooses to delete it.
Deleting photos does not affect your follower count or account history
Removing a photo from your profile does not change how many followers you have. People who followed you because of that photo will stay as followers — the follow relationship does not reverse when you delete a post.
Instagram does not show a public record of photos you have deleted. Your followers cannot see a list of posts you removed, and there is no way for them to know a photo was ever there unless they saw it before you deleted it.
If you are trying to clean up your profile by removing old or unwanted photos, you can do so without worrying that people will notice or that it will affect your account in any way.
Bulk deletion and other ways to manage your posts
Instagram does not have a built-in feature to delete multiple photos at once. If you want to remove many photos, you will need to delete them one by one using the three-dot menu on each post.
If you want to hide a photo without deleting it permanently, you can archive it instead. Tap the three dots on the photo and select "Archive" — the photo will disappear from your profile but stay in a private archive folder that only you can see. You can unarchive it later if you change your mind.
Another option is to make a post private by changing your account to a private profile. This does not delete your photos, but it means only your followers can see them. People who do not follow you cannot find your posts in search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a photo after I delete it?
Once you confirm the deletion, the photo is permanently gone. Instagram does not keep deleted photos in a trash folder or recovery section. If you had the photo saved on your phone or computer, you can re-upload it, but Instagram itself does not store it after deletion.
Does deleting a photo notify my followers?
No. Your followers will not receive a notification that you deleted a post. The photo simply disappears from their feed and your profile. If they had already seen it, they may remember it, but Instagram does not tell them it was removed.
What if I delete a photo by accident?
If you catch the mistake within a few seconds, look for the "Undo" button at the bottom of your screen and tap it. After that window closes, the deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed. If you have the original photo file on your phone, you can upload it again as a new post.
Can I delete a photo someone else posted if they tagged me in it?
No. You can only remove the tag so it no longer appears on your profile. The photo stays on the other person's account. If you want it deleted entirely, you must ask them to delete it or report it to Instagram if it violates community guidelines.
Does archiving a photo do the same thing as deleting it?
No. Archiving hides a photo from your profile and your followers' feeds, but you keep it in a private archive that only you can see. Deleting removes it completely. You can unarchive a photo anytime, but you cannot recover a deleted one.