How to Change Your Instagram Password on Phone and PC

To change your Instagram password while logged in, open your profile, tap the menu (three lines), go to Accounts Center, then Password and security, then Change password. Enter your current password, type the new one twice and confirm. On a computer the route is almost the same. If you forgot your password, skip all that and tap “Forgot password?” on the login screen to get a reset link by email or text.

Menu names shift a little between app versions. Some screens say “Accounts Centre” or “Settings and privacy,” but the order stays the same: profile, menu, Accounts Center, Password and security.

Change your password on Android

1. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
2. Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Accounts Center.
4. Tap Password and security, then Change password.
5. Select the Instagram account you want to update.
6. Enter your current password, then the new one, and repeat the new one in the confirmation box.
7. Tap Change password to save.

Change your password on iPhone

The start is the same on iPhone, with one difference: in some versions the three-line menu takes you to Settings first, and Accounts Center is inside.

1. Open the app and tap your profile icon.
2. Tap the three-line menu at the top right.
3. Go to Settings if the screen asks for it, then Accounts Center.
4. Tap Password and security, then Change password.
5. Pick the account, enter your old and new passwords and confirm.

Change your password on desktop

1. Go to instagram.com in your browser and log in.
2. Click the three-line menu at the bottom left.
3. Open Settings, then Accounts Center.
4. Click Password and security.
5. In the right-hand pane, click Change password, select the account, fill in the current and new passwords, and click Change password again.

Forgot your password? Reset it

You don’t need to be logged in for this. You do need access to the email address or phone number on the account.

On your phone:

1. On the login screen, tap Forgot password?
2. Enter your username, email or phone number and tap Find Account.
3. Pick the contact option you can still open (email or phone) and tap Continue.
4. Open the message from Instagram and tap Reset your password.
5. Type a new password and confirm.

On a computer:

1. On the login page, click Forgot password?
2. Enter your email, username or phone number and click Send login link.
3. Open the email and click the reset button.
4. Set the new password.

If nothing arrives within a few minutes, check your spam folder and make sure you typed the right email or number. If the account has a different email on file, that is where the message went. When you can’t reach either one, you’re dealing with account recovery rather than a reset, and our guide to recovering an Instagram account without email or phone access walks through it.

What to use as your new password

According to Beebom, Instagram suggests at least 6 characters, mixing letters, numbers and symbols, without repeated characters in a row. That’s the minimum, and it’s worth going longer with something nobody could guess from your birthday or pet’s name.

• Use a password you don’t use anywhere else. If some random site leaks its database, every account sharing that email and password is exposed.
• Pick a long phrase over a clever word. Four or five unrelated words are easier to remember than “X7#qL” and harder to guess.
• Store it in a password manager, either the one built into your phone or a dedicated app, rather than in a text message or notes file.
• Don’t reuse your email password. Whoever controls your email can reset your Instagram password.

After the change: three security fixes

If you suspect someone got into your account, the new password only solves part of it.

1. Sign out other sessions. Go to Settings, Accounts Center, Password and security, “Where you’re logged in,” and log out any device you don’t recognize.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication. Beebom recommends enabling it in Accounts Center. With it on, someone who learns your password still needs a second code to get in. We cover the same idea for another app in our guide to two-step verification on WhatsApp.
3. Change the password on the email account, if it’s weak or reused elsewhere.

The usual signs of a break-in are an “incorrect password” message when you typed the right one, logins from places you don’t know, and profile changes you didn’t make. If you see any of them, change the password now and then follow the recovery guide linked above.

What if the change doesn’t work?

A few problems come up again and again:

• The current password field shows an error. Check Caps Lock and your phone keyboard. If you don’t remember the password, skip the change and use “Forgot password?” instead.
• You can’t find Accounts Center. The screen differs by app version. Update Instagram from Google Play or the App Store and look in the three-line menu again, or try the desktop site.
• The reset link never arrives. Wait a few minutes, check spam and request another one just once.

One last warning: Instagram doesn’t ask for your password by email or direct message. If someone does, it’s a scam. Reset your password only inside the app, on the official site or through the link you get right after asking for it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change my Instagram password without knowing the current one?

Yes, but through the reset route. On the login screen, tap Forgot password? and get a link by email or phone. Inside the account, the normal change needs the current password.

Should I sign out other sessions after changing it?

It’s the safer move. Open “Where you’re logged in” in Accounts Center and disconnect anything that isn’t yours instead of assuming the change already did it.

Why does the app ask me to choose an account?

Accounts Center can list more than one account linked to your profile. After you tap Change password, you pick which one to update. Check the selection before typing.

How often should I change my password?

The sources we used don’t give a fixed schedule. A practical rule: change it when you suspect unauthorized access, when you used it on another site that got breached, or when it’s weak. A strong, unique password plus two-factor authentication beats frequent swaps to similar words.