You can delete a Reel you posted by opening it and tapping the three-dot menu
To delete a Reel on Instagram, open your profile, find the Reel you want to remove, tap the three dots in the corner, and select Delete. The Reel disappears immediately — it will no longer show on your profile, in your followers' feeds, or anywhere else on Instagram. Once deleted, it cannot be recovered, so make sure you want it gone before you confirm.
The process takes about 30 seconds and works the same way whether you are on a phone or using Instagram on a computer. You do not need to contact Instagram support or wait for approval — the deletion happens right away.
Key Takeaways
- Open your Instagram profile and locate the Reel you want to delete, then tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the post.
- Select Delete from the menu that appears, then confirm when Instagram asks if you are sure.
- Deleted Reels cannot be recovered, so you cannot undo the action after you confirm.
- If you want to keep the video but hide it from your profile, you can archive the Reel instead of deleting it.
- Deleting a Reel removes it from your profile, your followers' feeds, and search results instantly.
Step-by-step: Delete a Reel from your profile
Start by opening Instagram and going to your profile. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner (on mobile) or click your profile name in the top right (on computer). Scroll through your posts until you find the Reel you want to delete — Reels show a small film-strip icon in the corner to distinguish them from regular photos or videos.
Once you find the Reel, tap or click the three dots (⋯) in the top right corner of the post. A menu will pop up with several options. Look for the word Delete and tap it. Instagram will ask you to confirm — it will say something like "Delete this Reel?" Tap Delete again to confirm. The Reel is now gone from your account.
If you are on a computer, the steps are identical: go to your profile, find the Reel, click the three dots, and select Delete from the menu.
What happens when you delete a Reel
When you delete a Reel, it vanishes from your profile immediately. Anyone who visits your profile will not see it anymore. The Reel also disappears from your followers' feeds, from the Explore page, and from any search results. If someone had saved or shared your Reel before you deleted it, they can still see it in their own saved collection or messages, but they cannot access it from Instagram itself.
Comments, likes, and shares on that Reel are also removed. If the Reel had thousands of likes or comments, all of that engagement disappears when you delete the post. This is permanent — Instagram does not keep a backup of deleted Reels that you can restore later.
Archive a Reel instead of deleting it
If you are not sure whether you want to delete a Reel permanently, you can archive it instead. Archiving hides the Reel from your profile and your followers' feeds, but Instagram keeps it in a private archive that only you can see. You can unarchive it later if you change your mind, and it will reappear on your profile exactly as it was.
To archive a Reel, tap the three-dot menu on the post and select Archive instead of Delete. The Reel disappears from your profile right away, but you can find it again by going to your profile, tapping the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and selecting Archive. From there, you can view all your archived posts and unarchive any of them whenever you want.
Reasons you might not be able to delete a Reel
In most cases, you can delete any Reel you posted. However, if you are not seeing the Delete option, check whether you are logged into the account that posted the Reel. If you are trying to delete someone else's Reel, you cannot do it — only the person who posted it can delete it.
If you are logged into the correct account and the Delete option still does not appear, try closing and reopening the Instagram app, or try again on a computer. Occasionally Instagram has temporary glitches that prevent the menu from loading properly. If the problem continues, you can report the issue to Instagram through the app's Help Center, though this is rarely necessary.
Deleting a Reel versus removing it from your grid
Deleting a Reel removes it completely from Instagram. Removing it from your grid (also called your profile feed) is different — it hides the Reel from your profile page but keeps it on Instagram. When you remove a Reel from your grid, followers can still find it if they search for it or if it appears in the Explore page, but it will not show when someone visits your profile.
To remove a Reel from your grid without deleting it, tap the three-dot menu and look for an option that says Remove from Profile or Hide from Profile (the exact wording varies by phone type). The Reel stays on Instagram but disappears from your profile. You can add it back to your profile later using the same menu.
What to do before you delete a Reel
Before you delete a Reel, think about whether you might want it later. If you created the video yourself and spent time on it, you may want to save a copy to your phone first. Once you delete the Reel from Instagram, you lose the version that Instagram has stored — you will only have whatever copy you saved separately.
If the Reel has a lot of engagement (likes, comments, or shares), you might want to screenshot or record the stats before deleting it, since that data disappears too. If you are deleting the Reel because you want to repost it with changes, download the video file to your phone first, edit it, and then post the new version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a deleted Reel?
No. Once you delete a Reel and confirm the deletion, it is gone permanently. Instagram does not have an undo feature for deleted posts. If you think you might want the Reel later, archive it instead of deleting it.
Will my followers know I deleted a Reel?
Your followers will not receive a notification that you deleted a Reel. If they had already seen it in their feed, it will simply disappear. If they had saved or shared it, they can still see it in their own saved collection or messages, but they cannot access it from your profile or Instagram search.
Can I delete a Reel from someone else's account?
No. Only the person who posted the Reel can delete it. If you see a Reel from someone else that you think violates Instagram's rules, you can report it using the three-dot menu, but you cannot delete it yourself.
What if I delete a Reel by accident?
Unfortunately, there is no way to recover an accidentally deleted Reel. If you have a backup copy of the video file on your phone or computer, you can repost it. Otherwise, the Reel is lost. This is why archiving is a safer option if you are unsure about keeping a post.
Does deleting a Reel affect my follower count?
No. Deleting a Reel does not change your follower count or your overall profile. It only removes that one post from Instagram. Your account statistics and follower list remain exactly the same.