You can delete your own Instagram photos in seconds from your phone or computer
Open Instagram and go to your profile. Find the photo you want to remove, tap or click the three dots in the corner, and select Delete. Instagram will ask you to confirm — tap Delete Photo again, and it's gone. The whole process takes about 10 seconds. Once deleted, the photo disappears from your profile, your followers' feeds, and Instagram's servers. People who saw it before deletion may remember it, but they can't find it on Instagram anymore.
You can delete photos you posted yourself, but not photos other people posted of you (unless you report them for a specific reason like harassment). If someone tagged you in a photo, you can remove the tag without deleting the photo itself — that's a separate action.
Key Takeaways
- Deleted photos disappear from your profile and feeds immediately, but Instagram keeps a record for legal reasons for a limited time.
- You can only delete photos you posted yourself; you cannot delete photos other people posted, even if they tagged you.
- Removing a tag from a photo is different from deleting the photo — you can untag yourself without the photo being deleted.
- If you delete a photo by accident, you cannot recover it through Instagram, so make sure you want it gone before confirming.
How to delete a photo on the Instagram app
Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Scroll to find the photo you want to delete. Tap the three dots (or three horizontal lines, depending on your phone) in the top right corner of the photo. A menu will pop up with several options.
Tap Delete. Instagram will show a confirmation message asking "Delete this post?" Tap Delete again to confirm. The photo will disappear from your profile and your followers' feeds immediately. If you change your mind before tapping the second Delete button, tap Cancel instead.
How to delete a photo on Instagram's website
Go to Instagram.com and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right, then click 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 those dots.
Click Delete from the menu that appears. Instagram will ask you to confirm by clicking Delete Post. Once you click it, the photo is gone. Unlike the app, the website does not show a second confirmation screen — one click removes it.
What happens to likes, comments, and shares when you delete a photo
When you delete a photo, all the likes and comments on that photo disappear too. If someone shared your photo to their story or saved it, the share or save is removed from their account. People who already saw the photo may still remember it, but they cannot find it by searching Instagram or by looking at your profile.
If you posted a photo with a caption that included important information, consider taking a screenshot before deleting it. Once the photo is gone, you cannot recover the caption or any of the comments people left on it.
Removing a tag without deleting the photo
If someone else posted a photo and tagged you in it, you cannot delete that photo. You can only remove your tag from it. Open the photo and tap the three dots. Select Remove Me From Post. Your name will no longer appear on the photo, and it will not show up in your tagged photos section.
Removing your tag does not delete the photo or notify the person who posted it. The photo stays on their profile and in their followers' feeds. If you want the photo removed entirely, you can report it to Instagram by tapping the three dots and selecting Report Post, but Instagram will only remove it if it violates their community guidelines.
Deleting multiple photos at once
Instagram does not have a built-in feature to delete multiple photos at the same time. You have to delete them one by one. If you want to remove many photos, open your profile, find each one, tap the three dots, and select Delete. It takes longer, but it is the only way to do it through Instagram itself.
Some third-party apps claim to let you bulk-delete photos, but Instagram does not officially support these tools. Using them may put your account at risk, so it is safer to delete photos manually through the official app or website.
What Instagram keeps after you delete a photo
When you delete a photo, it disappears from public view, but Instagram stores some information about it for a period of time. This includes metadata like the date you posted it, the location tag, and the number of likes it had. Instagram keeps this data for legal and safety reasons, not to show it to other people.
If you are concerned about privacy, deleting a photo is still the right move — it removes it from everyone's view. But understand that Instagram's servers may retain some record of it behind the scenes for a limited time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a photo I deleted by accident?
No. Once you delete a photo from Instagram, you cannot recover it through the app or website. If you have a copy saved on your phone or computer, you can re-upload it, but Instagram does not have an undo or trash folder for deleted posts.
If I delete a photo, will my followers be notified?
No. Your followers will not receive a notification that you deleted a photo. They may notice it is gone if they look at your profile, but Instagram does not send them an alert about the deletion.
Can I delete a photo someone else posted if they tagged me?
No. You can only delete photos you posted yourself. If someone else posted a photo and tagged you, you can remove your tag, but you cannot delete the photo. If the photo violates Instagram's rules, you can report it.
What if I delete a photo that was shared to someone's story?
Deleting your photo does not remove it from someone else's story. If they shared your photo to their story before you deleted it, it will still appear in their story until their story expires or they delete it themselves.
Does deleting a photo affect my follower count?
No. Deleting a photo does not change how many followers you have. It only removes the photo from your profile and feeds. Your follower count stays the same.