Delete your own comment in three taps
To remove a comment you posted, open the post, find your comment in the thread, and press and hold on it. A menu appears with a trash icon — tap it and the comment is gone. The whole process takes about five seconds and works the same way whether you commented on a photo, video, or Reel.
Your comment disappears immediately. Anyone who saw it before deletion will notice it is gone, but Instagram does not send them a notification about the removal. If you commented something by accident or changed your mind, deleting it is faster than editing.
You can delete your own comments on any post, whether it is yours, a friend's, or a public account you follow. The person who posted the original content does not get a notification that you deleted your comment.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold your comment, then tap the trash icon to delete it — this works on any post you commented on.
- The post owner can delete your comment without your permission, and you will not receive a notification when they do.
- Deleting a comment removes it from the thread but does not erase it from Instagram's servers or undo any likes it received before deletion.
- If someone else's comment bothers you on your own post, you can delete it, hide it, or restrict the commenter from posting on your content in the future.
- Reported comments that violate Instagram's rules may be removed by Instagram itself, separate from manual deletion by you or the post owner.
How the post owner can delete your comments
If you comment on someone else's post, that person can delete your comment at any time. They do not need your permission. They press and hold your comment, tap the trash icon, and it is gone — the same action you use to delete your own comments.
You will not receive a notification that your comment was deleted. You only learn about you go back to the post and notice it is missing. Some accounts delete comments to keep their feed on-topic, remove spam, or hide criticism.
This is different from being blocked or restricted. Deleting a single comment does not affect your ability to comment on future posts from that account, unless the person also restricts you or blocks you separately.
Hide comments instead of deleting them
If you own the post and want to keep a comment hidden without fully deleting it, Instagram offers a hide option. Press and hold the comment and choose "Hide" from the menu. Hidden comments are invisible to everyone except the person who wrote them and you — they do not see a notification that it is hidden.
Hiding is useful when you want to discourage certain comments without starting a conflict. The commenter can still see their own comment and may not realize it is hidden from others. If the same person keeps posting comments you want to hide, you can restrict them instead, which limits their ability to comment on all your posts going forward.
Restrict someone from commenting on your posts
Instead of deleting comments one at a time, you can restrict the person posting them. Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select "Restrict." A restricted person can still see your posts, but their comments are hidden from everyone except them, and they do not receive notifications about your activity.
Restricting is less obvious than blocking — the restricted person does not get a notification and may not realize they are restricted. If they keep trying to comment and their comments keep disappearing, they might figure it out, but Instagram does not tell them directly.
You can unrestrict someone at any time by going back to their profile and tapping "Unrestrict." This restores their ability to comment normally on your posts.
Report comments that break Instagram's rules
If a comment contains hate speech, harassment, spam, or other content that violates Instagram's Community Guidelines, you can report it instead of just deleting it. Press and hold the comment, tap "Report," and choose the reason that best fits — Instagram reviews reported content and may remove it from the platform.
Reporting sends the comment to Instagram's moderation team, not to the person who posted it. They do not find out who reported them. If Instagram determines the comment violates its rules, it removes the comment and may take action against the account, such as a warning or temporary suspension.
Deleting a comment yourself does not report it. If you want Instagram to review it, you must use the report option. Reporting is most useful for spam, threats, or repeated harassment from accounts you do not know.
What happens to likes and replies when you delete a comment
When you delete a comment, any likes it received disappear along with it. If someone replied to your comment, those replies are also deleted. There is no way to delete just the comment while keeping the replies — the entire comment thread goes.
If you want to preserve a conversation but remove only your part of it, you cannot do that on Instagram. Your only option is to edit the comment text to something neutral or blank, though this still leaves the comment visible in the thread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a comment instead of deleting it?
Yes. Press and hold your comment and tap "Edit" to change the text. This is useful if you made a typo or want to clarify something without losing the likes and replies the comment already has. Edited comments show an "Edited" label below them.
Will the person know if I delete my comment?
No, Instagram does not send a notification when you delete your own comment. The person who posted the original content will not be told. They only know if they happen to look at the post and notice your comment is gone.
Can I delete comments on my own posts from my phone and computer?
Yes, the process works the same way on both. On a computer, hover over the comment and click the three dots, then select delete. On a phone, press and hold the comment and tap the trash icon. The comment is deleted across all devices immediately.
What if someone keeps posting mean comments on my posts?
You can delete each comment, hide them, or restrict the person. If the comments are threatening or harassing, report them to Instagram. If the behavior continues, you can block the account entirely, which prevents them from seeing your posts or contacting you.
Does deleting a comment remove it from Instagram's servers?
Deleting a comment removes it from public view, but Instagram may retain data about it for moderation and safety purposes. For practical purposes, the comment is gone and no one can see it, but Instagram's systems may keep records of deleted content.