Logging in to Instagram on a phone or computer
Instagram can be accessed with a username, email address or phone number and a password, with a Facebook account, and since 2026 also with a passkey. Below are all the methods and solutions to the most common problems.
In this article
Logging in with the phone app
- Install the Instagram app from Google Play or the App Store.
- Open the app. If the account was logged in on the phone before, or an account is logged in to the Facebook app, the app may offer it: then a single tap is enough.
- If no account is offered, enter the login ID: username, email address or phone number (with the + sign and the country code).
- Enter the password, then tap the “Log in” button.
- If two-factor authentication is on, enter the code sent by the authentication app, by text message or by WhatsApp, or approve the login on a device that is already logged in.
Logging in from a web browser
No app needs to be installed on a computer: Instagram on the web works in the browser.
- Open www.instagram.com. If a cookie window pops up, it can also be closed by declining optional cookies; Instagram still works.
- Enter the login ID in the “Mobile number, username or email” field and the password in the “Password” field.
- Click the “Log in” button. The login page can also be opened directly: instagram.com/accounts/login.
- If required, enter the two-factor authentication code. On a personal computer, Instagram may offer to remember the browser so that it does not ask for a code next time.
Logging in with a Facebook account
If the Instagram account is linked to the Facebook account in Accounts Center, the “Log in with Facebook” option can also be used on the login page. No Instagram password is needed then: being able to log in to Facebook is enough. If the accounts are not linked, logging in with Facebook may offer to create a new account; in that case, go back and log in with the existing Instagram details.
Logging in with a passkey
In April 2026, Meta announced that passkeys (passwordless login) also work on Instagram, following Facebook and Messenger. The passkey is stored on the phone: logging in is approved with a fingerprint, face recognition or the screen lock code, and no password needs to be typed. It cannot be used on a phishing site, which makes it more secure than a password.
- First log in the usual way.
- Open Accounts Center (in the app from the profile menu, in a browser at accountscenter.instagram.com), then the “Password and security” section.
- Choose to create a passkey and approve it with the phone's screen lock.
- Next time, choose passkey login on the login screen.
Saved login info
- When logging out, the app may offer to save the login info. The account is then available with one tap the next time the app is opened, without a password.
- This is only recommended on a personal phone. It should never be saved on a shared device or one that is about to be sold.
- Saved login info can be removed in the “Password and security” section of Accounts Center, under saved login information.
- The phone's password manager (Google Password Manager, iCloud Keychain) may also fill in the password: after a password change, it needs to be updated as well.
When the login fails
- Incorrect password: check Caps Lock and the keyboard language. If that does not help, request a new password with the “Forgot password?” link on the login page (directly: instagram.com/accounts/password/reset).
- User not found: a typo, or the username has changed in the meantime. Try the email address or phone number instead.
- The code does not arrive: wait a few minutes, check the spam folder and, if available, choose another method (for example an authentication app or a recovery code).
- Instagram reports an unusual login: from a new device or from abroad, it often asks for extra confirmation (a code, possibly a video selfie). Follow the steps shown.
- The app shows an error: update the app, restart the phone and check the internet connection. In the meantime, try logging in from a browser too.
- Suspicion that the account has been hacked: follow the section on hacked accounts in Instagram Help (help.instagram.com) and log the account out of all other devices.
On a shared or public computer
- Use a private (incognito) window, and do not save the password.
- Log out after use: the option is in the menu at the bottom left (More).
- If logging out was forgotten, the computer can be logged out from another device in the “Password and security” section of Accounts Center, in the list of logged-in devices.
If it doesn't work
What can be used to log in: username or email address?
Both, as well as the phone number linked to the account. The password is the same in all three cases.
Can the account be logged in on a phone and a computer at the same time?
Yes. Instagram can be logged in on several devices at once; the list of logged-in devices can be checked in Accounts Center.
The password has been forgotten. What should be done?
Click the “Forgot password?” link on the login page, then enter the username, email address or phone number. A new password can be set with the code or link received.
What is a passkey, and is it mandatory?
A passkey is passwordless login with a fingerprint, face recognition or the phone's screen lock. It is not mandatory, but it is more secure than a password because it cannot be used on a phishing site.
How can two accounts be used on one device?
A second account can be added without logging out, and switching works by tapping the profile picture: Managing multiple Instagram accounts on one device.