Setting up an Instagram profile

Instagram profile details can be changed under “Edit profile”, both on a phone and in a browser. This is where the profile picture, name, username, bio and links are set; the account type (personal or professional) can be changed in the settings.

Opening profile editing

If logging in does not work, access has to be sorted out first: Logging in to Instagram on a phone or computer.

1. On a phone, open the Instagram app and tap the account's own profile picture in the bottom right corner.
2. At the top of the profile, below the follower count, choose the “Edit profile” button.
3. On a computer, at instagram.com, click “Profile” in the menu on the left, then the “Edit profile” button.
4. Save each changed field: on a phone with the checkmark in the top right corner or the “Done” button, in a browser with the “Submit” button.

What can be set on the profile?

• Profile picture: can be uploaded from the gallery or taken on the spot. It appears in a circular crop, so a square, centered image works best. It is always public, even for a private account.
• Name: the display name, up to 30 characters. Others can search for it. It can be changed at most twice within 14 days.
• Username: the unique ID after the @, which also appears in the profile's address (instagram.com/username). Up to 30 characters; only letters, numbers, periods and underscores are allowed.
• Pronouns: an optional field; it can be shown to everyone or only to followers.
• Bio: a short text below the name, up to 150 characters (spaces and emojis count too). Line breaks can be used.
• Links: up to five external links can be added. The first one is visible on the profile; the rest open with a tap.
• Gender: can be given or skipped; it is not shown on the profile.

Name and username: what to keep in mind

• The username is unique: if it is taken, Instagram asks for another one. A short username that is easy to spell out is best, because people find the profile by it.
• After a username change, the old name can be restored for a while (14 days, according to Help) if no one else has taken it in the meantime. After that, anyone can claim it.
• Links pointing to the old username no longer lead to the profile after the change, so business cards and websites should be updated.
• If the Instagram and Facebook accounts are linked in Accounts Center, the name and profile picture can be synced between the two accounts. This can be turned on or off in the “Accounts Center” settings.
• With several accounts, each profile has to be edited separately: Managing multiple Instagram accounts on one device.

Personal or professional account?

After sign-up, every account is personal. Switching to a professional account makes sense if the profile serves a business, a brand or regular content creation. Switching is free, and followers and posts are kept.

• Personal account: the right choice for most users. It can be private, and it has no insights or contact button.
• Creator account: for influencers, performers and content creators. A category (for example “Artist”) and insights (reach, follower growth) are available, along with contact options.
• Business account: for shops, service providers and brands. In addition to creator features, it offers an address, buttons related to opening hours and bookings, and a connection to Meta's business tools (ads, Facebook Page).
• Visibility: a business account cannot be private; if the account needs to be private, it has to be switched back to personal. Details: Instagram privacy settings and private accounts.

Switching to a professional account and back

1. On the profile, tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top right corner to open the settings.
2. In the section for the account, open the item for account type and professional tools, then choose to switch to a professional account.
3. Select a category that fits the profile, and decide whether the category should be shown on the profile.
4. Specify whether it is a creator or a business account. For a business account, linking a Facebook Page may be offered; this can be skipped.
5. Switching back works in the same menu, by switching to a personal account. Insights data is lost in that case.

Tips for the profile

• A phone number, home address or school should not go in the bio: even with a private account, anyone who opens the profile can see it.
• The profile picture, name, username and bio are public even for a private account. Sensitive information should therefore not go in any of them.
• If the username resembles a well-known brand or person, scammers can easily imitate it. It is worth searching for the profile regularly and reporting fake copies.
• It is best to add an address of one's own that can be checked: visitors are less likely to click links to shortened or unknown sites, and the system may also flag them as suspicious.
• For a child's account, some profile settings are also affected by parental supervision: Instagram Teen Accounts and parental supervision.