If I delete my Instagram account, are my photos gone forever?

Yes. When you permanently delete your Instagram account, your photos and videos are removed from Instagram's servers after a deletion grace period and cannot be recovered. That's why it's important to download your full archive first. If you only deactivate (rather than delete), your data is hidden but preserved — but it's still safest to keep your own copy.

How long does it take to download my Instagram archive?

Usually a few hours for smaller accounts, up to a few days for accounts with thousands of posts. Request the download and wait for the email before you start the account deletion process — don't delete the account while the file is still being prepared.

Complete Guide · Updated June 2026

How to Save Your Instagram Photos Before Deleting Your Account

Q: How do I save my Instagram photos before deleting my account?

Before you delete or deactivate, download your full archive. In the Instagram app, go to Accounts Center, then Your information and permissions, then Download your information. Select your account and 'Photos and videos', set media quality to High, and request the file. Instagram emails you a ZIP — usually within a few hours. Download and save it somewhere safe before you delete your account, because once the account is permanently deleted you can no longer request the download.

Q: What's the best way to keep my Instagram photos after I download them?

The downloaded ZIP is just folders of files. To actually keep and enjoy your memories, upload the archive to everkept, which organizes every photo and video by person and year into a private gallery you keep. That way your memories live somewhere you'll actually revisit them — not buried in a ZIP file you'll forget about.

Leaving Instagram is a good decision for a lot of people. Just don't take your photos and videos down with it. Here's how to save everything first, so your memories stay yours.

🕒 Updated June 2026📖 6 min read✅ Do this before you delete

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Do this first. Once your account is permanently deleted, you can no longer request your archive. Download everything and confirm you have it before you start the deletion process.

Quick Answer

Before deleting Instagram, download your archive: Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information. Select your account and "Photos and videos," set quality to High, and request the file. Instagram emails you a ZIP — save it somewhere safe and confirm you can open it before you delete the account. To make sure those memories stay alive and not just sit in a folder, everkept turns the archive into a gallery you keep.

Step 1: Download your full Instagram archive

1
Open Settings and activityTap your profile picture, then the menu (☰) in the top right.
2
Go to Accounts CenterTap Accounts Center at the top of Settings.
3
Open "Your information and permissions"Then tap Download your information.
4
Select your account and "Photos and videos"Choose "Some of your information" and select Photos and videos — or "All available information" to get everything.
5
Set quality to High and requestPick HTML or JSON format, set Media quality to High, then submit the request.
6
Download the ZIP and verify itWhen the email arrives (a few hours to a few days), download the ZIP and open it to confirm your photos are really there.

Step 2: Keep your memories somewhere real

A ZIP file in your Downloads folder is easy to forget — or lose to a dead hard drive. If these are years of memories you're rescuing before leaving Instagram, give them a home you'll actually open.

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Don't just back it up — keep it alive

Upload your Instagram archive to everkept and we organize every photo and video by person and year into a private gallery you keep. Preview it free before you pay anything.

Preview your gallery free →

Instagram & Facebook supported • Your data stays private

Step 3: Then delete or deactivate

Once you've confirmed your archive is safe, you can delete or deactivate your account through Instagram's settings. Deactivating hides your profile but keeps your data; deleting removes it permanently after a grace period. Either way, you'll have your own copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I save my Instagram photos before deleting my account?

Download your archive first via Accounts Center → Your information and permissions → Download your information. Select "Photos and videos," set quality to High, request the file, and save the ZIP before you delete.

If I delete Instagram, are my photos gone forever?

Yes — permanent deletion removes them from Instagram's servers after a grace period and they can't be recovered. Download your archive first. Deactivating (vs. deleting) preserves your data but hidden.

How long does the download take?

A few hours for small accounts, up to a few days for large ones. Wait for the email and download before you delete anything.

What's the best way to keep them afterward?

Upload the archive to everkept so your photos and videos live in an organized gallery by person and year — not buried in a ZIP you'll forget.