Many users link their Instagram accounts to their Facebook accounts to more easily log in, find friends, and share content across both platforms. However, if your Facebook account becomes disabled, either temporarily or permanently, you may find yourself locked out of your linked Instagram account as well.
While your Instagram account itself does not get disabled if your Facebook account is disabled, you can no longer log in using your Facebook credentials. This can cause major inconvenience if you do not remember your original Instagram login details. Fortunately, it is possible to unlink your Instagram from your disabled Facebook account and regain access.
Here are the steps to unlink your Instagram from a disabled Facebook account:
Try logging in with your original Instagram credentials
Before attempting to unlink the accounts, first try logging in to Instagram using the username and password you originally signed up with. Many users create their Instagram accounts independently at first before linking to Facebook.
If you still remember these original login credentials, you may be able to access Instagram directly, without needing to unlink anything. Simply open the Instagram app or website and log in normally without clicking Facebook.
If you cannot remember your original Instagram username or password, you will need to go through the unlinking process.
Request a login link from Instagram
If you don’t remember your Instagram credentials, you can request a login link by submitting your username or email address:
- In the Instagram app, tap ‘Get help logging in’ below the login fields
- On the Instagram website, click the ‘Forgot password?’ link
Enter your Instagram username, email, or phone number when prompted. Instagram will send you an email or text with a link to access your account.
This login link expires after 24 hours. When you click it, you’ll be asked to reset your password to complete logging in.
Disable two-factor authentication
If you had two-factor authentication enabled on your linked Instagram/Facebook account, you will need to turn it off before unlinking.
Two-factor adds an extra layer of security, requiring both your password and a six-digit code generated from an authenticator app or sent via SMS when logging in.
To disable two-factor:
- Log in to Instagram using the link emailed by the previous step
- Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines) icon
- Tap Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication
- Select ‘Turn Off’ and confirm
You can re-enable two-factor after unlinking Instagram from Facebook.
Submit an account unlinking request
Once logged into your Instagram account, it’s time to submit the unlink request:
- Go to your profile and tap the menu icon
- Tap Settings > Accounts Center > Linked Accounts
- Tap the ‘Unlink Accounts’ button next to ‘Facebook’
- Confirm that you want to unlink the accounts
Instagram will process your request and send a confirmation when your accounts are successfully unlinked.
Log in with your Instagram credentials
With your Instagram account no longer linked to Facebook, you will now log in directly with your Instagram username and password. No need to use Facebook login anymore.
Be sure to remember these Instagram credentials, as you will use them for logging in going forward. Consider enabling two-factor authentication again for extra security.
You can always re-link your Instagram and Facebook in the future if you re-enable your Facebook account. Just use the ‘Linked Accounts’ section of Instagram’s settings.
Retrieve Instagram data from disabled Facebook
Once unlinked from your disabled Facebook account, your Instagram content and data still remain intact. However, you may have lost photos, videos, or other media that you had shared from Instagram over to Facebook over the years.
When your Facebook was disabled, all of that cross-posted Instagram data unfortunately became inaccessible. However, you can retrieve and save this data by downloading your information archive from Facebook:
- Go to facebook.com/dyi
- Click ‘Create File’ to request your Facebook data archive
- Enter your Facebook email and password when prompted
- Facebook will assemble your personal data and email a download link when ready (can take a few days)
- Open the ZIP file and navigate to the ‘instagram’ folder
- Copy any Instagram photos or videos you wish to save elsewhere
Even though your Facebook account is disabled, you can still download all of your data from the platform, including anything shared from your previously linked Instagram account.
Important: Avoid getting Instagram disabled too
When unlinking your Instagram account from a disabled Facebook account, be very careful not to violate any of Instagram’s terms around spam, bots, or automation. Doing so can get your Instagram account disabled as well.
Specifically, do NOT try to:
- Rapidly create multiple new Instagram accounts
- Link and unlink several Instagram accounts quickly
- Use any third-party apps or scripts to automate unlinking
Instagram’s automated systems may detect this activity as suspicious and disable your account. Only manually unlink your personal Instagram account through the official Instagram interface.
It can be incredibly frustrating losing access to both Facebook and Instagram at the same time. Prevent this by carefully following the proper unlinking procedures above.
Get help from Facebook/Instagram support
If you encounter any trouble unlinking your Instagram account from a disabled Facebook account, you can try contacting Facebook or Instagram support for assistance:
- Facebook Help Center: http://facebook.com/help
- Instagram Help Center: http://help.instagram.com
Keep in mind support response times may be slower than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can also search Facebook and Instagram help forums for people who may have faced similar issues.
Conclusion
Having your Instagram account linked to a disabled Facebook account can deny you access to both platforms and your memories. Thankfully, you can regain control of your Instagram by safely unlinking it from Facebook through Instagram’s account settings.
Be patient, don’t try automated tricks, and consider reaching out to customer support if you get stuck. With some diligent effort, you can unlink Instagram from a disabled Facebook account and get back to posting your favorites pics and videos.