How to recover an Instagram account without email or phone number
Lost access to the email and phone number linked to your Instagram account? Many people think it's hopeless, but there's an official way to try to recover an Instagram account without email or phone number: verification by username, then by video selfie. Here's how to do it, step by step.
Prefer a video? Watch the full tutorial below.
Recovering an Instagram account without email or phone number, step by step
Open "Forgot password"
On "Forgot password", identify your account by username. On the Instagram login page, tap "Forgot password?". Instagram asks you to identify your account: choose to find it with your "username".
Enter your username
Enter your exact handle to find the account. Enter your exact "username" (handle) and continue. Instagram will offer to send a code to the email or phone number — which you no longer have.
"Can't reset your password?"
Choose to prove your identity another way than by email or phone number. Since you no longer have access to the email or phone number, tap "Can't reset your password?" (or "No longer have access"). Instagram opens the identity recovery options.
Prove your identity (video selfie)
The video selfie (or help from friends) proves the account is yours. Choose "Take a video selfie" if the account has a photo of you, or "Help from friends" to have contacts confirm your identity. Follow the instructions: Instagram verifies you and then helps you restore access.
Good to know
Recovery is "not guaranteed", but these official options offer a real chance, especially if your account contains "photos of you" (for the video selfie). The interface is in English here, but the steps are identical in other languages.
Good to know
- The "video selfie" only works if the account contains photos of your face.
- "Help from friends" asks a few contacts to confirm your identity.
- Going forward, add "multiple login methods" (email + phone number) so you're never locked out again.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you really recover an Instagram account without email or phone number?
- Yes, partly. Instagram offers identity verification by video selfie or by friends. Success isn't guaranteed, but it's the only official route without an email or phone number.
- How does the video selfie work?
- Instagram asks you to turn your head in front of the camera, then compares the video to the photos on your account. So the account has to contain photos of your face.
- What should I do if recovery fails?
- Try again from a device and network you've already used with the account, and go through the Instagram Help Center. A "recognized" device improves your chances.
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