By default Instagram settings, photos and videos posted on this app are public. This means that any user is able to see your posts when they search for your account or are suggested to them. If you want to make your posts private so that they can only be seen by people who follow you, you can do it very easily by changing some settings.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: iOS and Android
Step 1. Open Instagram
Tap the application icon on the mobile home screen.
Step 2. Log into your profile
Tap the button depicted by your photo (or a human silhouette, if you haven't set any image) at the bottom right to see your personal profile.
Step 3. Tap the settings icon
On Android it is represented by three vertical lines, while on iOS it is a gear. A side menu will open. Tap "Settings" at the bottom of the menu.
Step 4. Change your privacy related settings
Scroll down the screen until you find the "Privacy" option. Tap it to open another menu. In the section titled "Contacts" you will see an entry called "Account Privacy". Tap it to bring up the "Private Account" option, which is next to a gray button. Tap this button. Once it turns blue, all photos and videos posted on Instagram will be made private, so they can only be seen by your followers.
Method 2 of 2: Windows Phone
Step 1. Open the Instagram application on your Windows OS device
Step 2. Tap the icon depicted by a newspaper to access your personal profile
Step 3. Tap "Edit Profile"
Step 4. Scroll the screen to find the "Private Account" option
You can check the box or remove the check mark according to your privacy preferences.
Advice
- You can make the account public again at any time you want.
- If you want to block a particular user and prevent them from seeing your posts (without making the account private and having to approve potential followers), read this article.
Warnings
- Instagram does not currently allow users to access privacy settings using a desktop computer. You must use a mobile device with an Android, iOS or Windows operating system to change the account settings.
- Keep in mind that Instagram's privacy settings are not automatically applied to other social networks should you share private photos on them. For example, if you post a private Instagram photo on the Twitter timeline, users who follow you on the latter social network will be able to see it, even if they don't follow you on Instagram.
