Instagram offers a multitude of configuration options. It is not always easy to keep track of all the various settings offered and to select the best settings for your purposes. Our checklist is meant to assist you to protect your account and all your published information in the best possible way.
We have tried to draw up as universally applicable a set of instructions for private users as possible. Nevertheless, the individual configuration options and settings may differ in specific cases. This checklist refers to the Instagram settings available as of 9th December 2022 as displayed in a desktop computer browser.
As a rule, the settings described here are automatically adopted in the Instagram app. Depending on your smartphone and operating system though, there may be some additional settings in the app which are not discussed here.
To show the account settings in Instagram, click the three bar symbol at the bottom left and then select entry “settings” from the menu.
Edit profile
Category | Our recommendation |
---|---|
Name | Depending on your requirements |
Username | Depending on your requirements |
Website | Depending on your requirements |
Bio | Depending on your requirements |
Use a free address without any indication of your identity (e.g. ferrari397@gmail.com). | |
Phone number | Optionally, you can register a mobile number, which will then be required for log-in confirmations as necessary. |
Gender | Prefer not to say |
Similar account suggestions | Depending on your requirements |
Change password
Manage your passwords outside of Instagram, for instance using a password manager.
Apps and websites
Here you can view all apps and websites which you have linked to your Instagram account.
Email notifications
Depending on your requirements
Push notifications
Depending on your requirements
Manage contacts
Here you can view your contacts you have added to Instagram.
Only you can see your contacts. However, Instagram uses all information uploaded to your contacts to provide friendship suggestions to you and other people, and to provide all users with a better experience.
Privacy and security
Category | Our recommendation |
---|---|
Account privacy | Activate |
Activity status | Don‘t activate |
Story sharing | Don‘t activate |
Comments | Depending on your requirements |
Photos of you | Depending on your requirements |
Data permissions | Don‘t activate «Optional cookies» |
Two-Factor Authentication | Activate «Text message» or «Authentication app» |
Data Download | Depending on your requirements |
Privacy and security help | Depending on your requirements |
Mentions | People you follow |
Posts | Activate «Hide like and view counts»
Activate «People you follow» |
Message Controls | Depending on your requirements |
Hidden Words | Depending on your requirements |
Ads
Here you can view your ad activities.
Supervision
Depending on your requirements
Login activity
Here you can view your log-in activities.
Emails from Instagram
Here you can view all e-mails (security/others) which have been sent by Instagram over the past fortnight .You can use this list to establish which e-mails are genuine and which ones are fake.
Help
Here you can get some help.