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 11th January 2024 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.
Account Center - Profiles
Here you can find all your accounts, like Instagram, Facebook and Horizon.
Account Center - Connected experiences
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Sharing across profiles | Depending on your requirements |
| Logging in with accounts | Specify which accounts can log in to other accounts |
Account Center - Accounts
You can add and remove accounts from this account overview.
Account Center - Personal details
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Contact info | Use a free address without any indication of your identity (e.g. ferrari397@gmail.com). |
| Date of birth | Date of birth display |
| Identity confirmation | A step by step to verifiying your information. |
| Account ownership and control | Memorialization – Depending on your requirements Deactivation or deletion – In case you want to delete or deactivate your accounts. |
Account Center - Password and security
| Category | Sub-category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Login & recovery | Change password | Manage your passwords outside of Instagram, for instance using a password manager. |
| Two-factor authentication | Active | |
| Saved login | Details of the saved logins | |
| Security-checks | Where you're logged in | List is automatically created by Meta |
| Login alerts | Activate for all accounts | |
| Recent emails | Recieved emails | |
| Security Checkup | Here you can do a security-check on your accounts. |
Account Center - Your information and permissions
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Access your information | You will be redirected to your Facebook account to view your information there. |
| Download your information | You can request a copy of all your information at any time. |
| Transfer a copy of your information | You can transfer a copy of information you created or shared on Facebook or Instagram to another service. |
| Search history | Depending on your requirements |
| Your activity off Meta technologies | Don't link any activities with Meta if at all possible. |
| Manage contacts | Don't synchronise any lists of contacts with Instagram if at all possible. |
| Manage cookies | Depending on your requirements |
Account Center - Ad preferences
Depending on your requirements
Account Center - Payments
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Ads payments | Depending on your requirements |
| Meta Pay | Required for certain games and activities. The encryption and security meet common standards. |
Account Center - Meta Verified
You can obtain additional premium benefits such as additional support and increased account protection with a Meta Verified subscription. This can be set depending on your requirements.
Edit profile
Here you can change your profile picture, create a profile, enter gender information, and make account suggestions settings.
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
What you see
Here you can set how ‘like’ shall be displayed.
Who can see your content
Set your account to private if you don’t want to share your profile publicly.
How others can interact with you
| Category | Sub-category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Message | Depending on your requirements | |
| Activity status | Don't activate | |
| Story | Viewing | Depending on your requirements |
| Replying | Depending on your requirements | |
| Save story to archive | Depending on your requirements | |
| Sharing | Deactivate | |
| Comments | Depending on your requirements | |
| Mentions | Allow @mentions from | No one |
| Restricted accounts | This is where you can limit other profiles in case of unwanted interactions. | |
| Who can tag you | No one | |
| Manually approve tags | Manually approve posts when you're tagged in them | |
| Offensive words and phrases | Hide Comments | Activate |
| Advanced comment filtering | Deactivate | |
| Hide Message Request | Activate |
Supervision
Depending on your requirements
Help
Here you can get some help and information on your account status.
Abos
This is where you can view your subscriptions.
