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 28th March 2025 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - Meta Pay
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Meta Pay | Required for certain games and activities. The encryption and security meet common standards. |
Account Center - Show your profile as 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.
Account Center - Accounts
You can add and remove accounts from this account overview.
How you use Instagram
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Edit profile | Here you can change your profile picture, create a profile, enter gender information, and make account suggestions settings. |
| Notifications | Depending on your requirements |
Who can see your content
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Account privacy | Activate |
| Close Friends | Depending on your requirements |
| Blocked | Here all people you have blocked are listed. |
| Hide story and live | Depending on your requirements |
How others can interact with you - Messages and story replies - Message controls
| Category | Sub-category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Message controls | Potential connections | Message requests |
| Other People | Don't receive requests | |
| Group seetings | Only people you follow on Instagram | |
| Story replies | Who can reply to your stories | Followers you follow back |
| Activity status | Deactivate |
How others can interact with you - Tags and mentions
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Who can tag you | Don't allow tags |
| Manually approve tags | Depending on your requirements |
| Who can @mention you | Don't allow mentions |
How others can interact with you - Comments
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| GIF-Kommentare erlauben | Deactivate |
How others can interact with you - Sharing
| Category | Our recommendation | |
|---|---|---|
| What people can share | Allow sharing to messages | Deactivate |
| Where you share your story and posts outside if Instagram | Share story to Facebook | Deactivate |
How others can interact with you - Restricted accounts
Depending on your requirements
How others can interact with you - Hidden Words
| Category | Sub-category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive words and phrases | Hide comments | Acitvate |
| Advanced comments filtering | Deactivate | |
| Hide message requests | Activate | |
| Custom words and phrases | Manage custom words and phrases | Depending on your requirements |
What you see
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Mute accounts | Here you can view all muted accounts. |
| Content preferences | Depending on your requirements |
| Like and share counts | Here you can set how ‘like’ shall be displayed. |
| Subscriptions | Here you can view your subscriptions. |
Your app and media
| Category | Sub-category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Archiving and downloading | Saving to archive | Deactivate |
| Language | Depending on your requirements | |
| Website permissions | Apps and websites | These are apps and websites you have linked to your Instagram account. |
For families - Family Center
Depending on your requirements
For professionals
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Account type and tools | Depending on your requirements |
| Meta verified | Depending on your requirements |
More info and support
| Category | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Help | Here you can get some help and information on your account status. |
| Privacy Center | Privacy check |
| Acccount Status | Here you can get some information on your account status. |