Instagram is a widely used platform for sharing photos, videos, and stories. Whether you want to remove an outdated post, delete something you regret sharing, or simply clean up your profile, knowing how to delete a post on Instagram is crucial. However, there are some limitations to consider in 2025 regarding post deletion. This guide will explain what you can do, how to delete posts, and what alternatives are available if you don’t want to permanently erase your content.
Can You Delete a Post on Instagram?
Yes, you can delete posts on Instagram. Deleting a post will remove it from your profile and feed, making it invisible to your followers and anyone who visits your profile. Once deleted, the post cannot be recovered, so it’s important to be sure before removing something.
What You Can Do:
- Delete individual posts: You can delete any photo or video post on your profile.
- Manage posts via archiving: If you don’t want to delete a post permanently but don’t want it visible, you can archive it.
- Delete posts from multiple devices: You can delete posts through the Instagram app on mobile devices, as well as through the web browser.
What You Can’t Do:
- Undo a post deletion: Once you’ve deleted a post, there’s no way to recover it unless you have the original media saved elsewhere.
- Delete someone else’s post: You can only delete your own posts. If someone else has tagged you in a post, you cannot delete it but can ask them to remove the tag.
How to Delete a Post on Instagram
Deleting a post from your Instagram profile is simple and can be done in just a few steps:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
- Scroll to find the post you want to delete.
- Tap the three dots (•••) in the top right corner of the post.
- Select Delete from the options menu.
- Confirm your choice by tapping Delete again when prompted.
The post will be permanently removed from your profile.
How to Delete Multiple Posts on Instagram
Currently, Instagram does not allow users to delete multiple posts at once. You will need to delete each post individually. If you want to clean up your profile quickly, consider archiving the posts instead of deleting them, as archiving is faster and retains the posts for later review.
How to Archive a Post on Instagram
If you don’t want to permanently delete a post but wish to hide it from your followers, archiving is a great option:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
- Find the post you want to archive.
- Tap the three dots (•••) in the top right corner of the post.
- Select Archive from the options menu.
Archived posts are removed from your profile but can be accessed privately in your Archive section, which only you can view.
To view archived posts:
- Go to your profile.
- Tap the three horizontal lines (hamburger icon) in the top right corner.
- Select Archive to see all your archived posts.
How to Delete a Post from Instagram on Desktop
You can also delete posts from Instagram using the web browser. Here’s how:
- Open Instagram.com on your computer.
- Go to your profile and select the post you want to delete.
- Click the three dots (•••) on the top right of the post.
- Select Delete and confirm your action.
This works for both photos and videos, just like on mobile devices.
Can You Delete a Post from Instagram Direct Messages?
You cannot delete posts from Instagram Direct Messages once they’ve been sent. However, you can delete individual messages by tapping and holding the message, then selecting Unsend. This will remove the message from both your and the recipient’s inbox. Note that this only works for messages, not posts that have been shared in chats.
Can Instagram Delete Posts Automatically?
No, Instagram will not automatically delete posts. However, posts can be removed due to violations of Instagram’s community guidelines or terms of service, such as explicit content, hate speech, or spam. Instagram will notify you if your post is removed for such reasons.
How to Delete Posts from Instagram Stories
While Instagram Stories are meant to disappear after 24 hours, you can manually delete them before they expire:
- Go to your Instagram profile.
- Tap your profile picture to view your Stories.
- Find the Story you want to delete.
- Tap the three dots (•••) in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Select Delete and confirm.
This will remove the Story immediately from your feed.
Will Instagram Ever Let You Delete Posts Differently?
As of 2025, Instagram has not introduced any major changes to how posts are deleted. The platform allows for simple deletion and archiving, but you cannot batch-delete posts or recover deleted content. Instagram may introduce new features in the future, but there’s currently no indication of changes to post deletion functionality.
FAQs About Deleting Posts on Instagram
Can I delete a post on Instagram permanently?
Yes, when you delete a post, it is permanently removed from your profile and cannot be recovered unless archived beforehand.
How do I delete multiple posts at once on Instagram?
Currently, Instagram does not allow the deletion of multiple posts at once. Each post must be deleted individually.
Can I delete a post on Instagram without deleting it for everyone?
No. If you delete a post, it will be removed from both your profile and anyone else’s feed who has seen it.
Can I recover a deleted Instagram post?
Once a post is deleted, it cannot be recovered unless it was archived. Archiving allows you to hide the post without deleting it permanently.
How can I hide posts without deleting them on Instagram?
You can archive posts on Instagram instead of deleting them. This removes the post from your profile but retains it in your private Archive.