Change Your Email in Settings
To change the email address on your Instagram account, open the Instagram app or go to Instagram.com in a browser and sign in. Tap or click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner, then select Settings and privacy. From there, choose Account center, then Personal information, and finally Email address. Enter your new email, then tap Next.
Instagram will send a confirmation link to the new email address you entered. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for a message from Instagram. Click the confirmation link in that email within 24 hours to complete the change. Once you confirm, your account will be tied to the new email address.
If you are using a browser instead of the app, the steps are the same: Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Email address. The confirmation process works the same way — Instagram sends a link to your new email that you must click to finish.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your Instagram email through Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Email address in either the app or a web browser.
- Instagram sends a confirmation link to your new email address, and you must click that link within 24 hours to complete the change.
- Check your spam or promotions folder if you do not see the confirmation email in your main inbox.
- Your old email address will no longer be connected to your account once the new one is confirmed.
- You can change your email as many times as you want, but you must confirm each new address before it takes effect.
What Happens to Your Old Email
Once you confirm your new email address, Instagram removes the old one from your account. This means you can no longer use the old email to sign in to that Instagram account. If you want to sign in using an email address, you will need to use the new one.
The old email address becomes available for other uses. You can use it to create a new Instagram account, sign up for other services, or leave it unused. Instagram does not keep it tied to your account after the change is complete.
If You Cannot Access Your New Email
If you entered a new email address but cannot access it to click the confirmation link, you have a problem. Instagram will not let you use that email until you confirm it, and you cannot confirm it without access to the inbox.
Go back to Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Email address and enter a different email address that you can actually access. Then confirm that one instead. You can always change it again later once you regain access to the first new address.
Changing Email When You Cannot Sign In
If you cannot sign in to your Instagram account at all, you cannot change the email through Settings. Instead, go to the Instagram login page and tap Need more help? below the login fields. Instagram will walk you through steps to regain access to your account, which may include confirming your identity through email or phone.
Once you regain access and can sign in, follow the normal steps above to change your email address. If you no longer have access to the email currently on file, tell Instagram that during the recovery process — they have other ways to verify you are the account owner, such as using a phone number or answering security questions.
Using a Phone Number Instead of Email
Instagram lets you sign in using either an email address or a phone number. If you want to remove email as a sign-in option entirely, you can add a phone number to your account instead. Go to Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Phone number and add one.
Once a phone number is on your account, you can change or remove your email without losing a way to sign in. However, Instagram requires at least one way to sign in — either an email or a phone number — so you cannot remove both.
Troubleshooting: Confirmation Email Not Arriving
If you do not receive the confirmation email from Instagram after entering a new address, first check your spam, promotions, and other email folders. Instagram emails sometimes land there by mistake. Search your inbox for "instagram" or "confirm" to see if the message arrived somewhere unexpected.
If you still cannot find it after 10 minutes, go back to Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Email address and try entering the address again. Instagram will send another confirmation link. Make sure you are typing the email address correctly — a typo means the confirmation goes to the wrong inbox.
If the email address you are trying to use is already connected to another Instagram account, Instagram will not let you add it. Each email can only be tied to one account. If this happens, you will see an error message saying the email is already in use. You would need to remove it from the other account first, or use a different email address.
Changing Email on a Business or Creator Account
The process is the same whether you have a personal account, a business account, or a creator account. All three types use the same Settings menu and follow the same confirmation steps. The email address change does not affect your account type or any of your account features.
If your account is managed by someone else through Instagram's business tools, that person may have permissions to change the email. Check with whoever manages the account if you are not sure whether you have the right to make this change yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email address on Instagram without confirming the old one?
No. You must have access to the email address currently on your account to change it. If you no longer have access to that email, use the account recovery process by tapping Need more help? on the login page.
How long does it take for an email change to go through?
Once you click the confirmation link in the email Instagram sends, the change is when ready. Your new email is active when ready. If you do not confirm within 24 hours, the link expires and you will need to start over.
Will changing my email affect my followers or posts?
No. Changing your email address does not change anything about your account, your followers, your posts, or your profile. It only changes how you sign in.
Can I use the same email for multiple Instagram accounts?
No. Each email address can only be connected to one Instagram account. If you try to add an email that is already in use, Instagram will show an error. You would need to remove it from the other account first.
What if I change my mind after confirming a new email?
You can change your email address as many times as you want. Just go back to Settings and privacy → Account center → Personal information → Email address and enter a different one. Confirm it the same way, and it becomes your new sign-in email.