I remember a few years ago, starting to see vintage-style photographs appearing on my Facebook feed. At first, they were from only one of my friends, then two or three. And then, overnight, it seems everybody was posting these retro-looking photos. What I had just seen was the Instagram Boom. Now, Instagram is so common that it’s often just assumed, if you have Facebook or Twitter, you automatically have an Instagram account to go along with them. I mean, what would you do without Instagram? Just post un-doctored phone-tography to your social media contacts? Eugh! So, Instagram is here to stay. Maybe you’ve been using it for a while — maybe you’re even an old pro at it! But that’s not going to be enough if you find that you forgot your Instagram Username or Password.
Fortunately, this is an easy fix to get around. So, stick around and I’ll tell you what you need to do if you forgot your Instagram username or password.
Forgetfulness – a gift of God bestowed upon debtors in compensation for their destitution of conscience. — Ambrose Bierce
What is Instagram?
The tricky thing about social media sites and services is that they allow you to really have your finger on the pulse of what’s current. However, since they’re now pretty much everywhere, not having a social media presence leaves you out of a lot of the cultural conversation. So it’s not a matter of “take it or leave it,” but rather there’s a sense that if you’re not in, you’re out. In the cold. During a blizzard. And a flood. And the Apocalypse.
So you pretty much have to have a broad social media presence (by which I mean multiple platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) in order to be current. And if you should, heavens forbid, be uncertain how to use these various services (or, golly, even ask what they are) woe betide you, friend!
Fortunately, we’re not so judgmental over here at Appamatix. So, if you’re not sure about Instagram, here’s a thumbnail sketch of what it’s all about.
There have been numerous photo sharing apps and services before (flickr, PhotoBucket, etc…). But the great thing about Instagram is not only does it allow you to share photos, it allows you to create them as well. And if you’re thinking But my phone has a camera built in. Everything has a camera built in. Even my Cheerios! Why should it matter that I can take pictures with Instagram? Well, not only does Instagram allow you to take and share photos, but you can edit them as well, adding a series of “filters” to your images that completely alter their aesthetics, and can really help you communicate, not just the content of the image, but the thoughts and feelings the image (and the experience contained) invokes in you.
Also, images taken through Instagram are automatically cropped to a square shape, which makes them visually distinct from the usual 4:3 aspect ratio that most of the pictures you take on your phone are going to have.
Instagram has become so popular, that not only can you access it through the website, but it offers dedicated apps for most of the major mobile platforms: iOS (iPhone), Android, and even the Windows Phone!
Below, we’re going to walk you through what to do if you forgot your Instagram password or username for each of these major platforms.
One Quick Tip
Before we get started, I just wanted to share one quick tip that all of the following techniques have in common. One of the most frequent causes of forgetting your password or username is using multiple platforms. You’ll probably want to be signed in online, on your phone, on your iPad, on your Cheerios, and everything else you have access to. Say you are logging in for the first time on your tablet, and you can’t remember your login information. This is common, because our devices are usually pretty good about remembering stuff for us. (Fun Quiz: How many of your friends’ phone numbers do you know off the top of your head?) So if you’ve been Instagramming, say, on your phone for a few years now, and you want to log in on your tablet, you may not remember anything.
Well, you’ll still need the tips below in order to get your password, if you forgot it, but if it’s just you’re username that’s tripping you up, you can find that on top of your profile page.
That should save several of you some headache. (Not that any of the steps below are particularly headache inducing.)
What to Do if You Forgot your Instagram Password or Username Online
Let’s start with the basic version, the plain vanilla of every* social media service: the website.
(*Of course, more and more, social media services will only have an app, and will have no option for you to navigate or use your account on your computer. Snapchat, Kik, Viber, the list is getting longer and longer for all of the social apps which are only apps. Fortunately, we here at Appamatix have extensively covered how to use these from your computer, should you wish to.)
As popular as Instagram is, and as much money is going through it right now, of course they’re not going to turn away users, or lock you out of your account forever if you forget your information. So getting through if you forgot your Instagram password or username through the website is pretty simple.
- Go to the Instagram website.
- If you’ve not logged in before, you’ll probably get a page that wants you to download the app, or create a new account. (Yes, I got this page even from a desktop computer, so it’s not a case of the ol’ mobile redirect.) If that’s the case, just hit the “Login” button.
- On the Login page, there will be a link to click if you’ve forgotten your Password. There is no link for if you forgot your Username, but trust me, you can use the same link.
- You’ll notice the Password Reset page looks pretty standard. Of course, you may be thinking I don’t need a new Password, I need to be reminded of my Username. How can I use this page without my Username? However, you’ll notice that you have the option of entering your username or your email address. Simply enter the email address which you used to register your account, along with what else the site is asking for, and you’re in like Flint!
What to Do if you Forgot your Instagram Username or Password on an iPhone or iPad
- Open up the Instagram app by tapping on it.
- On the login screen, within the “Password” section, tap “Forgot”
- This will bring you to a new screen where you can enter the login information you know and you will receive an email with your username and a link to reset your password. If you don’t remember your username, don’t worry, you can put the email address which you used to register the account and it will work.
- You will receive an email to the address you provided. In it, it will tell you your username, and include a link to reset the password.
What to Do if you Forgot your Instagram Username or Password on an Android Device
- Find where your Instagram button and tap it.
- On the login screen, within the “Password” section, tap “Forgot”
- This will bring you to a new screen where you can enter the login information you know and you will receive an email with your username and a link to reset your password. If you don’t remember your username, don’t worry, you can put the email address which you used to register the account and it will work.
- You will receive an email to the address you provided. In it, it will tell you your username, and include a link to reset the password.
What to Do if you Forgot your Instagram Username or Password on a Windows Phone
- The user interface for a Windows Phone is completely distinct from either Android or iPhone, in most of you only have a single home screen (which you scroll through, instead of having multiple screens to flip through), and not all of your apps will appear on it (only those you’ve pinned to your home screen). If you can’t find Instagram on your home screen (and don’t forget, you can set the size of each icon; I tend to make the things I use more frequently have larger icons), then swipe to the left, and you’ll get a complete list of every app in your phone, sorted alphabetically. Whichever method you use, find Instagram, and tap to open.
- On the login screen, within the “Password” section, tap “Forgot”
- This will bring you to a new screen where you can enter the login information you know and you will receive an email with your username and a link to reset your password. If you don’t remember your username, don’t worry, you can put the email address which you used to register the account and it will work.
- You will receive an email to the address you provided. In it, it will tell you your username, and include a link to reset the password.
What to Do if you Forgot your Instagram Username or Password on Other Phones or Devices
Unfortunately, Instagram hasn’t released any official apps for the other major phones out there, such as Blackberry or Nokia-Symbian devices (separate from the Nokia Windows devices). However there are several third party apps that will allow you to access your Instagram accounts from each of them. Of course, I can’t speak to the process for each third party app, but you can always point your web browser over to the Instagram website and use the steps from “What to Do if you Forgot your Instagram Username or Password Online” above.
Did the methods listed above work for you? Or was there something else that you’ve done that works better? Please let us know in the comments, and we may add your technique to this article.
