Can You Log Into Instagram Without a Phone Number?

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Understand how to access Instagram without using a phone number

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: May 10, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Can I use Instagram without a phone number?
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• Creating a Login
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• Recovering Your Password
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

If you’d rather not give Instagram your phone number, or if you’ve lost access to the number you used when you signed up, there are alternative ways to log in without it. However, Instagram will eventually ask you to provide a valid phone number to verify your identity and protect your account. This wikiHow will explain how to create an account and sign in without providing a number, as well as what to do if you’ve lost access to your account and you can’t use your phone to get a recovery code.

Logging into Instagram Without a Phone Number

Create your Instagram account using an email address instead of a phone number. Once you’ve created your account, log in with your email or username. Set up your two-factor authentication as an “Authentication App” instead of “Text message” so IG won’t ask for your phone number when logging in.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Can I use Instagram without a phone number?

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1. No—Instagram will eventually ask you to add a phone number. You can still create an account without a phone number, but Instagram will ask you to provide one in the future. This is dependent on a few factors, such as: you previously added your number, but didn't confirm it, some time has passed since you last updated your contact information, Instagram received information from your device, and you have yet to add one, but Instagram wants to show you how.

   • Phone numbers can be used to verify your identity and protect your account with two-factor authentication. With the rise of spam accounts, Instagram has introduced this requirement to reduce the amount of spam on the platform.
   • VoIP services, such as Google Voice, can provide you with a different phone number to use, but you must have an existing number to claim one.
     • It's best to avoid third-party services that claim to verify your Instagram account with a temporary number. Instagram uses this number to protect your account; it's very likely you'll get locked out of your account once the service expires.
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Section 2 of 3:

Creating a Login Without a Phone Number

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1. 1
   Sign up for Instagram with your email address. When you initially create your Instagram login, you can choose to use an email address instead of a phone number. To do this, download and open the Instagram app or visit https://www.instagram.com/accounts/emailsignup/ in a web browser. You'll just need to enter a valid email in the Mobile Number or Email field.

   • You must also provide your full name, a unique username, and a secure password to sign up.
   • Instagram will send you an email with a verification code at the email address you provided.
   • You can also create an Instagram account using your Facebook account. Select Log in with Facebook in the sign up page, and then enter your login information.
2. 2
   Log in with your username or email address. Once you’ve created your Instagram account, open the Instagram app or visit https://www.instagram.com/ to log in. You can enter either your username or the email address you provided in the top text field on the login screen. In the second text field, type in your password.

   • If you used the Facebook option, click or tap the Log in with Facebook link instead.
3. 3
   Set up two-factor authentication using a third-party app. If you want to make your account a little more secure, two-factor authentication (2FA) is a great option. 2FA usually works by texting a verification code to your phone whenever you log in on a new device, but Instagram also offers the option to use a third-party authentication app instead. To do this:

   • Download and install an authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authenticator App from 2Stable.
   • Open the Instagram app and log in.
   • Tap your profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
   • Select the ☰ button in the top-right corner.
   • Tap Settings and privacy.
   • Tap Accounts Center.
   • Tap Password and security.
   • Tap Two-factor authentication.
   • Tap your Instagram account.
   • Tap Authentication app.
   • Tap Next.
   • Follow the prompts to connect Instagram to your chosen authentication app.
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Section 3 of 3:

Recovering Your Password Without a Phone Number

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1. 1
   Open the Instagram app. If you’ve forgotten your password and you can’t access the phone number associated with your account, Instagram can send a login link to your email. This will also let you reset your password.
2. 2
   Tap Forgot password?. This will be underneath the password field.
3. 3
   Enter your email address or username. If you don't know your email address, enter your username.
4. 4
   Tap Send login link. This is the blue button.

   • If you entered your username, you'll see the first and last letter of the email address along with the email's provider.
5. 5
   Tap the login link. Open the email address sent by security@mail.instagram.com. This link will log you in directly to the app.

   • You can also tap Reset your password to change your password.
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