You are a very privacy-conscious person and, after learning of a hacker attack that involved the profiles of some famous people on Instagram, you got alarmed, worried that such a thing could also access you. You are therefore wondering how not to get hacked on Instagram , as you would like to know if there are ways to protect your account from malicious people.
You do well to worry about similar issues, but you don’t have to panic: the Instagram development team knows how to protect their subscribers’ accounts and their data. Hacker attacks that sometimes happen against famous people are fortunately rare. surely you can put into practice some important precautions, in order to better protect your account. Which? Read on and, thanks to the tips I have prepared for you in this tutorial of mine, you will find out.
These are simple common sense tricks that can be carried out by everyone; you do not need to be an IT expert to reasonably secure your account and avoid – as far as possible – unpleasant events related to its security. That said, I wish you a good read and wish you a big good luck for everything!
Index
- Update the Instagram app
- Change your Instagram password
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check the saved login information
- Check the emails received from Instagram
- Other useful tips
- Check permissions of linked apps
Update the Instagram app
In order not to get hacked on Instagram , the first useful advice I would like to give you is to always keep the social network app updated, in order to avoid that this can be subject to unsolved bugs that can compromise the security of the accounts. .
To update the Instagram app on Android , start the Play Store , then search for the social network app through the search engine and check if the app needs an update: if so, press the Update button to run the ‘update.
Alternatively, press on your profile icon at the top right and tap on Manage app and device . Then press on the item Updates available and check if the Instagram app icon appears in the list of apps that can be updated. If so, tap the Update button .
Instead, in the event that your device does not have Google services, to update the Instagram app you must act through the alternative store from which you downloaded the Instagram app. For more information, read my tutorial on how to update apps without the Play Store .
If you are using an iPhone , the same goes: look for the Instagram page on the App Store and tap the Update button , if available, to download the update.
I also recommend that you turn on the automatic app update feature . On Android you can do this via the Settings> Network Preferences> Play Store App Auto Update screen ; on the iPhone , on the other hand, you have to go to the menu section Settings> App Store> App Updates and move the relative lever to ON .
If, on the other hand, you have downloaded the Instagram application for Windows , all you have to do is open the relevant Microsoft Store page and press the Update button , if available. Alternatively, click on the Collection button , to see the list of installed applications, and then click on the Get updates button (top right) to see the available updates.
For more information on how to update Instagram , read my dedicated guide.
Change your Instagram password
Using a secure password is a fundamental rule that you must always keep in mind, if you want to prevent malicious people from accessing your Instagram profile. Generally, a secure password consists of at least 15-20 characters divided between numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, and special characters.
It is also necessary to avoid words or phrases with complete meaning or information of a personal nature, such as one’s date of birth or that of one’s relatives, or one’s name or that of loved ones: passwords of this type can, in fact, be easily guessed. .
It is also essential to choose a different password for each account (this is because if, unfortunately, someone manages to discover one of your passwords, other accounts with the same access key would also be at risk). If you want to know more about how to create secure passwords , read my guide on the subject.
To change the password of your Instagram account with a more secure one, start the social network application for Android or iOS , go to your profile and press the ☰ icon at the top right. Once this is done, go to Settings> Security> Password and use the text fields Current password , New password and Repeat the new password to type the old password and the new one to set, then tap the √ button at the top right to confirm the changes.
If you prefer to act from a computer , via the Instagram website or using the social network application for Windows , once logged in , first press on your profile picture and then on the Settings item , in the menu displayed. Then go to Change password and use the text fields Old password , New password and Confirm new password to change the access key to your account. More info here .
If you wonder how to remember all passwords, once you have created complex and different passwords for each account, the answer is: using a good password manager , i.e. a software that can integrate with all major browsers and operating systems to keep your data securely. Among these you can try NordPass , free in its basic version, compatible with all major operating systems and devices and full of interesting features.
Enable two-factor authentication
Another very important tip is the one related to the activation of the two-factor authentication , an additional level of security that protects your account from unauthorized access.
By activating this function, when you try to log in from an unrecognized device or browser, Instagram will ask you to enter a security code that you will receive via an authentication app (recommended) or SMS (not recommended, as it is less secure).
To activate two-factor authentication on your Instagram account from the app , log in to your account , go to your profile, then in the menu ☰> Settings> Security . Then tap on the words Two-factor authentication and move the lever to ON , corresponding to Authentication app and use an authentication app, such as the excellent Google Authenticator for Android and iOS / iPadOS , to associate your account (you just need click on Next and click on OKto add the token that links to your Instagram account, so you have to copy the newly generated code and paste it into Instagram). For more information read my guide on how to activate 2FA .
To activate two-factor authentication from a computer , connect to the Instagram site or access the Instagram application for Windows, log in to your profile and go to Settings> Privacy and security , then click on Change authentication settings to two factors and proceed in a similar way to the one just illustrated for smartphones, following the instructions on the screen. Again I recommend authentication via app instead of SMS, but the choice is up to you.
Check the saved login information
If you are afraid of your Instagram account being compromised, I suggest you check if the login information has been saved on devices you don’t use frequently, in order to disconnect any suspicious devices.
To carry out this verification through the Instagram app , go to the Settings> Security> Access activity section and check the list of devices from which you have logged in: if there are unrecognized devices, press the button (…) and then tap the Remove button .
You can also perform the latter operation from a computer , via the Settings> Access activity section , by pressing the Exit key to disconnect from the devices you no longer use.
Check the emails received from Instagram
Have you received an email from Instagram , but suspect it is a phishing attempt ? Don’t worry: through a special section of the social network you can check the emails relating to security and access that Instagram has sent you in the last 14 days, in order to understand which are real and which are false.
To access this section from a smartphone , go to the Settings> Security> Email from Instagram menu , while from the computer the history of the security emails received from the social network team are visible in the Settings> Email from Instagram section .
Other useful tips
Finally, I want to provide you with other useful tips that can help you prevent your Instagram account from being hacked. For example, remember to log out of your profile if you use a smartphone or computer shared with other people.
Also, if you want to prevent someone from accessing your smartphone without your explicit consent, remember to set an unlock PIN for your device. To do this, follow the instructions and useful tips I gave you in my guide on how not to get spied on your mobile .
In general, I also advise you not to connect to public and free Wi-Fi networks : these are more vulnerable to attacks and the data of those who connect to them could be “sniffed” .
Finally, if you believe that, despite the necessary precautions, your social network account has been compromised, I suggest you read my guide in which I explain how to find out who enters your Instagram profile . At the link indicated I have provided you with some useful tips on what to do in case of these unpleasant situations.
Check permissions of linked apps
Another tip I want to give you is to check the applications and websites that you have linked to your Instagram account. I refer to third-party apps or services that require access to the social network account in order to function.
Some of these applications could pose a potential threat to your account; therefore I advise you to check the list of all applications connected to your account and remove those that you deem potentially dangerous.
To proceed from a smartphone , go to the Settings> Security> Apps and websites section, then refer to the Active section to see the list of connected apps and services. To remove them, press the Remove button twice consecutively, in order to confirm the operation.
If, on the other hand, you wish to act as a computer , via the Instagram website or using the social network application for Windows, log in, go to your profile and then go to the Settings> Apps and websites section .
In this way you will be shown, in the Active section , the list of all the applications authorized to access your account; should you identify a potentially suspicious one, press the Remove button twice in a row.
