If you want to control who can see your posts on Instagram, you can make your account private with just a few clicks. Instagram is one of the most popular social networks in the world, with 3 billion active users each month, according to Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta (a figure announced in September 2025). It allows users to easily share photos, stories, and Reels, capturing everyday moments. However, if your profile is public, any user—regardless of whether they follow you—can view your posts. To maintain control over your digital presence, switching to a private account is a simple and quick solution. If you are under 18, you don’t need to take any action: Instagram sets accounts of minors to private by default. Before the age of 16, parental consent is required to switch back to a public account. Between 16 and 17, you can do it alone, unless a parent has activated account supervision. With a private account, only the people you accept as followers can see your posts, stories, and your list of followers. This is a good option for preserving some privacy, especially if you don’t want your profile to be visible to everyone. When you switch to private, your current followers are not affected—everyone who follows you at the time of the change retains access to your posts. Only new users will need to send you a request. To manage these requests, open your list of followers from your profile and remove any accounts you no longer want to see. Switching to a private account limits the visibility of your profile, but it doesn’t make you invisible. Your previous comments or likes on public accounts remain visible. If you have a professional account—such as a creator or business account—the Private Account option is not available. Instagram requires you to switch back to a personal account, and you then lose access to certain Meta tools for professionals, such as Meta Business Suite and the Ads Manager. Even in private mode, your username, profile photo, and bio remain visible to everyone, and Instagram does not offer any way to hide them. If you have included details like your city, workplace, or a phone number, it is better to remove them for added privacy. To switch to a private account on the Instagram app (Android or iOS), open the app and log in if needed. Access your profile by tapping your profile photo at the bottom right of the screen. Tap the three horizontal lines (☰) to open the menu, then select Account Privacy. Enable the Private Account switch. A confirmation window will appear—tap OK to confirm. For switching from a web browser (PC or Mac), log in to Instagram.com. Click on More at the bottom left of the screen, then Settings. In the left column, select Account Privacy, enable the Private Account switch, and confirm the changes. The change applies immediately.