To check your login activity on Instagram, go to your profile, tap the menu (three lines), then Accounts Center, Password and security, and Where you're logged in, and choose your account. You'll see every phone, tablet and browser signed in to it, with an approximate location and when each was last active, and you can log out any of them from there.
Login activity is simply Instagram's list of the places your account is open right now or was opened recently. It's the first thing to look at if you get a strange email, notice posts you didn't make, or just want peace of mind after logging in on a friend's phone.
Checking your login activity on the app
- Open Instagram and tap your profile picture at the bottom right.
- Tap the menu (three lines) at the top right.
- Tap Accounts Center.
- Tap Password and security.
- Tap Where you're logged in.
- Choose your Instagram account to see the list of devices and browsers.
- Tap any entry to see more about it, or to log it out.
If a menu name looks different in your version of the app, search the settings for 'Where you're logged in' and it'll jump straight there.
If you've linked Facebook to the same Accounts Center, you'll find a very similar list for that account too. My guide on seeing where you're logged in on Facebook explains that side.
On a computer, the same list sits inside Accounts Center too. Open Instagram in your browser, go to the settings from the menu, open Accounts Center and look for Password and security. The entries and the log-out option work the same way as on the phone.
Reading the list: what each part means
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Device name (for example an iPhone model, an Android phone or a browser on Windows) | The type of phone, tablet or browser that's signed in |
| Approximate location | A town or region worked out from the internet connection, not GPS |
| Active now | That device is using your account at this moment |
| A last active date | The last time that device used your account |
| This device or a similar label | The phone or computer you're holding right now |
The catch with locations: the place shown is approximate and based on the internet connection, so it's often wrong. A phone on mobile data can show a city you've never visited, because the network routes your connection through somewhere else. Judge each entry by the device type and the time first, then the place. Your own phone in the wrong city is usually just your mobile network. An unfamiliar laptop that was active at three in the morning while you were asleep is the one to worry about.
A simple way to go through the list: count the devices you own and use Instagram on, then compare. If you've got a phone and a laptop and the list shows those two plus an old tablet, that's easy to explain. If it shows a browser on a type of computer nobody in your house owns, that's the entry to act on.
If a login isn't yours, do this in order
Don't panic and don't wait. Work through these steps one after another, ideally in the same sitting.
- In Where you're logged in, tap the entry you don't recognise and log it out. If there are several, select them and log them all out together.
- Change your password to something new that you don't use anywhere else.
- Turn on two-factor authentication in Accounts Center under Password and security, if it isn't on already.
- Check that the email address and phone number on the account are still yours and haven't been changed.
- Save a fresh set of backup codes so you can still get in if you lose your phone.
If you'd rather start clean, logging out of Instagram on all devices in one go closes every session except the one you're using. And for the last step, here's where to find your Instagram backup codes.
If someone has already changed your email or password and you can't get in at all, this list won't help you any more. Go to my guide on recovering a hacked or lost Instagram account instead.
Security Checkup does the same job, step by step
Accounts Center also has a Security Checkup. It walks you through the same things in order: where you're logged in, your password, two-factor authentication and your contact details. If you'd rather be guided than go menu by menu, start there.
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Turning on login alerts
Checking the list now and then is good. Being told the moment something odd happens is better. That's what login alerts are for.
- Go to your profile, tap the menu (three lines), then Accounts Center.
- Tap Password and security, then Login alerts.
- Choose your account and pick where you want to be warned about unrecognised logins, such as in the app or by email.
When an alert arrives, don't tap links in it straight away. Open the Instagram app yourself and check Where you're logged in. That way you're never caught by a fake 'security alert' email that's really a phishing attempt.
When to check, and when not to worry
You don't need to check this every day. These are the moments when it's worth a look:
- You've logged in on someone else's phone, a work computer or a shared tablet.
- You've had an email about a login, a password change or a new email address that you didn't ask for.
- Posts, stories, follows or DMs appear that you didn't make.
- You've sold, given away or lost an old phone.
An entry for an old phone you've since replaced isn't a sign of hacking on its own. It just means that phone was signed in once. Log it out anyway, so the list only shows devices you're still using.
My advice
If it were my account, I'd turn on login alerts today and log out every device I don't use any more. Then I'd only open this list when an alert gives me a reason to.
Frequently asked questions
What is login activity in Instagram?
It's the list of phones, tablets and browsers signed in to your account, with an approximate location and when each was last active. You'll find it in Accounts Center under Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
Why does Instagram show a login from a city I've never been to?
The location is approximate and based on the internet connection. A phone on mobile data can show a different city. Check the device type and the time first.
Can I log out a device remotely?
Yes. In Where you're logged in, tap the device and log it out, or select several entries and log them out together.
How do I get warned about new logins?
Go to Accounts Center, then Password and security, then Login alerts, and choose where you want to be told about unrecognised logins.
