How to Change Your Instagram Phone Number (2FA and Profile)

New SIM, new country, a number you gave up years ago: there are plenty of reasons the phone number on your Instagram account stops being the right one. If it's also the number that receives your security codes, leaving it unchanged can lock you out at the worst moment, such as when a client is waiting on a post.

Instagram's Help Centre treats changing the number as a few different jobs, depending on what you mean. I'll take them one by one and flag the places where the help pages don't give a single clear route.

Which Instagram phone number do you want to change?

Two things get called the Instagram number. One is the number that receives text messages for two-factor authentication. The other is the phone number linked to your account or profile for signing in and recovery. Instagram's help pages cover the first in clear steps. For the second, they describe what to do if you've lost access, rather than a single click-by-click path.

Read the right section below. If you use two-factor authentication by text, start with the next one.

Changing your Instagram two-factor phone number in Accounts Center

Instagram's page for this says that, to change the phone number that receives text messages for two-factor authentication, you follow these steps:

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
2. Tap Menu in the top right.
3. Tap Password and security.
4. Tap Two-factor authentication, then tap the account you'd like to change the number for.
5. If two-factor authentication is already on, tap next to SMS or WhatsApp.
6. Tap Change phone number.
7. Enter the new phone number, then tap Next.
8. Instagram sends a text message with a 6-digit security code to the new number. Enter it in the app, then tap Next.
9. You'll see a list of backup codes. Save them, then tap Done.

The backup codes matter. Instagram says to save them so you can still get into your account if you lose your device or have trouble with another security method. Screenshot them or write them down somewhere safe and private, not in a note called passwords on your lock screen.

If the Instagram Accounts Center option isn't there

The same help page admits that not everyone can see that setting yet. If the steps above don't work for you, it gives a second route:

1. Open the Instagram app on Android or iPhone.
2. Tap your profile picture, then tap Menu.
3. Tap Security, then tap Two-factor authentication.
4. If two-factor authentication is already on, tap next to SMS or WhatsApp, then tap Next.
5. Instead of entering a code, tap Change phone number below Next.
6. Enter the new phone number and tap Next.
7. Enter the 6-digit code from the text message, then tap Next.
8. Save your backup codes, then tap Done.

Menu names can differ between app versions, so look for the closest match if yours reads a little differently.

Changing the phone number on your Instagram profile

Instagram's help page on profile information says you'll need to log in before you can update your profile details, and that some profile information is visible only to you, including your email address, phone number and gender. That means changing the number there doesn't show it to your followers.

The help pages I read didn't spell out a tap-by-tap path for adding or replacing a profile phone number in Accounts Center, so I won't invent one. If you can't find it, look in your Menu under account settings and personal details, and use the Help Centre search if your version labels it differently.

If you lost the old phone number on your Instagram account

This is the situation people worry about most. Instagram's page on lost access to email or phone says the key is that you must already be able to get into your account. If you can't regain the old number or email, you'll need to log in and change the number on your profile to one you can access. That keeps you in and stops anyone else from getting in with an old number.

If you can't get into Instagram at all, the page gives this route:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap Forgot password at the bottom.
2. Enter your username and tap Continue.
3. At the bottom, tap Try another way.
4. Tap No longer have access to these.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to submit a support request.

There's an uncomfortable line on the same page. If you can't access the email account you registered with and didn't link Instagram and Facebook, Instagram says it's unable to give you access. So change old details while you still can.

If you're not sure which account you're dealing with, my guide to checking if you already have an Instagram account may help before you start.

What happens after you change an Instagram email or number

For emails, the help page says that after you change your Instagram email, both the original and the new address receive requests to confirm or deny the change. That's a safety check, and it's worth watching both inboxes. The pages I read don't say the same for phone numbers, so I won't claim it.

Why a business should keep its Instagram number up to date

• Security codes go to that number, so an old one can block a login.
• Team members who share access may change at short notice.
• Recovery requests need details you can still reach.
• A current number makes it easier to answer Instagram if it asks you to confirm your identity.

If you rely on Instagram for leads, my notes on your Instagram marketing strategy include thinking about what happens when one login fails.

Be careful with Instagram phone support scams

Don't ring a number you found online claiming to be Instagram support, and don't read your security code out to anyone. Instagram's codes are for you to type into the app. Anyone asking you to share one is not helping you. Use only the steps in the Instagram app and Help Centre.

Instagram number options at a glance

What you're changing	Where to find it
Two-factor SMS number	Menu, Password and security, Two-factor authentication, Change phone number
If that menu is missing	Menu, Security, Two-factor authentication
Locked out, lost the old number	Forgot password, Try another way, No longer have access to these
Email on your profile	Edit profile; both addresses get a confirmation request

For the rest of the series, see the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my phone number on Instagram?

For the two-factor number, tap Menu, Password and security, Two-factor authentication, choose your account, tap Change phone number and enter the new one.

Will Instagram send a code to the new number?

Yes. Instagram's help page says it sends a text message with a 6-digit security code to the new number, which you enter in the app.

What if I no longer have my old phone number?

If you can still log in, change the details on your profile to ones you can access. If you can't log in, use Forgot password, Try another way, and No longer have access to these.

Does changing my number show it to my followers?

Instagram says some profile information, including your phone number, is visible only to you.

Why does Instagram show backup codes?

Instagram says to save them so you can still access your account if you lose your device or have trouble using another security method.