How to Recover a Deleted Post on Instagram. A Step-by-Step Guide

Created 9 September, 2024
A frustrated man looking at his phone

Have you ever deleted a post on Instagram and later wished you could bring it back? Whether it’s a photo capturing a precious moment, a critical business promotion, or a creative video, losing such content can be deeply frustrating, especially when it had accumulated significant engagement such as likes, comments, and shares

Check Instagram Archive

Many people don't know that Instagram offers an automatic archiving feature for your posts. Before you panic, check your archive. To do this, go to your profile, tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner, and select 'Archive'. Here you'll find options to view archived posts or stories. If your post was archived instead of being permanently deleted, you can easily restore it.

Use the Recently Deleted Feature

Recently, Instagram introduced a new feature called 'Recently Deleted' that keeps deleted posts for up to 30 days. To access this feature, go to 'Settings', then 'Account' and select 'Recently Deleted'. If your post is there, you can recover or permanently restore it to your profile.

Recover Data from Phone Backup

If you regularly back up the data on your phone, you might have a copy of the deleted post. This depends on the settings and frequency with which you back up your data. Check backups from iCloud, Google Drive, or any other cloud service you use to see if the deleted post is there.

Use Data Recovery Software

If none of the above options work, you can turn to data recovery software. There are various programs available on the market that can scan and recover deleted data from mobile devices, including deleted photos and videos. These can be a last resort if all other methods fail.

Conclusion

Recovering a deleted post on Instagram is not always guaranteed, but by following the steps described in this article, you increase your chances of success. It is important to act quickly and use all available resources to recover your lost content. In the future, consider using archiving and regular backup functions to prevent accidental data loss.

An instagram account

Unfortunately, Instagram's 'Recently Deleted' feature only holds deleted posts for up to 30 days. If it has been longer than 30 days since you deleted the post, it is likely permanently removed from Instagram’s servers and cannot be recovered through Instagram directly. However, you might still have a chance if you have made a backup of your phone data that includes the Instagram app data from before the post was deleted.

Yes, if the deleted Instagram story was posted within the last 24 hours. Instagram's 'Recently Deleted' feature also stores stories that aren't in your archive. You can access and restore them from the 'Recently Deleted' section within 24 hours of deletion. After 24 hours, if the story was not saved in your archive or highlights, it is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered

Act quickly and check the 'Recently Deleted' folder in your Instagram settings. This is the first place where any recently deleted posts will be temporarily stored. You can access this by going to your profile, tapping on 'Settings,' then 'Account,' and selecting 'Recently Deleted.' If you find your post there, you can easily restore it. It’s important to act promptly as posts are only stored here for 30 days. Additionally, ensure you regularly back up your data to avoid such losses in the future.