How to Recover Deleted Instagram Posts

Have you ever accidentally deleted an Instagram post and wished you could get it back? Or perhaps a hacker got into your account and maliciously deleted some of your prized posts? As someone who uses Instagram regularly, I totally understand the sunk feeling you get when you realize something you posted is gone.

Not to worry – with Instagram‘s "Recently Deleted" feature, you can recover deleted Instagram posts for up to 30 days after they are removed from your profile.

In this detailed guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through how to use Instagram‘s Recently Deleted recovery folder to rescue your posts. I‘ll also share some pro tips and recommendations as an experienced Instagrammer and social media manager to help you safeguard your content going forward.

By the end of this guide, you‘ll be a master at recovering deleted Instagram posts!

How the Recently Deleted Folder Works

Before I jump into the step-by-step instructions, let me quickly explain how the Recently Deleted folder works so you understand what‘s happening behind the scenes.

When you delete an Instagram post, it is not immediately erased from existence. Thankfully, Instagram stores your deleted posts on their servers for 30 days before permanently deleting them.

So when you delete a post, it is simply removed from your profile and placed in your account‘s Recently Deleted folder. This folder stores all your deleted posts for 30 days.

Having a Recently Deleted folder has two big benefits:

It protects you in case of accidental deletions. We all slip up and delete something unintentionally from time to time. The Recently Deleted folder gives you 30 days to realize your mistake and rescue the post.
It protects you against hacks and malicious deletions. Unfortunately, hackers sometimes target Instagram accounts and do damage like deleting posts. If this happens to you, you have a 30 day window to restore your posts through Recently Deleted.

Within those 30 days, you can go into your Recently Deleted folder, preview deleted posts, and restore any you want to keep. Posts stay in the folder for 30 days from the deletion date. After that, they are permanently erased and can no longer be retrieved.

So checking and restoring from Recently Deleted in a timely manner is crucial! Once the 30 days pass, the posts are gone for good.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Recovering Deleted Posts

Here is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to restore deleted Instagram posts using the Recently Deleted recovery folder:

Launch the Instagram app and navigate to your profile page.
Tap the three line menu icon in the top right corner to open your account options menu.

2. Select "Your Activity"

This will open a menu with different choices like Settings, Archived posts, Your Activity, and more.
Choose "Your Activity" – this is where your Recently Deleted folder lives.

3. Tap "Recently Deleted"

On the Your Activity page, tap the "Recently Deleted" tab at the top of the screen.
This will open your Recently Deleted folder where deleted posts are stored.

4. Preview and Select Post(s) to Restore

Your deleted posts will be displayed in the order they were deleted, with the most recent deletions at the top.
Scroll through your Recently Deleted folder and tap any post to preview it.
When you‘ve found a deleted post you want to recover, tap the three dots icon at the top right and select "Restore" from the menu.

5. Confirm Restoration

After tapping "Restore", Instagram will ask you to confirm that you want to restore the selected post back to your profile. Tap "Restore" again to confirm.

6. Check Your Profile for the Restored Post

Once restored, the post will again be visible on your profile page and live feed for all your followers to see.
Double check that the post is back up on your profile as desired. If you don‘t see it, you may need to restore it from your Archive instead.

And that‘s all there is to it! By following these steps, you can rescue deleted Instagram posts from the Recently Deleted folder.

Keep in mind that you only have 30 days after deletion to restore a post before it‘s gone for good. So act fast if you notice something is missing!

When Restored Posts Reappear in Your Archive, Not Feed

One thing to note is that if you deleted a post from both your profile feed and your Archive, restoring it will only return it to your Archive, not your live feed.

Your Archive contains all your previously posted and then archived photos and videos. Restoring a post that you had not only deleted but also archived will revert it to archived status, not repost it.

If you want a restored photo to appear again in your live profile feed, you‘d need to:

Restore it from Recently Deleted (puts it back in Archive)
Go to your Instagram Archive
Unarchive the restored post so it pops back up in your live feed again.

This allows you to get the post back in your active profile while still keeping it archived for your own records.

Limits to Know About Restoring Deleted Posts

While the Recently Deleted folder is a very useful way to recover deleted Instagram posts, there are some limits to be aware of:

30 Day Limit: You can only restore posts deleted within the last 30 days. After 30 days, deleted posts are permanently erased. So double check your profile frequently and restore anything missing quickly.
Archive Impact: As mentioned, restoring a post may only put it back in your Archive, not your live feed, if you had archived it too. You need to unarchive it after restoring to repost.
Verification Hurdles: If your account was compromised, Instagram may make you verify your identity with a code or other confirmation before restoring posts that were maliciously deleted.

Recommendations for Avoiding Lost Instagram Posts

While Recently Deleted is great for recovering posts, it‘s best to avoid needing it in the first place. Here are my top tips for proactively protecting your Instagram content:

Back Up Your Posts: Routinely save copies of important Instagram photos/videos to your camera roll or a secure cloud storage service so you have backups if they are deleted from Instagram down the line.
Be Careful When Deleting: It‘s easy to accidentally delete the wrong post, so pay close attention and double check before confirming a deletion.
Review Your Profile Regularly: Log into your Instagram account frequently to see if any posts are mysteriously missing that may have been hacked and deleted.
Use a Secure Password: Use a strong, unique password for your Instagram account to prevent it from being hacked in the first place.
Turn on Two-Factor Authentication: Enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security on your account.
Watch Out for Suspicious Links: Be wary of DMs or comments with sketchy links that could potentially compromise your account. Delete them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Recovering Deleted Instagram Posts

I know restoring deleted Instagram posts can be confusing. Here are answers to some common questions people have:

How many deleted Instagram posts are saved in Recently Deleted?

Your last 30 days worth of deleted posts are stored in Recently Deleted. Once the 30 days pass, posts are gone for good.

Can you recover a deleted Instagram post without Recently Deleted?

Unfortunately no. Recently Deleted is the only way to restore deleted posts through Instagram. If you don‘t have a backup of the post elsewhere, and it‘s not in your Recently Deleted folder, it cannot be recovered.

What gets stored in the Recently Deleted folder?

The Recently Deleted folder stores any posts, stories, reels, or videos that you delete from your Instagram account for 30 days. Comments and messages are not included.

Do deleted Instagram posts still show up on hashtags?

No, once you delete an Instagram post, it is removed from hashtag feeds as well and cannot be seen. Restoring it via Recently Deleted will make it visible again in hashtags.

Can someone see if I restored a deleted Instagram post?

Yes. If someone follows you, they‘ll be able to see a post is back on your profile once you restore it from Recently Deleted.

Hopefully these FAQs clear up any remaining questions!

In Summary

The Recently Deleted folder is a lifesaver if you experience accidental deletions or hacks on Instagram. Within 30 days, you stand a good chance of rescuing your posts.

But you have to act fast once you notice something is missing. Follow the step-by-step instructions to swiftly restore your posts before that 30 day window closes.

I recommend taking some preventative measures as well so you avoid mishaps in the first place! With a sound security strategy, you can feel more confident your Instagram memories are protected.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow Instagram users. Here‘s to never losing an Instagram post again!