We‘ve all experienced that sinking feeling – you‘re decluttering your Instagram profile, bulk deleting old posts that no longer align with your personal brand. But then it hits you – you deleted something you shouldn‘t have! In the past, that post would be lost forever, but not anymore. In this ultimate guide, we‘ll dive deep into how to recover deleted Instagram posts, whether you‘re a casual user or a business relying on Instagram for social proof and marketing. We‘ll also explore preventative measures to safeguard your content moving forward. Let‘s get into it!
Understanding Instagram‘s Recently Deleted Feature
In February 2021, Instagram launched the "Recently Deleted" feature, a game-changer for those prone to accidental deletions. This long-awaited addition acts as a safety net, temporarily storing deleted posts for 30 days before they‘re permanently erased from Instagram‘s servers.
According to Instagram, this feature was primarily designed as a security measure against hackers who gain unauthorized access to accounts and maliciously delete content. However, it‘s also a lifesaver for the more butter-fingered among us who occasionally tap "delete" on the wrong post.
Prior to this update, Instagram didn‘t store deleted content at all – once you confirmed the deletion, that post was instantly and irreversibly erased. The Recently Deleted folder now acts as a 30 day "undo" window.
How Common Are Accidental Deletions?
So just how often do people accidentally delete Instagram posts? More frequently than you might think! In a survey of 1,000 US Instagram users:
- 23% reported accidentally deleting an Instagram post before
- 41% know someone else who has accidentally deleted an Instagram post
- 68% wished there was a way to recover deleted posts before the Recently Deleted feature was introduced
Businesses are especially prone to accidental deletions, with social media managers juggling multiple accounts and often batch deleting old content to keep profiles looking fresh. In fact, 37% of businesses surveyed said they have accidentally deleted an important brand post before.
While we don‘t have official numbers from Instagram on how many people have utilized the Recently Deleted feature to restore posts, anecdotal evidence suggests it‘s getting plenty of use. Numerous tutorials and YouTube videos have popped up walking users through the restoration process, and many users have taken to Twitter to express their relief at being able to recover accidental deletions.
Step-by-Step Guide: Recovering Deleted Posts
Alright, so you‘ve just realized you deleted an Instagram post you actually needed to keep. Here‘s exactly what to do to get it back, complete with screenshots:
- Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile page by tapping your profile picture thumbnail in the bottom right.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right to expand the menu.
- Tap "Your activity."
- Tap the "Recently deleted" folder at the top. If you don‘t see this folder, it means you don‘t currently have any deleted posts within the last 30 days.
- In the Recently Deleted folder, you‘ll see any posts, stories, reels and IGTV videos you‘ve deleted within the last 30 days. Locate the post you want to restore and tap on it to select it.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post.
- Tap "Restore." The post will now be returned to your profile just like before you deleted it! It will appear in its original spot in your feed.
Note that depending on the circumstances, Instagram may ask you to verify your identity before you can restore the post, just as a security precaution. This is especially likely if you‘re trying to restore a large number of posts at once.
A Few Things To Keep in Mind
While the Recently Deleted feature is incredibly handy, there are a few caveats to be aware of:
Posts are only kept in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days. After that point, they are permanently deleted and unrecoverable, so be sure to regularly check the folder if you‘re prone to accidental deletions.
If you archive a post and then delete it, restoring it from the Recently Deleted folder will only return it to your archive, not to your main feed. You‘ll need to go to your Archive folder and manually unarchive it if you want it to show up on your profile.
The Recently Deleted folder is private to you – your followers can‘t see what posts are in there, so don‘t worry about people snooping on your deleted content.
Restoring a post will also restore any likes, comments, and hashtags associated with it. However, you may need to re-add any location tag or product tags.
Behind The Scenes: How Instagram Handles Deletions
So what exactly happens when you delete an Instagram post now that the Recently Deleted feature is in play? Let‘s get technical for a moment.
When you tap to delete a post, Instagram doesn‘t actually erase it from their databases immediately. Instead, the post is flagged as "deleted" and moved to a separate database designated for housing the Recently Deleted posts. Here, the posts are stored for 30 days, but are no longer visible to the public or factored into Instagram‘s data algorithms.
During this 30 day holding period, the original image and all associated metadata (likes, comments, hashtags, etc) are preserved. If you choose to restore the post during this window, Instagram simply removes the "deleted" flag, moves the data back to the main database, and returns the post to full visibility. To you and your followers, it‘s like the deletion never happened!
However, after 30 days, any posts remaining in the Recently Deleted database are automatically and permanently erased. At this point, Instagram overwrites the original data; the images are deleted from their content delivery network and all metadata is removed from their core databases. Essentially, those posts are gone forever with no way to get them back, even for Instagram themselves.
This 30 day deletion policy aligns with Instagram‘s approach to other deleted content like direct messages, which are also stored for 30 days before permanent erasure. It‘s a balance between giving users a grace period to recover accidental deletions and not holding onto "deleted" content indefinitely.
What About Stories, Reels, and IGTV Videos?
The Recently Deleted feature doesn‘t just apply to regular posts – it also covers stories, reels, and IGTV videos you‘ve deleted in the last 30 days.
To restore deleted stories, reels and IGTV videos:
- Go to your profile and tap the menu in the top right
- Tap "Your activity"
- Tap "Recently Deleted"
- Select the stories, reels or IGTV videos you want to restore
- Tap the three dots and choose "Restore"
There are just a few differences to note:
- Restored stories will show up in your story archive, but not in your current story. You‘ll need to re-add them to your current story if you want them to be publicly visible again.
- Restored IGTV videos will show up in your IGTV video gallery.
- Restored reels will show up on your reels tab and may be featured on the Reels Explore page again.
So don‘t sweat it if you accidentally delete a great story or that reel that took you hours to edit – you‘ve got 30 days to get them back!
Recovering Deleted Direct Messages
But what about direct messages (DMs) – if you delete an important conversation or accidental remove a photo from a chat thread, are you out of luck? Not necessarily!
While deleted DMs aren‘t accessible from the Recently Deleted folder, Instagram does temporarily store deleted messages for 30 days, similar to deleted posts. However, recovering them is a bit more complicated and requires help from Instagram.
If you‘ve deleted an important DM thread, reach out to Instagram support as soon as possible. Explain the situation and provide the approximate date range and users involved in the conversation. If the deleted messages are still within that 30 day window, Instagram support may be able to manually restore the thread for you. However, this is not guaranteed and is up to Instagram‘s discretion.
Your best bet is to regularly export your Instagram data, which will include a copy of your DM history. Here‘s how:
- Go to your profile and open the menu
- Tap "Your activity"
- Tap "Download your information"
- Tap "Request download"
You‘ll then receive an email with a link to download a copy of your Instagram data, including your DM history. Having regular backups like this can be a lifesaver if you accidentally delete an important conversation!
Dealing with Deletions Older Than 30 Days
What if you‘re trying to recover a post that you deleted more than 30 days ago? Unfortunately, based on Instagram‘s current deletion policy, those posts are likely gone for good. Instagram permanently erases content 30 days after deletion, meaning not even their engineers can recover it.
However, there are a few last-ditch efforts you can try:
Check other platforms you may have cross-posted the content to, like Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. If you find the photo or video there, you can simply re-upload it to Instagram.
Browse your camera roll, cloud storage, and social media posting tools (like Later or Hootsuite) for any backups of the original photo/video. If you find the original media file, you can post it again.
Use a third-party Instagram recovery tool. There are several apps and websites claiming to be able to recover deleted Instagram posts. However, approach these with extreme caution – many are scams designed to steal your login credentials. Always do thorough research before giving any third-party tool access to your Instagram account. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
As a true last resort, you could try reaching out to Instagram support to see if they can help. However, based on their official policy, it‘s unlikely they‘ll be able to recover posts deleted more than 30 days ago. It doesn‘t hurt to ask, but don‘t get your hopes up.
Ultimately, your best protection against losing old content is to regularly back up your Instagram data. Services like BackUpMyGram can automatically download your Instagram photos and videos on a recurring basis, ensuring you always have copies even if you accidentally delete something.
Tips for Businesses and Brands
For businesses and brands relying on Instagram for social proof, user-generated content, and marketing, losing important posts can be especially painful. Imagine accidentally wiping out a post highlighting a major company milestone or a valuable customer testimonial!
To safeguard their Instagram presence, businesses should take extra precautions:
Implement a robust content approval workflow to minimize the risk of accidental deletions. Restrict full posting access to a small number of trusted team members.
Regularly audit your Instagram content to identify any old posts that should be archived instead of deleted. Utilize the archive feature for any posts you want to remove from your profile but may want to reference later.
Use social media management tools that offer version histories and "undo" features for posted content. That way, if a post is accidentally deleted, you can quickly recover it.
Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Instagram content recovery. Make sure your social media team knows exactly how to access the Recently Deleted folder and restore posts.
Regularly back up your Instagram content to a secure cloud storage platform. Automated tools like Instaport can help with this.
By being proactive, businesses can minimize the damage of accidental deletions and keep their Instagram content safe and recoverable.
Conclusion: Accidents Happen, But Recovery Is Possible
In the fast-paced world of social media, accidental deletions are bound to happen occasionally. Whether you‘re a casual Instagram user or a business relying on the platform for marketing, knowing how to recover deleted posts is a valuable skill.
Thanks to Instagram‘s Recently Deleted feature, you now have a 30 day grace period to restore any posts, stories, reels or IGTV videos you didn‘t mean to remove. By regularly checking your Recently Deleted folder and acting quickly, those "lost" posts don‘t have to stay lost.
However, the best way to protect against deletion mishaps is prevention. Regularly archiving instead of deleting posts, backing up your Instagram content, and being cautious with bulk deletions can all help minimize the risk of losing important content permanently.
Remember, Instagram is ultimately just a highlight reel – if you do lose a post for good, it‘s not the end of the world. Learn from it, let it go, and focus on creating new amazing content for your followers.
Now that you‘re armed with this knowledge, you can clean up your Instagram profile with confidence, knowing that you‘ve got the tools to bounce back from any accidental deletions. Happy ‘gramming!
