The basic steps to add a second Instagram account
To add another account to Instagram, open the app and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the username at the top of your profile screen, then tap Add account. You'll see options to log in with an existing Instagram password or create a new account. If you're adding an account you already own, enter that account's email or username and password. If you're creating a brand new account, tap Create new account and follow the prompts to set up the email, username, and password.
On a computer, go to Instagram.com, log out of your current account, and log in with the credentials for the second account you want to add. Once you're logged in, you can switch between accounts by clicking your profile icon in the top right, then selecting Switch accounts from the dropdown menu. This will show all accounts you've added to that browser.
Instagram lets you add up to five accounts per phone or browser. Each account needs its own email address or phone number, though you can use the same phone number for multiple accounts if you verify it each time.
Key Takeaways
- On the Instagram app, tap your profile icon, then your username, then Add account to link another account you already own.
- You can add up to five accounts total to one phone or browser, and switching between them takes one tap.
- Each account needs its own email address or phone number during setup, though you can reuse a phone number across accounts if you verify it each time.
- On a computer, log out completely and log back in with the second account's credentials, then use the profile dropdown to switch between accounts.
- If you forget the password for an account you're trying to add, use the Forgot password? link on the login screen to reset it before adding the account.
Adding an account on the Instagram mobile app
Open Instagram and tap the profile icon (a person's silhouette) in the bottom right corner of the screen. At the top of your profile, you'll see your username. Tap it to open a menu. Select Add account from the options that appear.
You'll see two choices: Log in or Create new account. If you already have a second Instagram account and know its password, tap Log in. Enter the email address, phone number, or username associated with that account, then enter its password. Instagram will add it to your phone. If you're creating a brand new account instead, tap Create new account and fill in your name, email or phone number, username, and password.
Once the account is added, you can switch between accounts by tapping your profile icon again, then tapping the username at the top. A list of all your added accounts will appear. Tap the one you want to use, and Instagram will switch to that account instantly.
Adding an account on a computer or web browser
Go to Instagram.com in your web browser. If you're already logged in, click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Log out. You'll be taken to the login page.
On the login page, enter the email address or username for the second account you want to add, then enter its password and click Log in. Once you're logged in to this account, you can switch between accounts by clicking your profile icon in the top right, then selecting Switch accounts. A dropdown menu will show every account you've logged into on that browser. Click any account name to switch to it instantly.
The web version doesn't have an Add account button like the app does. Instead, you're logging in and out to add accounts to your browser's memory. If you want to stay logged into multiple accounts at once without switching, you can open Instagram in different browser windows or use different browsers (for example, Chrome and Firefox) and log into a different account in each one.
What to do if you forgot the password for the account you're adding
If you're trying to add an account but don't remember its password, tap or click Forgot password? on the login screen. Instagram will ask you to enter the email address or username for that account. You'll receive an email with a link to reset the password. Click the link, create a new password, and save it.
Once you've reset the password, go back to the login screen and enter the account's email or username along with the new password. The account will now be added to your phone or browser. Make sure to save the new password somewhere you can find it later, since you'll need it if you want to add this account to another device.
Switching between accounts and managing multiple accounts
Once you've added multiple accounts, switching between them is quick. On the app, tap your profile icon, then tap the username at the top of your profile screen. A list of all your added accounts will appear. Tap the account you want to use. On a computer, click your profile icon in the top right and select Switch accounts, then click the account name from the dropdown.
When you switch accounts, Instagram remembers where you were in each one. If you were looking at a specific person's profile or a certain feed, switching back to that account will show you the same place. You can also mute or unmute notifications for each account separately in your settings.
If you want to remove an account from your phone or browser, tap or click your profile icon, then your username. Tap or click Remove account next to the account you want to delete from that device. This doesn't delete the account itself—it just removes it from that phone or browser. You can add it back anytime by logging in again.
Limits on how many accounts you can add
Instagram allows you to add up to five accounts per phone or browser. If you try to add a sixth account, Instagram will show an error message saying you've reached the limit. You'll need to remove one of your existing accounts from that device before you can add a new one.
This limit applies separately to each device and browser. You can have five accounts on your phone, five different accounts on your tablet, and five on your computer—they don't share a limit. If you need to use more than five accounts on the same phone, you'll have to log out and log back in each time you want to switch, rather than using the quick-switch feature.
Email and phone number requirements for each account
Each Instagram account needs its own email address or phone number during signup. You cannot create two accounts using the same email address. However, you can use the same phone number for multiple accounts if you verify it each time. When you add a second account with the same phone number, Instagram will ask you to confirm that number through a text message or call.
If you're adding accounts you already own but don't remember which email addresses they're connected to, you can use the password reset feature to find out. Go to the login screen, tap Forgot password?, and enter the username. Instagram will show you the email address associated with that account (partially hidden for privacy). This can help you keep track of which email goes with which account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone else's Instagram account to my phone?
Yes, if you know their password. However, this means you'll have access to their account, messages, and followers. Only add accounts you have permission to manage. If you're managing a business account for someone else, ask them for the password and keep it secure. You can remove the account from your phone anytime by tapping your profile icon, your username, and Remove account.
What happens to my messages when I switch between accounts?
Each account has its own separate messages and notifications. When you switch to a different account, you'll see only the messages for that account. Messages from your other accounts won't appear until you switch back to them. Notifications are also separate—you can turn notifications on for one account and off for another.
Can I use the same password for multiple Instagram accounts?
You can, but it's not recommended for security reasons. If someone learns that password, they'll have access to all your accounts. It's safer to use a different password for each account. You can change any account's password by going to Settings, then Password, and entering a new one.
Will adding an account to my phone use more data or storage?
Adding multiple accounts uses slightly more storage because Instagram stores some data for each account locally on your phone, but the difference is usually small—typically less than 50 MB per account. Data usage is the same whether you use one account or five, since you're only viewing content through one account at a time.
How do I know which account I'm currently using?
Look at your profile icon in the bottom right corner of the app. Tap it to see your username at the top of your profile screen. That's the account you're currently using. If you have a profile picture set, you'll also see it in the profile icon at the bottom right, which can help you identify which account you're on at a glance.