Instagram Registration – Step by Step

Registering on Instagram is free and takes a few minutes: in the mobile app or on the instagram.com website, choose to create a new account, then enter a contact detail, your date of birth, a username and a password. According to Instagram's Terms, you must be at least 13 years old and the information must be accurate. Right after that, turn on two-factor authentication.

What do you need before registering on Instagram?

To register, you need a smartphone or computer, an internet connection and a phone number or email address that you can access. A Facebook account is not required.

According to Instagram's Terms of Use (as of November 2026), the user must meet these conditions:

• they are at least 13 years old, or older if required by the law of their country,
• they provide accurate and up-to-date information, including registration details; they do not have to disclose their identity, but they must not impersonate someone else,
• Instagram has not previously disabled their account for violating the law or the rules,
• they are not a convicted sex offender.

The Terms also prohibit creating accounts automatically without Instagram's express permission. Therefore, create each account manually, for yourself or for your business.

If you only want to browse Instagram occasionally, you do not need to register at all. What is and is not possible without an account is summarized in our article on Browsing Instagram without registration.

How do I sign up for Instagram step by step?

The procedure is similar in the app and in a web browser: you select the option to create a new account and go through several screens asking for your details. The exact order and wording of the screens change with app versions, so please follow what the app displays at the time.

1. Download the official app. Install Instagram only from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). On a computer, open instagram.com directly.
2. Select the option to create a new account. If you have a Facebook account, the app may offer to use it. The Instagram Help Center describes both options, with and without a Facebook account.
3. Enter your contact detail. This is usually a mobile number or an e-mail address. If the app sends you a confirmation code, enter it in the app. Choose a number or e-mail address that you will still have access to in several years, as it is used to recover your account.
4. Enter your date of birth. Provide your real date of birth. The terms require accurate registration details, and protections for teenagers are set according to age.
5. Choose a username. It must be unique; the app will tell you whether it is available. A short, easy-to-pronounce name without random numbers that matches your name or brand works well.
6. Set a password. The app will show you which passwords it accepts. Use a long password that you do not use anywhere else, ideally stored in a password manager.
7. Decide whether to save your login details. According to the Help Center, after creating an account Instagram may offer to save your login. Do not use this option on a shared device.
8. Complete your profile. Add a profile photo, your name and a short description (bio) explaining what people will find on the profile and who it is for.

The current procedure with images can be found in the article Create a new Instagram profile in the Instagram Help Center. The Help Center notes that other Instagram users may be able to see your new account, so review your privacy settings right after registration.

What is the difference between registering in the app, on the website and via Facebook?

In all cases the result is the same Instagram account. The differences lie mainly in convenience and in whether you connect the account with Facebook.

Method	When it is useful	Things to consider
Mobile app	Most people; you will mainly be adding photos, videos and stories from your phone	Download only from the official app store
Website instagram.com	You do not have a smartphone at hand, or you manage a business account from a computer	Some features, such as an authenticator app for two-factor authentication, can only be set up in the mobile app
Using your Facebook account	You already have Facebook and want to manage your accounts together	The accounts will be linked in Meta's Accounts Center; consider whether you want both profiles linked

What applies to the registration of children and teenagers?

According to the terms of use, Instagram is intended for people aged 13 and over. Teenagers aged 13–17 are, according to this page Instagram Teen Accounts automatically placed into a teen account (as of November 2026).

A teen account has the following default settings:

• a private profile and restrictions on who can message, tag and mention the teen,
• the strictest hidden words filter for offensive comments and message requests,
• sleep mode from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., during which notifications are muted,
• a reminder after 60 minutes of use per day.

Teenagers aged 13–15 can only loosen these settings with parental permission. According to this page, parental consent is not required to use Instagram itself. Through supervision, parents can see who their child has communicated with over the past seven days, but not the content of the messages. If you create an account together with a child, enter their real date of birth, otherwise the protections will not be activated.

How can I secure a new account right after registration?

The most important step is to turn on two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is a form of protection in which, in addition to your password, you need a one-time code to log in, so a stolen password alone is not enough for an attacker.

According to Instagram Help Center articles on two-factor authentication follow these steps (as of November 2026):

1. Open More (three-line icon) and Settings.
2. Select View more in Accounts Center and then Password and security.
3. Tap Two-step verification and select your account.
4. Choose a verification method and follow the on-screen instructions.

You can choose an authentication app (Instagram recommends this), SMS, or WhatsApp, which can be enabled only after SMS has been set up. Also save backup codes in case you lose your phone.

A few other principles:

• Never send your password or SMS codes to anyone, including “Instagram support” in a message. The terms of use prohibit requesting or collecting other users' login details.
• Do not log in to third-party apps that promise statistics showing "who is following you" or free followers.
• If your account has already been compromised, follow the instructions how to recover a hacked Instagram account.

What should you do after signing up to help your profile start growing?

A new profile has no followers yet, and the algorithm does not know anything about it yet. Growth depends mainly on regular content that matches what your bio promises.

• Before you start promoting your profile, upload a few posts so that visitors can immediately see what they can expect from you.
• Decide whether your account will be private or public. A private account is suitable for family and friends, while a public account is suitable for creators and businesses.
• Follow accounts in your field and respond to their content thoughtfully, not in bulk or automatically.
• After a few weeks, check your statistics to see which formats perform best.

A detailed procedure can be found in the article how to get followers on Instagram in 2026.

Be wary of offers of ready-made accounts with large numbers of followers or "rare" usernames. Instagram's Terms of Use prohibit buying, selling or transferring any part of an account, including the username, and Meta's community guidelines on spam prohibit both trading in accounts and buying or exchanging interactions, such as likes, follows or views. Community Guidelines apply to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads.

When paid promotion makes sense and when it does not?

Paid promotion usually makes little sense right after registration. An empty or nearly empty profile will not be saved by purchased numbers, and because Meta's community guidelines do not permit buying followers or likes, a restriction of reach or of the account cannot be ruled out. According to Art. 3.3 terms and conditions this is also explicitly stated by the operator of sledujici.eu. Purchased interactions will not replace content, guarantee audience interest, sales or reach, will not help meet verification or monetisation requirements, and may worsen the ratio of reactions to followers.

The package may only be appropriate for a profile that already regularly publishes quality content and needs initial social proof for a specific campaign. If you are considering it, first read the service description followers on Instagram and check the price list. If you have an account with a warning or restriction, are expecting sales or want to meet verification requirements, the package will not help you.