How to Fix a Suspicious Login Attempt on Instagram

That heart-stopping “Suspicious Login Attempt” notification from Instagram is more than enough to hijack your focus for the day. While it’s tempting to panic, this alert is your first line of defense, giving you a critical opportunity to act. This guide will walk you through exactly what that warning means, the immediate steps to take to lock down your account, and how to set up stronger defenses to prevent it from ever happening again.

What That "Suspicious Login" Alert Actually Means

First off, take a breath. An alert from Instagram about a suspicious login attempt isn't a guarantee that you've been hacked, it's a notification that Instagram’s security system has flagged something out of the ordinary. Its goal is to get your attention so you can confirm whether the activity was legitimate or not. This is a feature, not a bug.

So, what kind of activity triggers it? Instagram's algorithm is constantly looking for patterns in your behavior. When it detects a login that doesn't fit your usual profile, it sends an alert. Common triggers include:

• A New Location: If you always log in from New York and a login suddenly occurs a continent away in London, Instagram will raise a flag. This can also happen when you travel, use a VPN, or even sometimes when you connect to a new Wi-Fi network.
• An Unrecognized Device: Logging in from a brand-new phone, laptop, or tablet you've never used for Instagram before can trigger a warning.
• A Different Network: Connecting through an unfamiliar public Wi-Fi network, like at a coffee shop or airport, can sometimes be enough to get Instagram’s attention.

The key is to determine if you were the cause of the unusual activity. If you just landed in a new city for vacation and tried to log in, that’s you. If you’re sitting on your couch at home and get an alert about a login from another country, that’s a real threat you need to address immediately.

First Response: Your Immediate Action Plan

How you react in the first few moments after seeing the alert makes all the difference. Follow these steps methodically to assess the situation and take control without making any missteps.

Step 1: Don't Panic and DON'T Click Links in Emails or Texts

This is the most important rule. Scammers know you’ll be on high alert after seeing a security warning, and they use this to their advantage. They create convincing phishing scams - fake emails and text messages that look exactly like official warnings from Instagram. Their goal is to trick you into clicking a malicious link and entering your password on a convincing-looking fake login page, handing them your credentials.

Your Action: Ignore any links in the email or text message you received. Instead, close the message and go directly to the official Instagram app on your phone or type Instagram.com into your browser. This is the only way to be sure you're dealing with a legitimate alert and not a phishing attempt.

Step 2: Verify the Login Activity Natively in the App

Once you're in the secure environment of the official app or website, you can check your account's recent login history for yourself. This is your source of truth.

Here’s how to find it:

1. Go to your profile and tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
2. Navigate to Settings and privacy.
3. Tap on Accounts Center.
4. From there, go to Password and security.
5. Select Where you’re logged in.

Here you'll see a list of all the devices currently logged into your account, complete with location information and the date of the last access. Scrutinize this list carefully. Look for any device or location you don't recognize.

Step 3: Respond to the Prompt: "This Was Me" vs. "This Wasn't Me"

Whether you find the notification in-app or are reviewing your login history, Instagram will ask you to confirm the activity. This is the moment of decision.

• If you select "This Was Me": You’re telling Instagram that the login was legitimate. The alert will be dismissed, and Instagram will learn to recognize that device or location as safe for future use. Problem solved.
• If you select "This Wasn't Me": You’re confirming an unauthorized user has accessed your account. Instagram will immediately prompt you to secure your account, starting with a mandatory password change. This is your signal to move into lockdown mode.

Securing Your Account: What to Do When It *Wasn't* You

If you’ve confirmed that an unauthorized person has accessed your account, you need to act quickly to reclaim control and boot them out. Follow this security checklist step-by-step.

1. Change Your Password Immediately

This is your first and most urgent action. The intruder likely has your current password, so you need to invalidate it right away. Create a strong and unique password. A strong password isn't just a simple word with a number at the end, it should ideally be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. If you have trouble remembering complex passwords, consider using a password manager to generate and store them for you. You don't ever want to reuse a password from another site - if that other site has a data breach, your Instagram account becomes instantly vulnerable.

2. Log Out of All Other Devices

Changing your password doesn’t automatically terminate all active login sessions. The intruder could still be logged into your account on their device, giving them continued access. You need to manually force a log-out on all devices.

In the same Where you’re logged in section where you reviewed activity (Accounts Center > Password and security > Where you’re logged in), you'll see an option at the bottom to "Select devices to log out." Use this feature to log everyone out - including yourself. You'll then have to log back in with your new password, but you'll know for sure that no one else is still inside your account.

3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you do only one thing from this guide, make it this. Two-factor authentication is your single greatest defense against unauthorized access. It adds a second layer of security, meaning that even if someone steals your password, they still won't be able to log in without a second piece of information.

To set it up:

1. Go to Accounts Center >, Password and security >, Two-factor authentication.
2. Select your Instagram account.
3. Choose your preferred method. You have options:
   • Authentication App (Recommended): This is the most secure method. It uses an app like Google Authenticator or Authy to generate a time-sensitive code you must enter to log in.
   • Text Message (SMS): Instagram will text a code to your phone. It’s better than nothing, but it is less secure due to the risk of "SIM swapping" scams.

Once 2FA is enabled, be sure to save your backup codes in a safe, secure place. These codes allow you to regain access to your account if you lose your phone.

4. Review Authorized Apps and Websites

Over time, you might have granted permission to various third-party apps and websites to access your Instagram account - scheduling tools, analytics platforms, or apps that check who unfollowed you. These can become potential backdoors to your account if they are not secure. It’s good security hygiene to regularly audit these apps.

Go to your profile > Settings and privacy > Website permissions > Apps and websites. Remove access for any service you no longer use, trust, or recognize. Less third-party access means fewer potential points of failure.

Playing Offense: How to Prevent This from Happening Again

Once you’ve put out the fire, your final task is to fortify your account so you don’t have to go through this stressful process again.

1. Set Up Login Alerts

Get proactive notifications anytime someone tries to log into your account from an unrecognized device or browser. This way, you'll know instantly if someone is trying to get in. You can turn this on in Accounts Center >, Password and security >, Login alerts. Enable notifications for both in-app and email so you never miss a warning.

2. Be Skeptical of Phishing Scams

Remember Step 1 of our action plan? This is the long-term version of that. Be eternally skeptical of any email or DM asking for your account information or prompting urgent action. Look for poor grammar, unofficial-looking email addresses, and a tone of high pressure or panic. The golden rule is simple: Instagram will never ask for your password in a DM or email. All official security communications will happen within the app itself.

3. Keep Your Contact Information Updated

The email address and phone number linked to your Instagram account are your recovery lifelines. If you lose access to your account, these are the channels Instagram uses to verify your identity and help you get back in. If that information is outdated, you could find yourself permanently locked out. Take thirty seconds right now to go to Accounts Center >, Personal details and confirm that your contact info is current.

Final Thoughts

Getting a "Suspicious Login" notification can be alarming, but it’s actually a sign that Instagram's security measures are working to protect you. By quickly verifying the login, locking down your account with a new password and two-factor authentication, and proactively auditing your security settings, you can turn a moment of panic into a lasting sense of security.

For creators and social media managers, your account's security is everything - it's your connection to your community and your business. We built Postbase with this in mind, focusing on rock-solid reliability that you can trust. This includes maintaining stable, secure connections to your social accounts, which means you won't be constantly re-authenticating and worrying about security vulnerabilities. Our goal is to give you the confidence to manage, schedule, and plan your content knowing your foundation is secure, letting you focus on creating instead of fixing.