How to Transfer Ownership of an Instagram Account

Handing over an Instagram account is more than just sharing a password, it’s about securely transferring a valuable digital asset. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, to ensure the ownership change is smooth, secure, and complete for both the seller and the buyer.

Why You Can't "Officially" Transfer Instagram Ownership

First, let's clear up a common misconception. Unlike a Facebook Page where you can assign different admin roles and seamlessly transfer ownership, Instagram doesn’t have a built-in “transfer ownership” button. The platform’s Terms of Service technically prohibit the buying, selling, or transferring of accounts. However, this practice is widespread, especially when a business is sold and its social media assets are included in the deal.

So, transferring an Instagram account is a manual process. It involves methodically changing all the core information associated with the account - email, phone number, and password - from the old owner to the new one. The goal is to give the new owner complete control while revoking all access for the previous owner. Getting this right is crucial for protecting both parties involved.

Preparing for the Handover: A Seller's Checklist

Before you even think about sharing login details, the current owner needs to prepare the account for a clean handoff. A little prep work prevents future headaches and makes for a more professional transaction.

1. Back Up Your Account Data

Think of this as your personal insurance policy. Before anything changes, download a complete copy of your account's data. This includes all your photos, videos, Stories, comments, and DMs. You might never need it, but if anything goes wrong during the transfer, you have a complete record.

How to Download Your Information:

• Go to your profile and tap the three lines in the top-right corner.
• Select Your activity.
• Scroll down and tap Download your information.
• Enter the email address where you want to receive the download link and tap Request Download.
• Instagram will compile your data and send you a link to a file. This can take up to 14 days, so plan ahead.

2. Disconnect Third-Party Apps

Over the years, you've likely given access to various third-party apps for scheduling, analytics, or giveaway tools. These connections can be a security risk during a transfer. Revoke access for all of them.

How to Revoke App Access:

• Go to your profile >, Settings and privacy >, Account Center.
• Under "Your information and permissions," select Apps and websites.
• You'll see a list of active connections. Review the list and remove any apps that no longer need access.

3. Clean Up If Necessary (Optional)

If the account was previously used for personal or mixed purposes, you might want to clean up anything that shouldn't be handed over. This could include archiving old posts that no longer fit the brand or deleting any personal Direct Message conversations. Do this before the transfer so the new owner starts with a clean slate.

4. Draft a Public Announcement (Optional but Recommended)

If the account has an active and engaged community, an abrupt change in ownership can be jarring. It's often best to inform your audience about the transition. You can do this just before the handover or the new owner can do it just after.

A simple post or Story saying something like, “Exciting news! This account is now under the new management of [New Owner's Name or Brand]. We’re so excited to continue bringing you amazing content about [Topic]!” can smooth the transition and build trust.

The Secure Transfer Process: Step-by-Step Guide

This is the core of the handover. Follow these steps in order to ensure a secure and complete transfer of control.

The seller should perform steps 1-4, then hand over the credentials to the buyer, who will immediately perform step 5.

Step 1: Change the Account's Email Address

This is the single most important step. The email address associated with an Instagram account is the primary recovery method. Whoever controls the email controls the account. The current owner must change this to the new owner's email address.

1. Go to your profile >, Edit Profile >, Personal information settings. This will open the Account Center.
2. Tap on Contact info.
3. You'll see the email and phone number currently associated with the account. Tap Add new contact and then Add email address.
4. Enter the new owner's email address and select the Instagram account you're transferring.
5. Instagram will send a confirmation code to the new email address. You will need to ask the new owner for this code to complete the verification.
6. Once the new email is added and verified, go back to Contact info, tap the old email address, and select Delete email address. Remove it completely.

Now, the new owner's email is the primary contact method for password resets, security alerts, and communication from Instagram.

Step 2: Change the Account's Phone Number

The phone number is the second most important recovery tool. Just like the email, this needs to be switched over to the new owner.

1. From the Contact info screen in Account Center (where you just changed the email), tap on the current phone number and select Delete number.
2. Once removed, select Add new contact and then Add mobile number.
3. Enter the new owner’s phone number and follow the prompts to verify it using a code sent via SMS. You will once again need to get this code from the buyer.

With the email and phone number changed, the previous owner can no longer request a password reset for the account.

Step 3: Temporarily Disable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

This step might seem counterintuitive, but it's important for a smooth handover. If 2FA is active, the new owner may have trouble logging in for the first time. The plan is for the seller to disable 2FA, allow the buyer to log in successfully, and then have the buyer immediately re-enable 2FA on their own device.

How to Disable 2FA:

• Go to your profile >, Settings and privacy >, Account Center.
• Select Password and security.
• Tap on Two-factor authentication and select the account.
• Choose your current 2FA method and toggle it off. You may need to enter a code from your authentication app or SMS to confirm.

Step 4: Change the Password and Hand Over Credentials

With the recovery info updated and 2FA off, it's time for the final handover. The seller changes the password to a strong, temporary password that they share with the buyer.

1. In Password and security within the Account Center, tap Change password.
2. Enter the current password and the new, temporary password.
3. Share the account's username and the new temporary password with the buyer. At this point, the seller should log out of the account on all their devices.

Step 5: The Buyer Secures the Account (Do This Immediately!)

As soon as the new owner receives the login credentials, their top priority is to fully secure the account. Time is of the essence here. Do not delay these steps.

Buyer's Security Checklist:

1. Log In: Use the username and temporary password to log into the account.
2. Change the Password: The very first action you should take is to change the password to something new, unique, and known only to you. Go to Account Center >, Password and security >, Change password to set a new one.
3. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This is non-negotiable. Go to Account Center >, Password and security >, Two-factor authentication and set up 2FA, preferably using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy. This protects the account even if someone gets your password. Save your recovery codes in a safe place.
4. Review Active Sessions: In the Password and security menu, find Where you’re logged in. Review the list of all active sessions. If you see any devices you don’t recognize (or see the previous owner's devices), select them and log them out forcefully.

Post-Transfer Best Practices

Control of the account has been transferred. Now what? Here are a few final items for the new owner to address.

Check the Connected Facebook Page

If you've acquired a Business or Creator Instagram account, it is likely linked to a Facebook Page. This connection is required for accessing Instagram Shopping, running ads, and viewing deeper analytics. The previous owner must also make you an Admin of the connected Facebook Page. Without Page admin access, you will lose the ability to use these professional tools. Be sure this is part of your agreement!

Update Profile and Payment Information

Update the bio, profile picture, name, and link in the bio to reflect the new ownership. If the account had Instagram Shopping or Ads set up, double-check the associated Facebook Ad Account and payment methods to ensure the previous owner's financial information has been completely removed.

Announce the Change

If the seller didn't do it, now is your chance to introduce yourself. A welcome post helps to manage community expectations and lets followers know what’s next for the account. It sets a positive tone for your new ownership and can help retain the audience through the transition.

Final Thoughts

Transferring an Instagram account is a manual process that relies on a structured and secure handover of credentials and recovery information. By carefully updating the contact email and phone number, resetting the password, and re-establishing two-factor authentication, both the seller and buyer can ensure a clean and definitive change of ownership.

Once you’ve successfully taken ownership of your new account, the real work of content creation begins. For my team, the challenge isn't just creating content, but keeping it consistent across multiple clients and platforms. We built Postbase to streamline this by giving us a clear, visual calendar to plan everything. It allows us to schedule everything - especially Reels and videos - far in advance, so we can focus on strategy instead of struggling with last-minute posts.