How to Login to Instagram Without a Recovery Code: 3 Simple Ways

This article was co-authored by Ben Whitehair and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and National Board Member of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.

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Whether you’ve forgotten your Instagram password or you’re trying to log in on a new device using two-factor authentication (2FA), you may need to use a recovery code to get back into your account. However, there are times when using one of these codes just isn’t an option—for instance, if you no longer have access to the phone number where the code would be sent. In this article, we’ll talk you through the best ways to get around having to use a recovery code when logging into Instagram.

Method 1 of 3:

Using Password Recovery

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Enter the name of the account you’d like to log into. Type your username into the top text field. You can also enter the email address or phone number associated with your account. [2] X Research source

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Enter the last email address or phone number you used to log in. A new screen will open where you can enter the email address or phone number associated with your Instagram account. Type in the last email or number you remember, even if you don’t have access to it anymore. [4] X Research source



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Choose your preferred method for recovering your account. For example, from this page, you can request to have a password reset email sent to one of the email addresses associated with your Instagram account. Another alternative is to send a request to your friends on Instagram asking them to verify your identity so you can recover your account information.



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• These codes may be sent to the phone number associated with your account or via a third-party security app, if you’ve connected one with your Instagram account.

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Settings. In the dropdown menu, select Settings, which you will find at the top of the list. This will open a new Settings menu. [9] X Research source

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Tap Two-factor authentication . Look for this option in the Login Security section. [11] X Research source

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• Next time you log in on that device, Instagram should remember it, and you won’t have to use a verification code.
• To keep your account secure, don’t use this option for public or shared devices.

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Method 3 of 3:

Generating Backup Codes

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Open your profile. Tap the circular profile icon in the lower right corner of your screen. This will open up your account profile. [14] X Research source

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Select

Settings. This option is at the top of the drop-down menu. Tap it to open the Settings menu. [16] X Research source

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• If you haven’t set up 2FA yet, you’ll see a screen with a Get Started button at the bottom. Tap the button and select your preferred method from the list.

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Choose Backup codes . This is the second option in the Additional methods menu. [20] X Research source

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