Short answer
Try every email and phone number that was ever on the account first — older details often still match. If your Instagram is linked to Facebook through Accounts Center, reset the password or log in with Facebook. Otherwise, on the login screen tap Forgot password? → Need more help? and follow the identity steps; accounts with photos of you can use the video selfie. Instagram states that without access to the registered email and without a linked Facebook account it is unable to give you access — so be wary of anyone who promises otherwise.
First, check what you still have
- A device that is still logged in — an old phone, a tablet, a browser. If you find one, update the email and phone in Accounts Center right away.
- Old contact details — the email you used years ago, a work address, a number you have since changed. Typos at signup are common, so try likely variants.
- A linked Facebook account — check Accounts Center memories: did you ever log in to Instagram with Facebook?
- The username — and any previous usernames, which the support flow can use to find the record.
Route 1: recover through Facebook
If your Instagram and Facebook accounts are connected, the login screen offers to continue or reset your password with Facebook. This is often the fastest route when the email and phone are gone, because Facebook confirms you are the same person behind both accounts.
Route 2: “Need more help?” and identity confirmation
- Open the Instagram app (not a browser) and enter your username or last known email or phone number.
- Tap Forgot password?, then Need more help?.
- Follow the on-screen steps to submit a support request. Use a device and network you have used for Instagram before if you can.
- If the account contains photos of you, you may be asked for a video selfie — see our guide to passing the video selfie.
- Watch the email address you entered in the request for Instagram’s reply, and check spam.
If the account was hacked
When someone else changed the email and phone, the route is different: look for the message from security@mail.instagram.com with a link to revert the change, and use instagram.com/hacked. Our hacked Instagram guide covers the first 30 minutes step by step.
What Instagram can’t do — and who exploits that
Instagram is explicit: if you can’t access the email you registered with and you didn’t link Facebook, it is unable to give you access through the normal route. Desperate account owners are exactly who fake “recovery hackers” target. Nobody can bypass Instagram’s checks; anyone who says so wants a payment or your remaining credentials. In the free pre-analysis we tell you which official route, if any, is still open.
Prevent it next time
- Keep a current email and phone number on the account, and update them before you change either.
- Link your accounts in Accounts Center if you use Facebook.
- Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app and save the backup codes offline.
- Keep at least one clear photo of yourself on personal accounts — it makes the video selfie route possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can Instagram recover my account if I lost both my email and phone?
Only through its identity-confirmation route. Instagram states that without access to the registered email and without a linked Facebook account, it is unable to give you access.
Does the video selfie work if there are no photos of me on the account?
No. The video selfie is compared with photos of you on the account. Accounts without such photos need other proof, and are harder to recover.
My old phone number now belongs to someone else. What should I do?
Use the email, Facebook or identity routes instead. Once you are back in, remove the old number and add your current one.
How long does Instagram take to answer a support request?
Often a few days, sometimes longer. Replies arrive at the email address you gave in the request, so check spam too.
Sources: Instagram Help Center — lost email or phone number, Instagram Help Center