How to unlink Facebook and Instagram

Unlinking your Facebook and Instagram accounts is a relatively straightforward process, if you know where to look. Under certain circumstances, this can be the best course of action.

Although Meta allows you to link its Facebook and Instagram apps, doing so may actually be a bad idea in some cases.

For instance, while linking Facebook and Instagram simplifies login, it also introduces a major security risk in the event of a hack.

Preventing a double hack is one of the most important reasons why you may want to unlink Facebook and Instagram. That being said, here’s how to unlink Facebook and Instagram.

Unlinking Facebook and Instagram

There are two ways to disconnect Facebook and Instagram. You can easily do this from either Facebook or from Instagram.

You can also do this using the Facebook mobile app or on your desktop browser.

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram from Facebook (desktop)

Here’s how to unlink Facebook and Instagram from Facebook on a desktop browser.

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via the Facebook app

You can also unlink Facebook and Instagram on your mobile phone. The process is similar to using a desktop browser. Here’s how:

1. Launch the Facebook app on your phone

2. Tap on the three-line hamburger menu in the top right corner (Android users will tap the Cog wheel afterwards)

3. You can either tap on the settings gear button or scroll down and tap on Settings and privacy, then Settings

4. Scroll down to the end of the page and tap on the Meta Accounts Center

5. Tap on Accounts, then scroll down to Instagram and tap on Remove

6. Review the warning message and tap on Continue

7. Review the warning message again and tap Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your name

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via Instagram on desktop

You can also unlink Facebook and Instagram from inside Instagram using your mobile app or your desktop browser. Here’s how to do it on your desktop browser:

1. Sign in to Instagram and click on your profile picture at the top of your screen, then select Settings

2. Scroll down and click on the Meta Accounts Center

3. Under the Meta Accounts Center tab, click on Accounts

4. Locate Facebook on the list and click on Remove

5. Review the warning information and click on Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your name

How to unlink Facebook and Instagram via the Instagram app

If you prefer to use the Instagram app, you can accomplish the same thing in just a few taps. Read on to find out how:

1. Open the Instagram app

2. Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner of your screen

3. Tap on the three-line hamburger menu at the top-right, then tap on Settings

4. Scroll down and tap on the Meta Accounts Center, then tap Accounts

5. Go to Facebook and tap on Remove

6. Review the warning and tap on Continue

7. Review the warning message again, then tap Remove XYZ, where XYZ is your Facebook account name

Not only is the process similar for mobile and desktop, but it is also similar on Android and iPhone

What happens after you unlink Facebook and Instagram?

Several changes will occur after you unpair your Facebook and Instagram accounts that will affect your connected experience across the two Meta apps.

Firstly, you’ll be unable to share login information between Facebook and Instagram. This means that you’ll have to manually log in to each account separately.

Also, you’ll no longer have the option to cross-post stories and posts from Facebook to Instagram and vice versa. Therefore, you’ll spend more time posting separately to Facebook and Instagram as a result.

The upside is that your posts will be more original, unique, and well-suited to each of Facebook’s and Instagram’s different audiences.

READ MORE: How to mute someone on Facebook

Again, you’ll no longer be able to find and cross-message friends faster across both apps. You’ll have to do these separately inside each app.

The biggest benefits of unlinking your Facebook account and Instagram profile are increased privacy and account security in the event of a hack.

Go ahead and unlink it

You are now equipped with the knowledge to quickly unlink your Facebook and Instagram accounts. What’s more, you can also do the same for any other apps or websites that you no longer use from the same menus.

You may be giving up the convenience of a unified and simplified login, but you’ll also be strengthening your online security and privacy.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to create an anonymous Facebook account
• How to turn off the ‘People You May Know’ feature on Facebook
• Here’s how to use Facebook Live for livestreaming
• How to set up Facebook Pay