How to archive all your Instagram posts at once

Sometimes, you just want a fresh start. And switching up your aesthetic on social media is a lot easier than, say, gutting your kitchen.

If you look at your Instagram account and think your content looks dated, don’t worry. You’re just a few clicks away from a blank slate. And the best part is you don’t have to permanently delete all of those memories: Instagram allows you to archive and unarchive content whenever you choose. Let’s explore how to archive all of your Instagram posts and what to do when you want those photos back.

How to mass archive Instagram posts

If you’ve ever removed posts one by one, you know it’s tedious work. Perhaps thinking about how much time it would take to delete all of your photos is why you’ve never considered doing a more extensive sweep of your account. So can you archive all IG posts at once?

Thankfully, the answer is yes. Here’s how to archive all your Instagram posts in one fell swoop:

Mobile (iOS and Android)

1. Open the Instagram app and log in to your account.
2. Click on your profile photo in the lower right-hand corner of the home page.
3. Tap the three lines (the hamburger menu) in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
4. Select “Your activity” from the pop-up menu.
5. Tap on “Photos and videos.”
6. Select “Posts.”
7. Tap on the blue “Select” button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
8. Click on all the photos you wish to archive.
9. Hit the “Archive” option at the bottom of the screen.
10. Tap on “Archive” again in the confirmation pop-up.

Where do archived pictures go?

Instagram’s archive feature has your future self in mind. You want to clear photos from your profile now, but what about later? Don’t worry: if you miss those images, you can restore them to your profile. You can even pay those posts a visit without unarchiving them. Here’s how to locate these snaps:

Mobile (iOS and Android)

1. Log in to the Instagram mobile app.
2. Click on your profile icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
3. Tap the three lines (the hamburger menu) in the upper right-hand corner of your profile.
4. Select “Archive” from the drop-down menu.
5. Click on the drop-down menu at the top of the screen (it will say “Stories archive,” “Post archive” or “Live archive,” depending on which of these sections you last viewed).
6. Select the archive you wish to view.

How do you unarchive a post on Instagram?

It’s never too late to unarchive an image. If you’re feeling sentimental and want to return old photos to your gallery, you can do so in just a few clicks. Here’s how:

Mobile (iOS and Android)

Begin by following the steps in the previous section to locate your archived pictures. Then:

1. Click on the photo you’d like to put back on your Instagram profile page.
2. Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Click “Show on profile” from the pop-up menu at the bottom of the screen.

Instagram archive FAQs

Still have questions about archiving posts on the ’gram? Here are answers to common queries.

How many posts can you archive on Instagram at once?

The mass archive feature is thorough: you can remove an unlimited number of posts from your profile at once. If you want to completely rebrand your account, this feature makes it simple to scrub it clean.

Can others see your archived posts?

Once you archive a post, no one can see it but you. Think of your archive as a personal photo album containing images close to your heart that you no longer wish to display on your account. And you can visit this album any time by following the steps in the sections above.

If you unarchive a post on Instagram, does the platform repost it?

When you unarchive a post, it returns to its original place in your gallery. The app doesn’t repost this picture – instead, it slips it back into your IG chronology.

Grow your audience across the web

Perfecting your profile is the first step in building a stunning social media presence. Once you’ve curated your gallery, level up your Insta skills by learning to hide your like counts, see who has viewed your story, and mute other users.

And don’t forget about your Instagram bio. It may be limited to 150 characters, but you can do a lot in that space. Most importantly, it’s the perfect spot to direct followers to the rest of your web presence. Adding a Linktree to your bio allows you to link out to other platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and a personal website, all in one place.