How to Sign Up for Instagram Without a Phone Number

Instagram lets you sign up with either a mobile number or an email address, and many people prefer email to keep their phone number private. In practice the email route usually works, but Instagram's automated security systems sometimes step in and ask for a phone number before you can continue. This guide explains how to sign up with email, why Instagram might ask for a number anyway, your options when it does, and how to protect the account without relying on SMS.

How do you sign up with email?

On the sign-up screen in the Instagram app, choose to sign up with email instead of a mobile number. Enter an email address you can access, confirm it with the code Instagram sends, then choose your name, username, password and birthday. Instagram requires users to be at least 13, and teen accounts have extra default protections.

You can also create an Instagram account through Meta's Accounts Center if you already have a Facebook account, which links the two. That's convenient but connects your profiles; skip it if you want them separate.

Why does Instagram sometimes ask for a phone number anyway?

Instagram uses automated risk checks to fight spam and fake accounts. If something about the sign-up looks unusual, it may require phone verification before you can use the account. Common triggers include a VPN or shared network, many sign-ups from the same device or IP address, a brand-new device, or very fast activity right after creating the account such as following many accounts.

Existing accounts can also hit a checkpoint later that asks for a phone number or other verification, sometimes including a selfie video. These checks change over time and vary by account.

• VPN, proxy or shared public Wi-Fi.
• Several accounts created from the same device.
• Rapid following, liking or messaging soon after sign-up.
• Unusual login locations.

What can you do when a phone number is required?

If you're asked for a number and don't want to use your personal one, you can use a separate number you control. A Noir SMS number is a private carrier mobile number reserved for 20 minutes. Choose Instagram as the service, enter the number in the correct format, and the code appears in your dashboard with a sound alert. If Instagram rejects the number or no code arrives, cancel after two minutes for an instant refund or let the automatic refund happen after 20 minutes.

A temporary number is for the verification step only. Because it will be recycled, don't keep it as your account's only contact method. Make sure your email is confirmed, and remove the temporary number or replace it with a number you keep, where Instagram lets you.

Step by step

1. Choose email at sign-upIn the Instagram app, pick the email option instead of mobile number.
2. Confirm your emailEnter the code Instagram sends to your inbox.
3. Complete your profileSet your username, password and birthday.
4. Handle a phone check if askedUse a number you control, such as a private temporary number.
5. Turn on authenticator 2FASet it up in Accounts Center and save backup codes.

How do you keep the account secure without your phone?

Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app in Accounts Center under Password and security. Authenticator codes don't depend on a phone number, so you're protected even if you never add one. Save the backup codes Instagram provides.

Keep your email address current, since it's your main recovery route. Avoid third-party apps that ask for your Instagram password, which can trigger security checks and put the account at risk.

Tips to avoid phone checkpoints

Sign up in the official app, on your usual home or mobile network, with VPNs switched off. After creating the account, add a profile photo and bio and use it normally for a few days before following lots of accounts. These steps don't guarantee Instagram won't ask for a phone, but they reduce the signals that trigger checks.

Use Instagram, and any temporary number, only for your own genuine account and within Instagram's terms; creating multiple accounts for spam or to evade a ban isn't allowed. If you want a second account for a business or hobby, Instagram lets you add it from your existing profile, which is easier than starting from scratch.