How to Set Up Instagram Step by Step: Complete Guide

How to Set Up Instagram Step by Step: Complete Guide

Instagram is one of the most popular and leading social media app. Unique features such as Instagram reels, stories, Live stream etc have captured people’s attention in the modern world. You can use these features only if you know how to set up Instagram properly. These features have helped people set businesses and earn a great sum of money. According to Instagram, 130 million people click on shopping tabs to view products which have positively affected businesses run by Instagram users.

Features such as Instagram Live are widely used to broadcast products, and display any kind of creativity which (if done correctly) can receive a good number of likes or views. The great number of these likes, views and followers become a huge source of money later. This is why people tend to buy likes so they can successfully create an audience to uplift their profiles on Instagram.

Besides this, Instagram gives people a platform to interact with people on a local and international level. Popularity is also one of the reasons why many people wish to join Instagram. However, for a newbie, who doesn’t know how to set up Instagram, creating a brand new Instagram account can be a bit complex which is why we will teach you how to set up Instagram step by step. There are two types of accounts; one is the personal account

  • PERSONAL: Public/Private Account
  • Business Account

PUBLIC/ PRIVATE ACCOUNT

Steps to set up Instagram Account – 

  1. Download the App
  2. Registration of the New Account
  3. Understanding Sign Up Process
  4. Filling the Registration Form
    1. Mobile Number or Email
    2. Full Name
    3. Username
    4. Password
    5. Birthday and Email Confirmation
    6. Update Your Profile
  5. Bio
  6. Profile Photo
  7. Linked Accounts
  8. Notifications
  9. Business Account Settings

Download the App

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First of all, you need to download the official instagram app on your phone. If you have an android, you can get it from Play Store. If you have an Apple phone, you can download it from the App Store. Instagram is a free app and it does not require any kind of payment. 

Registration of the New Account

Understanding Sign Up Process

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When one opens Instagram, two options pop up: Sign up or Log In. Users who already have an account can enter their email and password they have selected to enter into Instagram. On the other hand, people who are looking to register for a new account are supposed to click on Sign Up. (pic). Additionally, there is an option to Log In with the Facebook account. This option is either for users who have the Facebook account connected with their Instagram account or for the ones who wish to register via their Facebook account. 

Filling the Registration Form

In order to sign up, you must fill all the fields that Instagram shows on your screen. Below we will discuss all of the four fields in detail and how to fill them up. 

  1. Mobile Number or Email
  2. Full Name
  3. Username
  4. Password

Mobile Number or Email

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There are two ways from which Instagram lets you sign in their app. One of them is by using your phone number. You can make two accounts with your phone number. Another way to sign up is by using an email. The limit of Instagram accounts one can make with an email is 5. Moreover, you can use your facebook to sign up as well like we have discussed earlier. 

Full Name

In order to sign up for your new instagram account, you need to fill out your full name. You can choose to keep your original name or use any other name. This particular name shows up on your profile as shown in the picture below. Keep in mind, username and full name are different. We will discuss username below.

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Username

On Instagram, one can make a private or a public account. New updates of Instagram now lets one make a business account as well. If you want your own name to make a personal profile then you can go ahead and enter your name. On the other hand, there are people who make fan accounts, update accounts for movies, accounts to spread awareness etc. In such a case, you can utilize the creativity of your mind and make a name for your account. 

Password

In order to log in to your new instagram account, you need a strong password. Like other social media apps, Instagram is also strict about keeping the content of their users safe and secure. This is why you need a password according to guidelines given by Instagram. You need to make a combination of letters, punctuation marks and numbers. Passwords can be of minimum 6 total digits, alphabets, punctuation etc. Adding a special character increases your security. 

Birthday and Email Confirmation

After filling these four fields, Instagram will ask you about your birthdate. This step is necessary if you want to know how to set up instagram. Instagram won’t allow a user who is below the age 13. Adding the correct birthdate ensures that a minor is not using Instagram. This is entirely for safety purposes. After adding your birthdate you need to confirm the email that you had added earlier. For this, Instagram will send a code on the email that you have entered. You can confirm your email after adding a 4 digit number in the space provided on the Instagram page.

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Update Your Profile

After Email confirmation, your account will be made. Next step is updating your profile. 

Bio

Bio on Instagram is a short introduction of your account. If it’s your personal account, you can give a description of your likes, your favourite things etc that define you. On the other hand, if it’s a business account, you can introduce your business concisely in the best words to attract the attention of your customers, followers etc. 

Bio is important because it is the first thing after your username that one reads. There is a limit of 150 characters so you can be creative with your words. However, try your best to be concise. 

Profile Photo

On the top of your account, there will be a tab “Edit your Profile”. You will see an option “Change your Profile Photo”. You can select a picture from your library collection or you can upload it from your facebook account. There is also an editing option that lets you edit your profile picture according to your liking. 

Linked Accounts

After editing your profile, you can go ahead and link your new instagram account with facebook, twitter, tumblr. It is not a necessary step, however, users tend to do this to secure their accounts. Click three lines on the right corner of your account. Go to settings and Privacy and click on Accounts Centre. This step will lead you to Connected experiences where you can link your accounts.

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Post Your First Picture, Story, Video

Now, that your account is all set. You can go ahead and upload your very first post. Click on the middle button with a plus sign. It will lead you to the gallery or your Camera. You can take a picture, record a video or simply choose from your camera roll. In order to gain more interaction and views on instagram posts people use tags. Tags are important because they increase your chances to get more recognition. 

Notifications

After setting up your account you can go ahead and turn on notifications. Notifications feature allows you to know what your following list has been posting. It also helps you in better interaction with other users on Instagram. Making connections on Instagram is important which is why people are obsessed with increasing their views and boosting their Instagram followers

Now that we have discussed personal and private accounts, let’s move onto business accounts on Instagram. 

Business Account Setup

Instagram has been widely used for small businesses and for creative content creation. Instagram has introduced a separate setting for users who want a business Instagram account since it helps people gain a lot of success and recognition. According to a survey by Business Insider Intelligence, in the US more than 89 percent marketers find Instagram significant for their marketing campaigns. Instagram business accounts make ones account look professional with features and tools the app offers. 

In order to create a business account, you can either start anew or just convert your personal account to a professional one. For the later one, go to three lines appearing on the right corner of your account. Click on settings and privacy, scroll down, and press “Account Type and Tools”. You can now go ahead and switch to a professional account or make a new one entirely. 

Difference Between Personal and Business Instagram Account

There is a visible difference between personal and business instagram. The two pictures above show that a personal account has two tabs on the profile. On the other hand, a business account has an additional Professional Dashboard. People will be able to see options on your profile such as Call and Message. Additionally, if one has a shop to buy from they can insert a link on the top of their account so it is accessible for people. As of last year, Instagram was named as the top site for social commerce where 60 percent people find new products. This is why many people who want creative control over their accounts to increase sales have switched to professional instagram accounts. 

Conclusion

In this article, we have explained two types of instagram and how to properly set them up. We have thoroughly highlighted how to setup instagram in steps. You need to follow these steps in order to successfully register for instagram from the entry of your email to your very first post on this social media platform. We hope that this article will be of great help to you. 

Mark A . Johnson
Verified Author
Written by

Mark A . Johnson

Mark A. Johnson is a social media growth strategist and content lead at BuyRealFollows.com. With over a decade of experience in platform research and digital marketing, he helps brands and creators build real audiences on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Spotify. His work focuses on algorithm analysis, engagement mechanics, and social proof strategy. Mark writes practical, research-backed guides to help readers grow their presence with confidence.

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