---
title: "Instagram Suspicious Login Attempt: What It Means, What to Do"
description: "Instagram warned you about a login you don't recognise? Check it in Login activity, choose This Was Me or This Wasn't Me, and learn to spot fake alert emails."
url: https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/instagram-suspicious-login-attempt/
language: en
updated: 2026-10-27
publisher: takebackmyinsta (https://takebackmyinsta.com/)
---

# Instagram "suspicious login attempt": what it means and what to do

Published 27 October 2026 6 min read [By the takebackmyinsta team](https://takebackmyinsta.com/about/)

**In short:** Instagram alerts you when someone tries to log in to your account from a device or web browser it doesn't recognise. With two-factor authentication on, these login requests show which device tried and where it is, and you can approve or deny them. Check the attempt under Where you're logged in (or Login activity): if it was you, choose This Was Me; if not, choose This Wasn't Me and reset your password, which logs every other device out. An alert alone doesn't mean the account is lost, and a password reset email you didn't ask for can simply be someone mistyping their own details. Be wary of the emails themselves: fake "suspicious login" messages are a common phishing trick.

## What the alert means

Instagram describes these warnings as **login requests**. When you've set up [two-factor authentication](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#two-factor), you get an alert whenever someone tries to log in to your account from a device or web browser Instagram doesn't recognise. The alert can arrive as a push notification, in your Activity or as an in-app notification, and it tells you which device tried to log in and where it's located. You can approve or deny it straight away.

"Doesn't recognise" covers more than strangers. A new phone, a browser you haven't used before or a login after clearing your browser can also be unfamiliar to Instagram. What matters is whether **you** recognise the device and the place.

## How to check the login

You can see devices that recently logged in to your account at any time.

1. In the app, go to your profile, open the Menu and look for **Where you're logged in** under Password and security in Accounts Center. On a computer, select More, then Settings, then Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
2. If your account still shows the older layout, open **Security**, then **Login activity**.
3. If you recognise the login, select **This Was Me**, then **Confirm**.
4. If you don't recognise the device or location, select **This Wasn't Me** and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password and secure your account.

Instagram notes that you may not see these two options if there hasn't been a login from a device or browser it doesn't recognise. In that case you can still log out of any device in the list.

## Approve or deny a login request

Tap the notification to see the location and type of device. Tap **Approve** if you recognise it, **Deny** if you don't. When you deny a request, Instagram asks you to reset your password, so that anyone trying to get in with your current password no longer can.

You can turn these requests on or off under **Security**, **Two-factor authentication**, **Additional methods**, **Login requests**. To receive them you may need to allow push notifications from Instagram.

## A password reset email you didn't ask for

A related scare is an Instagram password reset email you never requested. Instagram says this doesn't necessarily mean your account has been hacked: someone trying to log in to their own account may have mistyped their email address or username and entered yours. Only people who know your password or who click the login link in that email can log in.

So don't click the link if you didn't ask for it. If you're worried, open the Instagram app yourself, change your password and turn on two-factor authentication.

## Fake "suspicious login" emails

Alert emails are a favourite phishing disguise, because they make people act fast. Before you click anything:

- Check the sender. Instagram says official security emails only come from @mail.instagram.com, @support.instagram.com, @facebookmail.com, @support.facebook.com and @global.metamail.com.
- Check **Recent emails** in your settings. Instagram shows the official emails it sent you in the last 14 days, with security and login emails listed separately. An alert that isn't there didn't come from Instagram.
- Remember that Instagram never contacts you about profile security through Direct messages.

More examples: [how to spot fake Instagram emails and DMs](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/fake-instagram-emails-and-messages/).

## What to do, by situation

| What you see | Likely meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A login request for a device you just used | You on a new phone or browser | Approve it, or select This Was Me |
| A login request you don't recognise | Someone may know your password | Deny it, then reset your password |
| A password reset email you didn't request | Possibly someone mistyping their own details | Don't click the link; change your password in the app if you're worried |
| An alert email that isn't listed under Recent emails | Probably phishing | Don't click anything; delete it |
| You suddenly can't log in | Someone may have taken over the account | Go to instagram.com/hacked |

## If it wasn't you

Treat a login you don't recognise as a sign that your password is known to someone else. Instagram warns that this can happen when you use the same password on another site that suffers a data breach, or when your account is linked to an unauthorised third-party app. While you can still log in:

- Change your password. Instagram logs you out of all other devices when you do.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Confirm that the email address and phone number in your settings are still yours.
- Check [Accounts Center](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#accounts-center) and remove linked accounts you don't recognise.
- Revoke access for any suspicious third-party apps.

If posts, comments or messages appear that you didn't send, read [Instagram posting things you didn't](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/instagram-posting-without-you/). If the email on the account has already been changed, see [how to undo an email change](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/instagram-email-changed-by-hacker/). If you can't get in at all, follow [our hacked-account guide](https://takebackmyinsta.com/guides/instagram-account-hacked/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Does a suspicious login attempt mean my Instagram was hacked?

Not necessarily. Instagram flags logins from devices or browsers it doesn't recognise, which can be you on a new phone. If you don't recognise the device or place, deny the request or select This Wasn't Me and reset your password.

### Should I tap This Was Me or This Wasn't Me?

This Was Me if you recognise the device and location, then Confirm. This Wasn't Me if you don't: Instagram then walks you through resetting your password and securing the account.

### Why do I get login alerts when it's me?

Instagram alerts you about devices and browsers it doesn't recognise, so a new phone, a different browser or a cleared browser can trigger one. Confirm it with This Was Me. If the alerts name devices you don't own, change your password.

### Is an email about a suspicious login attempt real?

Check the sender's domain and look under Recent emails in your Instagram settings, which lists the official emails from the last 14 days. If the email isn't there, treat it as phishing and don't click.

## Not sure whether someone got in?

Tell us what the alert said and what you see in your login activity. We'll check your case for free and tell you which official steps fit. We never ask for your password or any code.

[Start your free case check](https://takebackmyinsta.com/#start)

[Free analysis on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/447308693453?text=Hi%2C%20I%20found%20you%20on%20takebackmyinsta.com%20and%20I'd%20like%20a%20free%20analysis%20of%20my%20Instagram%20account.)

## Key terms in this article

- [Login request](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#login-request)
- [Two-factor authentication (2FA)](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#two-factor)
- [Accounts Center](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#accounts-center)
- [Security email](https://takebackmyinsta.com/glossary/#security-email)

## Sources

1. [Turn login requests on or off on Instagram (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/154776793259282/) help.instagram.com
2. [View your recent Instagram login activity (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/2761108904184084/) help.instagram.com
3. [Why you received an Instagram password reset email that you didn't request (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/231141655544451/) help.instagram.com
4. [Review recent emails sent from Instagram (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/760602221058803/) help.instagram.com
5. [Why Instagram tells you your account is at risk (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/273359857992105/) help.instagram.com
6. [If you think your Instagram profile has been hacked (Instagram Help Center)](https://help.instagram.com/149494825257596) help.instagram.com

## Related guides

- [Instagram account hacked: how to get it back](https://takebackmyinsta.com/guides/instagram-account-hacked/)
- [Instagram recovery scams: how to spot a fake service](https://takebackmyinsta.com/guides/instagram-recovery-scams/)

## From the blog

- [How to log out of Instagram on all devices and spot logins that aren't you](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/log-out-of-instagram-on-all-devices/)
- [Instagram email changed without your permission: how to undo it and get back in](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/instagram-email-changed-by-hacker/)
- [Instagram passkeys: how to create one, log in with it and fix problems](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/instagram-passkey/)
- [Fake Instagram emails and DMs: how to spot phishing before it costs you your account](https://takebackmyinsta.com/blog/fake-instagram-emails-and-messages/)

---

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