Instagram may ask for a video selfie, in which you turn your head in different directions, to confirm that you're a real person and the person in the account's photos. While the video is reviewed, you can't use the account. If you pass, Instagram may email a password-reset link to the secure email address you gave; if you don't, it emails you there and you may be able to try again in the app. The video is stored securely and isn't shown on your profile. Only you can do this check.
Why Instagram asks for a video selfie
Instagram explains that it uses selfies to confirm identity because photos and IDs can be digitally modified. A short video in which you turn your head in different directions shows that a real person is in front of the camera, and lets Instagram compare your face with the photos on the account.
When you're likely to see it
- Account recovery, for example when you can no longer reach the email address or phone number on the account, or after a hack. This is the most common case: see no access to your email or phone.
- Checks on accounts that show photos of you. If the account has no photos of you, a selfie can't confirm it's yours, and Instagram may ask for other details or an ID instead.
- ID uploads in some situations. Instagram says it may ask for a copy of your ID to confirm that an account belongs to you, to confirm or edit your age, to process payments, or to help prevent abuse such as scams or phishing. In most cases you'll get at least two attempts to submit an ID.
What happens during the review
- You won't have access to the account until Instagram confirms it's you.
- If you pass, you may receive an email from Instagram at the secure email address you provided, with a link to reset your password.
- If you don't pass, Instagram emails you at that address, and you may be able to resubmit your selfie in the Instagram app.
- If you choose not to confirm your identity, you may not be able to log back in.
Because the result arrives by email, the secure address you enter matters: use one that only you can open, not a shared or temporary inbox.
What Instagram does with the video
According to Instagram's Help Center:
- The selfie is stored securely and isn't visible on your profile, to friends or to other people on Instagram.
- It's used to help confirm your identity, and may also be used to improve Instagram's systems for detecting fake selfies, to prevent abuse such as scams, phishing and fraud, and to comply with legal obligations.
- Instagram uses both manual review and automated systems, and may work with trusted service providers to check that a selfie is authentic.
- How long it's stored depends on what it's used for, and Instagram says it always tells you before you provide the selfie. As examples, Instagram mentions up to 180 days for selfies used to get authorised to run ads or for Meta Verified, and up to a year in some cases, such as ads about social issues, elections or politics, or when it detects potential fraud.
Practical tips before you record
These aren't Instagram rules, just habits that avoid the most common practical problems:
- Record on the phone you normally use with the account, on a network you've used before.
- Use even light from the front, and keep your whole face visible: no sunglasses, caps or masks.
- Follow the on-screen prompts slowly and turn your head as far as each prompt asks.
- Make sure your connection is stable so the upload finishes.
- Check that the secure email address is typed correctly before you submit.
Never let someone else do it
The check exists to prove that the real owner is asking for the account back. Nobody else can do it for you, and anyone who asks you to send them a video of your face "to submit to Meta" is running a scam. More on that: how to spot recovery scams.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I use my account while the video selfie is reviewed?
Instagram says that while it reviews your video selfie, you won't have access to the account until it confirms that it's you.
What happens if Instagram rejects my video selfie?
Instagram emails you at the secure email address you provided, and you may be able to resubmit your selfie in the Instagram app.
Is my video selfie shown on my profile?
No. According to Instagram, the selfie is stored securely and isn't visible on your profile, to friends or to other people on Instagram.
How long does Instagram keep my video selfie?
It depends on what the selfie is used for, and Instagram says it tells you before you provide it. Its examples include up to 180 days for ads authorisation or Meta Verified, and up to a year in some cases.
Video selfie keeps failing?
Tell us what the screen says and which contact details are still on the account. We'll tell you for free which route is realistic. We never ask for your password, codes or video.
Sources
- Why you might be asked to upload a video selfie to confirm your identity on Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- What happens to your selfie after you've sent it to Meta (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Why you're being asked to upload an ID to Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Lost access to email or phone number linked to Instagram account (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com