Action
How to give temporary or contractor access to Instagram
Give a contractor access without sharing a password, then remove it when the work ends.
Is this your situation?
You need a contractor or temporary worker to manage your Instagram account for a limited time. You want a way to give and later remove that access without changing who owns the account.
The short answer
Use shared access to invite the contractor so they act on the account without your password. Shared access may be revoked by the owner once the work is finished.
Before you start
- Confirm shared access is available Shared access is only available to eligible Instagram accounts.Verify: Check that the account is not a teen account.
- Decide who can invite you You can choose who can invite you to share an account.Verify: Check your settings for who can send invites.
- Plan to review activity You can see and download any activity taken by someone you've shared access with.Verify: Check the activity log after the contractor starts work.
How Instagram handles this
- Shared access allows people to invite trusted people to access their Instagram account.
- The person is acting on the account with the owner's consent, but not as the owner.
- When someone takes action on a shared account, they appear as the account owner to other people.
- Shared access may be revoked by the owner of the shared account.
Step by step
- Send the invite After being invited to an account, the contractor receives a notification on the Instagram app.Confirm: Check for the notification naming the account.
- Contractor taps the notification To accept or decline, the contractor taps the notification.Confirm: Check that the invite details appear.
- Contractor accepts To accept the invitation, the contractor taps Accept.Confirm: Check the notification for confirmation of acceptance.
- Watch the expiry window The invitation expires after 7 days if not acted on.Confirm: Check whether the invite still appears before 7 days pass.
- Contractor switches to the account Once accepted, the contractor can switch between their profile and the shared account.Confirm: Check that the shared account appears in the switcher.
- Contractor works on the account The contractor can post, boost posts, or make comments on the shared account.Confirm: Check the activity reflects their actions.
- End access: contractor leaves To leave the shared account, the contractor scrolls to the bottom, taps Leave [account name], then taps Leave again.Confirm: Check the account no longer appears in the contractor's switcher.If this fails: You can block the contractor instead if they still appear with access.
- Or end access yourself Shared access may be revoked by the owner of the shared account.Confirm: Check that the contractor no longer appears with access.
Common mistakes
- Letting the invite expire A shared access invitation expires after 7 days.Why it happens: The contractor does not act on the notification in time.
- Assuming blocking is reversible access removal If you block someone you've shared access with, that person automatically loses access.Why it happens: The owner blocks the contractor to end a relationship.
- Expecting content access A person with shared access does not have access to the content itself, such as pictures, videos or reels.Why it happens: The contractor expects to see saved media as the owner does.
- Not reviewing access after the contract ends You want to see who still holds shared access on the account.Why it happens: The owner forgets to remove access once the work finishes.Already happened: If you still see a former employee still has access.
Roles at a glance
| Role | Acts as owner? | Sees saved content? | Access ends when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor with shared access | Acts with the owner's consent, but not as the owner. | Does not have access to the content itself, such as pictures, videos or reels. | Leaves the shared account. |
| Account owner | Appears as the account owner to other people when acting. | Can see and download any activity taken by someone they've shared access with. | Not applicable. |
| Contractor | No | Can see and download any activity they've taken on the shared account. | Can leave the shared account at any time from Settings. |
| Account owner | Can revoke shared access. | Can access and download a copy of their account activity, including shared access activity. | Blocking the contractor ends their access automatically. |
| Contractor | Should not act without the owner's consent. | Does not have access to the content itself, such as pictures, videos or reels. | Blocking the account owner ends their own access automatically. |
Keeping track of who has access
Once temporary access is granted and later removed, you need a record of who held it and when. Delvia helps you track that access across contractors and time.
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