Instagram makes it easier to bring back deleted posts. The company introduces a ‘recently removed’ feature in the app that allows you to review and restore content you have removed, including photos, videos, roles, IGTV videos and stories. Instagram places this feature as useful against hacks, especially when hackers gain control of an account and start deleting content. As of today, users must confirm by text or email that they are the owner of the account to permanently delete or restore the content.
Deleted items will stay in the folder for 30 days, and if left untouched, they will be automatically removed thereafter. Deleted stories, however, are the exception: they will only stay in the recently removed section for 24 hours before being permanently removed. To access the directory, navigate to Settings> Account> Recently Deleted.
Clearly, Instagram wants to give people the chance to retain their content before permanently deleting it. The app already provides an archive or a way to keep posts without being publicly available, and with this feature it allows people to keep their posts as an option, even if they initially want to delete them. Instagram benefits from having more content and therefore more data about users. The more it can encourage people to keep their jobs, the better it is for the service.
Correction 2/2, 12:22 ET: This story initially said that users need to confirm that they are the account holder to have access to the feature in general, but they really only need to do so to permanently delete or restore content. We have updated to reflect this change.