Data breach — January 2026
In January 2026, data allegedly scraped via an Instagram API was posted to a popular hacking forum. The dataset contained 17M rows of public Instagram information, including usernames, display names, account IDs, and in some cases, geolocation data. Of these records, 6.2M included an associated email address, and some also contained a phone number. The scraped data appears to be unrelated to password reset requests initiated on the platform, despite coinciding in timeframe. There is no evidence that passwords or other sensitive data were compromised.
search Check if you were affected — freeData exposed in this breach
What happened in the Instagram data breach?
In January 2026, data allegedly scraped via an Instagram API was posted to a popular hacking forum. The dataset contained 17M rows of public Instagram information, including usernames, display names, account IDs, and in some cases, geolocation data. Of these records, 6.2M included an associated email address, and some also contained a phone number. The scraped data appears to be unrelated to password reset requests initiated on the platform, despite coinciding in timeframe. There is no evidence that passwords or other sensitive data were compromised.
The exposed data included 5 types of personal information. Learn more about what a data breach means for you.
Quick answer — was Instagram hacked?
Yes. Instagram was breached in January 2026. The breach exposed 6,215,150 records including display names, email addresses, geographic locations. This breach has been independently verified. If your email was involved, your data may still be at risk today. Check if you were affected.
Why was the Instagram breach so dangerous?
The Instagram breach exposed 6,215,150 records — that is 6.2M people whose personal data is now circulating on the dark web. The combination of display names, email addresses, geographic locations makes this a medium-risk breach that should be addressed promptly.
Don't wait to find out — check if your email was exposed in this breach now.
What data was stolen in the Instagram breach?
Display names — used to build profiles and target you with personalised scams
Email addresses — used for phishing attacks and credential stuffing against your other accounts
Geographic locations — may be combined with other breach data to build a profile for targeted attacks
Phone numbers — enables SIM swapping attacks and targeted SMS phishing scams
Usernames — used to build profiles and target you with personalised scams
Is the Instagram breach still dangerous in 2026?
Yes. Stolen data from the Instagram breach remains dangerous years after the incident. Research shows that over 65% of stolen credentials from older breaches have never been changed by the account holders. Attackers routinely compile data from multiple breaches to build complete profiles, and credentials from 2026 are still actively used in credential stuffing attacks today.
Personal information like email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth never expire. Even if you changed your Instagram password, the other exposed data can be combined with information from other breaches to target you. Learn more about how long stolen data stays dangerous.
Frequently asked about the Instagram breach
Approximately 6,215,150 user records were exposed in the Instagram breach in January 2026.
Yes. Leaked credentials are actively used in credential stuffing attacks years after a breach. If you reused your Instagram password elsewhere and haven't changed it, those accounts remain at risk today.
Enter your email in the free checker on EmailLeaked. We scan 12 billion+ breach records including the full Instagram dataset and tell you instantly whether your email was exposed and what data was taken.
Change your Instagram password immediately, change any other account where you used the same password, enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts, and monitor for phishing emails over the next 90 days.
Who was affected by the Instagram breach?
The Instagram data breach affected approximately 6,215,150 users who had accounts with the service. While not the largest breach on record, it still represents a significant number of compromised accounts in our database of 970+ known breaches.
If you ever created an account with Instagram or used their services, your data may have been included in this breach. Check your email now to find out. You can also read our guide on what to do immediately after a data breach.
If your email was in the Instagram breach
Change your Instagram password immediately
Go to Instagram and change your password right now. Use a strong, unique password that you have never used anywhere else.
Change any account sharing that password
If you used the same password on other sites, change it on every one of them. Attackers test stolen credentials on hundreds of popular sites within hours.
Enable two-factor authentication
Turn on 2FA on Instagram and every important account. Even if your password is known, attackers cannot get in without the second factor.
Check your other accounts for this breach
Run a full email check to see every breach your email appears in — not just this one.
searchCheck all my breaches — freeOther major breaches
Was my email hacked?
Check if your email is compromised in seconds. Free, private, no signup. Scan 12 billion+ records across 970+ known breaches.
search Check my email now — it's freeNo signup required · Results in under 5 seconds · Your data is never stored