Instagram breaks silence on mysterious password reset emails

Instagram users around the world have been flooded with unexpected password reset emails, sparking confusion and concern as messages appeared to come from the social media platform.

Reports began emerging earlier this week, with users sharing screenshots of emails that closely mimic Instagram’s branding, layout and tone – making it difficult to distinguish whether they were legitimate or not.

"We got a request to reset your Instagram password," the email reads, featuring a prominent blue button prompting recipients to ‘reset password’.

“If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn't request a password reset, let us know," the message continues.

As the emails circulated, baffled users took to X/Twitter to share their experiences. One wrote: "I don’t know if this is happening to anyone else. But this is the second time in two days I got an email saying someone is requesting a password reset on my personal Instagram!!!"

Another wrote: "Is anyone else getting a ludicrous amount of fake Instagram password reset emails. I’m at like 3-5 a day now."

Meanwhile, a third shared: "Uh….. Instagram???? I got this email like 3 times this week wtf??!! I didn’t request a password reset."

On Sunday (11 January), Instagram finally addressed the issue, confirming it had "fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people".

The company stressed there was "no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure".

"You can ignore those emails — sorry for any confusion," Instagram said.

Despite the reassurance, questions remain for many – particularly around how and why an external party was able to trigger password reset requests in the first place.

Instagram has been approached for comment.

To better protect accounts, it is advised to enable two-factor authentication, which requires a verification code to be sent to a trusted device when logging in from an unfamiliar one.

Users can also make use of Instagram’s account recovery process if they believe their account has been compromised, with further details available here.

You should also read...

• No, your Instagram isn't broken – welcome to the 'like recession'
• Gen Z is the most guarded generation yet - this is why they're so scared of sharing online

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.