Like all social media platforms, Instagram is susceptible to hacks. When these hacks happen, you can lose access to your account forever which can be concerning from a security point of view if you have private/personal information stored within your Instagram account.
Due to the fact that it is targeted, the developers behind Instagram are always looking at ways to counter any attempted hacks.
This means that if you try to log in to your account on a new device for the first time then you may encounter some issues when you attempt to login.
What does challenge required mean on Instagram – In a nutshell
One issue that arises results in you receiving a message that reads ‘challenge required’. In this article, we are going to explain what this error message means and look at a few ways to get around it.
When you receive this error message while trying to log into Instagram on a brand new device (or just one that you haven’t logged into Instagram on before), it means they have locked your account until you have verified that it is you attempting to log in.
The reason Instagram does this is because a new login on a previously unused device is a red flag when it comes to potential hacks. Therefore, Instagram is simply trying to protect you and your account by bringing up this error message.
The easiest way to get around this issue is to co-operate with Instagram and confirm that you are the account holder. To do this, follow these steps:
- Head to your email inbox, where an email from Instagram should be awaiting you.
- Click on the email and confirm that you were the person trying to log in to your account by entering in your account details via a link on the email.
- Once you’ve done this, head back to the device you were attempting to log in on and the challenge error message should no longer be there.
There may be instances where Instagram doesn’t send you an email in response to this error message.
If this happens then head to Instagram app on your primary device and there should be a notification there which you can click on to confirm that you were one attempting to log in.
Other ways to protect yourselves from hackers on Instagram
The Instagram challenge required error is intended to help keep your account secure and ensure others can’t access data that’s private.
Given the reason behind this challenge message is all to do with hackers and Instagram trying to protect you from them, we think it would be beneficial for you to know a few tips to help protect yourself from them while you’re using the platform.
Two factor authentication
Turning two-factor authentication on for Instagram is something that you should consider doing, as adding a verification code adds an extra layer of security to your Instagram app.
The way two-factor authentication works is that whenever you try to login to your account, you will receive a text message or email asking you to confirm the login.
Therefore, hackers will need more than just your Instagram login information to gain access to your account.
To turn on two-factor authentication on Instagram, please follow these steps:
- Log in to the Instagram account via the mobile phone app.
- Select your account icon on the bottom right-hand side of the home screen.
- Select the three-lined icon on the top right of your account profile and then click ‘settings’.
- Select ‘security’ and then ‘two-factor authentication’.
- Select ‘get started’ and then follow the on-screen instructions to set up two-factor authentication on your account.
Change your password frequently
If you aren’t interested in adding two-factor authentication then another way to make your account more secure is to simply change your password frequently.
You should make sure that each time you change your password that you are making it as hard to guess as possible by not using real words or common sequences.
You should also make it at least ten characters in length and use a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols.
To change your password on Instagram, please follow these steps:
- Log in to the Instagram account via the mobile phone app.
- Select your account icon on the bottom right-hand side of the home screen.
- Select the three-lined icon on the top right of your account profile and then click ‘settings’.
- Select ‘security’ and then ‘password’.
- From here, Instagram will send you an email to you with instructions on how to reset your passwords and their own personal requirements when it comes to setting a password on the platform.
Keep an eye on your login activity
Within the security section of your Instagram settings you will also be able to view your login activity.
This will display a list of devices and locations where you are currently logged in, and can show other users when you’re online on Instagram.
The more active logins you have, the more susceptible to a hack you are. Therefore, try and keep an eye on this page as often as possible and log out of any devices that you don’t use frequently.
Conclusion
To conclude, ‘challenge required’ is an Instagram error message you that you will receive if you are trying to log in to your account on a new device. If you have received this error message then follow the steps outlined in this article to get past the problem.
If the problem persists, then you will probably have to get in touch with Instagram Support.
