Instagram Business Account: How to Switch and What You Get

An Instagram business account is one of two kinds of professional account; the other is a creator account. You switch from your profile under More, then Account type and tools, then Switch to professional account. It takes a few taps, and you can switch back whenever you like.

Business gets you a Contact button, a category label, insights, ads and action buttons like Book now. The one real cost: a professional account can't be private.

Business or creator: pick by who you are

Instagram puts both under the name "professional account". Most features are the same for both, so pick the one that describes you.

If you run a shop, a cafe, a studio or a service, choose Business. If you are the brand (a musician, a writer, a coach who posts as themselves), Creator is the closer fit. You can change your mind later. The switch between the two types takes a few taps.

The category you pick during setup ("Musician", "Bakery", "Coach") is a separate choice. Instagram says the category does not decide whether you end up with a business or creator account.

Switch to a business account in the app

These are the current steps from Instagram's help center:

1. Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right.
2. Tap More to open Settings and activity.
3. Below For professionals, tap Account type and tools.
4. Select Switch to professional account.
5. Select the category that best describes what you do.
6. Tap Switch to professional account.
7. Choose Business (or Creator) and tap Next.
8. Add your business contact details and tap Next, or tap Don't use my contact info to skip.
9. To connect a Facebook Page, tap Login to Facebook, or tap Skip.

Connecting a Facebook Page is optional. It makes cross-posting easier and opens up connected tools such as ads and shopping. One catch: once a Page is linked, your Instagram posts can only be shared to Facebook through that Page, not to another Page or your personal Facebook profile.

On a computer, go to instagram.com, click More, then Settings. Below For professionals, select Account type and tools, click Switch to professional account, choose Business or Creator, click Next, pick a category, click Done, then confirm with Continue.

If your account was private, switching makes it public right away. Any follow requests still waiting are accepted automatically, so clear out the ones you don't want before you switch.

What a business account adds to your profile

Once you switch, the professional dashboard appears on your profile. Here is what Instagram lists for professional accounts:

• Insights. Who your followers are, when they're online, and how each post performed.
• Ads. Run ads from your account, plus Meta's tools for ads that run on both Instagram and Facebook.
• Contact button. It sits near the top of your profile and can offer directions, a phone number and an email address. Anyone who taps Contact can see what you add.
• Category label. A line under your profile picture, such as "Coffee shop". If a Facebook Page is linked, it matches the Page's category.
• A sorted inbox. Primary, General and Requests folders, with ranked requests.
• Follower cleanup. Tools to manage spam followers.
• Search engine visibility. Your posts and reels may show up in search engine results.

Business accounts can also add one action button: Book now, Reserve or Order food. You need an existing account with one of Instagram's partner providers. Which providers you get depends on your country, and only one button shows at a time.

To hide the category label or contact info later, go to your profile, tap Edit profile, then under Public business information open Profile display and switch each one on or off. Tap Done.

Shopping and selling need more than the switch

Switching to a business account is the first step toward selling on Instagram, but it doesn't make you eligible on its own. Under Instagram's commerce eligibility requirements, your professional account must follow Meta's policies, represent your real business and its website domain, be in a supported country, show it's trustworthy, and give accurate information. Shops on Instagram are covered by those rules.

For the full path from a business account to taking orders, see how to sell on Instagram.

The trade-offs before you switch

A business account is a good deal for most shops and creators, but go in knowing three things:

1. No private mode. Professional accounts can't be set to private. If you only want approved followers, stay personal or keep a separate personal account. You can have up to 10 accounts logged in at once.
2. A linked Facebook Page decides where posts can be shared. Posts can be shared to Facebook only through that Page.
3. Contact details are public. Whatever you put behind the Contact button, anyone can see it. Use a work email and a business phone number.

Switch back to personal, or between business and creator

The same menu handles both:

1. Go to your profile and tap More.
2. Tap Account type and tools, then Account type.
3. Tap Switch account type.
4. Choose the type you want (personal, creator or business) and tap Switch.

On instagram.com, click More, then Settings, then Business tools and controls (or Creator tools and controls), then Switch account type.

When you go back to personal, you lose ads, you may lose some tools, and any linked Facebook Page is disconnected. Insights disappear from the app, but Instagram keeps the data for 90 days. If you switch back to business or creator within that window, your past insights return.

Put a link on your new profile with Olaa

Next to your new Contact button, your bio link is where people go to find everything else, which makes it a good spot for a link in bio page. With Olaa you put olaa.im/yourname in that spot, and it opens a page with all your links, your Calendly bookings, music or video players, and a QR code for your counter or packaging. The free plan has one page with unlimited links and 7 days of analytics. Olaa Pro, $8 a month or $72 a year, adds products with photo and price from Stripe, Etsy, Shopify or Gumroad (checkout happens in your own shop, and Olaa takes no cut), email signups sent to Mailchimp, and a contact form. Setup takes a few minutes and needs no code.

While you're editing the profile, it's a good time to refresh your bio so it says what you sell and where to find it.

FAQ

How do I switch to a business account on Instagram?

Go to your profile, tap More, then under For professionals tap Account type and tools and Switch to professional account. Pick a category, choose Business, and tap Next. Contact details and a Facebook Page are optional steps you can skip.

What is the difference between a creator and a business account on Instagram?

Both are professional accounts with the same dashboard, insights, ads, Contact button and category label. Instagram recommends Business for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations and service providers, and Creator for public figures, artists, content producers and influencers. Action buttons such as Book now and Reserve are offered to business profiles.

Can a business account on Instagram be private?

No. Professional accounts, business or creator, can't be set to private. If your account is private when you switch, it becomes public and all pending follow requests are accepted.

Will I lose my insights if I switch back to a personal account?

You lose access to them in the app, but Instagram keeps the data for 90 days. Switch back to a business or creator account within 90 days and your past insights come back.

Do I need a Facebook Page for an Instagram business account?

No, connecting a Page is an optional step you can skip. It makes ads and shopping tools easier to use. If you link one, posts can be shared to Facebook only through that Page.

Does my category change my account type?

No. The category, like "Artist" or "Bakery", is a label shown under your profile picture. Choosing Business or Creator is a separate step, and you can hide the label from Edit profile.