How to Switch Instagram to a Creator or Business Account (2026)
Updated July 3, 2026 · 4 min read
To switch your Instagram account to a Creator or Business profile, open the Instagram app, go to your profile, tap the menu in the top right to open Settings and activity, then tap Account type and tools below For professionals, and select Switch to professional account. Pick a category, tap Switch to professional account again, then choose Creator or Business.
The switch is free, takes about two minutes, and you can change back at any time. Instagram calls both options a professional account. Creator fits influencers, artists, and personal brands, while Business fits shops, services, and companies. Either type unlocks insights, contact options, and publishing through tools like Velocity, which posts to professional Instagram accounts through Meta's official API.
What a professional account on Instagram is
A professional account is Instagram's umbrella term for Creator and Business accounts. Meta built it so that creators and companies get the same core toolkit: audience insights, a category label on the profile, optional contact buttons, and access to the Instagram API that scheduling and publishing tools rely on.
Personal profiles do not get insights and cannot be connected to third-party publishing tools. Since October 2024, Meta's API no longer supports personal Instagram profiles in social media tools at all, so a Creator or Business account is the entry requirement for connecting Instagram anywhere outside the app itself.
Switch to a professional account in the Instagram app
Here is the exact path in the Instagram app as of July 2026:
- 1
Open Instagram and tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- 2
Tap the menu icon in the top right to open Settings and activity.
- 3
Scroll to the For professionals section and tap Account type and tools.
- 4
Tap Switch to professional account.
- 5
Select the category that best describes you, for example Digital creator or Product/service. The category does not decide between Creator and Business, it only labels your profile.
- 6
Tap Switch to professional account to confirm.
- 7
Choose Creator or Business, then tap Next.
- 8
Add contact details or tap Don't use my contact info, and skip the optional Facebook login if you want to link a Page later.
On a desktop browser the same setting lives at instagram.com under More, then Settings, then Account type and tools below For professionals.
Creator or Business: which account type to pick
Both account types work with Velocity and other publishing tools, and both can be linked to a Facebook Page. The choice mostly affects how Instagram labels your profile and which tools it surfaces first.
| Creator account | Business account | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Public figures, content producers, artists, and influencers | Retailers, local businesses, brands, and service providers |
| Profile label | Creator category, for example Digital creator | Business category, for example Restaurant |
| Insights | Yes | Yes |
| Works with Velocity | Yes | Yes |
What changes after you switch
Insights appear on your profile, with reach, follower, and content data.
Your profile shows a category label, and you can add contact buttons.
Your account becomes eligible for third-party publishing tools that use Meta's API.
Professional accounts are public. If your profile was private, Instagram makes it public and accepts any pending follow requests.
Your followers, posts, and username stay exactly as they were. Instagram does not notify anyone that you switched.
Before you connect Instagram to Velocity
Switching to a Creator or Business account is the first of three checks in Velocity's connection flow. The other two involve Facebook, because Meta's API links every professional Instagram account to a Facebook Page:
- 1
Convert your profile to a Creator or Business account in the Instagram app (this guide).
- 2
Make sure you are an Admin on your Facebook Page. Our guide on how to check admin access on a Facebook Page covers this.
- 3
Attach your Facebook Page to your Instagram account. Our guide on how to connect a Facebook Page to Instagram walks through it.
Frequently asked questions
Is switching to a Creator or Business account free?
Yes. Switching between personal, Creator, and Business accounts is free, and Instagram lets you switch as often as you like.
Can I switch my Instagram back to a personal account?
Yes. Go to Settings and activity, then Account type and tools, then Account type, and switch. You lose ads tools, and any connected Facebook Page is disconnected.
Do I need a Facebook Page to switch to a professional account?
No. You can switch without one. You do need a linked Facebook Page later to connect Instagram to publishing tools, which is a Meta API requirement.
Will my followers know I switched to a professional account?
No. Instagram sends no notification. The visible changes are the category label and any contact buttons you add to your profile.
Can a professional Instagram account be private?
No. Creator and Business accounts are public. Instagram converts a private profile to public when you switch, and pending follow requests are accepted.
What is the difference between a Creator and a Business account?
Creator accounts target public figures, artists, and influencers. Business accounts target retailers, brands, and service providers. Both include insights, contact options, and API access for tools like Velocity.
Ready to connect your accounts?
Velocity is a next-generation social media assistant that plans, drafts, schedules, and publishes across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X. Once your Instagram and Facebook Page are linked, connecting them takes one login.
Connect your accounts to Velocity