What Does Challenge Required Mean On Instagram – Fixed

Your Quick Answer:

To fix the “Challenge Required” issue, you have to protect your account from unknown logins or set up two-factor authentication.

To enable just open Instagram and click the Profile icon and Three horizontal lines and Settings and Security and “Two-Factor Authentication” and enable: Text message and then also go to and Additional Methods and enable: Login requests”. 

Because these errors mostly occur when Instagram detects some wrong log-in activity in a user’s accounts.

Hence, the best way to face this issue is to enable Two-Factor Authentication and also, change the password.

To change your password, open Instagram and click: The profile icon and Three horizontal lines and Settings and Security and Login and Password and enter the current password, and then set a new password.

challenge_required on Instagram

What is Challenge Required Error on Instagram:

“Challenge Required Error” occurs when you try logging in to your Instagram through a web server. 

By the way, this can happen due to several reasons, but in general, it happens because Instagram perceived you as the wrong person. 

As every online platform has a set of security protocols, this one is of Instagram to prevent its user’s account from getting exposed to harmful acts. 

In short, Challenge Required Error basically tries to check whether the real user is logging in to the account or not, which is not a bad step. 

Well, let us see, how to deal with and what to do when the ‘challenge_required’ error stops you from entering your own Instagram account when you try logging in through your PC system and laptop.

Why Does it Show the Challenge Required issue on Instagram:

There can be tons of technical as well as mechanical reasons why it shows: challenge_required. 

Here are the most reported reasons for this issue. Let us see:

1. Logged in to an Outdated App

Check whether you are trying to log in through the updated Instagram app or the old version of it. Because, since Instagram is a very popular social media and it launches advanced updates very frequently, and if you haven’t updated the app, you might face this problem. 

Hence, to resolve this “Challenge Required” issue, update your Instagram app with recent updates and log in. 

2. Tried Too Many Failed Logins

The second prominent reason can be you may have continuously entered the wrong login credentials. Because of this, the Instagram app is perceiving you as a bot and that’s why showing you the “Challenge Required error”. 

Now, don’t go for another login attempt and wait for a while. Close all the tabs and after some hours try logging in. 

Also, if you forgot your login id credentials, instead of again and again entering the incorrect passwords, better, go for “forgotten password” and reset the password.

3. Instagram Server Threat

Instagram Server Threat means Instagram has detected a server threat in their server because of which Instagram has imposed security checks on login for all users. 

In this case, you can do two things – first, do whatever Instagram is asking you to do to log in, like entering personal details and some security code, or second, wait for some time and then log in. 

Also, check, whether your computer system and laptop are in a safe, virus-free state. So that, it won’t trouble you again for the virus threat reason. 

4. Someone else Tried your Credentials

Instagram generally doesn’t impose such errors, unless and until it has detected some wrongdoings.

That means someone has tried logging in to your Instagram account, because of which Instagram has imposed safety measures for login. 

Well, for this, you can do only one thing, that is, enter the asked details and secret info, and you will be able to log in to your Instagram account.

What to Do for the Instagram challenge_required Error:

Challenge Required error is usually sent by Instagram when it detects some wrong logging inactivity.

Hence, in order to protect your Instagram account from this error and also from unknown users, you must do the following:

1. Set Two-factor Authentication:

Two-Factor Authentication in simple meaning is a two steps security check, where to log in to your account, after the password, the genuine user has to again enter a sent verification code. 

Steps to enable two-factor authentication in Instagram:

Step 1: Open Instagram

First, open Instagram, preferably on your phone, and log in to your account.

Next, click on the “Profile Icon” on the right bottom corner of the home page screen. 

You will reach your ‘profile page’ and on the top right corner of the page, you will find “three horizontal lines” click and select “Settings”. 

Then, from the setting option lists select “Security”. Open the “Security” section and there you will see the “Two-Factor Authentication” option. 

Click and open it. 

Open Instagram and open Two factor Authentication

Step 2: Turn On Two-factor Authentication

Now, enable the Two-Factor Authentication.

In the Two-Factor Authentication section, go to the “Text message” and switch on the “text message toggle” click on the second option on the same page, that is “Change phone number” and check whether the phone number registered number is the correct one or not, if not, add the new phone number, because, on that same phone number you are going to get the “verification code” at the time of login into the new system. 

Now, come back to the Two-Factor Authentication page and go to “Additional Methods” and enable the “Login requests”. 

That’s it. 

Turn On Two-factor Authentication

2. Change your Instagram Password

Change your account passwords, if you are facing the same “Challenge Required” error. To change the password, follow the steps:

Step 1: Open an “Instagram” account.

Step 2: Click on the “Profile Icon” on the right bottom corner of the home page screen.

Instagram Profile Icon

Step 3: You will reach your ‘profile page’ in the top right corner of the page.

Step 4: You will find “three horizontal lines”, click and then, select “Settings”. 

Instagram Settings

Step 5: Now, from the setting option lists select “Security” and from the list, click on “Password”.

Instagram Security

Step 6: Enter the current password and then add the new password. 

Step 7: Also, if you do not know the current password, click on “Forgot your password?”, and do the necessary. Reset the password and then come back and set the new password.

Forgot your password

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