This new method would ensure that you could recover your account even if an intruder has changed the user name and contact data. To that end, Instagram is offering a safeguard that ensures a user name can't be claimed for a "period of time" after account changes, whether it's a hack or a voluntary change.

It's not certain when the in-app recovery will be widely available, although the user name lockdown is available to all Android users now and deploying to iOS users. However, the goal of the new recovery process is clear -- Instagram is hoping that you can eventually recover an account entirely within the app, rather than leaning on the security team.

The timing could be vital. Instagram account security has been a sore point as of late with word of exposed passwords and growing intrusion attempts. This won't prevent account hijacks, but it could discourage perpetrators hoping to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the current recovery approach.