What it means
Where you're logged in or Login Activity lists devices used to access an account. A login request is an alert associated with an attempted sign-in from a device Instagram does not recognize, when the relevant protections are enabled. The first helps you inspect current or recent access; the second asks for an approval or denial at that moment. Neither is a precise map of the person holding a device.
A real-world example
A traveler sees a login in a nearby city and a request from a new browser. The city may reflect a VPN or mobile carrier, but the device and time still need checking. Approving a request just to silence it can give access to an attacker.
What to do
Deny requests you did not initiate. Open the account settings directly, compare device and timing, sign out unexplained sessions, then change the password and review recovery details if compromise is plausible. Use two-factor authentication and retain backup codes away from the main phone.
The distinction that matters
An alert denied now does not erase an older session that already exists. Conversely, a session row can be a legitimate forgotten tablet even when its location looks wrong. Treat both as clues that need context, and inspect connected accounts and the recovery mailbox if an actual intrusion is suspected.
Meta login alerts and sessions Instagram Security Checkup
