Instagram Account Blocked: Why This Happens & How to Fix

Instagram is undoubtedly one of the most popular social media networks to date; with over 1 billion monthly active users, there’s plenty of opportunity to reach more people and increase your business and marketing efforts online. 

Instagram doesn’t make it easy, though. Instagram is very serious about maintaining the platform’s integrity and monitoring all different types of activities that users perform; if you’re reading this article, you may have just found out that your Instagram account is blocked. 

Because Instagram is so strict about what people do and share on their network, it’s not an uncommon phenomenon to have your account blocked. Even though it’s pretty common, it’s no doubt frustrating, confusing, and disheartening. 

If you’ve found that your Instagram account is blocked, don’t fret— we’ve put together this guide to help you understand what’s going on with your blocked Instagram account, what may have caused it, and how to make it right. 

Let’s go! 

Temporary Block Vs. Disabled 

First and foremost, we should identify the difference between a temporary Instagram block and a disabled account. If you are on the brink of having your account banned or disabled, Instagram will warn you first.

Your account goes through a couple different stages when there is activity that they disapprove of; your account can get flagged for performing different actions at rapid speeds, including liking, commenting, following, hashtagging, and more.

This is because the activity is not humanlike and it can appear as spam; Instagram is serious about combating spam on their network, and for that reason, they may temporarily block your account if they see these types of actions happening. 

It’s not only possible if you use a bot, though; even if you perpetuate a lot of actions yourself, Instagram may flag you as suspicious. It happened on my personal account; I guess there was just too much awesome content, I went on a liking spree, and I was blocked from liking any content on Instagram for a week. 

It was shocking! But, the platform was still totally available and I could still post content and comment, but I simply couldn’t like any photos. A temporary block on Instagram may stop you from taking certain actions, but you’ll likely still be able to use the platform in general and it is only for a short period. 

And even if your Instagram account is blocked, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to be banned or punished by Instagram. Just be mindful about your activity and don’t repeat the same thing to become a repeat offender. 

The amount of time you’ll be prohibited from taking certain actions is different when your Instagram account is blocked. It may be 24 hours, 48 hours, or even for a few days. Recently, I saw an Instagram user post about being blocked from DMs for a week. 

So, just pay attention to the notification that Instagram sends you and you’ll know when you can begin taking these actions again. If you try to perform the activity while blocked, Instagram will alert you with a popup that you can’t. 

That is the most common type of Instagram block; however, your account could be completely disabled. This typically happens for extreme spam, repeatedly being reported, violating terms of use, profanity, repeatedly getting your account blocked, among other things.

Your account can be disabled without warning in this case. If this happens, there are a few messages that could pop up: 

  • Your account has been disabled
  • We’re sorry, something went wrong
  • Username not found.

Let’s look more closely at why Instagram accounts might get blocked. 

4 Common Reasons Instagram Accounts Get Blocked 

Instagram Blocked

We’ve listed four of the most common reasons that Instagram accounts get blocked or disabled. Depending on the severity and frequency of the occurrence, your account will be held accountable accordingly. 

1. Using Bots to Get More Followers or Engagement 

One of the main goals of business-oriented Instagrammers is to get more Instagram followers. If someone is trying to do this on their own, it’s a long and tedious process that may end up taking away from the time you have to create content, work on captioning, or attending to hashtag strategy. 

For this reason, many people look to use Instagram automation or bot services to get more Instagram followers or engagements. When you use bots to boost engagements, interact with accounts, or increase your likes, comments, and followers, you’re likely to get your account reprimanded. 

Bots became very popular on Instagram a few years ago; practically everyone was using them and it began to negatively affect the user experience on Instagram, polluting the platform with spam and tons of bot use. 

It’s for this reason that Instagram has such strict policies against bot use; while you can still see them on the platform here and there, they are much more controlled and Instagram frequently does sweeps to remove bots and fake accounts. 

People are still desperate for more followers and engagement on Instagram, though, and so some continue to use the bot services for Instagram and end up being banned. If you want to avoid this risk, do not use Instagram bot or automation services. 

You’ll need to use organic techniques to increase your Instagram followers and engagement; what’s more, when you have real and engaged followers, you’re more likely to see business results like recommendations and conversions. 

How does Instagram decide whether or not you’re using a bot? 

Each account has engagement thresholds that they should abide by; these thresholds are not disclosed to the user, but they are there behind the scenes. If your account surpasses this threshold, Instagram will flag your account and you will be alerted if Instagram believes you are using a bot, which could then lead to your Instagram account getting blocked. 

So, how do you know if a service is legitimate to help you gain more Instagram followerS? 

Watch out for Follower Guarantees 

One dead giveaway that the service is not going to be within the Instagram terms of use is if the service promises you a set amount of Instagram followers. When you work organically to get more Instagram followers, there’s no way to promise a set amount. 

Here at Growthoid, our main priority is organic Instagram growth; for that reason, we implement a dedicated account manager to perpetuate human interactions— no bots or fake followers at all. This protects your account and has a higher chance of connecting you with followers that are within your target audience. 

If a service claims they can get you a set amount of followers per week or per month, they’re lying. They try to satisfy you by touting big numbers, but there’s no way they can deliver that, at least not with real followers. 


Real followers will follow you at their own pace and a company that provides reliable and trustworthy services cannot guarantee a certain number of IG followers, period. 

When you come across services that promote a set number of Instagram followers, don’t buy into this; it’s a surefire sign that you’re on your way to getting your account blocked. 

If you’ve engaged with a service like this or bought Instagram followers in bulk, this may be one of the reasons why your Instagram account is blocked. You should stop these behaviors immediately; if they continue, you could be permanently banned. 

In order to generate organic Instagram growth, work with an organic Instagram growth service like Growthoid for best results since we only interact with real users and your follower growth occurs naturally over time, as it should. 

Why Fake Followers Hurt Your Instagram Account 

Fake-Followers

It’s obvious that fake followers and bots can get your Instagram blocked or banned, but that’s really not the only reason you should be avoiding them. They definitely do more harm than good in terms of your Instagram account. 

You may see many companies out there claiming to sell “authentic” Instagram followers and that they’re completely real. These followers may not look as fake as some others, but at the end of the day, they’re not authentic. 

They won’t engage with your content, leading to low engagement rates; this can then turn into less credibility and even follower loss. What’s worse, you won’t even be able to accurately analyze your Instagram insights because it’s full of fake followers, which skew your data. 

If you can’t accurately assess your insights, you can’t continue to make good decisions for your content creation and you also won’t know how to discuss your performance with potential brand partners and sponsors. 

Finally, fake followers obviously won’t bring in any new sales or website traffic. If you’re serious about Instagram as a marketing tool, avoid buying fake followers or engaging in bot activity. It can cause your Instagram account to be blocked and damage everything you’ve worked for. 

2. Violating Instagram’s Rules or Guidelines 

The great thing about Instagram is that you have a lot of freedom to express yourself exactly how you want. Even still, Instagram has to have some rules in place so that the community is a safe and productive place for all. 

There are plenty of Instagram rules and guidelines that you need to follow when using the platform; this is so users have a good experience and feel safe. 

It’s likely that you’ve never scrolled through the IG community guidelines, but it’s about time you do! We won’t list every single guideline, but we’ll discuss some of the ones that are most commonly breached and what you should always keep in mind when posting. 

Instagram’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines 

Terms of use

There are many different community guidelines and rules that Instagram has set in place for the benefit of all of its users’ safety. The following three are ones that you want to keep in mind in order to avoid being banned, as Instagram takes them very seriously. 

Violent Content 

Your Instagram can be blocked or banned on Instagram for posting content that features violent subject matter or promotes violence or hate. YOu can never encourage violence on the platform and Instagram strictly fights against that. It is good, The only time it’s admissible is if you’re using it to challenge the violence or raise awareness. 

Instagram wants to focus on a platform that is supportive, positive, and inclusive; it thrives on diversity and wants everyone to feel that they can be a part of it. You are definitely a contender for being banned on Instagram if you are inciting violence, making threats or attacks on public safety, and the like. 

And although there is a lot of violence that goes on in the world around us, it’s really important that you refrain from posting videos or photos with a very graphic depiction of the violence; this kind of content is likely to get you blocked or banned and also shock your followers, most likely.  

You can post content that addresses violence in terms of condemning it, raising awareness about it, or educating people on it. You’re unlikely to be banned for doing these things unless you are disrespectful or get flagged by other Instagram users for inappropriate content. 

Sexual Content 

Another content type that is heavily monitored by Instagram is sexual content. It’s not okay to post inappropriate and overly sexual content. Instagram is available for those over 13 years of age, but one of IG’s main goals is to have a social media network that offers content appropriate for a majority of users on the account. 

Here are some more details about these community guidelines, but let’s outline what some of things Instagram considers to be too sexual.: 

  • Content that features partial nudity or nudity in general
  • Partially nude photos of children
  • Sexually suggestive photos  

In general, nudity is not allowed on Instagram, no matter what you’re using it for. You may be trying to create something artistic or creative, but keep in mind— Instagram will block your account if you post nudity since it’s never allowed. 

Copyrighted Content 

The last big reason why Instagram could ban your Instagram account if the platform identifies any issues or breaches in copyrighted content. While it’s okay to repost certain content shared on Instagram, you have to know how to do it the right way. 

If you want to avoid an Instagram account that is blocked, make sure you always give credit to the OP and feature them more if the shoot requires it. 

Remember, people want to see that you are genuine on Instagram, so snagging someone else’s content and not giving credit not only gets you in trouble with Instagram but also is a ding to your reputation and team spirit. 

To be extra careful, you can ask the owner of the picture for permission to post and let them know that you’ll be giving them credit. You don’t want to get your Instagram account banned for copyrighted content if you want to uphold a great reputation. 

Don’t forget to check out the full community guidelines so that you can be aware of what to do and what not to do to keep your Instagram account in good standing. If you remember that the community is about inclusion and content that is appropriate for mostly all ages, you shouldn’t find yourself in violation here. 

3. Logging in from Multiple IP addresses 

IP address

While this reason isn’t the most common reason for your Instagram being permanently blocked, it does happen. Instagram hasn’t officially announced whether or not they ban based on devices, IP addresses, and login locations, but it’s clear that it does have an impact. 

An IP address tells Instagram where you’re logging into Instagram and users are most commonly using the same IP address to log into Instagram each time. Your device has a particular IP address so when you use a different one, it’s notable. 

Instagram could potentially see this as suspicious activity and block your account. You won’t be able to log in from that IP address with the same username or password. You’ll be flagged and have to start again. If this is continually an issue, you may want to contact Instagram directly. 

4. User Flags or Complaints 

The last reason that your Instagram account gets banned is due to user complaints. Instagram takes these complaints seriously and if they do, in fact, find content that isn’t appropriate for people, you can get flagged, blocked, or banned completely. 

Instagram gets alerted every time a user says that your content isn’t inappropriate; if the user took the time to go and alert Instagram, you are likely to be identified as doing something wrong. In any case, you don’t want it to happen. 

Of course, you can’t control other users and how they view your content, but there are two main reasons why a user would flag an Instagram account: it’s spam, or it’s inappropriate. 

Spam content: if the user states that the content is spam, the account will automatically be blocked and neither user will be able to see the other’s content. Spam accounts typically post content excessively or perpetuate comments and behaviors that aren’t authentic. 

Inappropriate content: Inappropriate content flagging will require the user to tell Instagram more about why they consider the content to be inappropriate. Because there are many flags and Instagram receives a lot of them, what you write here will determine what will happen with the content. 

Simply because a user flags your content or account on Instagram doesn’t mean you’ll be immediately blocked; Instagram reviews each account and considers whether or not the content is, in fact, inappropriate. 

There is another reason why an account could be flagged, and this is when the user states that this profile is pretending to be someone else. 

This is especially common for influencers or even everyday people, and in order to combat this, they should use this flag to alert Instagram of unsavory activity or a potential identity theft. 

Your Instagram is Blocked: What Should You Do? 

Blocked

If your Instagram account is blocked, we understand your pain and we know it’s not an optimal situation. Especially if you have a business account, you’ve probably spent quite a bit of time and investment dollars growing your Instagram, engagement, content creation, and more. 

It can be very upsetting to be unable to perform certain actions that are vital to your success in terms of engagement or content creation. If it were to be completely disabled, that would be even more devastating. 

Nothing would be worse than closing out Instagram and the next time you enter the app seeing that everything you’ve worked for is gone. It does happen, and sometimes users are left scratching their heads, wondering, what!? I didn’t even do anything! 

If you shared your Instagram management with someone else and they deleted it, Instagram sadly won’t be able to do anything to recover it. You’ll be able to create a new account with the same email address, but it’s not a guarantee that you can use that old username again. 

Instagram isn’t perfect, though, and they do make mistakes, so there is an option to restore your Instagram account through appealing the decision. If you don’t see that notification, you may just be having issues with login. 

Typically you’ll receive an error message with a learn more option. Tap the learn more option to let Instagram know that your account was mistakenly disabled or blocked. 

On the next screen, you’ll see a question asking whether or not your account was a business or personal profile, and once you respond, you’ll proceed to fill out the form. 

If you have a business account, you’ll need to report your full name, your IG username, and email address. That’s just the beginning. 

After that’s done, you’ll be required to prove your relationship to the company or business. You can submit supporting documents like your license, contract, registration certificate, domain registration confirmation, etc. They want to confirm that the account really does belong to you. 

Submit that information by hitting Send, and then you’ll simply have to wait for an email response from Instagram. If you’re not banned on Instagram, you’ll likely get a response in about 48 hours. 

Instagram will either reinstate your account or not. They also won’t be giving you an explanation as to why it was banned in the first place, so don’t bother expecting them to, as that info isn’t disclosed to you. 

Final Thoughts: Blocked Instagram Account 

If your Instagram account is blocked, we hope that this article helps clear up some potential reasons for it and what you can do to A. fix it, and B. avoid it in the future. 

Instagram takes the integrity of their platform very seriously and they want to offer users an enjoyable experience with an authentic, safe community for all. If you follow the law and respect everyone on the app, you shouldn’t run into any issues. 

Also, don’t waste time with bot services for Instagram growth, use an organic growth service like Growthoid that doesn’t violate any terms of use. 

All in all, Instagram wants each and every one of its users to provide value to the community and make it a better place. That’s the true reason for Instagram taking action against accounts that don’t. Add value to the community and you should be good! 

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