Instagram has become a popular social media platform over the past decade, allowing users to share photos and videos with their friends and family, but it also has its pitfalls. For this reason, the service offers a number of tools that allow you to control how you interact with others to ensure you have a positive experience. So if you have unknowingly hurt someone and are now wondering ‘how to know if someone blocked you on Instagram,’ read on because below, we may have the answer you are looking for.
Why Do People Block You on Instagram?
If someone has blocked you on Instagram, it means that they have revoked your access to their account. There are several reasons why someone might block you from seeing their profile or posts:
It could be that they are offended by something you posted, or they just do not like your content. If they think you are harassing them or spamming their feed or messages. If you post their photo or tag them without their permission If they are too embarrassed to confront you about something It has nothing to do with you; they are just trying to protect their privacy
In any case, do not jump to conclusions. Retrace your steps and consider why this might have happened. It may not be as bad as you make it out to be.
What Exactly Happens if You Are Blocked On Instagram?
With the April 2021 update, Instagram gave its users more control, allowing them to block people and preemptively block new accounts they create. This came after the company noticed that users were experiencing abuse in their inboxes.
Remember, you will not be notified if someone decides to block you on Instagram. So what happens if you are blocked?
Likes and comments: Your likes and comments on their photos and videos will be removed. Your activity on the profile will not be restored even if the person decides to unblock you. Tags and Mentions: Until you know the person’s new username, you cannot mention or tag them. Messages: You can not send them direct messages or join their Instagram Live sessions or rooms. Even if they unlock you later, any messages you sent will be lost. However, if you are both members of a shared group, you can still see each other’s messages.
While it is not easy to find out if another user has blocked you, there are certain remedies you can try. Let us take a look at some of the signs that someone has blocked you on Instagram. Related Read: How to Hide Instagram Profile
How to Know if Someone Blocked You on Instagram – 7 Ways
1. Search for Their Instagram Username From Your Account
As with Facebook, the same is true on Instagram: If someone blocks you, their account won’t appear in your search results.
If you know the exact Instagram username, you can find out if they have blocked you by searching for their account in the search bar of your Instagram app. If they have blocked you, you may see something like “Searching for [username]” or just a black page on their profile page.
2. Search for Their Instagram Profile From An Alternate Account
If you can’t find them using your own account and want to make sure their old username is still active, use a different account. Instagram allows you to have two accounts if you have a business profile: one personal and one business. If you have a business account, you can switch to a personal account and vice versa. Now, try searching for their old username using your alternative Instagram account or a friend’s; if you find the profile, it means you have been blocked. Another possibility is that they have soft-blocked you (to get you to stop following them) and changed their username.
3. Search for Their Profile Link Using a Browser
Unlike the app, the Instagram desktop website displays a clear error message when you search for a profile that has blocked you. If you are using a browser, you can pull up the user’s name from the search bar or the link to their profile, which looks something like this: https://www.instagram.com/[username]. If you search for their username in your Instagram feed in a browser and get an error message like “Sorry, this page isn’t available,” it’s likely that the person has blocked you.
4. Go Through Your Followers and Following List
When you block someone, they are automatically removed from your contact list. So, if you have been following each other on Instagram, you can also quickly check if you are blocked by looking through the followers and followers list on your profile page. If you are picky about who you follow and know how many connections you have, you can easily find their profile page by scrolling through. If you cannot find them there, they have probably blocked you.
5. Look Up Your Comments and Posts
If you have been following each other for a while, you have probably interacted more than once on each other’s profiles. Just go through your previous posts and comments to confirm your doubts. Check your Instagram profile page if you remember them commenting on one of your recent posts. You can still see their previous comments, but when you go to their profile, it should be empty and display the error message “No posts yet” in case they blocked you. Alternatively, you can go through one of the photos where you were both tagged. If the person has blocked you, you’ll see their username in the Instagram photo or Story tag, but you will not be able to click on it.
6. Go Through Your Shared Message Threads and Rooms
You can also do a quick check by going through your Instagram messages. Go to your message threads by clicking the airplane icon in the upper right corner of the Instagram app. Please scroll down to find your recent message thread with them. Under the person’s name, you’ll see something like, “You don’t follow each other on Instagram.” Click on the person’s name to go to their profile page and try following them again. If you cannot follow them, it probably means that they have blocked you. Do you have Facebook linked to your Instagram? If so, you can also find out by watching the activity in their Instagram Live Rooms. In the message area, click on the “Room” tab and invite the person to a Live Room. If the person has blocked you, you will not be able to join any future Live Rooms they create. Related Read: What Happens When You Restrict Someone on Facebook
7. Track Who Has Blocked You Using Third-party Apps
Another option is to use third-party apps that detect Instagram blockers, like Unfollowers for Instagram (iPhone) or Followers & Unfollowers for IG (Android), to make your job easier. These apps can track a variety of metrics, including profile views, unfollows, and so on. They will let you know immediately who has blocked you. If you receive an “Unfollow” alert but are unable to see a person’s full profile, it’s because that person has blocked you.
Ask Them Why They Blocked You
These tips are helpful for your peace of mind, but if you have lost a close friend, you should probably ask them politely why they blocked you. If you have been blocked on Instagram, do not take it personally. Find out what caused them to behave this way. If all goes well, you can continue to stay friends.
Further Reading:
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