Hate speech, bullying and abuse, mass unfollowing/ following, posting too frequently, and buying likes and followers can get you banned from Instagram. The platform’s brimming with over two billion active users, many of whom engage in notorious activities that raise a red flag and lead their account towards suspension. However, people often find themselves shunned from their accounts for no good reason. So, if you just got your account suspended by Instagram, relax. You’re not alone!
With so many creators and businesses earning their bread and butter through Instagram, facing an account suspension can be stressful. You lose the authority, followers, and audience built over the years because you might’ve unintentionally not followed Instagram’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Use. If you wind up in such a situation, don’t panic, as we’ve detailed some steps to help you regain access.
Why has Instagram suspended my account?
Instagram has a comprehensive set of guidelines ensuring safety for all users. So, when your account is disabled, you’ll get a pop-up like ‘You’re temporarily blocked’ or ‘We suspended your account on (date)’. You also won’t be able to perform basic actions like uploading or liking a photo, commenting, and following other people. Here are some of the reasons why your Instagram account is facing suspension:
- Mass following or unfollowing: Adding or removing a fleet of users in a short span can land you in trouble as this makes you look like an Instagram bot.
- Commenting/ liking posts too fast: Again, Instagram might suspect unusual activity from your account if you incessantly keep liking or commenting on posts.
- Using third-party applications: These apps improve the reach and visibility of your account by automatically commenting on people’s photos to get more followers. However, Instagram’s algorithm is smart enough to detect these steps that make you look like a bot, further leading to the suspension.
- Logins from multiple devices: If you try to access your Instagram account from many different devices or IP addresses, the platform will temporarily deactivate or suspend your account thinking you’ve been the target of a hack.
- Violent or offensive language: Now this is a big red flag. If you’re insensitive or not cautious enough to maintain decorum on the platform, you’ll be out for good. Similarly, sharing any fraudulent or misleading content will likely have your account reported and suspended.
In most cases, Instagram account suspension lasts for 24-48 hours, depending on the actions that led to the ban. Now that we’ve familiarised you with the reasons that Instagram might have logged you out, let’s take you through some ways to get your account reinstated.
Ways to recover your suspended Instagram account
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Ask for a review by the Instagram team
If you try to gain access to your suspended account, you’ll get a notification stating that the access has been denied. Click on the ‘Learn More’ or ‘Tell Us’ option to report that your account is suspended. You can appeal for the suspension by visiting the ‘Help Centre‘. Provide your username and other additional details in the form provided by the team. If you haven’t purposefully violated any major guidelines, Instagram will help you get back in time.
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Limit your activities for a couple of days
This is definitely going to be hard, especially if you’re operating your business through the platform or are a creator earning your bucks via Instagram posts. If Instagram limits your ability to post but you can still see the platform, refrain from doing anything.
As a precautionary measure, stop liking, commenting, or indulging in the cycle of following/ unfollowing that might have jeopardised your account in the first place. Don’t worry, you can still continue to scroll the feed. After two-three days, you can resume your usual activities, but avoid anything that will make you look like a bot again. Take it slow for a few weeks after receiving your account back.
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Lookout for Instagram’s official statement
We’ve resolved this bug now – it was causing people in different parts of the world to have issues accessing their accounts and caused a temporary change for some in number of followers. Sorry! 😵💫https://t.co/Q1FBOEI97D
— Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms) October 31, 2022
Chances are that your account was wrongly suspended or banned because of some error on Instagram’s end. The platform usually shares an update when multiple users across the globe are having issues accessing their Instagram accounts. If they need users to take some corrective steps, follow that. Otherwise, Instagram’s team will handle the issue and aid in account restoration.
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Share your issue on other social media platforms
anyone else facing this issue on Instagram? or is my account really suspended? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/FI33sM2MOD
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) October 31, 2022
Thanks to the massive power of social media, now all your issues are a single post away from resolution. Share the problem on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn or TikTok and see it garner major traction. The Instagram team will likely take note of the issue and get back to you.
We hope these tips help you reinstate your suspended Instagram account.
(Hero and featured image credit: Solen Feyissa/Unsplash)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How can I get my Instagram back after facing suspension?
– If you think your Instagram account was suspended by mistake, you can visit the ‘Help Centre’ and ask for the issue to be reviewed.
- Does Instagram give back suspended accounts?
– Yes. Instagram will most likely restore your account after reviewing your request and confirming you haven’t violated their guidelines.
- How long will Instagram suspend me?
– In most cases, Instagram account suspension lasts for 24-48 hours, depending on the actions that led to the ban.
Kriti Nayyar
Senior Digital Writer, Wellness, Culture, Astrology, Tech
Kriti is a stay-at-home dog mama, whose knack for telling interesting stories keeps her erstwhile monotonous life sane. A literature & journalism degree holder, you'll find her binging on Agatha Christie novels while critiquing the everyday state of affairs. On Kriti's seldom social outings, she's seen devouring coffee sangria with appetizing bread on the side.
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