How to Know If Someone Blocked You on Instagram

Elsa Updated on Jan 14, 2025 Filed to: Blocker

When you are using Instagram, you suddenly find that your friends don't reply to messages and you can't see their profile anymore. Have you ever suspected that someone blocked you on Instagram? There's no message notifying you that you've been blocked. But you can still figure it out by looking at some clues. This guide will show you how to do that.

Method 1. Can't See Their Profile on Instagram

If you can only see "No Posts Yet" on the profile of a friend you contact regularly, you've probably been blocked. You refreshed the page and checked your network, and it worked well. But their posts still disappeared. In this case, they might block you.

Exception: They might deactivate or delete their account, but their posts will still be temporarily hidden. At that point, you can ask a mutual friend to check their profile. They might also set their accounts to private so that only their followers can see their posts. You can try to follow them, and you may see their profile after following them.

Method 2. Can't Message Them on Instagram

You may wonder why someone doesn't reply to you anymore. It can be an alert that you may be blocked. They won't receive your DMs because your messages will not be able to be delivered to them even if you are already having a discussion.

Exception: If they change their account to a private account, you have to follow them before contacting them. You may also be restricted by Instagram. Instagram has limits in place to stop messages that people may not want to get, like spam. If you send too many messages in a short time, your DM function might be disabled, so you can not send messages to others for some time.

Method 3. Can't Find Them in Your Friends Lists or Your Follower

Keep a keen eye on your following and followers list. If you suddenly notice that you can't find them in each list at the same time, it could be a red flag. It's a sign that they may block you.

Exception: Take it easy. Because they may change their user name or set their account private, they might deactivate or delete their account, resulting in similar results. So before making a final decision, ask your mutual friends or look for other clues.

Method 4. Can’t Find Their Username

If they don't show up in your Followers list, your next step must be to search for them on Instagram. If their name does not appear in the search results when you make sure the name you enter is correct, this may indicate that they have blocked you (or you've accidentally blocked them). You can also go to the Instagram website and log into your account. Then, enter the URL instagram.com/username to see whether their account exists. If the user is not shown in the search results, you might have been blocked.

Exception: Don't conclude quickly. Many reasons can cause it, such as the user changing their name or deleting their account. They may deactivate their account temporarily, which would hide their profile from search results. A private account can also not be shown on search results.

Method 5. Can't Find Their Previous Comments and Likes on Your Posts

Another way to check if someone might have blocked you is to check your posts. If you can't see their previous comments and likes on your Instagram posts, you might be blocked.

Exception: They may delete their comments or cancel their likes. Or they might only change their privacy settings to hide their activity so that only approved users can reach their comments and likes.

Method 6. Can't Tag Them in Any Comments or Posts

Instagram stories are a common way to share on social media, allowing you to post updates with your followers. It's common for people to mention their friends in a post on Instagram. Tag or mention someone in a post or comment by entering the username to see if a search result is shown. If not, it's a clue that they have blocked you.

Exception: There's a limitation on Instagram that you can tag up to 20 people in a post. Not being able to tag someone may be because you tag too many people at one time. Also, you can't tag them if they change their privacy settings or if they've deactivated their account.

Method 7. Can’t Join the Live Rooms

Another common issue you'll notice when someone blocks you is that you won't be able to join their Live Rooms. Even if the host never blocks you, you still cannot join the live room as long as any member of the live room has blocked you.

Exception: Instagram has its community guidelines, if you violate it, your account will be suspended. Thus, you won't be able to enter a Live Room. After reactivating your account, you can join Live Rooms successfully.

Method 8. Can’t Add Them to Group Chat

Group chat is a good place for people to share their ideas with each other together. If you suddenly find you can't add someone to the group chat, it may mean you are blocked.

Exception: Make sure they follow you. You can only invite those who you are following or have messaged before to groups. You also need to check your group settings. You can only invite up to 32 people to join your group chat. If you change your profile to a business (influencer/blogger), you'll be able to create a group of up to 250. If you are unable to invite someone, it may be because your group has reached its maximum number of members. Another reason is that the person you are trying to add may have privacy settings. It prevents you from adding them to group chats without their agreement.

Method 9. Check by Using Another Account

There's another way to check if someone blocked you on Instagram. Use another account to search them and see if it's visible. If you can find and view their profile from your new account but your current one can't, it's a direct indicator that you have been blocked.

Exception: If they changed their username or set privacy settings, you can't find them on Instagram, either.

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Extra Tips: Differences between Being Blocked and Restricted

Wouldn't you feel anxious when you suddenly find that you can't see someone in your followers? But you finally find out that you are not blocked, just restricted. Sometimes, being restricted is similar to being blocked. Do you feel confused when this happens? The following list will show you a comprehensive comparison between being restricted and blocked.

Aspect	Blocked	Unfriended
Profile Visibility	Can’t view their profile, posts, or stories.	Can view their profile, posts, or stories.
Messaging	Can’t send them messages.	Can send them messages, but they won’t receive notification.
Friend lists	Removed from Your Friend list.	Still in Your Friend Lists.
Find their name	Can’t find them via search.	Can find them via search
Comments and likes	Can’t like or comment on them.	Can like and comment, but your comments are only visible to them, not everyone.
Tagging	Can’t tag them.	Can tag them, and they will receive a notification that you tagged them.
Group chat	Can’t invite them to groups.	Can add them to groups, but they will receive a notification that you are in this group.
Join the Live Rooms	Can’t join the Live Rooms.	Can join the Live Rooms.

Related Article: How to Know If Someone Restricted You on Instagram?

What to Do If Someone Blocked You on Instagram

It's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean it's your fault. Maybe they don't want to talk for a while, or a misstep caused you to be blocked. Whatever the outcome, it's important to respect the other person's choice. There's no need to get too sad or frustrated. After all, Instagram is just a part of our social life, and it doesn't completely define our relationships. You need to realize it doesn't mean you will be isolated in other groups. You can try to make friends and learn some skills. These will help you rebuild your confidence. Move on and use this opportunity to focus on yourself. You will finally find it's nothing.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you already know different ways to know if someone on Instagram blocks you. But sometimes, you may make mistakes by being blocked and restricted. So it would be better to ask them directly. Sometimes, they might have done so by mistake or deactivated their account. So, figure it out according to these ways.

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Elsa

Elsa has worked on a number of iOS & Android solutions, she can always find her way around almost any application. She is an accomplished, skilled and versatile writer with more than 7 years of technical article writing experience.

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