The simplest way to gain followers on Instagram is to follow other people, especially celebrities and other accounts with huge followers. This is the one reason behind people start following multiple accounts at the same time, to promote their profile and gain some likes and comments. Many times, we face specific problems while following several people on Instagram at one go. Mostly, our actions get blocked, and as a result, we become unable to follow any more people on Instagram, for the following 24 hours or more. You might think that your account has been hacked, but, on the contrary, Instagram blocks your activity, and hence, you stay blocked from following others.
How to determine if you are blocked?
To understand if you are blocked from Instagram, you would have to follow people consistently, and if you are unable to support any, it naturally means you are blocked. A notification bar also appears on the screen, stating that your actions are temporarily blocked, and you might not be able to access the account for a few days. Once you notice the notification, be assured that you won’t be able to follow anyone for at least one day. The duration of the block can also remain intact for several days.
Why does Instagram restrict you from following people?
The reasons behind Instagram restricting you from following people are as follows:
- The app needs an update: Nowadays, most of the apps notify you with update requests, and if you ignore them, after a while, your app will stop working. To access the app properly, you need to update your app regularly, and you would be able to follow people, again.
- A problem in the App: Sometimes, you might face some glitch in the app, which leads to your inaccessibility. If you face app-related issues, you might want to keep the app off for a while, until Instagram resolves the glitch.
- Followed Several People: Instagram has set a limit to every activity you do on the app. If you cross the boundary, Instagram would inevitably block you for a temporary duration. The limit of following people is set at approximately 150 people at one time, and if you have exceeded the limit, you would be restricted for a few days until you can start following people once more.
- Instagram might think your action as spam: Once you start following several people at the same time, Instagram might think your actions as spam, and hence, restrict you for a few hours. It’s better to not follow lots of people at a stretch; you can definitely take time and follow a limited number of people for that period. If you follow a calculative number, you won’t be restricted again.
- Unfollowed several people at one go: Instagram can even block your actions if you have unfollowed several people at the same time. The best way to prevent your profile from getting blocked is to follow or unfollow people at a definite quantity. If you go on to overdo the numbers, you won’t be able to follow people until you are unblocked again.
- Liked and Commented on many posts: If you are always liking and commenting on a massive number of posts, Instagram would think of your action as spam and restrict you from further action. You have to stop yourself from excessive commenting and liking on other peoples’ posts. If you don’t keep your activity at a check, Instagram is definitely going to do that for you.
What is the time duration of Instagram’s account blocking?
The duration of the block depends entirely on Instagram. Once you get blocked, there is nothing you can do to know for how long you would have to stay inactive on Instagram. Instagram can block you for a couple hours at the minimum, or even for several days. To not get blocked, you must follow the guidelines of Instagram properly.
How to unblock your account?
To answer in two words, you can’t. You might report the problem on Instagram, but it is highly unlikely that your report would get noticed. Once your account gets blocked, you can do absolutely nothing to make your account active again. The only thing you would have to do, at that time, is to wait until Instagram unblocks your account again. Until then, you can only view posts, like them, comment on them, re-post them, but you won’t be able to follow other people.
If it becomes crucial for you to access the account, you might try out a few steps to unblock your account, but there isn’t any surety even then. Few steps to follow, if you wish to unblock your account are as follows:
- You can link your Instagram account to other social media accounts you have. You might be able to use Instagram once more if your account is linked with other social media apps.
- If you are using Wi-Fi, you might try changing the connection to mobile data. Sometimes, changing your connectivity source might unblock your account, and give you access.
- You can always change your IP address. Once you change the IP address, your account might get unblocked, and hence, you can again start by following people. But, it would be better to not go on a following spree again.
Following several numbers of people at the same time might result in your account gaining more followers, but, in the end, your account gets temporarily blocked, which results in staying inactive for an indefinite time. It is better to go through the guidelines of Instagram thoroughly, and know the limitations of following or un-following people, to not get blocked. Instagram follows a strict rule when it comes to instructions, and most of the time, people breaking them end up getting blocked. Hence, it is better to follow people by staying in the limits if you don’t want to remain inactive for days. You can gain followers even if you are abiding by the guideline, and maintaining the number of people you follow, regularly.