First and foremost, social media should be safe.
Unfortunately, not everyone online has the best intentions – for this reason, social media applications use security and privacy measures to protect you from other accounts. With these settings, you control who interacts with your account by liking posts, leaving comments, and sending messages. They also safeguard you from content you don’t want to see.
Whether you’re receiving unkind DMs or want to remove your ex from your feed, the block feature on Instagram is your friend. Hitting “Block” means a user won’t be able to find your profile. The action also removes them from your follower and following lists. Don’t be shy about using this feature – you deserve to feel comfortable on the app.
Sometimes, things change, and you want to unblock someone scrubbed from your feed. Don’t fret: we can help.
Add another tool to your social media safety belt and learn how to block and unblock someone on Instagram.
How do you block someone on Instagram?
There are several ways to lessen your interactions with another user on Instagram. You can mute messages and posts if you want to hang on to that follow but avoid their content. To prevent strangers from viewing your profile, you can make your account private to followers.
But if someone is making your experience on the app unpleasant, it may be time to block them. Once blocked, the user’s previous likes and comments will no longer appear on your posts, and the person won’t be able to message you. Instagram will also prevent the blocked user from finding your account in a search. However, blocked Instagrammers can still see your likes and comments on public accounts and accounts you follow.
Mobile (iOS and Android)
How to block a user from their profile:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Click on the search icon (shaped like a magnifying glass) at the bottom of the screen.
- Type the name or handle of the user you wish to block into the search bar, then select their account to open their profile.
- Tap the three dots in the upper-right-hand corner of the user’s profile page.
- From the pop-up menu, click “Block.”
- Tap on “Block” a second time to confirm your choice.
- If you feel your safety is at risk, select “Block and report” in step 5. This will report the account to Instagram for violating the app’s community guidelines.
How to block a user from a chat:
- From the app’s home screen, tap the messenger icon at the top right corner (shaped like a paper airplane or chat bubble).
- Click the chat with the person you want to block.
- Tap on their name (not profile picture).
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Block,” then click again to confirm.
- If you feel your safety is at risk, return to the menu in step 4 and select “Report.” This will report the account to Instagram for violating the app’s community guidelines.
