Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, making it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. For businesses and individuals using Instagram for marketing, branding, and building community, losing access to your account can be a major disruption. If you find yourself locked out of your Instagram profile, don‘t despair. Follow this step-by-step guide to reactivate your account and get back to posting content and engaging with your audience.
Understanding Instagram Account Disabling
First, it‘s important to understand the difference between an account being disabled by Instagram and an account being deleted by the user.
-
A disabled account is one that has been suspended by Instagram, usually for violating their Community Guidelines or Terms of Use. The account still exists, but is inaccessible to the owner or anyone else. All the content, followers, and profile information is still there, just hidden. Disabled accounts can be reactivated if the owner is able to log back in or appeal the decision.
-
A deleted account is one that has been permanently removed, either by Instagram or at the account owner‘s request. All data associated with the account is erased and the username becomes available for someone else to claim. Deleted accounts generally cannot be recovered, with some exceptions (see the section on recovering a deleted account below).
According to a survey by Funnel, 37% of social media managers have had an account disabled, locked, or suspended at some point. So if you find yourself in this situation, know that you‘re not alone.
Why Did Instagram Disable Your Account?
There are a number of reasons why Instagram might disable an account. Usually it‘s because the account has violated the platform‘s Community Guidelines or Terms of Use in some way. This can happen inadvertently, so it‘s important to be familiar with Instagram‘s rules and policies. Some of the most common causes for account disabling include:
- Posting content that infringes on a copyright or trademark
- Spamming or sending unsolicited messages to other accounts
- Using banned third-party apps or plugins for automating likes, follows, comments, etc.
- Buying fake followers, likes, or comments
- Posting content that is sexually suggestive, hateful, threatening, violent, or otherwise inappropriate
- Creating multiple accounts to get around bans or limits
- Impersonating someone else or creating a fake account
- Hacking or attempting to access Instagram‘s systems without permission
- Exceeding limits on actions like following, liking, or commenting too quickly
According to data from Statista, the most commonly cited reason for account disabling is pretending to be someone else, followed by inappropriate content and illegal activities.
Sometimes Instagram disables an account by mistake. For example, in 2019 many accounts were mistakenly disabled due to what Instagram called "a bug in our spam detection system." If you believe your account was suspended in error and you have not broken any rules, you can submit an appeal to Instagram‘s Help Center.
How to Reactivate a Disabled Instagram Account
If Instagram has disabled your account, you should still be able to reactivate it by logging back in. Here are the steps:
- Open the Instagram app on your phone or tablet, or go to instagram.com in a web browser.
- Enter your Instagram username and password and click or tap "Log In".
- If your login credentials are correct, you should be taken to your Instagram feed and your account will be restored.
Note that Instagram may prompt you to complete some additional steps before restoring your account, such as:
- Verifying your identity by submitting a photo of yourself holding a code provided by Instagram
- Changing your password if you haven‘t logged in for a long time
- Deleting any content that violates Instagram‘s policies
- Agreeing to Instagram‘s updated Terms of Use or Data Policy
Once your account is reactivated, all your content, followers, and profile information should be restored exactly as it was before the account was disabled. However, you may need to re-enable some features like two-factor authentication.
A 2021 report from SocialInsider found that 66% of accounts that are disabled by Instagram are reactivated within 24 hours. So the odds are good that you will be able to regain access to your account quickly by simply logging in.
Troubleshooting Account Reactivation Issues
But what if logging in with your username and password doesn‘t work? Don‘t panic. There are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:
Reset your password. If you‘re sure you‘re entering the correct login credentials but are still having trouble, try resetting your Instagram password. From the login screen, tap "Forgot password?" and choose to have a password reset link sent to your email address or phone number. Follow the instructions in the message to create a new password and regain access to your account.
Update the Instagram app. Using an outdated version of the Instagram app can sometimes cause login issues or other glitches. Check the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android) to see if there are any updates available for Instagram. If so, update the app and try logging in again.
Clear your app cache. Over time, the cache where the Instagram app stores data can become corrupted and cause performance issues. Clearing the cache can resolve login and account access problems. The steps vary depending on your device:
- On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Instagram > Storage > Clear Cache
- On iOS: You‘ll need to uninstall and reinstall the app to clear the cache
Access your account from a different device. Try logging into your Instagram account from a different phone, tablet, or computer than you normally use. If you can successfully log in from another device, the issue may be related to the original device and not your account.
Unlink and relink third-party apps. If you have granted any third-party applications access to your Instagram account (like social media management tools or photo editing apps), try unlinking and relinking them. Sometimes authentication issues with connected apps can interfere with your ability to log into Instagram. Go to your Instagram settings and remove any questionable or unnecessary apps under "Apps and Websites".
Contact Instagram support. If none of the above troubleshooting steps work, your next recourse is to contact Instagram‘s support team to report the problem and request help. On the login screen, tap "Get help signing in". Or go to https://help.instagram.com/ in a web browser and select "Something Isn‘t Working". Fill out the form with as much detail as possible about your issue and submit it. Instagram support should get back to you within a few business days.
According to Facebook (Instagram‘s parent company), in Q2 2021 they "took action" on over 11.8 million pieces of content for violating Community Guidelines. So having an account disabled is more common than you might think. Most of the time, it can be resolved by simple troubleshooting.
How to Recover a Deleted Instagram Account
As explained above, the process for recovering an account that has been deleted is different from reactivating an account disabled by Instagram. In most cases, a deleted Instagram account cannot be restored. This is in accordance with Instagram‘s Terms of Use, which state: "When you delete your account, your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes and followers will be permanently removed."
However, Instagram does offer a short grace period after you initiate the deletion process during which you can change your mind and stop the permanent deletion. For 30 days after you request to delete your account, it is deactivated but not fully erased. If you log into the account within those 30 days, you will have the option to cancel the deletion and restore the account.
Here are the steps to recover a deleted Instagram account within the 30 day window:
- Go to instagram.com or open the Instagram app and tap the "Log In" button.
- Enter the username and password of the account you wish to recover.
- If it has been less than 30 days since you requested the account deletion, you will see a message that says "Your Account Is Scheduled for Deletion" with the date the deletion will be completed.
- Click or tap "Keep Account" to stop the deletion process and reactivate your account.
It may take a few hours for your reactivated account content to be fully restored and visible again. But your profile, photos, videos, comments, likes, and followers should all be intact.
After 30 days, though, a deleted account is permanently removed and there is no way to retrieve it. Even Instagram cannot restore accounts that have been fully deleted. The username will become available for new accounts, and there is no way to recover the content, followers, or other data from the original deleted account.
Tips to Keep Your Instagram Account Active and Avoid Being Disabled
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It‘s better to take proactive steps to keep your Instagram account in good standing and avoid having it disabled in the first place. Here are some tips and best practices to follow:
1. Read and follow Instagram‘s rules and policies. Take the time to thoroughly read through Instagram‘s Terms of Use, Community Guidelines, and Recommendations for Creators. Make sure you understand what types of content and behavior are and are not allowed on the platform. Pay particular attention to rules around copyright, trademarks, nudity, hate speech, fake accounts, illegal activities, and graphic content.
2. Don‘t use banned automation tools and services. Instagram is cracking down on accounts that use third-party apps and bots to automatically like, comment, follow, or send DMs in order to game the algorithm or inflate engagement. Many of these tools are scams and will get your account flagged as spam and disabled. Instagram‘s Platform Policy plainly prohibits "attempting to build social media bots or automation, whether for commercial or personal reasons." Stick to authentic, human-based interaction.
3. Avoid banned hashtags. Yes, in an effort to curb content that violates their policies, Instagram has banned certain hashtags. If you use one of these blocked tags, your account could be penalized. The list of banned hashtags changes over time and is not published anywhere. But in general, avoid hashtags related to illegal activities, graphic violence, sexual content, self-harm, and hate speech. When in doubt, search for a hashtag on Instagram and if you see a message that posts are "hidden", don‘t use it.
4. Engage meaningfully and build real community. Focus on posting valuable content and building genuine relationships with your followers. Don‘t try to take shortcuts by buying followers or engagement – this violates Instagram‘s rules and will likely lead to your account getting shut down. If you‘re a business or creator, consider joining the Instagram Partner Program to access extra resources and support from Instagram.
5. Secure your account and keep it safe from hacking. A compromised account can quickly get suspended by Instagram. To prevent unauthorized access to your account:
- Use a strong, unique password and change it regularly
- Enable two-factor authentication in your Instagram account settings
- Don‘t share your login credentials with anyone else
- Be wary of phishing scams and only log in through the official Instagram app or website
- Regularly check your account login activity in settings and log out any unrecognized sessions
- If you think you‘ve been hacked, quickly change your password and report it to Instagram
6. Watch your posting frequency and daily actions. Instagram has rate limits in place to prevent spammy behavior. Avoid following, unfollowing, liking, commenting, or posting too quickly in a short period of time. The exact limits are not published, but a good rule of thumb is no more than 500 total actions per day (likes, follows, etc.).
According to a report from Instagram, daily time spent on the app per user rose to an average of 30 minutes in 2020. So most people are not spending hours and hours liking thousands of posts. To stay under the rate limits, aim to interact authentically at a human pace.
What to Do After Reactivating Your Instagram Account
If your account was disabled and you successfully reactivated it, congratulations! But your work is not done. Here are some key things to do next:
1. Post an update explaining your absence. Your followers may have noticed you were offline and wondered where you went. Consider sharing a post or Story acknowledging the downtime, apologizing for any confusion, and reassuring your audience that you‘re back.
Example post: "Hi everyone! You may have noticed my account was down for the past few days. My account was mistakenly disabled, but thanks to help from Instagram, the issue is now resolved. Sorry for any concern this caused and thank you for sticking around! I‘m excited to get back to sharing [your niche] content with you. Please comment below or DM me if you have any other questions!"
2. Check for missing content. While Instagram generally restores all your posts, comments, and profile info when you reactivate, it‘s a good idea to look through your feed and profile to make sure nothing is missing or broken. In the rare event that something didn‘t restore properly, reference any backup copies you might have. If you were in the middle of a branded partnership or campaign before the disabling, reach out to collaborators to fill them in.
3. Re-engage your community. Besides the update post, find other ways to re-establish your relationship with your followers. Respond to comments, create interactive Stories, go Live, host a Q&A, or publish a poll. If you have an email list, send a message letting subscribers know your account is active again. Thank your most loyal fans for their continued support.
4. Monitor your account health. In the days and weeks after reactivation, keep a close eye on your account performance and analytics. Look for any suspicious activity or sudden changes in followers or engagement. Make sure you are continuing to comply with Instagram‘s policies to avoid getting disabled again. If you‘re on a Business or Creator account, you can access more detailed data to assess your account health.
5. Adjust your social media marketing strategy as needed. Reflect on what led to your account being disabled originally and identify any areas for improvement in your approach. Do you need to diversify your marketing channels so your brand can still reach people if your account is down again in the future? Should you start putting more effort into your other social profiles, website, email, and SEO? An Instagram outage can be a good wake-up call to ensure your marketing plan is well-rounded.
With over 200 million businesses using Instagram and 90% of accounts following at least one business, a robust Instagram presence is a valuable asset for companies and entrepreneurs. But it‘s risky to rely too heavily on any one platform that you don‘t fully control. Always have a backup plan and invest in building community outside of Instagram too.
The Takeaway
Having an Instagram account disabled is stressful, but it doesn‘t have to be permanent. If you act quickly and follow the right steps, you should be able to reactivate a disabled account by logging in and completing any required actions. For deleted accounts, you have a 30 day window to cancel the deletion and restore the account.
To prevent having your account shut off in the first place, familiarize yourself with Instagram‘s rules and steer clear of any spammy or inauthentic behavior. Prioritize genuine interaction and creating original content. And keep your account secure to avoid hacking.
If your account is disabled by mistake or you believe the decision was unfair, you can appeal it by contacting Instagram support. But the best course of action is to play by the rules from the beginning. Respect the platform, respect your followers, and post with integrity. That‘s the surest path to Instagram success.
For more expert tips on Instagram marketing, follow [@username] or visit [website].
