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Have you noticed a sudden drop in Instagram engagement? Are your posts not showing up in Search or on hashtag pages? You're probably shadowbanned! While Instagram doesn't use the word "shadowban," they do admit to limiting accounts that almost violate their policies but aren't offensive enough to fully ban. [1] X Research source This wikiHow guide will show you how to find out if your Instagram account is shadowbanned, and teach you 8 easy ways to get your account back to normal.
Things You Should Know
- If people can't find you without typing your full username into Search, you're shadowbanned.
- Some shadowbans expire automatically after a few days to a few weeks.
- While shadowbanned, create posts that contain innocent content and very few hashtags (if any) until you're unshadowbanned.
- Removing all hashtags (especially those which are banned by Instagram) and limiting your hashtag use may lift the shadowban.
Steps
Section 2 of 2:
Getting Unshadowbanned
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Take a break. While Instagram doesn't publicize how long a shadowban can list, many users report that shadowbans automatically lift after a certain amount of time. Start with a 3-day break—if you're still shadowbanned, try to extend your break to 7 days, and then 14 days. While this isn't foolproof, it might be all you need to do to lift the shadowban.
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Unlink third-party apps and bots. Instagram may shadowban your account for using apps that do things like automatically like posts, follow people, share content, and do tasks meant to boost your reach. Using these types of apps and bots can even get you banned . Fortunately, it's easy to unlink apps from your account:
- On your profile, tap the three-line menu and select Settings .
- Tap Security .
- Tap Apps and Websites > Active . [4] X Research source
- Tap Remove on all linked apps. Even if you trust the app, remove it for now until the shadowban is lifted.
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Remove banned hashtags from your posts. Using hashtags that are associated with spammy or offensive content could result in your own content being shadowbanned—even if your posts are innocent. Instagram "bans" certain hashtags, meaning it won't be possible for people to search for those hashtags in the app. [5] X Research source If you've been using hashtags on the banned list, removing those hashtags (and not using them in the future) will help get your account status back to normal.
- To find a current list of banned hashtags, you can use a banned hashtag checking tool like Meta Hashtags or Spikerz Banned Hashtag Checker .
- Banned hashtags aren't usually bad sounding . For example, #alone, #adulting, #snapchat, and #brain are all banned hashtags. [6] X Research source
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Delete all hashtags from your most recent posts. This includes any comments you've added under your posts that contain strings of hashtags. Using too many hashtags in a single caption or comment may send a signal to Instagram that your account is posting spam. Delete the hashtags from your last several posts, and refrain from using hashtags on future posts for about 2 weeks. While this tip isn't official per Instagram, many users on Reddit report that this worked to quickly unshadowban their accounts.
- On your next posts, use fewer hashtags—between 3 and 5 is a good number.
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Create inoffensive posts that don't violate any of Instagram's guidelines. If people are reporting your content or its being flagged automatically by Instagram, the answer to lifting your shadowban could be as simple as changing what you share. While you may not get as much interaction until the ban is lifted, you'll be showing Instagram that you're not a bot, not spamming, and not trying to be divisive. When creating new content:
- Post only content that you have permission to share.
- Keep your content suitable for a diverse audience of all ages—no nudity at all. [7] X Research source
- Don't post anything that could be considered against the law in any jurisdiction.
- Avoid content that could be considered threatening, hate speech, or self-injury.
- When sharing news events, make sure your sources are credible and do not contain misinformation.
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Don't mass-like, comment, or follow. If you've been liking and commenting on too many posts or following too many accounts, Instagram may think you're a bot and limit who can interact with you. Keep your interactions meaningful and genuine to ensure your shadowban is lifted quickly.
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Request a review of your deleted content. If there's a violation in your Account Status for something that doesn't actually go against the guidelines, you can request that Instagram review the content. [8] X Research source If they find that the content was removed in error, they'll restore it and remove the violation from your account. To request a review:
- Only do this if you can really prove that you're not in the wrong. For example, your content was taken down for copyright infringement but your use of the content falls is protected under Fair Use laws .
- On your Instagram profile, tap the three-line menu and select Settings .
- Tap Account and select Account Status .
- Tap the violation and select Request a review.
- Type as much relevant information as possible and tap Submit request.
- To check the status of your request, tap the three-line menu, and go to Settings > Help > Support Requests > Violations . [9] X Research source
- If your review is rejected, you can appeal the decision—tap the violation, copy or write down the Oversight Board Reference number, then follow the on-screen instructions.
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Switch to a personal account (for professional accounts). If you're using a Business or Creator account and keep getting shadowbanned, switching back to a Personal account might help you avoid being shadowbanned in the future. This might not seem appealing if your Instagram account is a business and you need your insights (as they'll be permanently erased once you switch), but it's a good way to regain your bearings and hopefully get rid of that shadowban. [10] X Research source You can also switch back to a Personal or Creator account at any time in the future. To switch back:
- Tap the three-line menu on your profile and select Settings .
- Tap Account .
- Tap Switch Account Type .
- Tap Switch to Personal Account .
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I prevent getting shadowbanned on Instagram?Carin Bennett is the Social Media Manager for NFP headquartered in New York City. With over 10 years of experience, she specializes in planning, developing, implementing, and managing Social Media Accounts to create and maintain a company’s brand while engaging with their community using social media. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from both St. Thomas University & Barry University Schools of Law and her BA from the University of North Florida.If you stay in your brand, you're not going to get shadowbanned (unless your brand itself is questionable). Shadowbans are a way of Instagram telling your account to "shut up"—so, if you act responsibly on social media, you won't have that problem.
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References
- ↑ https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/10/instagram-borderline
- ↑ https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/break-down-how-instagram-search-works
- ↑ https://help.instagram.com/613868662393739
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/1144624522593085
- ↑ https://help.instagram.com/485240378261318
- ↑ https://metahashtags.com/banned-hashtags/
- ↑ https://help.instagram.com/477434105621119
- ↑ https://help.instagram.com/280908123309761
- ↑ https://help.instagram.com/675885993348720
About This Article
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