7 Reasons Why You're Seeing "User Not Found" on Instagram

PDF download Download Article
Quick fixes for the "User not found" error on Instagram
PDF download Download Article

Are you getting a "User not found" error when searching for somebody on Instagram? You're sure you've typed the name correctly, but why are you still getting this error message? There are many reasons for the error, such as the user changing their Instagram username or being suspended from Instagram. It's also possible the user blocked your account. This wikiHow article will teach you how to find out why you're seeing the "User not found" error on Instagram.

Things You Should Know

  • If you get the "User not found" error, you're not necessarily blocked.
  • The account may be disabled, deleted, banned, or suspended.
  • Find out if the account blocked you by having a friend look them up on Instagram.
1

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/83\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/83\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Disabling your account is a great way to take a break from social media, but can result in followers being confused when they get the "User not found" error.
    • Instagram does not notify people when an account has been temporarily disabled or when it will be back. In this case, the only way for you to verify this is to wait and see when the account is active again. [1]
    2. Advertisement
2

They might have changed their username.

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/11\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/11\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    It's easy to change your username on Instagram, which means people often change their usernames without alerting their friends. [2]
    • To check to see if this is the issue, you can check other social media platforms like Facebook, Snapchat , and Twitter . If you aren't friends or can't find them on other platforms, look at your friends' followers; they might be listed there.
    • You can also check your DMs to see if your conversation with that person has updated to their new username.
3

You might have made a typo.

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Is that an "O" or a "0"? There are a few letters and numbers similar to this, like a lowercase "l", an uppercase "I", and the number "1," so make sure you have them correct. Might as well try each if the first try doesn't work when you're searching on Instagram .
    2. Advertisement
4

You may be blocked.

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-4.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can see if somebody blocked you by having a friend look up this username to see if their account is active. If they can see the account, but you can't, you've most likely been blocked. [3]
5

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/89\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/89\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can confirm this by getting one of your friends who also has Instagram to look up that account. If they get the same error, you'll know that this username either no longer exists (it was deleted ) or is temporarily disabled. [4]
    • To figure out if the account was deleted or temporarily disabled, you'll have to wait and see if the account becomes active again. [5]
    2. Advertisement
6

They could be banned or suspended from Instagram.

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d5\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d5\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-6.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Actions like inappropriate behavior, abusing other accounts, buying likes or comments, or using automation tools to follow or unfollow accounts violate the TOS. [6]
    • Bans usually last around 48 hours, so check back to see if the account you're looking for is active again.
7

It might be a glitch.

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9a\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9a\/User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-7.jpg\/v4-728px-User-Not-Found-on-Instagram-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The best you can do is close the app (if you're using your phone or tablet) or the website, wait a few seconds, then try again. You can also check your Internet connection to make sure it's working fine (or switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi to mobile data), update the app (on your phone or tablet, if that's where you were getting the error), or reinstall the app. [7]
    • You'll know it's a glitch if you see their bio, but still get the "User not found" error, or if you can see their posts, but get that error when you click or tap their profile picture.
    2. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      Easily View a List of People You Have Requested to Follow on Instagram
      5 Easy Steps to Have Invisible Highlight Names on Instagram
      4 Easy Ways to Download a Picture from Instagram
      4 Quick Ways to Contact Instagram Support for Help
      Find Out Who Shared Your Instagram Posts & Reels to Stories
      4 Easy Ways to Login to Instagram Without a Recovery Code
      The 4 Easiest Ways to Reset Your Instagram Explore Page
      How to See Your Instagram Stalkers: Stories, Stats, & Apps
      How to
      View Instagram Without an Account
      3 Easy Ways to Check Instagram Login Devices + Delete Them
      3 Ways to Delete Instagram Search Suggestions (Reset Autofill)
      How to Start a Conversation with a Girl on Instagram: 10+ Tips to Get Her Chatting
      Hiding Your Instagram Followers: Tips & Tricks
      How to
      See Last Active on Instagram
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/728869160569983?helpref=faq_content
      2. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/182492381886913?helpref=faq_content
      3. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/454180787965921?helpref=faq_content
      4. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/366993040048856
      5. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/139886812848894
      6. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870
      7. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/370569449686414

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 171,854 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement