Instagram Shadowban: Signs, Symptoms, & Removing the Ban

Written by Carin Bennett | Edited by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: January 11, 2023 References

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]
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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.

Section 1 of 2:

How do you know if you're shadowbanned?

1
It's hard for people to find your account in Search. Instagram downranks accounts it believes posts spam or content that violates the community guidelines, so your account may be tricky for others to find.^{[2]
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Research source} Here's an easy way to test:
- Ask a friend to type your username into the Search bar. This can be anyone on Instagram, whether they're following you or not.
- If your friend has to type your entire username to find your account rather than just the first several letters, your account is filtered from the search page.
2
Your posts don't appear on hashtag pages. When you use a hashtag in a post's description/caption area, your post should appear in the Recent area of that hashtag's page on Instagram. A great way to see if you're shadowbanned is to have an account that doesn't follow you look for your post on that hashtag's page. Here's how:
- You can create a second account to test this or have a friend briefly unfollow you.
- Have your friend (or use your second account to) search a hashtag you used on a recent public post.
- Tap the Recent tab at the top of the hashtag's and look for your post. If your post isn't on this page, Instagram is limiting your posts.^{[3]
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3
There's a violation on your Account Status. If any of your posts or comments were removed by Instagram, you'll see a note in your Account Status. Too many violations will result in account suspension, but even one or two violations can land you in shadowban territory. To check your Account Status:
- Tap your profile photo in Instagram.
- Tap the three-line menu at the top-right and select Settings.
- Tap Account and select Account Status.
- Having one or more violations usually results in Instagram ranking down your content. While it may still appear in your friends' feeds, it'll usually rank lower until the problematic content expires from your Account Status page.
4
You see a sharp drop in views and reach in your Insights. If you have an Instagram Business or Creator account, you can check your Insights to monitor your recent posts and activity. If you notice a sudden drop in engagement for all posts and/or stories, your account might be shadowbanned.

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.
2
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]
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- Tap Remove on all linked apps. Even if you trust the app, remove it for now until the shadowban is lifted.
3
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]
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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, visit https://metahashtags.com/banned-hashtags and click Show list. As of August 2022, 1550 hashtags are banned on Instagram!
- Banned hashtags aren't usually bad sounding. For example, #alone, #adulting, #snapchat, and #brain are all banned hashtags.^{[6]
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4
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.
5
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]
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- 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.
6
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.
7
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]
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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]
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- 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.
8
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]
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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.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I prevent getting shadowbanned on Instagram?

Carin Bennett
Social Media Expert
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.

Carin Bennett

Social Media Expert

Expert Answer

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.