It happens to everyone: You suddenly realize you haven’t seen someone’s posts in a while, but when you search for their profile, you get zero hits. Did they delete their account? Or, did the most-dreaded social media interaction — the infamous, often soul-crushing block, which feels like the online equivalent of a restraining order — finally happen to you? Here’s how to know if someone blocked you on Instagram.
You’ve probably already done this, as it’s the first step for how to know if someone blocked you on Instagram. But, the real first step is to look up the person-in-question’s profile via different avenues:
If you’re really bold, you could also just ask the person face-to-face if they blocked you on Instagram. However, this might not go over well — after all, they blocked you for a reason. It might be best to cut your losses and accept that they don’t want to interact with you.
If you’re wondering how to know if someone blocked you on Instagram, there are some telltale signs. Here are a few things you can no longer do when a person blocks you.
From your end, it will look like you can keep sending them messages in their DMs. On their end, however, they won’t actually receive them.
If someone has blocked you, you won’t be able to add them to a group chat — their name simply won’t appear. However, keep in mind there are other reasons you might not be able to add someone, like group size limits, privacy settings or if they don’t follow you back.
Instagram won’t allow you to video chat with a person who blocked you. Even if you try to start a call from a past conversation, the feature will be disabled or won’t go through.
When someone blocks you, their username will no longer appear in search results, and you won’t be able to tag them in posts, comments or stories. Even if you try to type their handle manually, Instagram won’t recognize it as a valid tag. This helps prevent any unwanted interactions from the blocked account.
Once someone blocks you, their profile will be removed from your followers, following and mutual friend lists. You won’t be able to find them under your previous connections, even if you know for sure you followed each other before.
This is likely what led you to discover you were blocked in the first place. Their account will either not appear or will show that they haven’t posted anything.
If you’ve been blocked on Instagram, the Follow button will stop working on that person’s page. No matter how many times you tap it, nothing will happen, and your request won’t go through. Don’t worry, though. Instagram doesn’t notify the person you’ve been blocked by, so they won’t know you attempted to reconnect.
Blocking a person’s account is often a last resort to keep them out of your life. Some reasons people may block you on Instagram include:
It may not be personal. Your Instagram account isn’t always a reflection of who you really are, and the person who blocked you might have simply wanted to avoid certain content. For example, someone struggling with an eating disorder might block accounts that offer dieting tips or only promote certain body types.
It might be uncomfortable, but knowing that someone blocked you is for the best. It allows you to give that person space, move on and make new friendships, and it might even help you grow as a person.
Remember, it’s natural to feel confused or hurt, but try to be kind to yourself and understand that everyone’s social media choices are shaped by their own struggles and not necessarily a reflection of you — or your worth.
Original Publish Date 3/30/2023 — Updated 5/23/2025
