How to Block Someone on Instagram (and When to Restrict or Mute Instead)

Block, Restrict or Mute: which one do you need?

Instagram gives you three ways to put distance between you and another account. They solve different problems, so it's worth picking deliberately.

None of the three sends a notification. If you're also worried about who can see you're active, turning off your Instagram activity status pairs well with any of them.

How to block someone on Instagram

There are three places to do it. The result is the same.

From their profile (iPhone and Android)

1. Open their profile by tapping their username on a post or story, or search for them.
2. Tap Options (the three dots) in the top right.
3. Tap Block.
4. Choose whether to block only this account or this account and other accounts they may have or create.
5. Tap Block to confirm.

From a chat

1. Tap Messages, then open your chat with the person.
2. Tap their name at the top of the chat.
3. Tap Options in the top right, then Block, and confirm.

On instagram.com, the flow is similar: open Messages, choose the chat, click Information, then Block.

From Settings

This is useful when you know the username but don't want to visit the profile.

1. Go to your profile and tap Menu (three lines) in the top right.
2. Below Who can see your content, tap Blocked.
3. Tap Add in the top right and search for the account.
4. Tap Block next to their name, then confirm.

Blocking new accounts they create

When you block from the Instagram app, you get the option to block the person's account plus other existing accounts they have and new accounts they may create. Choose this if the person has a history of making backup or "finsta" accounts to get around blocks.

Two limits from Instagram's own help pages are worth knowing:

• If you already follow another account owned by the same person, the extended block doesn't cover it. Block that account separately.
• Instagram notes that if the person has multiple Instagram or Facebook accounts, you may still need to block some individually. A Facebook account that isn't connected in Accounts Center can still contact your Facebook unless you block them there too.

What happens when you block someone

According to Instagram's Help Center:

• No notification is sent.
• Their likes and comments are removed from your photos and videos. Unblocking won't restore them.
• They can't mention or tag you after the block.
• Your chat thread stays in your inbox, but you can't message each other. Anything they try to send while blocked is not delivered later if you unblock them.
• Group chats are the exception. If you share a group, Instagram asks whether you want to stay or leave. If you stay, you'll both see each other's messages in that group.
• They can still see your likes and comments on posts from public accounts or accounts they follow.

What the other person sees

Instagram doesn't publish a screen-by-screen description of the blocked person's view, and it has changed over time. In practice, your profile stops being findable for them and their attempts to interact fail. They aren't told why. If you want to understand what information about you stays visible to everyone regardless, see our guide on what people can see about your Instagram.

How to restrict someone instead

1. Go to their profile and tap Options in the top right.
2. Tap Restrict.

You can also restrict from a comment (press and hold it, then tap Restrict account) or from Menu > Restricted below How others can interact with you. Once restricted, your chat moves to Message requests, you can read their messages without them seeing a read receipt, and you won't get notifications for their future comments.

How to mute someone

1. On their profile, tap Following.
2. Tap Mute.
3. Toggle on Posts, Stories or both.

To mute messages, open the chat, tap their name, tap Mute, and toggle Mute messages or Mute calls. Muting doesn't cover Notes, which have a separate mute option.

How to unblock someone

1. Go to your profile and tap Menu.
2. Below Who can see your content, tap Blocked.
3. Tap Unblock next to their name, then confirm.

On a computer: click More, then Settings, then Blocked, and click Unblock.

After unblocking, they can find your profile again but won't automatically follow you. Old likes and comments stay gone. If you'd rather keep them away from a private account without blocking, you can simply remove them as a follower. Cleaning up who follows you is also covered in our guide to spotting fake followers, which helps if the account you're dealing with looks like a bot.

If unwanted accounts keep finding you through hashtags on a public profile, review the tags you use. Our #instagram hashtag sets and #followers page flag engagement-bait tags that tend to attract spam and bot accounts.