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All social media platforms have commonalities, but each also has its target audience. For Instagram, it's almost all about perfectly curated travel feeds and photos. The platform is fun and makes communication easy. And Instagram is also where the celebrities are.
This is why it can be quite upsetting when you suddenly find yourself with an Instagram IP ban. One moment you're happily scrolling through photos and videos, and the next you're temporarily stuck.
The ban can hurt and can even be unfair. So is there a way around it? Let's take a closer look at all your available options for bypassing an Instagram ban.
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Why were you banned?
That's the million dollar question. When you fall victim to the Instagram IP ban, it's natural to wonder what you did wrong. But above all, it is also essential to understand the basic principles of Instagram.
The platform reviews all positive and negative trust score factors. In the affirmative action camp is how long your account is held.
There's also the much-talked-about organic engagement (getting likes, etc. without getting people to do it) and follower count, which are the building blocks of a successful Instagram account. But the nature of the account's IP address is also important.
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According to Instagram, mobile IP addresses are the most trusted, followed by residential IP addresses. Finally, public and proxy IP addresses are last on the list.
To get a clearer idea of why someone might get an IP ban, negative trust scores should also be considered.
Excessive use of the same activities
At the very top of the list of actions that will result in an Instagram IP ban are quick and repetitive actions. An example of this would be a massive follow/unfollow wave. If you spend an hour just sending follow requests to random accounts, it could lead to an Instagram ban. The same applies if you suddenly decide to unsubscribe from a large number of accounts.
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Another suspicious behavior in the negative trust category is getting too many likes at once. It's not about liking three to five photos a minute, which is considered completely normal. We're talking about hitting like on nearly a hundred photos or videos in a minute or two.
Finally, the same rule applies to over-commenting on a number of posts. Certainly, leaving comments is a good strategy to draw attention to your account. But when it comes to Instagram, too many similar comments in a short period look suspicious and can backfire. The reason these activities can lead to an Instagram ban is that they are considered spam.
Simultaneous actions
Another way to trick Instagram into thinking you're someone they should ban is to access your account from multiple devices at the same time.
If you are just connecting from different IP addresses on a single device, it may not trigger any indicators. However, if there are likes, comments, and other engagements coming into your account from two different places, it could lead to a ban.
An action stuck in the past
If you have recently blocked an Instagram action, the platform may restrict your account in some way.
The days and weeks after the action is blocked are when users have to relax with likes, follows and comments. Otherwise, Instagram might impose an IP ban.
Third party software
IP bans usually happen if Instagram thinks you are a bot, based on your actions. This means that if you can get a ban for behaving like a bot on the site and you are not one, using a real bot is more likely to lead to the same result.
So while there are plenty of great third-party apps that can help Instagram users boost their presence, overuse of these generally useful tools can lead to a ban. The Instagram algorithm can be quite unforgiving.
The nature of the IP address
If you only connect to Instagram from a public Wi-Fi network, Instagram may see it as a red flag. This does not mean that logging into Instagram once or twice from a coffee shop will result in a ban. But if it's the only way to log into the platform and do it often, you could get flagged by Instagram and banned, especially if you engage in some of the actions mentioned above.
How to Bypass Instagram IP Ban Using a VPN
The main question that many users have about the Instagram IP ban is how to get around it. One of the most cost effective solutions is to use a proxy, but they are not very secure and may not work.
On the other hand, using a reliable VPN service might do the trick. A VPN hides your IP, creating another reliable option.
There are many VPN services out there, and the thing is, not all of them can beat Instagram. Keep in mind that Facebook owns Instagram and they have fancy ways to see when users are trying to hide their IP addresses.
The good news is that some VPN services also have full protocols. For example, ExpressVPN is often the go-to for Instagram users struggling with an IP ban. They publish apps for Android, iPhone, as well as extensions for Chrome
You could just try to wait
One of the crucial aspects of Instagram IP ban is that it is usually temporary. If going through signing up for a VPN seems complicated or too expensive, you can simply wait out the ban.
After a while, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will change your IP address. You may not know when exactly this will happen, but all ISPs change it after a while.
If you want to bypass the process, try using your mobile data connection for a while. Mobile network operators are often much quicker to reassign IP addresses to their users.
But waiting for the Instagram ban to be lifted is often the best course of action, because it means you've followed Instagram's rules carefully.
Additional FAQs
How long do Instagram bans last?
Typically, you will be hit with a 24-48 hour ban from Instagram. However, all your subsequent actions come into consideration and the ban can easily be extended.
A few days might not be much, but longer than that might make users look for alternative ways to come back to the platform.
What if Instagram's ban was a mistake?
An Instagram IP ban is always going to sting and it can sometimes feel completely unfair. What if all you did was like a few more photos than usual and showered your friends with lots of loving comments?
Luckily, if you think the ban was a mistake, you can plead your case on Instagram. When you receive the ban, an Instagram pop-up will appear on your screen informing you that you are "temporarily blocked".
You will see a message that you have abused a feature. However, the message may also state that you can let them know if you think this is an error.
Therefore, you can choose one of two actions: "Tell us" or "Ignore". If you choose "Tell us," you can explain why you think the ban was unfair, and Instagram will take it into account.
What is an Instagram Shadowban?
If you're trying to grow your Instagram account, you might have heard of the infamous "Instagram shadowban." This is what many Instagram creators fear, and it is indeed a real event.
Basically, this type of ban represents Instagram's efforts to restrict specific types of content and accounts without letting users know.
If Instagram finds specific content unacceptable for any reason, it simply won't appear on anyone's newsfeed or discovery page, even though you can see it on your grid.
This app has been criticized for a while, but keep in mind that Instagram hasn't openly admitted that it does this on purpose. But there are plenty of anecdotes to prove it.
Can Instagram permanently deactivate your account?
The short answer is yes – Instagram can and will disable or deactivate your account under specific circumstances. So how do you know your account has been deactivated?
A message will appear when you try to connect. Your Instagram account may be disabled due to copyright infringement, for example.
You may have unknowingly shared content for which you were not legally authorized to do so. Or the content you shared featured illegal activity, violence, or sexual content, all of which are grounds for opt-out. Finally, if someone reports your account, Instagram may temporarily disable it to review your activity.
Keep in mind that these types of bans are not the same as banning your Instagram IP. The causes are different, and so are the results.
Never lose your Instagram space
Instagram is a huge platform and users have to follow strict guidelines. On the one hand, the rules are not always clear, and sometimes the user can be the victim of an abusive ban. On the other hand, those who rely heavily on third-party apps to grow their accounts could be committing an explicitly prohibited offense.
All is not lost, however. If you are patient, the ban will disappear in a few days and you can try another strategy to grow your account. However, if time is an important factor, a reliable alternative VPN service may be the perfect way to get back on the platform.
The bottom line is that banning Instagram is a major inconvenience, especially for people who take their online presence seriously. But this is not an insurmountable problem.
Have you ever been banned by Instagram? Let us know in the comments section below.
