How To Fix Instagram: “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked”

For various reasons, Instagram can temporarily lock your account to protect users and the platform and encourage the best experience. If you received the “Your account has been temporarily locked” notice, this article explains what might have prompted the message and how to unlock it as quickly as possible.

How To Fix Instagram:

You’ll also find examples of specific Instagram activity that gets deemed suspicious, which generally leads to a locked account. Let’s get started!

Before delving into a solution, it is strongly advised that you regularly back up your Instagram data. You never know when a problem could arise that locks you out and you cannot successfully get it back. That way, you have all your information, followers, following, messages, posts, Stories, etc. That allows you to create a new one later and reupload as much as possible. This suggestion is especially important if you have valuable data in your Instagram account. It cannot be said enough.

Here’s how to fix Instagram when your account gets temporarily locked.

Why Was My Instagram Account Locked?

Instagram will temporarily lock your account if they believe you have breached any of their user policies. The lock can happen even if you have nothing to do with the violation. Their bots and automated systems detect such activity without human intervention, which means your account can also get locked without violating any terms due to a technical issue with the system.

Here are the typical activities that cause Instagram to issue an account lock:

1. Bot-Like Activity

Instagram looks for actions performed too quickly per hour and in 24-hour periods. The following acts performed at an unnaturally fast rate are considered “bot activity” and trigger a temporary account lock:

Following and Unfollowing Users in Bulk

Typical Instagram conduct includes “following” someone and having them “follow” you straight back. To exploit this practice, one could “follow” hundreds of people at once, then once they’ve been “followed,” the person “unfollows” them.

Instagram will deem this bot behavior as abuse to the system and its users.

Liking and Un-Liking Pictures Too Quick

Rapidly liking and unliking images/posts too quickly and in bulk triggers the potential detection of bot behavior.

Scrolling through your feed and ‘liking” a couple of photos or so at an average pace is matched to typical human behavior. However, “liking” or “un-linking” a hundred pictures in one brief session, for example, often occurs when using a bot program.

Commenting on Posts Too Quickly

The more comments you leave on people’s posts, the more engagement you get and, eventually, the more followers. Super-fast commenting on numerous posts implies artificial actions to the Instagram algorithm, leading to bot detection.

Posting the Same Comment Multiple Times

Not only would copying/pasting a comment in bulk reduce the value of a conversation, but it also is not something that a user who is genuinely engaging with posts would do. This action typically occurs when using bots, so Instagram’s automated systems detect it as bot use and lock your account.

2. Use of Third-Party Apps

Using some third-party applications on Instagram breaches their Terms of Use. Not all apps are banned; there is an approval process for some apps to have access.

Regardless, third-party apps that help automate actions are prohibited and easily detected by Instagram. Bots work against a great user experience, so any account suspected of using them will get locked.

3. Phished Account Credentials

Hackers can obtain your sign-in details using a fraudulent website. If you accidentally submitted your Instagram credentials by signing into a login screen that looked like Instagram, you may have given away your login details.

Since your account is compromised and hackers can do what they want, whatever they did has triggered a red flag with Instagram, and the platform responded with an account lock.

How To Unlock a Locked Instagram Account

To unlock your account when seeing the “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” message at login, you need to submit the My Instagram account has been deactivated form:

  1. Go to the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form or conduct a search for “My Instagram account has been deactivated” in a search engine, and choose the Facebook result.
  2. Complete the form, then enter the “email address” tied to the Instagram account you’re trying to unlock.
  3. Explain that your account got blocked by mistake and that you believe you haven’t violated the user guidelines.
  4. Once you’ve completed the form, click “Send.”
  5. You’ll eventually receive a reply. Instagram requests a photo of you holding up a written piece of paper with the code they’ve sent you. The picture must be 100% original and clear, showing your face next to the code—no Photoshop editing. Instagram is stringent and may reject the photo if they believe it isn’t you.
  6. There is a waiting period after you’ve sent the photo. If approved, you’ll receive a confirmation from Instagram that your account got unlocked. Approval times can take anywhere between a few days to a few weeks.

In closing, an Instagram account is automatically locked whenever Instagram believes a user has breached its community guidelines, whether it is legit or not. Bots and hackers are typical reasons for an Instagram account to get locked. To create the best user experience, Instagram prohibits using most third-party apps and blocks any account displaying bot-like behavior or one that exhibits irregular activity.

Luckily, unlocking your account is usually one form away. By completing the form and proving you are the human owner of the profile, Instagram will recover your account as quickly as possible. Of course, there is potential for denial based on human action. Bots can’t handle this part of the recovery process.

Instagram Locked FAQs

How long does an Instagram ban last?

The length of a temporary ban depends on your number of past bans and the causes of those bans. A typical duration could last from a few hours on the lighter side to 24-48 hours for repeated infractions.

If you receive subsequent bans, Instagram’s ban duration may become longer. Therefore, do your best to avoid bot-like behavior so your account doesn’t get flagged.

If you receive the “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” message when trying to sign in, complete and submit a “My Instagram account has been deactivated form” to reinstate your account as soon as possible.

Does Instagram ban IP addresses?

Some platforms take banning very seriously. They don’t just ban the account; they want to ban the user permanently. The only way to permanently block a user is to restrict their device’s IP Address. Instagram has not issued official statements, but many users have reported receiving an IP ban.

If Instagram deems you violated their Terms of Service or Community Guidelines, the company will ban your device and your account.

What do I do if my appeal gets denied?

If you followed the steps above and Instagram didn’t restore your account, you can process the appeal again. While not confirmed, there are some theories that a second or third appeal can work because another reviewer looked into your case.

Also, remember that repeatedly submitting content that Instagram asks for can lead to denial or a more extended ban due to suspicions of hacking, just like numerous login attempts. After all, a hacker is desperate to confiscate your account and doesn’t care what happens during the process. They’ll just move on to another profile.

If I get banned, can I create a new account?

In most cases, you can create another Instagram profile. However, beware that creating a new account with the same (or similar username) can result in an immediate ban.

30 thoughts on “How To Fix Instagram: “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked””

Abby D says:
What should I do if the email account associated with my Instagram account was deleted, so I cannot receive the confirmation code? The Instagram account is still connected to my Facebook account and I see the “Suspicious Activity Detected” message on Instagram and cannot log in to update the email address. Will the “Suspicious Activity Detected” temporary block time out after several days? Is there something else I can do to log back in from Facebook? Would really appreciate any help with recovering access to my account.
Ish says:
My account has been suspended. I have a confirmation code process but im not receiving any emails with the code. I cant go.into my accpu t either as its stuck on the same page for confirming the code.

My account has been temporarily suspended due to suspicious activity. I was looking at marketing apps to help me see which followers were unfollowing me. I believe this may have been the cause.

My account is important to me as i use it to mentor many people some of them need the positive messages i push out. I also use it to keep in touch with my friends and family around the world through my stories. It is years and hundreds of hours invested on my accpunt. I reallu dont want to lose it.

I have 2 step verification for another account is use for my business which is a linked account and im also linked to facebook page. I have many selfies and can verify my identity.

I seriously need advice.on this..

Kr
Ish

hinal__meghani says:
My account has been locked and i believe I haven’t violated the user guideline
Bedanta Bezbaruah says:
My Instagram account has been locked 🔒 so I can’t use the account since several days. Please Unlock my account.
vincent says:
hi my on gmail i clicked secure accounts accidentally after receiving the alert for another device and now i can’t access it can you help me i really need your help please
Vikas vahule says:
Enter a password you’ve used for this account in the past year
Cookie says:
Why do I have a lock by my name?
sue says:
When a hacker changes your email address and gets you locked out, what then? I get the page with the block message and am unable to do anything else. There are 2 email addresses now associated with my account that I have never had. None of my forms or emails have been addressed through instagram.
Udhayakumar says:
My Instagram account is locked plzZ unlock my I’d
Tony says:
look at the website address. Geesh this site has nothing to do with Instagram.
No wonder the world is falling apart with this low level of IQ
Steve Larner says:
This is a tech info website. We are not associated with Instagram.
Shar says:
My account was suspended for no reason, in the middle of a post, and that form doesn’t work, because when you hit send, it’s asking for me to log in and verify, but then it’s telling me there is no account. How is someone supposed to report issues then. This company with IM chat functions, and nothing is available for someone from the outside to get in touch with anyone.
Julia says:
when i tried to verify on my app, the screen is now blank with a spinning loading wheel (it’s been like this for 15 minutes). But now when I go to fill out this online form, it’s making me verify that it is me on my app, which I can’t do because my app isn’t working. What do I do?
Steve Larner says:
Clear cache and data, turn off any VPN you use, then try to perform the account recovery on a computer, but be sure to use Chrome.
Rachel says:
Same here, and the fix didnt work. This is so frustrating. HOW do we contact them? Is there another way?
Jennifer Smith says:
I went to log in this morning and it said my account had been suspended. I don’t post anything that would violate guidelines so I’m sure I was hacked. I followed the prompts and entered the codes Insta gave me and now my phone and computer screen are simply buffering. I went to FB to fill out the form you suggested but it won’t let me submit the form until I verify that it’s me by logging into Insta. I can’t log in because it’s just buffering. Please help.
Steve Larner says:
It is probably the internet connection and possibly the device you are using. Try different ones for both. However, if you made several attempts, you might need to wait a day or two and try again.
Lauren Singer says:
It keeps saying I have “to go to Instagram and confirm it’s me in order to request a review”?? I can’t do this because my account is locked? Can someone please help me, I was hacked once 4 years ago I can’t believe this is happening to me again. If I can’t get back into this account I am seriously done with Instagram. I am not building up another account.
Petra says:
Where does one get all these forms you write about
Petra says:
For an entire month now, I cannot get into my Instagram account on my PC …. It keeps throwing out this message : There was a problem logging you into Instagram. Please try again soon.
Morella says:
Hi, our Instagram account has been locked. I went through the process of confirming we’re the owner of the account. It asked for a new password, which I entered, it then took me to the login page, I entered the new login details and it said the username or password was wrong. After trying a few times the account has completely locked me out. Knowing IG and FB are notoriously difficult for not having any way of getting in touch with them and their information post very unhelpful, what can we do?
Steve Larner says:
Try doing it again but use a PC. Also, use Chrome and turn off any VPNs, proxies, etc.
Bhagwansingh says:
My Instagram account is been locked is saying I should upload a selfie and I’m trying too is saying failed
Steve Larner says:
Often, failed submissions are due to VPNs, browsers, or servers. The server can be you providers or Instagram’s servers. Try using Chrome. Try a different device. Wait a couple of days first to avoid suspicious activity.
Marina says:
My instagram account is temporarily locked, and when i go and fill up the form and write down my instagram username I can’t send it beacuase they replay that the username or the short link i gave does not belong to an inactive instagram account, what can i do here?
A says:
I’m having the same problem.
maddy says:
my account has been temporarily locked due to phishing however i have not entered any details or passwords online. I am not receiving the confirmation code email even though my email is current and working. it’s not in my spam/ junk.
Steve Larner says:
You may need to try the confirmation code email later. Sometimes, there’s a glitch or a server issue.
David Troiano says:
Same problem here
Stefan Eghet says:
My account is “temporarily blocked” and I don’t know what to do. When I let them send me an email with that code, nothing happens. I can’t find anything in the email. Any solution? A chat or an email address to Instagram? Thank you!
Steve Larner says:
There could be several reasons you can’t find a confirmation code in your email account for your blocked Instagram account.
1. You have email protection from an antivirus/malware program that affects the email you see.
2. Your email provider blocked images or other parts, and you have to click on a link to view them, such as a Yahoo or Gmail link that says “View Images,” “View Message,” or “View Links.”
3. Network connectivity issues, although rare for this particular situation. It either fully loads or it doesn’t load at all most of the time.
4. You are using a different mail app than the official one such as using Outlook for Gmail or Gmail for Yahoo mail.
Clifford Jones says:
4-5 people have posted the same question without getting an anwser hopefully you can help us out since you’ve posted this article. I have the correct contact info on my instgram but am not getting any 6 digit code sent to me. I found this article but it doesn’t acutally help. I have followed all the steps on the my instagram was deactived form, and I have seen the same message for the last two weeks “The username or short-link you provided does not belong to an inactive Instagram Account.” I promise you my account says your account has been temporarily locked when i try to sign into instgram. Why have you posted this whole article if it doesn’t work and multiple people have posted this on this article. Why not help us Steve Larner or amend the article or whats the point of this being up?
Steve Larner says:
Part of the problem is that your only seeing the 25% of people who still have trouble, not the other 75% that don’t leave comments that a suggestion worked. The other part is that the possibilities are dwindling and the options are getting exhausted. You can only suggest so many methods, links, solutions, etc. Since Instagram does have manual intervention by actual people, results can vary based on many different circumstances and the history of an account. Many people try too hard and make too many attempts for a certain scenario, which leads to Instagram employees or bots ignoring, blocking, banning, or deleting the accounts. Then, those same people have a harder time trying to get the ban lifted or get their accounts back. Some other issues that lead to continued Instagram bans or getting locked out include using VPNs when validating, using VPNs when sending emails to IG, using the wrong browser, proxies, illegible or unviewable documentation, repeated attempts, etc.
Chelsea Asante says:
Hi, I got a temporary lock on my account from Instagram. I tried all the steps, but it says “the username you provided does not belong to an inactive Instagram account”. Can you please help me with this?
Steve Larner says:
This scenario could be due to a server issue or cached data on your device not updating to the correct/current status.
Bridjeet Dc'ruz says:
My Instagram account is Temporarily locked in and I can’t get verification code because there is no access to my phone number and mail please help me to recover my Instagram account back
Steve Larner says:
Without access to a registered phone number or email account, there is nothing you can do. Do you mean you can’t access your phone number and email or are you saying Instagram can’t?
N says:
I completed the form, but it says that my account is active, although it is locked. I don’t receive the digit code on my mail. What should I do?
Steve Larner says:
OK, your account probably is active as it says. It could be that your device is using the stored IG cache data and needs it cleared to get the current status. Other than that, it could be active for a hacker.
Prityna naiding says:
My account has been locked temporarily. Please help me to recover my account ??
Ashley O'Connor says:
This has just happened to my partner however he’s entering his email address and not receiving any notification. Is a response sent immediately? Also he’s recently changed his phone number so the phone number linked to his Instagram account is his old inactive number. Please help!
Steve Larner says:
Email confirmation responses vary in time delivery depending on server load and other circumstances. I’m sure some of them get filtered out as well. It may also be waiting on a confirmation from the phone number without mentioning it.
1m Farhan 6263 says:
My Instagram id is temporarily locked
Kamal Gayri says:
Mere Instagram ka phone number nhai isliye mere ko Instagram has unlock kr doo plz
English: My Instagram phone number is there so please unlock my Instagram handle
Steve Larner says:
We have no association with Instagram.
Abhishek says:
As it’s my old account and I don’t have the email and phone number associated with my account and it’s temporary locked so how I can get it back please help me
Steve Larner says:
I don’t believe you can get your Instagram account back if you don’t have a valid phone number or email registered.
Tejpal singh says:
My Instagram was temporarily locked, and I need to put in the 6-pin number, but I’m not using that phone number already. What can I do now?
Steve Larner says:
You need a valid/registered phone number to enter the 6-digit pin. There is no way around that.
UC says:
Please how long does it take before i get the reply requesting a photo of me
Steve Larner says:
Timing can vary depending on server status, server load, and valid information. It is also possible that Instagram doesn’t have the correct information in its database. In other words, a hacker may have set up a different email, and Instagram detects that in your response.
Nouha says:
My account has been temporarily locked for security reasons for more than a month. I cannot access it and the hotmail on the account does not appear with me, the hotmail on it is no longer working my account is linked to Facebook. It gives me the opportunity to change the password, but the same problem remains, and I cannot communicate with Instagram, they say my account is active, please help me solve the problem?
Steve Larner says:
Is it your Hotmail account or a hacker’s? Also, the account probably is active.
Kevin Brown says:
My instagram was temporarily locked due to suspicious activity. Was sent verification code but it will not except the codes. It keeps saying code invalid. Then it says I’ve put in the wrong code too many times.
Steve Larner says:
This scenario is where people get into trouble. They try too many times, even though it is not their fault. It sounds like it could have been an Instagram server issue during that time period.

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