Action Blocked on Instagram: What Triggers and How to Get Rid of It

Last updated: February 3, 2023.

Every so often, Instagram users encounter this problem — Instagram action block. So if you search for tips on how to remove an Instagram action block and find the reasons why it appeared in the first place, look no further. Here’s your short guide with solutions on how to fix and avoid it.

Instagram Action Block: What Is It?

If your actions (likes, comments, follows, posting, sharing stories or any other actions you could usually take on the platform) cannot be performed any longer, it means that Instagram blocked them and restricted you from being active on the platform. With such a block, you can't like anyone, follow any users, comment on their posts, or even share your own content.

Types of Instagram Action Blocks

There are various types of the block. Here they are:

Instagram Temporary Block

The temporary block is the most common action block implemented by Instagram. It usually lasts up to 24 hours. You may get it after you break some of Instagram’s terms of service.

Instagram Action Block with an Expiration Date

Another type of action blocks on Instagram is one with an expiration date. The name speaks for itself — this type of block tell you the date up to which the block lasts. This block usually lasts from 24 hours to 30 days.

Instagram Action Block without an Expiration Date

The duration of the block may vary from several hours up to two weeks. This type of block usually doesn’t have the Tell us button unlike all other types, so if you’re sure you haven’t done anything wrong but still got flagged, you may request a manual review going to Instagram Settings ->Help ->Report a Problem.

Permanent Instagram Action Block

As the name of the block entails, you can’t remove this type of block. The reason why such blocks are applied is the violation of multiple Instagram rules. If your account has been temporarily blocked several times or if other users report your profile, you are at risk of getting a permanent Instagram action block.

💡Check these guides if you encounter other Instagram errors:

What Can Trigger the Instagram Action Block?

Action blocks are typically caused by the exceeded number of actions you perform in a window of time — per hour or day. Once you exceed the allowed hourly or daily actions limits, your actions might get blocked by Instagram.

The limit set by the platform may vary depending on your account age, previous violations of Instagram rules, misuse of automation third-party tools or bots, your previous activity, and some other things we’ll discuss below.

Knowing all the reasons that trigger action blocks will help you avoid such an issue in the future and remove the Instagram block from your account.

Why Does Instagram Block Your Actions?

There are multiple reasons why you might have encounter Instagram action block.

You exceed the Instagram daily and/or hourly action limits

Instagram has limits applied to actions that are to be performed by each user an hour or a day. In June 2019, Instagram reduced the limits for about half, so now, even those users who perform all the actions manually are at risk of getting blocked if they exceed these limits.

The action limits touch on likes, comments, follow/unfollow actions, and even users’ data loading. The exact limits are not yet revealed and may be different for each account depending on its age and activity level.

Your account is too young

Your account age has a direct impact on the allowed number of actions you can perform from this account. The younger your account is, the more limits it has. If your account is 1–3 months old, you should gradually increase the number of actions you do.

Otherwise, the boost of activity will be detected by Instagram as suspicious, even if you do it all manually.

💡Suggested read: Why Is It Unsafe to Buy Bot Instagram Followers?

Your link in bio is restricted

If the website address you shared in your bio is something that Instagram doesn't like, it can lead to the action block.

You have already violated Instagram rules

Previous violations such as blocks or reports sent by other users can cause action blocks as well. The number of allowed daily actions diminishes once you break Instagram guidelines.

If you post prohibited content on Instagram like sexual content, hate speech, fake news, and alike or violate the copyright policy of Instagram, you will be flagged.

Moreover, if you’ve violated the guidelines from one account, it may influence your other profiles run with the same IP address. That’s why it’s so vital to use different IPs while using several Instagram profiles. To ensure the safe Instagram promotion of several accounts, use proxies or VPN.

You are slightly active on Instagram at all

Instagram tracks your activity on the platform, so if you only check it a couple of times a day to like several people, it reduces your limits on daily actions. In this case, perform your actions slowly increasing them week by week.

And be more active on Instagram! Upload photos, videos, stories and interact with other Instagrammers.

You’re too active on Instagram

If you don’t post anything on Instagram, that’s one extreme. But if you post way too much, this is the other one.

The thing is that if you upload new posts several times a day every day of the week, Instagram and your followers consider it spam-like. To keep a balance, you should post 3–7 times a week when your followers are active.

You misuse automation

There still are ways to use automation tools properly; now, it just demands consciousness from your end. To get the most out of automation tools, mix different types of actions, don’t repeat the same tasks, and don’t perform similar tasks within the same windows of time.

For instance, if you use any third-party tool for Instagram growth and utilise it only for liking, you should change your strategy asap.

Act like a human within your tool; comment manually on the native Instagram app or follow people automatically, but some time later unfollow them gradually without any tools.

Combine the automation with manual use and don’t forget to like posts from your feed because, well, that’s what people usually do on Instagram.

If you comment on other users’ posts within a tool like Combin Growth, make templates of different comments in advance.

All in all, always alter your actions and keep in mind your account age, overall activity rate, number of followers and posts, and types of actions you perform.

Don’t automate all your actions and try to like, comment, and follow within those daily or hourly limits.

Your actions are too 'heavy'

Have you ever thought why the action limits differ? This is because all the Instagram action types have different ‘weight’. If you use only commenting, for instance, your overall action restrictions elevate. Likes are the lightest actions in terms of limits.

You log in with various IP addresses and/or devices

If you log in to your Instagram account from a different IP address or device and you can’t confirm via email or an SMS code that this is you, Instagram thinks your profile has been hacked and tries to protect it.

This is why you need to set up the two-factor authentication to be able to confirm to the system that you are the rightful owner of the account.

You spam in comments or direct messages

If you try to promote your Instagram page by spamming under other people’s posts and in their DMs, Instagram will punish you for this. No one likes spammers, and Instagram is not an exception.

If the system cannot detect you on its own, don’t worry, other users will gladly give it a hint by reporting your page for spam-like activity.

If you still join different engagement groups in 2020, you should stop ASAP. Instagram easily detects such activity and blocks all the members.

How to Fix the Instagram Action Block

In order to answer this question, we’ve done some research and looked through forums to find effective tips on how to remove the Instagram action block. Here’s what we and other users recommend:

Reinstall your Instagram app.

The most obvious way is to delete your Instagram app and relaunch it. After that, the cookies and other data collected by Instagram should be removed, which is helpful in getting rid of the action block, especially the temporary one.

2. Report a problem.

Primarily, if you did nothing wrong. When the ‘action blocked’ error pops up, it usually has two options: Tell us and Ignore. To request a manual review by Instagram, tap the Tell us button.

But some types of error pop-ups have no other option but OK. In this case, do the following: press Settings > Help > Report a Problem. In the text field, write that for some reason you’ve been blocked though you haven’t done anything wrong (try it even if you’ve done).

This should be done even if you spam or use third-party tools for growing your account. This action of yours will show Instagram that you’re not a bot.

FYI: In February 2020, Instagram implemented a new appeals process for disabled accounts. It means that now if your account is disabled and about to be deleted, you can appeal direct from the log-on screen.

Social Media Today

So when you log in and see a message about your account to be deleted, you can either Download Data to get access to your content or Request Review. If you choose the second option, you will need to fill in your full name, Instagram username, and tell Instagram why you think they’ve made a mistake. Instagram will review your appeal which takes up to 24 hours.

3. Switch to mobile data.

The reason for your actions blocked might be your IP address. Sometimes, Instagram even blocks accounts at the stage of creating ones if it doesn’t like the IP. So after you see any errors, switch from the Wi-Fi to the mobile data.

4. Link your Instagram account to Facebook.

Now Instagram allows creating Business and Creator accounts without connecting them to Facebook. If your account is not linked to Facebook and it has been threatened with the action block, link it to your Facebook page.

Thus you’ll prove that you’re not a bot. To make it even better, you can link your Instagram page to other socials.

5. Log in with another device.

Change the device you log in to Instagram. Try using another phone, tablet, or even PC.

6. Wait it out for 24–48 hours.

All of the aforementioned ways may or may not help. If none of the above enables you to get rid of the Instagram action block, wait it out, and your block will disappear shortly. Even better if you stop any of the Instagram actions for 24 or 48 hours. Don’t use Instagram or any third-party tool within this period of time.

Besides, don't create a new Instagram account right away because if the reason for the action block is your banned IP address, it will ban your new account as well.

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Want to grow your Instagram safely and organically? Check what Combin can do for you 👇