This is the second part of our post on Instagram's most frequently asked questions. We've researched Reddit, Quora, multiple forums and search engine queries to compile this list of the most common questions about Instagram and answers to them. We'll make more such posts covering various questions, so make sure you follow our updates on Reddit. Now let's start the ball rolling.

🟣 How do I get verified on Instagram?

The only way to get a blue check on Instagram is to request verification in the Instagram mobile app for iOS or Android. Note that there’s no specific follower count to request the verification badge. However, Instagram badges are typically given to people or companies who are likely to be impersonated, such as influencers, big brands, and celebrities, to allow people to know for sure they follow an authentic account.

Don't believe scammers who claim they can get you the verification badge for a certain fee! Typically, such scam offers are sent on Reddit, Twitter or even in Instagram comments.

💡 Check our detailed article dedicated to Instagram verification.

🟣 What's the best time to post on Instagram?

Unlike all the advice you can find on the Internet regarding the best time to post on Instagram, best posting hours depend on when your followers are awake and active. So if your followers are from Germany, the best posting time that works for the US (which is typically covered in articles on this topic) might not work for your followers. To figure out the best time to post, use your Instagram account's Insights.

💡 Here’s the post we made on Instagram analytics and how it works.

🟣 How to repost on Instagram

The best way to reshare someone else's Instagram content and regram it from feed to your own grid is to use Combin Scheduler:  

  1. Install and launch Combin Scheduler. It’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
  2. Log in using your Instagram credentials.
  3. Click Add New Post at the bottom of the application window.
  4. Open the Repost tab in the appeared window.
  5. Copy the link to the Instagram post you want to repost.
  6. Paste the URL into the Link to Post field.
  7. Select the publishing date and time.
  8. Add a location tag to your repost and a link to bio, if needed.
  9. Click the icons below the image to add, remove or change the repost badge location. Enable the White Badge switch to change the badge colour from black to white.
  10. Click Post Now.

That’s it! Your repost will be published at the scheduled time.

🟣 What are Instagram Guides & why should I use them?

Instagram Guides allow you to curate your content and bring together similar posts in thematic hubs so that your followers can easily find all related content in one place. We’ve covered what Instagram Guides are and how they work, so you can check our post with the detailed information above.

🟣 How do I reply to a comment with an Instagram Reel?

Reply with a Reel is a new Instagram feature that was implemented in 2022. Since the feature has been inspired by TikTok’s similar functionality, it works quite the same: tap Reply on any comment left under one of your Reels and click on the camera icon. After that, you’ll see the comment that looks like a sticker that you can use in your Reel and shoot a reply.

🟣 How to download Instagram Live

Native Instagram functionality allows you to save Instagram Live: After you've ended a live broadcast on Instagram, you can tap Download video to save the video to your phone's camera roll. Bear in mind that only the video is saved; comments, likes, and viewers aren't. You're only able to save a live broadcast straight after you've ended it, and only you will see the option to save your live video.

💡 Note: It may take a minute for a live broadcast to save to your phone, especially for longer videos.

If you want to download Instagram Live on a desktop, especially if the live stream was long ago, use 4K Stogram. Here’s how you can do that:

  1. Install the 4K Stogram 4.5 version or newer.
  2. Log in to your Instagram credentials in the app.
  3. Type an Instagram handle of the account whose live streams you want to save.
  4. Click the advanced download settings button next to Download right to the search field.
  5. Select Feed posts and leave Only Video in the content format tab.

This step is optional. However, if you don’t select the advanced download options, 4K Stogram will download all content of the account, not only videos, Reels, and live streams.

6. Press Download.

4K Stogram will then save all video content that is posted in the feed: Reels, live streams, and all other videos. You can find the downloaded live streams in the Reels tab.

🟣 How do I browse Instagram with the chronological Feed?

Instagram claims that ‘Since switching to a ranked feed, the average post is now seen by 50% more followers than it did with the chronological model.’ In 2022, Instagram kind of brought back the chronological Feed, allowing users, brands, and creators to choose between the two options – Favorites and Following, which are basically recommendations to your feed based on your interests and followed accounts.

According to their press release, the company states the difference between the two as follows:

  • Favourites show you the latest from accounts that you choose, like your best friends and favorite creators. In addition to this view, posts from accounts in Favourites will also show up higher in your home feed. You can add up to 50 accounts to your list. Posts from accounts on your favorites list will also show up higher in your home feed, as shown by a star icon.
  • Following shows you posts from the people you follow. Both Favorites and Following will show you posts in chronological order, so you can quickly catch up on recent posts.

To use Favourites and Following, tap on Instagram in the top left corner of your home page to choose what you see.

🟣 If posts get a lot of reactions in the first 30 minutes, are they ranked higher?

Instagram confirms this isn’t true, so don’t believe all myths around the Instagram algorithm.

🟣 How to unfollow users who don't follow me back in bulk

If every once in a while, you come across some user on you Instagram feed, who doesn't follow you back, even though you were sure they did or at least hoped it would, read this piece and learn how to safely unfollow them all in bulk:

  1. Download Combin Growth, it's available for Mac, PC and Linux.
  2. Launch the application and log in with your Instagram account. Сombin doesn’t collect or transfer sensitive information to third parties. Instagram two-factor authentication is supported.
  3. Open Users tab and get access to all Instagram accounts you follow.
  4. Click Not followers and see a list of all users that don’t follow you back.
  5. Click Select All and then push Unfollow the users button to mass-unfollow all Instagram accounts that don’t follow you.

That’s it! After this task for unfollowing will be automatically created and started by the application. You can monitor its progress in Tasks tab.

Note that action tasks scheduled within Combin are not processed instantly in order to ensure account safety. The application performs them gradually over time to prevent an account ban. Sudden bursts of activity and activity automation are highly likely to be quickly detected and punished by Instagram.

Tasks can be speeded up by changing the processing intensity mode to Risky. We discourage you from leaving this mode enabled 24/7. Risky mode is recommended to be used once in a while because it leads to faster limits reaching than other intensity modes, and if used continuously for numerous massive action tasks, it may lead to an account ban.

🟣 How do I change my Instagram stories' Highlight covers?

Instagram highlights are a great way to highlight important information or specific details about your brand. To make your page look even more consistent, you can add custom Highlight covers. After you’ve created a Highlight, tap the three dots icon and hit Edit Highlight. Then click on Edit Cover. Now you can upload an image from your camera roll or select a cover from one of the stories you've shared.

🟣 How to turn off Active Status on Instagram

If you don’t want people to know when you’re online on Instagram, there's a solution to hide your active status:

  1. Go to Settings and open up the Privacy menu.
  2. Under Interactions, you’ll find Activity Status, which you can toggle on or off.
  3. Toggle it off to hide when you're online.

💡 Note that when you turn off your activity status, you won’t be able to see when other people read your DMs or if they're online, either.

What should I do if I can’t access a specific Instagram feature?

When releasing a new feature, Instagram typically allows a small group of users to test it and only then rolls it out across broader audiences, country by country. Some features may remain unavailable in your region due to policy constraints. However, do the following to make sure you have access to the new Instagram functionality:

  1. Make sure your app is up-to-date with the latest Instagram version.
  2. Sign out of the app, force-quit and open it again. Then sign back in.
  3. Re-install the app if the feature you're looking for hasn't appeared yet.

📌 If you have any more questions about Instagram or how to grow it, follow our Reddit or check the Combin Help centre.