How to Know if Someone Restricted you on Instagram?

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. This app allows you to follow people and befriend them even if they are strangers. But, sometimes, having too many Instagram friends can also become a burden if they disturb you or you want a break from them. In those cases, you can restrict someone on Instagram.
But this goes both ways; sometimes, you might be restricted on the app without your knowledge. As Instagram does not provide any information about the activity to the restricted user, finding out if you have been restricted can become difficult.
Well, worry no more because, in this article, we bring you ways to know if someone restricted you on Instagram.
You might also be interested in: How to Know if Someone Restricted You on Messenger?
Quick Summary
To find out if someone restricted you on Instagram, send them a message and check your message seen status or look for their online activity and whether it is visible. You can also comment on their post and ask someone or check if the comment is visible to others.
Table of Contents
What happens when someone restricts you on Instagram?
Let us start with what restriction actually means on Instagram and how it affects the users. Instagram restriction is a feature provided by the app that allows users to take a break from people and limit their interaction with them via the app without blocking them. Certain things take place when someone restricts you. They are:
- You cannot see the online status of users who restrict you on Instagram. (It may also happen because they have turned off their activity status)
- The messages you send will not be displayed on the main chat folder of the user. Like any stranger, the messages you send will be stored in the ‘Message request‘ section, and the user will have to approve or decline your messages to interact with you.
- Your comments on the user’s posts will only be displayed to you and them. These comments will have to be reviewed by the user. They can approve or reject your comments. It will be visible only after it is approved by others who see the post.
How to Know if Someone Restricted You on Instagram?
Now that you have learned what happens when someone restricts you on Instagram, let us talk about how you can learn if it has happened to you. Using the same problems mentioned above, you can use them to find out if someone restricted you on Instagram.
1. Post a Comment on their Post
Even though you are restricted, you can still comment on someone’s posts on Instagram. However, as mentioned above, the comments will only be visible to the two of you until the other person approves. So, to find out if you have been restricted, you can ask your mutual friends to check the comments properly to see if the comment is visible to them as well.
Or, you can create a different account and see for yourself whether the comment in your real accounts is visible on the next. If not, it means that you have been restricted on Instagram.
2. Check their Online Status
Another way to know is by checking their online status. First, make sure that you have your online status turned on. After that, you can open the chat box of the person and check for the status below their names. If their online or last active status is shown to you, they have not restricted you on the app.
However, sometimes the user might also have turned off their activity status. So, you will not be shown any of it even when you open their DMs.
3. Send a Direct Message
Last but not least, send a DM to the person who you think has restricted you. As your DMs will be saved in the message requests section, the status of the message will not be shown to you. The person has to accept your message to even make it as seen.
If they see the message and ignore it, they will not be shown the ‘Seen’ status. You can also ask your friends to text them and check if their DMs have been seen or replied to.
In this way, you can know if someone restricted you on Instagram.
How to Restrict Someone on Instagram?
Restricting someone on this app provides you with a lot of space from the person without having to unfriend or block them. You can always unrestrict them when you are ready and continue your relationship. To restrict someone on Instagram, follow the given steps:
Method 1: Restrict Someone in Messages
To restrict someone by going to their DMs, follow the given steps:
- Open Instagram and go to your Inbox section.
- Open the chat box of the person you wish to restrict.
- Click on their name at the top.
- Tap on the ‘Three dots’ you see.
- Select the ‘Restrict’ option.
The person will have been restricted.
Method 2: Restrict Someone through their Profiles
To restrict someone on Instagram through their profiles, follow the given steps:
- Open Instagram and log into your account.
- Tap on the ‘Search icon‘ you see.
- Search for the person you wish to restrict.
- Open their profile and tap the ‘Three dots’ icon at the top.
- Select the ‘Restrict‘ option.
- Click on ‘Restrict‘ to confirm.
The person will have been restricted. To unrestrict them, follow steps 1 to 4 and hit ‘Unrestrict’.
Method 3: Restrict Someone from Settings
To restrict someone from settings on Instagram, follow the given steps:
- Open Instagram and go to your ‘Profile‘.
- Tap the ‘Hamburger icon‘ and select ‘Settings and Privacy‘.
- Scroll down and open the ‘Restricted‘ section.
- Search for the person you wish to restrict.
- Click on the ‘Restrict‘ button beside their names.
- They will have been restricted.
Method 4: Restrict Someone through a Comment
To restrict someone through a comment on Instagram, follow the given steps:
- Open Instagram and go to the post the person has commented on.
- Select ‘View all comments‘.
- Press on the comment of the person you wish to restrict till the options appear.
- Click on the ‘Exclamation mark‘ at the top.
- Select the ‘Restrict‘ option you see.
In this way, you can restrict people on Instagram through various methods.
Blocking VS Restricting on Instagram
You might think blocking and restricting someone on Instagram is the same thing. However, they are not. They are two very different features used in the interaction of the other user with you. The restriction is more focused on taking a break, whereas blocking someone shows that you don’t want to be in touch with that person.
Blocking someone on Instagram is done to completely stop that person from interacting with your account in any manner. When you block someone on the app, the blocked user will not be able to see your Instagram account at all, follow you, send you messages, call you or anything. Your account will be completely protected from being viewed by that user.
Restring someone will allow them to send you still texts, interact with your posts, follow you on the app and many more. However, you can monitor their actions and choose if you wish to interact with them or not. But, the situation is not the same for blocking or being blocked.
Conclusion
Hence, following the steps mentioned above in the article, you can now easily know if someone restricted you on Instagram. You can follow any method you like if you want to be sure. Give the person some space until they are ready or request them to unrestrict you by having a good conversation.
Hope this article was helpful and cleared your doubts. Feel free to leave comments in case of any queries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Instagram send notifications when someone restricts you?
No, Instagram gives the user privacy and does not notify someone when they have been restricted. You can find it out by using the methods we have listed above.
How long do Instagram restrictions last?
The length of Instagram restriction completely depends on the user who restricted you. Only when they un-restrict you by themselves will it end.
How to restrict someone from seeing your followers on Instagram?
By setting your account to private, you can restrict someone who does not follow you from seeing your followers/following list. To restrict someone who is friends with you on the app, remove them as a follower.
How to see a restricted profile on Instagram?
You can do so by simply searching for and opening the person’s account. To see the list of all people you have restricted, go to Settings and Privacy>Privacy>Connections>Restricted accounts.
How to restrict adult content on Instagram?
To do so, go to Settings and Privacy>Suggested Content>Sensitive Content. Select that you wish to see less sensitive content on Instagram. Save your changes by confirming your decision.