So, you have blocked someone on Instagram. But now, for whatever reason, it's time to unblock them.
Blocking can be a great way to stop someone seeing your posts temporarily, but it works best if you set your account to private too. Sometimes, though, we resolve conflicts and want to let people back into our lives.
Let's take a look at how blocking people on Instagram works, and how to unblock people on Instagram on both web and mobile.
What Happens When You Block or Unblock Someone on Instagram?
When you block a user on Instagram, you prevent them from being able to:
- View your posts and stories.
- Find you using the search tool.
- Contacting you via private message.
- Follow you (when you block someone, they automatically unfollow you).
Content from accounts you've blocked will be hidden. Any posts you have liked from that profile will also be hidden until you unblock that user again, at which point your likes return.
Remember: if you block a user but leave your account public, they only need to sign out of Instagram to see your posts again.
To change your account privacy settings:
- On Android: Tap on your profile tab, then tap on the Menu icon (three horizontal lines). From here, select Settings and toggle the Private Account option.
- On the web: Log in to Instagram.com and click on your profile icon in the top-left corner. Click on the Settings icon (the one that looks like a cog) then select Privacy and Security and toggle the Private Account option.
When you unblock someone, they will be able to view your posts and stories, find you again, and send you messages. They will not automatically follow you again though, so you will need to notify them if you want them to do so.
Why not check out a few other ways to grow your Instagram following while you're at it?
How Do You Unblock Someone on Instagram
If you know the name of the account you've blocked, you can search for the account using the search bar. Tap on the name to bring up the profile, then hit Unblock.
You will be asked to confirm your decision. Hit Unblock to do so. Depending on your device and current app version, you may just be able to hit the big blue Unblock button on the profile page too.
How to Unblock Someone on Instagram Using the Web
While using the web version of Instagram, search for the user you want to unblock. You may find that their name appears further down the search results compared to other similar account names. If you know their exact name, you can go to instagram.com/username (replacing username with the account username).
You can now either click the account menu button and choose Unblock this User, or hit the big blue Unblock button. You will be asked to confirm your decision; hit Unblock to do so.
How to See a List of Instagram Users You've Blocked
Currently, Instagram doesn't offer a way to access your block list from the web. If you can't remember the name of a user, or you simply want to review your block list, you can do so from an iOS or Android device.
Launch Instagram and navigate to settings. Tap on Privacy, then choose Blocked Accounts. Tap on an account to view it, then unblock it using the instructions outlined above.
How to Unblock Someone Who Has Also Blocked You
The old "double block" makes it harder to unblock someone, but there are a few ways around it. It works best if you know the name of the account, assuming the name hasn't changed.
On Android
- Compose a new direct message to yourself, include the username of the account you wish to unblock in the body of the message. Once sent, tap on the username and unblock as normal. See how to check Instagram direct messages online if you're not sure.
On the Web
- Log in using a web browser at Instagram.com, then type instagram.com/username, replacing username with the name of the account you wish to unblock. When you see the profile, unblock as normal.
Remember to Follow Unblocked Accounts Again!
When you block an account, you automatically unfollow that account. If you've decided to unblock someone and you want to actively start seeing their posts again, you'll need to head back to their profile and follow them again.
We've put together a guide on how to maximize your Instagram exposure, so if your feed is looking a little dull, it's worth a look. Be sure to get familiar with the best Instagram captions to liven up your own posts, too.
Got a Private Account? Remove Followers Instead
While blocking people on Instagram is a solid way of getting rid of people you don't want to interact with, the other option is to make your account private.
Instead users must request approval from the account holder, which is essentially a whitelist of approved followers. If you're concerned about privacy, the private account option is a good route to take.
Using this method, you won't really have to block anyone. You can get back to using Instagram as intended.