Well…this is a new one for me….an Instagram ban. But here’s the twist, I was recently banned for violating Instagram’s terms of use for an account that I had:
- Just created (I was banned 2 seconds after pushing the “Create Account” button and
- Had never posted a photo or comment from (since the ban happened immediately)
I mean, Instagram is notorious for banning accounts without any notice. They are pretty clear about the reasons that they might ban an account, but when it happens, there usually aren’t any warnings…it just happened. I hadn’t even upload a single instagram post and BOOM! Instabanned.
I have seen multiple accounts with upwards of 100K followers who are suddenly banned. Those who plan for the possibility that it might happen often create a backup account to use while they try to resolve the issue.
In my situation, however, my account was immediately banned upon being created.
If your Instagram account is banned, there are steps you can take to get it back. Click To TweetMy wife and I are starting a new travel blog at FlatlandersIn.com with the goal of documenting and sharing our travel and providing tips and recommendations for those who might be interested.
As part of the blog-building process, I attempted to create a new Instagram business account at the handle of @FlatlandersIn. Nothing provocative…nothing offensive or incendiary. Just a simple handle where we can share our travel photo.
NOTE: Flatlanders are not flat-Earthers. For those not familiar with the term, flatlanders are people from flat areas of the country like Kansas, where we reside. Flat-earthers, on the other hand, well…don’t get me started.
Yet, upon clicking the “Create Account” button, I immediately received a notice that my Instagram account was deactivated. The account was created, it’s not like our Instagram signup was blocked. Heck, we even got the confirmation that the account had been created.
Here’s what the notice looks like.
Apparently, I violated the Instagram terms of use without ever even posting a single Instagram photo, so I received this message from Instagram stating “your account has been disabled for violating our terms”. Cool!
Knowing that Instagram is going to play a big role in our blog, I decided to go through the steps and document them for anyone else who is experiencing this issue. The goal is to figure out and share the exact steps on how to get unbanned from Instagram.
Unfortunately, Instagram support is notoriously bad and automated using AI, so I wasn’t looking forward to the process, but if it helps someone else out it’s totally worth the hassle.
Here are the steps I took.
NOTE: These steps worked for me because I followed them exactly. I performed every step that Instagram/Facebook asked me to. DON’T skip steps. DON’T leave emails unanswered. DO everything they ask of you.
Step 1 – Appeal The Ban Using The Instagram App
To kick of the process, you need to appeal the ban using the Instagram app. That means attempting to login and then, when you get the ban notification, click the “Appeal” link.
In the Instagram appeal form that follows, fill in ALL the information. Don’t skip any fields and be sure to include an email address that is live and you are actively monitoring. You are going to want to reply back to the requests for information quickly.
NOTE: In a lot of cases, Instagram is trying to prevent bots or inflammatory people from creating accounts. They likely flagged your account for a reason, so you need to prove to them that you are legit. In my case, the fact that our blog is named “Flatlanders In” might have triggered some “Flat-Earther” logic in their AI.
During the process, you are going to be asked to provide some sort of proof, in the form of a document, that shows that you are a human being and you are entitled to the Instagram account.
In my case, I uploaded a receipt from GoDaddy showing that I had purchased the domain. This is the what the attachment looked like:
Once you have attached your proof of being a human, submit your appeal request.
Step 2 – Wait For The First Of Additional Requests For Information
Again, the AI is trying establish that you are a human being and you aren’t some shady, black-hat trying to make a new Instagram account and manipulate Instagram or use it for bad purposes.
So, the next request for information I received was sent to the email on file for the account, to prove that it is a legit email address and there is a human paying attention to it. Because Instagram is going to try to connect with you via email, it’s important that you monitor the email address you used to create the Instagram account that’s blocked.
Here’s what the first email looked like:
Pretty straightforward, right? Now that they know I am a human being monitoring the email address on file, they want me to reply back with a business document that proves I have the right to use the Instagram handle that is associated with the domain.
I replied back with a copy of my utility bill where our office for FlatlandersIn resides.
Step 3 – Prove That You Are REALLY A Human Being.
Now it starts to get kind of silly but Instagram wants to make sure I really, really, really am a human being.
So, they sent the email below asking me to write out a code, write my name, and the Instagram handle and then take a photo of me holding it and reply with the photo.
At this point, I feel like Instagram’s AI is just making me jump through hoops to see how silly it can make the human look. And I do feel pretty silly asking someone to take a photo of me holding a piece of paper with a code on it.
Step 4 – Hurry Up And Wait.
This is the hardest part.
Did all of my emails work? Is the AI paying attention? Did my answers and documents and photos satisfy its need? Will I get my brand new Instagram unblocked?
All of the emails say that they will respond back in 1-2 days. I was banned on a Tuesday, I submitted my documents on the following Wednesday, so the hope was that bots would reply back and give me access by Friday.
Step 5 – Celebrate The Success
Well, it didn’t take but a few hours for the AI bots (or maybe a human at Facebook/Instagram) to review the documents that I sent over and lift the ban on our account.
I received the email below that the ban on the account was lifted and I should be able to login to the account now.
Step 6 – Login And Make Sure Everything Works
The last step in making sure that the ban was actually lifted was to login to the account via a browser and make sure that I had full access to the account. The good news is everything is working as expected!
After logging in with my credentials, I was able to access my profile and can start building out the account with a profile photo, bio, etc…
In Summary – Follow The Steps Exactly…Even If They Seem Silly
I hope these steps help you if your brand new Instagram account has been banned.
When working to get Instagram to lift the ban on our account, be sure to follow every step and answer every email they send to you. Click To TweetWhile the process seems kind of silly and protracted, it only took a couple of days to get the account unlocked and I guess that’s not too bad.
If you have other experiences or suggestions for those out there who are experiencing an Instagram ban, be sure to share them in a comment so others can benefit.
Cheers!
–Sean
ONE ADDITIONAL NOTE: I (nor any other individual) cannot help you gain access to a banned account. Only you can do that by working directly with Instagram/Facebook. Follow the steps carefully and make sure you respond to every single email.
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MWAHAHAA ? yesssss REMINDS ME OF my stupid email from fbook! apparently I srepped into copyright infringement? ? no idea what I did? ? ? says “image” I put up. with my status quote. ? noooo ? can’t even remember! so was given a telesales brand company email to respond to. First off I messaged fbook o site and emails… no response! so begrudgingly I emailed the tele brand direct. they said”wasn’t us. if your account is disabled. use thisssss code?! “? ? but don’t know what I’ve done to avoid in future! fbook and Instagram (sister companies and more) have gone data ? crazzzzzy! hence now I don’t want to go back! how do I send u the email? ? ?
My instagram account was disabled how we get it back this way is not useful for me
Yeah… thats indeed something we all a victim of, ones in quora I received a flag for something don’t even in the comment… it was a spam link alert even though there’s no affiliate link inside … I appeal and things resolved… 🙂
I’ve created my account on my pc and got it disabled right after. BUT i cant appeal! if i try to log in with my phone, the app says that my account username does not exist! so aparently my account was kind of half-createad. Tried to create new account but name was already taken… by myself! so sad i need that nameeee
Don’t know if anyone actually monitors or still checks this–but I changed my username earlier today because I’m reworking my account and content. I then attempted to post a selfie of my face in sunglasses and a comment about how I fell on the sidewalk shortly after I took the photo (but with slightly more vulgar language, but not derogatory at anyone or myself), and the post loaded, then told me it went against the community guidelines. I attempted the post a second time, cleaned up the copy to not be so vulgar and the same thing happened. I then had a random photo of a pack of cheese from the grocery store that I attempted to post with no caption, the same thing happened. I then attempted the selfie again with no captain, and the same thing happen. The account doesn’t appear to be banned, and I can still like, comment, and post Stories, but I can’t post actual photos or videos to my feed. Any clue why that might be or how I can fix that? I reported the problem to Instagram directly through the app and will wait for a response, but I would really like to be able to post again! Especially since I didn’t do anything wrong!!!
Happened to me too, no idea what to do now! Did you resolve?
Thanks a lot Sean for your help. The exact same thing happened to me and I was almost sure that I would never be able to recover access to my account. Well, I just had to send that silly picture – step 3 only, there was no step 2 – and after 3 days my account could be used again.
All pages about getting help from Instagram say it’s impossible, I am so pleased it wasn’t. The trick is NOT to use Instagram in a PC browser to get help because, AFAIK, the offer to appeal will not appear.
Philippe
Pretty much the same thing happened to me. My IG account was opened less than a week and all of a sudden it was banned for “violations of terms of service,” or something like that. I never posted anything! All I did was like about 10 posts and follow the posters. When I emailed to find out their reasons, they wanted me to post a selfie holding a piece of paper with a single word on it. They banned me for something I know I didn’t do, they refuse to tell me what they think I did, and the they want me to submit a photo? How do I even know that IG or somebody else would connect my picture with whatever it is they think I did?
I never responded to them.
The ha jet changed my email. Now hacked my new Instagram and changed the new email. What do I do?!
Did you ever get your account back? the same happened to me
My instagram account has been disabled please reopen my account
I’m a graphic designer who tried to set up an Instagram for the business I’m setting up, it got banned during the account creation and I’ve had to follow the appeal route.
Because I’m only setting up, I don’t actually have a utility bill specifically to the business so just sent them a copy of my design software bill that has my name on it. Fingers crossed they accept it, I did explain this in the email also.
Thanks for posting 🙂
My banned account is daryus.8.9
Many times i have fill appeal form and sent them my photo and every information they wanted !
But everytime they are just sending me their foolish out-dated guidelines and just telling me u have violated ! But as far as i remember i have never violate their foolish guidelines ! They are just playing with me ! Maybe around 100 times or more i have fill appeal form and sent them ! But they aren’t even responding !
I hate inatagram so much . They are so disgusting …
Just stumbled across this when searching to see if what happened to me happened to anyone else. So I’m not alone after all. Slight difference is that I’ve said that I’m no longer interested in having an account with them.
Tried to sign up via email, got told they needed my phone number to verify me even though they’d given me option to choose email or phone number. If they need both why not say that from the get go? Got to say, seems like a sneaky way to get both.
As soon as I input the code they sent by text it comes up saying that someone will be reviewing my account. A day later and apparently I’ve been banned for the crime of attempting to sign up and now they want my picture and to do the sign thing as well.
I’m naturally suspicious so the whole thing seems like a way to acquire name, photo, email and phone number of people trying to sign up to sell to who knows who? I’m not a brand, not trying to become famous so I’m not playing. I don’t really do social media and just wanted somewhere to post the occasional half decent picture I might take on my phone.
It’s not worth it, going to try Flickr instead.
Hi sir goodmorning someone hack my password account I don’t know what I do please help
I emailed them a picture with me holding a paper with a code on it and my full name and username, they still haven’t got back to me
I have tried this method 12 times now. (Picture with code and name etc) with no response. It’s been 16 days since my account was disabled by mistake and I sent my first appeal.
Has anyone else tried multiple times and EVENTUALLY got a response?
I never got the option to appeal what do I do???
Help! Instagram deactivated my account over a month ago now and I finally was able to appeal it (after a long time of not being able too as my account doesn’t tell me it’s been deactivated), it’s been nearly 2 weeks since I replied with the photo of myself with details on the paper and I still haven’t gotten a reply, anyone got any suggestions on what I could do? Or how I can get some help from Instagram to get it back? Thank you.
I submit an appeal I never get an email back from Instagram asking for a code with a picture do you think my IP is blacklisted