Instagram Restrict vs Block: What Is the Difference, and How Can You Do It?
Whether you want to block or restrict someone, or just know the difference between restrict vs block on Instagram, read on.
Posted 2 months ago
Written by
Sam KingPosted 2 months ago
As Instagram has developed as a platform, they have become increasingly aware of issues of cyberbullying, trolling, and general negativity â leading them to develop safeguarding options such as ârestrictâ and âblockâ features for accounts. This has allowed users to monitor and limit the interactions that appear on their profile, as well as who can and canât see their content. Whether you want to block or restrict someone or want to know the difference between restrict vs block on Instagram, we answer all your questions, below!
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At Flick, weâre all things social media and can help you learn a great deal about how to get more followers and engagement using our Instagram Caption Generator or Instagram Hashtags Generator.
What does restrict mean on Instagram? đ
So, what does it mean to restrict someone on Instagram? First of all, restricting a profile shouldnât be mistaken for blocking, as restrict on Instagram is a totally different thing. Think of it as a subtle version of a block!
When you restrict someone on Instagram, it means that you are restricting them from seeing certain parts of your profile, or from interacting with you in certain ways. Restricting is different from blocking because users are still able to view your profile, follow you, and have you as a follower. You can block a user after you have already restricted them.
How do you restrict vs block someone on Instagram? đ
There are a few different ways to restrict someone, once you have decided this is the option for you.
- First, youâll want to log in to your account and go to the profile of the user youâd like to restrict.
- Next, click on the ââŚâ icon.
- Select ârestrict.â
You can also restrict someone through the settings option on your profile.
- Navigate to âSettings.â
- Select âPrivacy.â
- Select âRestricted Accounts.â
- Search for the profile youâd like to restrict, and select this option.
What happens when you restrict someone on Instagram? đ ââď¸
If you want to restrict someone but youâre worried about what they might think â donât worry. Instagram does not notify users as to whether or not theyâve been restricted. However, you will be able to stop them from making the following actions on your profile:
- Commenting
So what does restrict do on Instagram comments? Technically, they will still be able to comment on your images or videos, as normal, but their comments will not be public or viewable by other users. This means only you and the restricted user can see the comments they have left on your profile.
Also, when a restricted user comments on your post, you wonât get a notification as you normally would. However, it stays under a protected message. In other words, youâll see a message to either Approve or Delete it.
Since thereâs no notification of the comment from the restricted user profile, you have to go and find the comment manually in a post. So if youâre very active on Instagram, chances are you may never see their comment and your post unless you stumble upon the protected message.
- Visibility of your activity
Although your profile may appear normal to the restricted user, they will not be able to see when you are online or if you have seen their messages if they send across a DM. Any messages they send will appear in âmessage requestsâ rather than your primary inbox.
These are both particularly useful if you are a public figure or a brand. If you are a public figure and want to restrict hate or any negative comments that may come your way, the restrict function is a great option that doesnât cause too much upset.
What does restricting someone on Instagram do to their profile? Nothing, as you can see, like, and comment on their posts and stories.
When should you restrict a profile on Instagram?
Instagram has over one billion active users. Celebrities, public figures, brands, and influencers have tens of thousands to millions of followers. But not all the users are well-intentioned, polite, or decent.
Hate speech and cyberbullying have increased tremendously over the years and have become a problem for the platform. The Meta-owned company has come under pressure to tackle hate speech and bullying, which doesnât just impact general users but also public figures.
Thanks to the public and political outcry about the problem, the social media platform has introduced new features to tackle the problem, which has become extremely serious and damaging for Instagram. Just in the last quarter of 2021, Instagram took action on 3.8 million hate speech incidents.
Features like restrict on Instagram also help users limit and avoid such incidents from other users and followers. It reduces the interaction of the user with your profile, posts, and stories, as only you can view their comments, should you choose to. And similarly, the messages come into the message request section of your DMs, not the primary inbox.
Restrict Instagram is an ideal feature to limit interaction from someone who may be bothering you with their comments on your posts or messages. Itâs also good for those users who donât necessarily want to lower their follower count but do want to restrict user interaction. Instagram restrict vs block keeps the user in your followersâ list despite restricting their actions.
If youâre putting up with rude and invasive followers just so you have more outreach and exposure, you should consider Flickâs Hashtag Academy, where you can learn how to leverage hashtags on Instagram to grow your audience organically and increase engagement with your current following.
How to tell if someone restricted you on Instagram? đĽş
So you think youâve been restricted, eh? Itâs quite easy to find out if youâve been blocked on Instagram, as you wonât have any access to that personâs profile, however, restricting can be trickier to work out. Youâll still be able to see the profile as normal, and youâll still be able to comment on posts, so how do you know if youâve been restricted?
If you want to find out if youâve been restricted, one of the best ways is to check your message history with the person in question. You should be able to see when and if they are online if they havenât restricted you, as well as whether or not they have seen your recent messages, marked by read receipts.
If you have multiple accounts, you can also check if you have been restricted, when looking at whether or not your comments appear on your profile. You can test this by commenting on a recent post, and then switching to your other account to see if your comment appears automatically, or if it has to be approved.
The restrict feature has been added to Instagram as a way to stop bullying, negativity, and hate on the platform, and it helps some users take back control over their profiles. Itâs important that whether or not you have been restricted, to think about the comments you post on a personâs profile and whether or not they could be harmful to the individual.
How do you block someone on Instagram? đĄ
Is someone really getting to you, and restriction just isnât enough to keep them off your back? If you want to take things a step further, you can also block someone on Instagram, which will mean you will essentially âdisappearâ. Donât worry, you wonât actually disappear. The user wonât be able to search for or find your profile, and you will be removed from their followers and following. Hereâs how to block someone on Instagram:
- Go to the personâs profile that youâd like to block.
- Select the ââŚâ icon in the top right-hand corner.
- Select âBlock.â
What happens when you block someone on Instagram?
When you block a user on Instagram, your profile essentially disappears from the profile and feed of that particular user. But that happens in a variety of ways. Unlike Instagram restrict, a blocked user cannot interact with your posts or even message you. They wonât even be able to find your profile.
Hereâs what else happens when you block someone:
- All the previous likes and comments from that user on your profile will disappear. (And they wonât return even when you unblock them)
- They wonât be able to tag you in photos or even mention your username using the @ function. However, if you change your username, they might be able to mention you, provided they know the new username.
- They will be able to see your likes or comments on public accounts or private accounts they follow.
- While youâre not able to message the blocked user, any previous chat remains in your DMs.
- If you and the blocked person are in a group chat on Instagram, youâll get a prompt on whether you want to leave the group. Should you choose to stay, you will be able to see the messages from the blocked person.
- Your DM thread also remains in the blocked userâs inbox, and they are able to send a message. However, the message will never be delivered to you, even when youâve unblocked them.
- Blocking someone automatically unfollows them from your profile and you from theirs should they be following you. And youâll have to follow them and vice versa after unblocking them.
As you can see, the difference between restrict and block on Instagram is significant. Blocking someone stops any form of contact with the account on Instagram. Not just that, any history of the interaction except DMs is also deleted as if you never followed them in the first place.
If someone has multiple accounts, you may have to block those accounts separately. However, you do get the chance to ensure any new account they create is also blocked. Instagram probably included this setting because itâs pretty easy to create a second Instagram account, and people do it all the time to check if someone has blocked them. So this makes it a little harder for the blocked user to find out if youâve blocked them or simply deactivated or deleted your account.
Instagram block vs restrict: Quick comparison
What does mean in IG? What does block mean on IG? The following table will answer!
Â
| Restrict | Block | |
| Can see profile? | Yes | No |
| Can like or comment? | Yes | No |
| Are their likes and comments visible to me? | Yes | No |
| Are their likes and comments visible to others? | No | No |
| Can tag in photos? | Yes | No |
| Can mention username? | Yes | No |
| Can send message? | Yes (message request) | No |
| Can receive message? | Yes | No |
When should you block a profile on Instagram?
Perhaps you have had a falling out with a person. Perhaps a random brand account is sending you unsolicited promotional messages. Or perhaps someone is DMing you hateful speech. As that popular Spanish meme goes, itâs time to block, block, block!
As mentioned earlier, hate speech, inappropriate pictures, and bullying are serious problems on Instagram. So, the block option comes in very handy to cut out such users from spoiling your day.
You can block an Instagram profile any time and unblock it anytime unless theyâve blocked you too. Restricted vs blocked Instagram is very different. A blocked user cannot reach you in any way, unlike a restricted user, who may still be able to view your posts and comments, albeit only visible to you and them.
In addition, to restrict and block, Instagram has also introduced other features like Limit and Hidden Words. These features are directed towards public figures and influencers with many followers who get negative comments and messages frequently.
How do you unblock vs unrestrict someone on IG? đ¸
Decided you want to unblock someone, or no longer see them as a threat to your page? Blocking and restricting are reversible, which means you can also unblock and unrestrict users too.
To unblock someone:
- On your profile tap the icon of three horizontal lines in the top right-hand corner.
- Select âSettings.â
- Tap âPrivacy.â
- In the âConnectionsâ section, select âBlocked Accounts.â
- Find the user youâd like to unblock, and select âUnblock.â
To unrestrict someone:
- Go to the personâs profile that youâd like to unrestrict.
- Select the ââŚâ icon.
- Select âUnrestrict.â
How do you tell if someone blocked you on Instagram? đ
Finding out if someone blocked you on Instagram is quite simple, if you are blocked, you wonât be able to find them at all. Try searching for their username, and if they donât appear, it likely means they have either deleted their account or blocked you. You can also check your âfollowingâ to see if you are still following that profile.
Finally, if you want to find out whether their profile has been deleted, or if they have blocked you, you will need to log in to another Instagram profile, search for their username, and check. If it pops up, it means they have blocked you from their account. If it doesnât, itâs likely they could have deleted or deactivated their account altogether.
What are the limitations of restricting someone? đŹ
While restricting someone on Instagram is a useful tool for managing unwanted interactions, itâs important to understand its limitations.
A restricted user can still:
- View your profile: They can see your posts, stories, highlights, and profile information.
- See your follower and following count: This means they can still see how popular your account is, even if they canât see who specifically follows you.
- Like your posts: Although their likes wonât be visible to others, they can still interact with your content in this way.
Essentially, restricting someone doesnât hide your profile entirely; it simply limits their ability to interact with you directly.
What happens if a restricted user sends you a message in a message request? đ
When a restricted user sends you a message, it will appear in your message requests folder, rather than your primary inbox. This means you have control over whether or not to view or respond to their message.
You can choose to:
- Ignore the message: It will remain in the message requests folder.
- View the message: You can read the message without the sender knowing youâve seen it.
- Reply to the message: This will send a message to the restricted user.
Itâs important to note that even if you delete a message from a restricted user, it may still appear in their inbox.
Are there any downsides to restricting someone? âšď¸
While restricting someone can be an effective way to manage unwanted interactions, there are potential downsides to consider.
- Increased frustration: Restricting someone might not deter them from trying to contact you, and it could potentially increase their frustration and lead to more aggressive behavior.
- Limited control: While restricting someone limits their interactions, it doesnât completely prevent them from viewing your profile or engaging with your content in a limited way.
- Potential for misunderstandings: The restricted user may not realize theyâve been restricted, which could lead to confusion or misunderstandings.
Itâs essential to weigh the pros and cons of restricting someone before taking action.
What should you do if someone youâve restricted continues to bother you? đ ââď¸
If youâve restricted someone and they continue to bother you, there are a few additional steps you can take:
- Block the user: If restricting isnât enough, blocking the user will prevent them from viewing your profile, commenting on your posts, or sending you messages.
- Report the user: If the user is engaging in bullying, harassment, or other harmful behavior, you can report them to Instagram.
- Limit your online interactions: Consider reducing the amount of personal information you share on your profile and limiting your interactions with strangers.
Remember, your safety and well-being are important. If you feel unsafe or threatened, donât hesitate to reach out to a trusted friend or family member for support.
How can you report someone for bullying or harassment on Instagram? â
Instagram takes bullying and harassment seriously. If you encounter this behavior, you can report the user by following these steps:
- Go to the offensive profile.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select âReport.â
- Choose the reason for reporting, such as bullying or harassment.
- Provide as much detail as possible about the issue.
Instagram investigates reports and takes appropriate action against accounts that violate their community guidelines. Remember, youâre not alone. Many people experience online harassment, and there are resources available to help you.
Now you should know everything there is about the restrict vs block actions on Instagram. If you want to explore more hacks, insights, and how-tos, just click the banner below!
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