What Is Instagram Shadowban And How To Remove It

Summary: Do you want to know what Instagram Shadowban is and how to remove it? If YES, then you are not alone as there are many Android users who want to know this. So, simply keep reading this troubleshooting guide to know what is Instagram Shadowban and how to remove it.

What Is Instagram Shadowban?

Instagram Shadowban is a method of hiding your content (one or more) from others except those who follow you. It is done in a way that you don’t realize that you have been banned.

This is negative for you as when you are shadowbanned then you will not get new followers as one can follow you if your posts are not visible to them.

The main indicator of ban is that all your hashtag contents will not appear on Explore pages to anyone except your followers.

Now, you have understood what is Shadowban and before going to the methods to remove it, you should first know whether you are shadow banned on Instagram or not.

Additional Reading: How To Fix “Unfortunately, Instagram Has Stopped” On Android

How To Know If You Are Shadowbanned On Instagram?

You need to check a few things to confirm whether you are shadowbanned or not. The tests are as follows:

Check Your Hashtags

You should first check your hashtags to know if you are shadowbanned on Instagram or not. If you find a message below the hashtag/caption on your post then it is possible that you are shadow banned due to placing many hashtags on your posts.

Check Your Posts

Simply open your old posts and check whether it is showing with hashtags or not. If it is not then it means then you are shadowbanned.

Reasons: Why You Get Shadowbanned On Instagram?

In the Instagram community guidelines, it is said not to upload any sort of “sexual content” and many other types of posts. And if you upload such type of content then you can be shadowbanned.

So, here are some of the major causes.

If you are posting nudity.
Posting copied contents.
Your post contains harassment, hate or threats speech.
Glorifying self-injury or graphic violence.
Using banned/broken hashtags.
Posting content that contains violations of the law.

Now, you have the idea why you get shadow banned on Instagram. So, now let’s learn how to remove and get rid of it.

Additional Reading: [Android] Fix Instagram “An Unknown Network Error Has Occurred”

Method 1: Erase Hashtags From All Your Recent Posts On Instagram

The easiest way to remove shadowban is by deleting hashtags (#) from all your recent posts.

It is possible that due to “hashtag glitch” you are shadowbanned. This means that the hashtag words that you have used in your content are blocked/banned by Instagram. And if you use such hashtags then it can shadowban you.

So, you need to erase the hashtags from all recent posts to solve the issue.

Method 2: Stop Posting Contents On Instagram

When you know that you are shadowbanned then stop posting new content for 3-5 days.

If you do this then it can reduce the chances to ban your account permanently. This solution works as a “reset” for your account.

Method 3: Do Not Post/Comment/Like/Follow/Unfollow Frequently

If you post, comment, or like too quickly then this can also shadowban you on Instagram.

Also, if you follow and unfollow accounts very quickly then this is regarded as an unusual engagement or bot activity and due to this, you will be shadowban.

Hence, you should not post, like, comment, follow, or unfollow too quickly. Doing this will help you to remove Instagram ban.

Additional Reading: Solved “Couldn’t Refresh Instagram Feed” On Android

Method 4: Don’t Break Instagram’s Guideline

Every social media has its terms and guidelines which every user needs to follow and when they don’t follow it, then they face problems.

Same thing applies to Instagram which has terms of use and community guideline so that it can help its user to know what they can post or what they not, along with other details.

If you break the rules then they can Shadow ban you. Hence you should not break the rules.

Method 5: Switch To Personal Account Instead Of Business One

As the Instagram shadowban mostly affects the business accounts. If you have a business account then to remove the ban, you need to switch to a personal profile.

It is very simple to change your business profile to personal. Do this, for a few days just to check if this helps you to remove Shadowban.

Method 6: Put Hashtags (#) In Caption But Not In Comments

If you have put hashtags in comments then your Instagram account will be shadow banned just after 1-2 hours. This has happened to many users.

Therefore, you are suggested to put hashtags (#) in captions, not in comments. Also, you need to use hashtags in the caption of an Instagram post like, put a few hashtags to separate the caption, use 5 to 6 full stops, and write the caption clear by writing in bullet points.

Note: You should also not put too many hashtags per day.

Additional Reading: Fix Instagram Error “Couldn’t Post Comment Tap To Retry”

Method 6: Remove Permissions For Any Unapproved 3^rd Party Apps

There are many applications that need access to your Instagram to work. If you use any app to control follows and unfollows, automate engagement or look for hashtags then it can also be one of the reason.

You should only allow permissions from trusted or approved partners of Instagram that have provided permissions to access Instagram’s API.

Method 7: Unlink Your Instagram Profile From Your Facebook Page

If you have linked your Instagram profile to your Facebook page then you should unlink it to remove Shadowban. It is not sure that doing this will help you to solve the problem but you can just try it.

Method 8: Don’t Use Instagram For a Few Days

Many users who were facing this issue have reported that they solved the issue by not using their Instagram app for a few days. So, you should also avoid using the app for a few days and then check whether the ban is removed or not.

Additional Reading: How To Fix “Unfortunately, WhatsApp Has Stopped” On Android

Method 10: Contact Instagram Support

If the above-mentioned methods didn’t help you to remove the ban then the last option left for you is to contact Instagram support.

Though it is hard to get a reply from them but you can try it.

There are 2 ways to contact support.

Way 1: Report A Problem Using Instagram App

You can report the problem using the app itself. It is the easiest way to report problems.

Below, follow the steps to report the problem to support team.

Step 1: Go to Instagram’s Settings.

Step 2: Select the Help option and then “Report a Problem”.

Step 3: After this, again select “Report a Problem”.

Step 4: Here, you need to write about the problem that you are currently facing.

Way 2: Report A Problem Via Instagram Mail ID

Another way to report the problem is to contact the support team using Instagram mail ID. Simply write the problem and email at the mail ID – support@instagram.com.