Instagram temporarily locked for suspicious activity how long

What would the world be without social platforms? Billions of people visit these platforms daily and engage with friends. Facebook and Instagram are the pinnacles of social media platforms. We use Instagram for hours by engaging peers, posts, and viral trends. What happens when all this entertainment comes to a screeching halt?

Are you seeing the dreadful ” your account has been temporarily locked Instagram” warning? If yes, you cannot use your Instagram account anymore. But don’t worry because it is fixable in most cases. We will elaborate on the reasons why your Instagram account was temporarily disabled. Moreover, you will learn how to reverse the ban and avoid it in the future.

Why Was My Instagram Account Locked?

Instagram can lock your account on the grounds of various activities. You may face the “your account has been temporarily locked Instagram” issue due to:

Bot-Like Activity

Instagram can lock your account if it notices bot-like activity from your account. You may wonder what is deemed as bot-like activity on Instagram? Well, anything that generates a consistent pattern of repeated actions that appear robotic. 

If you like and unlike too often on Instagram, or send hundreds of follow or unfollows requests. Other actions like commenting too often and using the same comments are also a reason. Moreover, repetitive actions which are too frequent, and disturb others are also bot-like.

Use of Third-Party Apps

The official Instagram app is fine as it is. But many users use third-party apps to access some special features or hide their trails. These apps can also produce bot-like actions with an auto comment, like, or share features.

Instagram considers it a breach of its policies. They can ban your account if they find out that you are using a third-party app. Instagram doesn’t ban every app but chances are that barring one or two, most of them are not approved.

Compromised Account

Phishing scams are very common on social media websites. You may have signed in to an Instagram-like webpage or login service and leaked your data. Hackers can leverage this to gain control of your account for bot campaigns.

If Instagram detects unusual login attempts followed by bot-like activities, it will issue a ban. You may have to face the ban because someone else did nefarious activities on Instagram.

Reported Account

If your account is reported by many users frequently on Instagram, it will ban the account. There is no definite number of reports which lead to an Instagram account ban. But if it violates any policy of Instagram, you will receive an account ban.

How long does an Instagram ban problem last?

The first Instagram ban duration for an account user is 24-48 hours. Instagram doesn’t officially state this but it is the experience shared by many. So, you can expect the ban to auto-lift after 48 hours. But if it doesn’t go away then you are in a real pickle.

Stop doing the same activities that are frowned upon by Instagram. Or Instagram will show its wrath and permanently delete your account. You will not be able to recover your account data if Instagram takes such an action.

Does Instagram ban IP addresses?

Instagram does ban IP addresses if it detects any unusual activity from it. An Instagram IP ban may happen if you continue flouting Instagram privacy policies. IP ban also activates if Instagram detects suspicious login attempts. However, most IP bans go away when you switch to a mobile network or use VPN.

What do I do if my appeal is denied by Instagram a number of times?

You cannot do much if Instagram denies you an appeal many times. Moreover, Instagram may delete your account for good. In such cases, it is best to download all your data on Instagram.

You will have to create a new account on Instagram with a new/old email address and phone number.  So, you can not use your deleted account Instagram username with the new account.

If I get banned, can I create a new Facebook or Instagram account?

Yes, you can create a new account. It may seem very convenient for people with a handful of followers but for influencers, it is a big problem. They have to endure the painstaking process of acquiring followers once again. You can use the same email address that you used before, to create a new account. Your data is not recoverable once Instagram makes a permanent deletion.

Steps To fix your account has been temporarily locked Instagram problem

If you are facing an indefinite Instagram account ban, here is the 3-step process to fix it. You need to submit an official request to Instagram to look into the issue. Repeat the following steps:

Step 1: Submit the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form request

You need to fill up a form to request Instagram to look into your case. Open your browser and search for the ” My Instagram Account Was Deactivated” query.

Open the first official page link to access the form. 

If you cannot find the official support page that contains the form, go to this link.

• You need to fill up this form if your account was disabled due to violating community guidelines. Instagram will check your content after you submit the request. 
• If there is another reason why you cannot use your account, you need to navigate the help center page. 

• The form requests basic account details from the user. You need to enter your name, username, phone number, and email.
• The last box is there to explain your problem. Make full use of this text box to describe your problem. Make sure to add links to the post and other insights to support your statement. 
• The Instagram support team will check his message. Do not make the mistake of writing one or two lines as it will result in no effect at all.
• Click on the Send button to submit your request. Now, wait for an official response to your request.

Step 2: Send a photo of yourself holding the code

The next step is to wait for Instagram to check your request and send a code to you. You will receive the code on your email address registered with Instagram. 

You have to prove to Instagram that you are the account holder and you initiated the audit request. You will need to upload a video or photo of yourself along with the code. Instagram will match it with the content of your account to verify your identity.

The most common mistakes in this process are:

• You upload heavily edited videos or photos for verification.
• You picked a side profile or any other shot that doesn’t show your complete face.
• Improper lighting conditions.
• The code is illegible in the photo/video you uploaded to the platform.

So, make sure that your click a clean front-profile picture. Write your code on an A4 or bigger size paper in clear writing format. Make sure that the code is visible in the photograph even after it is compressed. Use both hands to hold the paper and upload the photo in JPEG format. Complete this verification process. 

Step 3: Wait for Instagram to reactivate your account

After you’ve completed the verification process, you must wait for the final mail. It usually takes one to three days to process the verification request by Instagram. If your submission is successful and Instagram finds no fault, you will receive an email.

It will explain that the account disabling was an accident and it is restored to its normal state now. If your verification process was unsuccessful, you need to repeat the submission process. Or, you can submit a new form.

How To Stop Getting Banned From Instagram?

You can avoid the Instagram ban by abiding by the community guidelines of Instagram. We know that it is difficult to navigate the document, so here are a few things you should do:

Log In From Your Account

Use a few devices to log into your Instagram account. Do not use public computers or devices to aces your account. If you log in with another device, Instagram will notify you by email. Moreover, it is best to confine your account to two-three devices. The more devices, the more are the chances of an account ban.

Use Your Instagram Account on a Single Device At A Time

Unless you are adept at using two devices simultaneously, you will not need more than one at a time for Instagram. You should only use one device to access Instagram and browse it. If two devices show up active concurrently, the chances of receiving an IP ban increase. So, close your session on a PC browser if you want to use Instagram on your phone. 

Stop Liking Or Unliking multiple times

Make a decision once. If you attempt liking and commenting actions again and again for a post, you will be banned. Instagram takes robotic behavior seriously and penalizes you for it. You should not generate a monotonous account trail of likings and comments.

Stop Using some other Third-Party Applications or service

Third-party apps with extra Instagram features sound very tempting. But Instagram doesn’t approve of this behavior on its platform. Third-party apps give an unfair advantage over other users and malign the user experience. So, you should avoid them at all costs if you want to stay away from the Instagram account ban.

Avoid Posting 18+ types of Content

Posting obscene or 18+ types of content is a strict no-no on Instagram. Instagram is for kids people of all age groups including teens. If you post or encourage such content, it violated the community guidelines. The result will be a shadowban or an Instagram account deletion. Don’t participate in such activities and be a good member by reporting such accounts.

Conclusion

This concludes our detailed post about your account has been temporarily locked on Instagram.

It is exasperating to face a shadowban or a temporary account ban. Your regular engagement and post stats go down if your account gets banned. If you receive an account ban that doesn’t resolve on its own, it is best to approach the Instagram help center. 

Here you can submit your request to audit your account and remove the ban. The verification process is somewhat slow but is worth it if you can remove the ban. If it doesn’t work, download all your data and back it up.

Instagram will delete the account after some time. You will have to register for a new account on Instagram and reconnect with your followers and peers.

FAQ

How Do You Unlock A Temporarily Locked Instagram Account?

Instagram lifts the ban after 48 hours. You don’t need to do a thing in most cases. But if the ban is still in place, you need to submit the form to recheck the issue and verify you.

How Long Does Instagram Temporarily Lock Your Account?

Instagram does not mention a thing about the ban duration. It may place a ban for 24 hours or more. Most users share that the ban duration is between 24-and 48 hours on Instagram. If it is permanent, it might not go away at all.

What Happens When Your Instagram Account Is Temporarily Locked?

If your Instagram account is temporarily locked, there is not much you can do except wait. The ban may go away after a day or two. If it is still in place, you need to submit a request to enable your account.

How Do You Get A Temporarily Locked Instagram Account Back?

You need to go to the official support page of Instagram and submit a request. Be elaborate about your problem and share all your queries regarding community guidelines. Apply and wait for Instagram to process the request. Then follow the verification process and reactivate your account.

How long does Instagram suspend your account for suspicious activity?

How many days will Instagram temporarily locked?