How to Know If Someone Blocked You on Instagram

Uh-oh, you're in the awkward position of thinking someone blocked you on Instagram. You probably have a few questions, starting with: Did they really block me?

Instagram doesn't notify you if you've been blocked, but you can find out if you do a little digging.

If you follow this person, you'll notice their posts and story will no longer show up in your feed. You'll likely notice that their frequent selfies, daily dog pics or what have you will suddenly be gone from your life. Then, when you search for the person's profile, you won't be able to find it. You may also see that your "following" number has gone down (depending on whether you've added anyone since they blocked you).

(Sierra Burgess Is a Loser via Netflix)

At this point, signs are starting to point toward "you're blocked," but it's not for sure yet. Perhaps the person simply deactivated their account; maybe they're taking a break from social media. But maybe not.

As Instagram notes in its help section on blocking someone, anyone you block "can still see your likes and comments on posts that were shared by public accounts or accounts they follow." That's also true, then, of the likes and comments of someone who blocked you. Therefore, if you can't find the profile of the person in question, but you're still seeing their comments and likes pop up on other people's posts, you can safely say you've been blocked.

(grown-ish via Freeform)

There's one other way to confirm this, but honestly, it's a little… stalkerish. You'd have to search for them through a third account, like a friend's or an alias account. If this person did indeed block you, this is a lot of effort to go through for someone who doesn't want you keeping tabs on them anymore. It's hard to face, but if someone blocks you, that's ultimately the message they're sending.

No one wants to be blocked, but it can be an opportunity to reflect. It's worth thinking about what you may have said or done to upset this person, and whether there's something you ought to apologize for. If you can't think of anything, consider whether this was a healthy relationship in the first place. This person may not have been much of a friend anyway, and it may very well be better to move on.

 

Speaking of strained relationships, HERE are five signs you're stuck in a negative friendship.