Instagram is one of the major social media platforms to connect with your family and friends, share your moments, and talk to each other. But sometimes when you try to search for your friends, you will see a user not found Instagram error. But why does it happen and what does it mean?
No matter if you want to find an Instagram influencer or one of your friends when you see the Instagram user not found error, we have your solution. In this article, we will check some of the most common reasons you might see this error together and suggest some solutions.
User Not Found Instagram Error: Possible Reasons
Are you searching for a username but instead, you see a user not found on ig error? Here are the common reasons that it happens.
1. You Mistyped The Username
More than one billion active accounts use Instagram every month and almost all simple usernames are taken. So, there are many usernames with strange character combinations that are not easy to remember and type. One of the common reasons you might face a user not found Instagram error might be as simple as a typo in the username.
Instagram usernames are case-sensitive, so ensure you’ve entered the correct combination of characters, special characters, and numbers. So, when you face the Instagram user not found error, the first thing to do is to double-check your spelling and try the search again.
2. The User Has Changed Their Username
TikTok usernames can be changed every 30 days, while you can change your Twitter handle every two weeks. Unlike these platforms, Instagram allows users to change their username anytime they want, without any limits. So, if you are thinking about what it means when it says user not found on Instagram, this can be due to the username’s change.
In this case, try to find out the user’s new username, or use their email or phone number to search for their account.
3. You Are Blocked By The User
Are you viewing a username name on your recent search bar but when you tap it you face an Instagram user not found but can see profile picture error, you are probably blocked. If a user has blocked you on Instagram, you won’t be able to access their profile and view their comments.
Now, you might ask yourself how to see who blocked me on Instagram. You can easily figure out if you’ve been blocked by asking a friend to search for the user’s account. If your friend can see the account while you can’t, then it’s likely that you’ve been blocked.
Also Read: How To Unblock Someone On Instagram?
4. They Have Disabled Their Account
Sometimes people decide to take a break from social media and deactivate their accounts. If the user has decided to temporarily disable their account, it’s another possible reason that you might face the user not found on Instagram error.
In this case, there’s not much you can do but wait for them to reactivate their account.
How To Disable an Instagram Account?
So, we’ve talked about what user not found means on Instagram and mentioned one of the possible reasons can be deactivating an Instagram account. If you also need to stay away from Instagram for a while, here’s how you can disable your account.
- First, you need to log into your account on Instagram desktop. So, open your browser and search for the Instagram website.
- From the left bar, tap on ‘More’.
- Select ‘Settings’.
- Tap on ‘Accounts Center.’
- On the ‘Personal Details’ tab, select ‘Account ownership and control’.
- Choose ‘Deactivation’ and confirm the action with your password.
5. The User’s Account Has Been Banned Or Deleted
Similar to deactivating, some users decide to completely delete their account. So, when you search for their username, Instagram will display a user not found on ig error. Other than this, sometimes, Instagram takes action against accounts that violate their terms of service. These accounts may be banned or deleted for a while (or even permanently).
So, if you come across the “User Not Found Instagram” error, it’s possible that the user’s account no longer exists due to Instagram’s actions. You can reach out to the owner on other platforms and ask them about their account.
Conclusion
The “User Not Found Instagram error can happen for several reasons, such as simple mistakes like typos or more complex issues like being blocked or account deactivation. In this article, we’ve provided a list of five common reasons you might face this error.
FAQs
To resolve the error, consider the following steps:
Double-check the username for typos.
Verify if the user has changed their username and search with the updated one.
If you suspect you’ve been blocked, respect the user’s choice and refrain from further attempts to access their profile.
If the user has disabled their account, you’ll need to wait for them to reactivate it.
In the case of a banned or deleted account, there’s generally no immediate resolution.
If you suspect the error is due to a technical glitch or if you believe an account has been unfairly banned, you can contact Instagram support for assistance. They may be able to provide guidance on the issue.
If you’ve confirmed that the username is correct, and the user hasn’t changed their username but you are still seeing a user not found Instagram but not blocked error, here is what you can do. Wait for a while (several hours or a day) cause sometimes, this error is due to temporary issues with Instagram’s servers.
If you’ve been blocked by a user, respecting their decision is important. However, you can use another Instagram account and search for their username to check if you can find it or not. If you were able to find their accounts, user not found Instagram means blocked.
