Blocking stops someone from seeing your profile, posts, and stories
When you block someone on Instagram, they cannot find your profile by searching for you, see your posts or stories, or send you direct messages. If they try to visit your profile directly, they will see a message saying the user is not found. Blocking is permanent until you choose to unblock them — Instagram does not notify the blocked person that you have blocked them, though they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile.
The block applies across Instagram only. It does not affect other Meta platforms like Facebook or Threads, and it does not prevent someone from contacting you outside Instagram. If you want to hide your posts from one person without fully blocking them, Instagram also offers a restrict option, which is less visible to the other person but still limits what they can see.
Key Takeaways
- You can block someone from their profile, from a comment they left on your post, or from a direct message conversation.
- A blocked person cannot see your profile, posts, stories, or send you messages, but Instagram does not tell them they are blocked.
- Blocking only affects Instagram — the person can still contact you on other platforms or through other accounts.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to your blocked accounts list in settings.
- Restricting someone is a quieter alternative that hides their comments and messages without them knowing you have restricted them.
How to block someone from their profile
Open Instagram and navigate to the person's profile. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of their profile (on mobile) or click the three dots (on desktop). A menu will appear with several options. Select "Block" from the menu.
Instagram will ask you to confirm. Tap "Block" again to confirm your choice. The person is now blocked. If you want to also delete any direct messages between you, Instagram offers that option during the confirmation step — you can choose to delete the conversation or keep it in your message history.
How to block someone from a comment or message
If someone has left a comment on one of your posts that you want to block them for, hold down on the comment (mobile) or right-click it (desktop). A menu will appear. Select "Block" from the options shown.
You can also block someone directly from a direct message conversation. Open the conversation, tap the person's username at the top of the chat, and select "Block" from the menu that appears. This method is faster than navigating to their profile if you already have the conversation open.
The difference between blocking and restricting
Blocking is complete — the person cannot see your profile or contact you. Restricting is quieter. When you restrict someone, they can still see your profile and posts if they search for you, but their comments on your posts will only be visible to them, not to other people. Their direct messages will go to a separate folder that you can ignore, and they cannot see when you are online or when you have read their messages.
Restricting is useful if you want to limit contact with someone without the finality of a block, or if you want to avoid drama with someone you know in real life. To restrict someone, go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select "Restrict" instead of "Block."
How to unblock someone
Open Instagram and go to your settings. On mobile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right, then tap "Settings and privacy." On desktop, click your profile picture in the top right, then select "Settings and privacy."
Scroll down and tap "Blocking" (mobile) or find "Blocking" in the left menu (desktop). You will see a list of all the accounts you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm when Instagram asks you to confirm. Once you unblock someone, they can see your profile and contact you again, but Instagram does not notify them that you have unblocked them.
What happens after you block someone
The blocked person will not receive a notification that you have blocked them. However, if they try to visit your profile, send you a message, or search for you, they will notice something is wrong. Their messages to you will not go through, and if they try to view your profile, Instagram will tell them the user was not found.
If the person has a different account, they can use that account to contact you or view your profile unless you block that account too. Blocking does not prevent them from taking screenshots of your posts or stories before you blocked them, and it does not remove any posts they may have shared that mention you or tag you.
Blocking someone who has already blocked you
If someone has blocked you first, you will not be able to see their profile or send them messages. You can still block them if you want to — go to their profile (if you can still access it through an old link or search) and select block. This prevents them from unblocking you and contacting you later, since they will see that you have blocked them if they try to unblock you.
In practice, if someone has already blocked you, blocking them back does not change what you can see — you already cannot see their profile. It is mainly a way to prevent future contact if they decide to unblock you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Instagram does not send a notification, but they will figure it out if they try to visit your profile or message you. They will see that your profile cannot be found or that their messages are not going through. If you want to avoid this, restricting is a quieter option.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I viewed their profile?
Yes. Blocking someone does not notify them, and it does not matter whether you viewed their profile before blocking. However, if you have already interacted with them (liked their posts, commented, or messaged), they will have seen your activity before the block took effect.
What if I block someone and then change my mind?
You can unblock them at any time through your blocked accounts list in settings. Once you unblock them, they can see your profile and message you again. Unblocking does not restore deleted messages or comments — those remain deleted if you chose to remove them when you blocked.
Can I block someone on Instagram but still follow them on Facebook?
Yes. Blocking on Instagram only affects Instagram. You can block someone on Instagram and still be connected to them on Facebook, Threads, or any other platform. If you want to block them across Meta platforms, you would need to block them separately on each one.
If I block someone, will they see my old posts or stories?
No. Once you block someone, they cannot see any of your posts, stories, or reels, including ones you posted before you blocked them. If they try to visit your profile, Instagram will show them that the user was not found.