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May 16, 2025
You open your Instagram DMs and scroll through them and then you come across this unidentified profile with their username written as ‘Instagram User’.
But you do not understand why your friend’s or acquaintance’s account is termed that way, why you cannot see their profile picture?
Do not worry, in this blog, we have fully explained all your doubts and questions related to the ‘Instagram User’ tag.
This mainly happens because someone temporarily or permanently deletes their Instagram account. In the worst case scenario, that user could have been banned from the platform and or they might have blocked you.
On Instagram, everyone has one username which is unique to their account. However, sometimes we check our DMs and notice that all their pictures, followers, and even their username have vanished. They are just left with the tag of ‘Instagram User’. Now you know the possible reasons
Let’s look at these reasons in detail:
If an Instagram user deletes their account, then their username will go away and would be replaced with a dummy account with the ‘Instagram User’ tag.
You can still access the old chats with them but you will not be able to see their posts, tagged pictures, follower list, or even profile pictures. Also, since they have deleted their account, your messages will get delivered to them.
Also Read: Can People See What You Search On Instagram?
Sometimes we all feel overwhelmed by social media and need a break from it. Instagram gives users the option of deactivating their accounts.
This is like temporarily deleting your account. So, if someone has deactivated their account, their username goes away and the tag ‘Instagram User’ comes up.
In this, you can access your old chats but you can’t see their profile picture and other posts. But you can still see their bio and follower account. If the user activates their account, all of these things, including their username will be back to normal again.
If some user fails to follow Instagram’s rules and guidelines, they can get banned from the platform. Users are banned to keep the platform safe. All the users must follow the terms and conditions set by the platform.
Therefore, if someone is banned, instead of their original username, you will find out that their profile disappears and their account will just have the tag of ‘Instagram User’.
In most cases, ‘Instagram User’ is not an indication that a user has blocked you. It usually happens when a user deletes or deactivates their account or gets banned on the platform.
If you are still able to access their chats, that certainly means that you are not blocked by that Instagram user. Only if you can’t read your old messages with them, it can be a sign that you are blocked.
Also, go to that user’s profile, even though their name might be written as ‘Instagram User’ check if you can see their followers and followers count, then it definitely means that you have not been blocked by that user. They have just temporarily deactivated their account.
Also Read: How To See How Views Your Profile?
There are three ways through which you can find out if someone has blocked you on Instagram. Let’s find out:
If you are suspicious that someone has blocked you on Instagram, search for their account. If the account does not appear in the search tab, it most likely means that you got blocked by the user.
In the case of big Instagram celebrities and verified accounts, their account will show up in the search. You can see their profile picture and the username but not their posts and the list of followers.
You can also ask your friend and ask them to search for the user who you are suspicious of and if they appear in their search tab, that means you have gotten blocked by them.
If they do not appear in their search tab, that can be an indication that the user might have deleted or deactivated their account.
If you have had a conversation with that user and you can’t find it anymore, it definitely means that you have been blocked by them.
Even if the user deletes or deactivates the account, you still access their old chats. However, Old chats only disappear when you get blocked by someone. So, if you can find their old chats, that probably means they have either deleted or deactivated their account.
Conclusion
If you see the ‘Instagram User’ tag, it does always mean that you got blocked. Usually, that tag appears when someone deletes or deactivates their account. It can also appear, in the case if a user gets banned from the platform. In any case, you cannot message or see their posts.
This label typically appears for one of three reasons. The person has either permanently deleted their account, temporarily deactivated it for a break, or their account has been banned by Instagram for not following community guidelines.
Usually, no. If someone blocks you, their profile and your entire chat history with them often disappear completely. If you can still see your old messages with the account now labelled 'Instagram User', it is unlikely they have blocked you.
Deactivation is temporary. The user plans to return, and all their information will be restored when they reactivate their account. Deletion is permanent, and the account cannot be recovered. Both situations will result in the 'Instagram User' tag appearing.
A reliable method is to search for their username from your account. If you cannot find them, ask a friend to search for the same username. If your friend can see the profile but you cannot, it is a clear sign that you have been blocked.
While you can see the old chat history, you cannot send new messages to an account that has been deleted, deactivated, or banned. The messages will not be delivered.
