There’s only one obvious reason you’re here. Your Instagram account has been disabled for violating terms and you want to know what to do.
Well, the solution is pretty simple. The account disabled error message from Instagram simply means your account has been suspended.
And there’s a second part of the error message ‘Learn more. When you click it, it says ‘Your account has been disabled for not following our terms. You won’t be able to log into this account and no one else will be able to see it. If you think this was a mistake, please let us know.
That message above can be very devastating. Aside from being cut off from your friends or community, the realization that all your years of pictures and videos are gone can be a nightmare. Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms in the world, so to most users, their accounts mean quite a lot to them.
So in this guide, you’ll get to know what to do when you see the ‘Your account has been disabled for violating our terms’ error message on Instagram.
But first, here are some reasons why your Instagram account may have been disabled and how long Instagram disables accounts for violating terms.
Why Your Instagram Account May Have Been Disabled
- Instagram account disabled for violating terms
There are some terms and guidelines that you need to follow while using Instagram or any other social media. If you break these rules, your account may be blocked or even banned.
The Instagram platform has community guidelines and rules set up to keep users happy and safe.
So to avoid your Instagram account is banned for violating terms, below are the rules to keep in mind when posting and using Instagram.
Violent Content
Instagram does not encourage violence of any sort so your account can get blocked or banned for posting violent content e.g making serious threats of harm that jeopardizes public safety. The only exception is when the topic of violence is being shared to challenge it or raise awareness.
Instagram promotes a positive, diverse community. Users are admonished to be thoughtful when posting newsworthy events. To avoid being banned on Instagram, avoid posting videos of extreme or graphic violence.
You are free to post content to raise awareness, condemn or educate the public but while doing so it’s important to caption your photo with a warning.
Sexual Content
Posting inappropriate sexual content is one of the major reasons why you may have your Instagram account blocked. Although Instagram is for individuals that are over 13 years of age, the main intent is to have appropriate content for a diverse audience.
Common reasons why posts for sexual content are blocked by Instagram are nudity in general, no matter the motive and partially nude photos of children (for safety reasons). Instagram prohibits nudity and such action results in Instagram blocking content.
Copyrighted Content
Copyrighted content is another reason why your Instagram account may have been disabled or blocked.
It is common to repost user-generated content you may find in your feed but you must give credit where credit is due. Instagram wants to maintain a strong community and to avoid conflict, copyright issues are worked out directly with the members involved.
If you find out that your content has been copied or reposted without proper tagging or permission, file a copyright report immediately rather than harassing the user to avoid having your own Instagram account from being blocked.
- Use of Automated Bots to Boost Engagement
Instagram frowns at the use of automated bots to increase likes or boost engagement(get more post comments and increase followers). Such action will get your Instagram account disabled.
If you’re seeking to have more followers, you have to organically increase your engagement. Instagram tracks every account in their database so if your account is discovered to be following, liking, or commenting an abnormal amount, Instagram will be alerted of your potential use of a bot.
- User Complaints
If other Instagram users report your account, this can cause Instagram to block or even disable your account.
There are two options you see when you click to report an account: “It’s Spam” or “It’s Inappropriate”.
Once you choose “It’s Spam”, the reported account will be automatically blocked. Clicking the “It’s Inappropriate” option will redirect you to another page to fill out more details about why you’re reporting the account. Since Instagram receives a lot of these notifications, the details you fill in will determine how much action is taken.
The most popular user complaint is “This profile is pretending to be someone else”. This complaint option applies when you are the one being hacked.
- Logging in From Multiple IP Addresses
This is commonly an overlooked reason why Instagram disables accounts. Although they have not made any official statements if they ban due to multiple IP addresses or devices, some professionals and Instagram users believe that they do.
An IP address shows the location you logged onto Instagram from. Every Instagram user can be identified by their username, password, IP address and MAC address. When you log into your Instagram account from multiple IP addresses devices or IP addresses, Instagram may find it suspicious activity and hence disable your Instagram.
The moment your Instagram account has been disabled for violating terms, you can no longer log in using your username and password, from the same MAC address, your old IP addresses, or with the same android or iOS device.
How Long Does Instagram Disable Accounts for Violating Terms?
Instagram disables accounts for violating terms for at least one week. Instagram follows a strict procedure when it comes to reactivating accounts.
How Can I Get My Instagram Account Back After Being Disabled?
- Submit the “My Instagram Account Was Deactivated” form
The first step to reactivating a disabled Instagram account is to fill out and submit the “My Instagram Account Was Deactivated” form. After you’ve submitted it, wait for Instagram’s response in a few days.
You will get an email response telling you to send a snapshot of yourself with a handwritten code.
The instructions in the email will require you to send a photograph of yourself carrying a scribbled code. A code will already be included in the email so you simply need to write the code down on a piece of paper.
Now, take a selfie with the scrawled code on a piece of paper in your hand.
Send back an email with the photo of you holding a piece of paper with the handwritten code. Ensure your face and the code are both visible.
It will take a few days for Instagram to examine your photo for a few days. Once it’s successful, you will get another email from Instagram stating that your account has been reactivated.
Here’s what to do if your Instagram account has been disabled for violating our terms.
You can find the “My Instagram Account Has Been Deactivated” Form through the form URLs below:
Instagram Help Center ( for accounts disabled because of repeated infringements on intellectual property or for spreading misleading or fraudulent content).
Facebook Help Center (for Instagram accounts disabled for violating community guidelines).
If your account was disabled for another reason, you may not receive a response. You can find more information in the Support Center.
If you can’t use the link provided above, go to Google and search for “My Instagram Account Was Deactivated,” and tap on the search result.
- Check The Box That Says “I Understand And Want To Proceed.”
You’ll find a checkbox on the form with a statement that reads “I understand and want to proceed,” states the tick.
This form is intended for Instagram accounts that have shared deceptive or misleading content or violated intellectual property rights.
If not, use this form: Click Here.
However, if you believe your account was disabled without cause, you can still fill out the form.
Unfortunately, if you violated Instagram’s community guidelines twice or more, your account may not be reinstated.
To continue, click on “I understand and want to continue” and then press “Send.”
- Provide Your Contact Information.
After you click “Send“, the form will expand” to the “Contact Information” and “Content At Issue” sections.
First, enter “Your name” (name and surname)” in the contact information section.
Secondly, fill in your email address in the “Email address” section.
If possible, input the email address linked to your Instagram account. The “Content At Issue” section is where you explain what the issue is.
There’s also another section “Please explain why you believe the content should not have been removed.” Here, you’ll have to explain the information in question if you believe the content was removed by mistake.
Below is a sample explanation: “Hello, I believe my Instagram account was disabled unintentionally.“ My published content did not violate any of Instagram’s community guidelines.”
- Fill Out The Form And Submit It.
When you scroll down the form, you’ll find an “Attachment” and a “Declaration” area.
Here, you can upload content that was removed by accident in the “Attachment” area. The file types that are supported to JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and PDF.
Now confirm that you want to submit the form.
Select “My content was removed due to a breach of Instagram’s Terms of Service. Type your whole name in the “Electronic signature” section.
Finally, click “Send” to submit the form.
- Expect Your Instagram Account To Be Reactivated.
It takes Instagram between 3-5 days to review and approve photos. Most times, it takes longer due to a large number of reviewers.
So you have to be patient and check your email regularly for any email from Instagram.
If you’re successful, you will get an email from Instagram that your account has been reactivated!
But you must not forget too soon that the moment you violate any Instagram community guidelines more than once, your account may be permanently banned and you won’t be able to recover it this time around.
Your last resort will be to start over with a new Instagram account.
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Conclusion
If one day you see the ‘Your Instagram account has been disabled for violating our terms’ error message, don’t panic. There’s a chance you can get it back, though it might take a couple of days or more.
In this article, we’ve covered in detail several reasons why your Instagram account may have been disabled. And then you got to see how to reactivate an Instagram account disabled for violating terms.
After you submit the “My Instagram Account Was Deactivated” form, you’ll have to send a photograph of yourself carrying a scribbled code. Then you’ll have to be patient and wait for a positive response.
And hopefully, your Instagram account will be reactivated. Hope you’ll find this guide helpful. For any questions, drop a comment below.
