Instagram has set limits on the amount of follows and unfollows to discourage accounts that use bots or extremely aggressive tactics. If you find yourself, unwittingly or otherwise, breaching these restrictions, your account can be temporarily blocked.
In comparison to previous years, the restrictions for following and unfollowing have been limited to the point that we are unable to expand our Instagram pages as quickly as we would like.
Instagram has been blocking accounts with urgency in recent months, and in many cases without having a clear reason for the block. There have been reports of a ‘block’ or ‘compromised account’ prompt appearing in the app almost immediately after a single follow or as few as ten unfollows.
Instagram’s Follow and Unfollow Limits
Instagram sets user action restrictions on a regular basis. The platform’s first big attempt involved restricting account behavior such as following and unfollowing. Following and unfollowing action limits were initially proposed by early adopters to be restricted to 140 per hour.
Instagram limits continue to differ between accounts, with some imposing hourly limits on daily actions. The majority of accounts could complete 350 – 500 follow, unfollow, and/or like actions per day. However, the limitations are also much higher in larger (more than 100,000 followers) and more reputable accounts.
Following or Unfollowing Too Quickly on Instagram
If you followed or unfollowed accounts too quickly on Instagram, you are likely to receive a block prompt. Most prompts can prevent you from following or unfollowing for a day or two. However, your account can be blocked for a much longer period of time in some cases.
As previously mentioned, block intervals are completely arbitrary. Bear in mind that if you are following the rules and receive a block prompt, you should notify Instagram that you or your staff are really involved on the site. This maneuver can aid in the removal or resolution of the block more quickly.
Also, keep in mind that your account’s background can influence Instagram’s sensitivity to your activities. Accounts that have previously purchased fake followers, for example, might be more vulnerable than accounts that have never purchased fake followers. Other examples of black or gray hat tactics that could result in your account being blocked include:
- Purchasing Likes
- Purchasing Followers
- Using Bot Automation
- Using Social Media Panels
Sure, these strategies can help you increase the number of your fans, but they don’t add much value to your audience’s responsiveness, which is probably more critical than the number of likes. Furthermore, it has been stated that users who engage in these tactics will eventually fail to expand their accounts and boost engagements.
How Many People Can You Follow On Instagram?
As previously mentioned, there is a limit to the number of people you can follow on Instagram. Instagram sets this cap to “reduce spam,” and the number of people you will follow is set at 7,500.
Most users will not follow that many people, but if you are very active on Instagram, have a company on the site, or are an influencer, you have a good chance of reaching this amount. If you’re getting close to that max, it could be time to go through your list and see if there are any people you should unfollow. You can choose to unfollow accounts that are inactive, delinquent, or irrelevant.
Time Restrictions
Aside from the 7,500 follow max, Instagram can also limit the number of people you can follow in a given amount of time. If you follow so many people in an hour or 24 hours, you will receive a message informing you that the limit has been reached. According to most users, Instagram only allows you to follow/unfollow 160 people every hour, but others claim it’s as low as 60.
Some users are obstinate and seek a solution. If you come across one, remember that there is nothing that does not breach Instagram’s terms of service. Instagram users are not permitted to follow more than 7,500 people. This assists in ensuring that users do not breach Instagram’s Community Guidelines.
Wrapping Up
So, to stop getting into trouble on Instagram, keep the following tips in mind.
First, let’s answer the question of how many people you can follow on Instagram.
Here’s the short answer: You can only follow 7,500 people at once. Regrettably, there is no official way to circumvent this restriction. The number of users who can follow you, on the other hand, is unlimited.
The easiest thing to do is to stop attempting to exceed Instagram’s restrictions. Also, stop purchasing fake followers or employing bots. This behavior can (and almost certainly will) result in Instagram blocking your account.