How to Block Someone on Instagram (Including Their New Accounts)

To block someone on Instagram, go to their profile, tap the three-dot menu at the top, choose Block, and pick whether to block just that account or that account plus other accounts they may have or create. A blocked person can’t find your profile, posts or stories from that account, and can’t message you. Instagram doesn’t notify them. Save screenshots of anything abusive first, because a block can make your shared history harder to review.

Instagram gives you more options than most apps: block, restrict, mute, remove a follower, and filters for hidden words. Choosing the right one depends on who the person is and whether you want them to notice. This guide explains the differences, then walks through blocking, evidence and escalation.

Block, restrict, mute or remove: how to choose

The most common Instagram problem isn’t a stranger. It’s someone you know: an ex, a former friend, a coworker or a classmate, where a visible block might cause more trouble than it solves. That’s why Instagram’s quieter options matter.

Tool	What it does	Best for
Block	Cuts off the account from your profile, content and messages	Harassment, unwanted contact, anyone you want fully out
Restrict	Their new comments on your posts are visible only to them unless you approve them, and their messages go to your message requests	Someone you can’t openly cut off without consequences, such as a classmate or colleague
Mute	Hides their posts, stories or notes from your feed; they aren’t told	People who aren’t harmful but whose content you’d rather not see
Remove follower	Takes them off your follower list; with a private account, they lose access to your posts	Quietly limiting a follower without a full block
Hidden words	Filters comments and message requests containing words or phrases you choose	Repeated insults or slurs, including from many accounts

Restrict deserves a closer look because it’s often the better first move with someone you know. Our guide to how to restrict someone on Instagram covers exactly what they can and can’t see.

What a blocked person can and can’t see

When you block an account on Instagram, it generally can’t:

• Find your profile in search or view your posts, stories, reels or highlights while signed in to that account.
• Send you direct messages. Your existing conversation stays in place for you, but they can’t continue it.
• Tag or mention you in a way that links to your profile.
• Follow you. If they followed you, they’re removed.

What a block doesn’t do: it doesn’t delete posts they made about you on their own account, and it doesn’t stop them viewing public content from another account or while logged out. Instagram has said that likes and comments from a blocked account are removed from your posts, but don’t treat that as your record. Screenshot anything you may need first.

Instagram doesn’t send a notification when you block someone. They may figure it out if your profile appears empty or unavailable to them. Features change, so check Instagram’s Help Center if a specific detail matters to you.

How to block someone on Instagram

The exact menu wording changes from time to time, but these routes have been stable.

From their profile

1. Open the person’s profile.
2. Tap the three-dot menu at the top right.
3. Tap Block.
4. Choose to block just this account, or this account and other accounts they may have or create.
5. Confirm.

From a message, comment or story

In a chat, tap their name at the top of the conversation to reach options including Block. On a comment, press and hold or swipe to see options for that comment, including restricting or blocking the account. On a story view, you can open the viewer’s profile from the viewer list and block from there.

Undoing it

Your blocked accounts appear in your settings, usually under a section about who can see your content or blocked accounts. You can unblock from that list. They won’t automatically follow you again.

The “new accounts” option, and its limits

This is Instagram’s most useful blocking feature for persistent harassment. When you choose to block an account and other accounts they may have or create, Instagram attempts to extend the block to accounts it links to the same person. That makes the common “block, then new account, then block again” cycle harder to keep up.

It isn’t perfect. Instagram can only link accounts using signals it has, so a determined person can still get through. If you keep seeing new accounts from the same person, keep a list of each username, report each one, and mention in your reports that the person is creating accounts to get around a block. Using a new account to contact someone who blocked you is the kind of behavior platforms generally treat as ban evasion.

Save the evidence before you block

• Screenshot direct messages with the username visible at the top, and scroll to capture the whole thread.
• Screenshot comments on your posts, including the post they appeared on.
• Copy profile links. The username can be changed, so also note it separately at the time you see it.
• Record disappearing content. If they send view-once photos or videos, you may not be able to capture them, and Instagram may notify the sender of some screenshots in chats. Write down what was sent and when.
• Keep a log of each account, what it did and any report you filed.

Store copies somewhere the other person can’t reach, such as a cloud folder with its own password.

Worked example: a former roommate who keeps coming back

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client.

A graduate student falls out with a former roommate, who starts leaving sarcastic comments on her posts and then sends a string of insulting messages. She blocks the account straight away, without saving anything. Two days later, a new account with a slightly different username sends a message request saying “you can’t block me.”

The old conversation is still in her inbox, so she screenshots it now, along with the new message request, before doing anything else. She blocks the second account and this time chooses the option to block other accounts the person may have or create. She reports both accounts for harassment, noting that the second was created to evade the block. She switches to a private account for a while and adds the roommate’s favorite insult to her hidden words.

The new accounts stop. She keeps her log in case the behavior returns or moves offline, which would be a reason to involve campus security or police.

When to report, and when to go further

Block to protect yourself; report so Instagram can act on the account. Instagram’s Community Guidelines prohibit bullying and harassment, threats, sharing private information and non-consensual intimate imagery. Report the specific message, comment or post where possible, and report the profile if the whole account exists to target you. Our guide on how to report an Instagram account explains the categories, and if a post about you is the problem, see our guide to removing an Instagram post about you.

Some situations need more than the app:

• Threats of violence or signs you’re being followed: contact local police, or call 911 if you’re in immediate danger. Bring your screenshots and log.
• Intimate images or sextortion: don’t pay and don’t negotiate. Report to Instagram and see our help resources for specialist support.
• A minor being targeted with sexual content: don’t save the images. Report them to Instagram and to NCMEC, and use NCMEC’s Take It Down service.

Our help resources page collects places to report online abuse and get support.

Common mistakes

• Blocking in anger before screenshotting. Take the screenshots first, even if it’s unpleasant.
• Announcing the block. Posting “I’ve blocked you” in a story tends to invite a reaction. A block works without explanation.
• Using a block where restrict would work better. With someone you’ll see every day, restrict avoids the confrontation a visible block can trigger.
• Blocking only the first account. If new ones appear, use the option that covers other accounts they may have or create.
• Assuming a block removes their posts. Posts about you on their profile stay up unless reported and removed.

If it spills into search results

Instagram content can show up in Google results for your name, especially public posts and reposts on other sites. If something about you keeps resurfacing, our social media reputation management service can help you work out what can be reported or removed and what is better outweighed with accurate content.

Frequently asked questions

Does Instagram notify someone when you block them?

No. Instagram doesn’t send a notification when you block an account. The person may notice that your profile no longer appears for them, but they aren’t told directly.

What's the difference between blocking and restricting on Instagram?

Blocking cuts the account off from your profile and messages. Restricting is quieter: their comments on your posts are visible only to them unless you approve them, and their messages go to your requests, but they can still see your public content.

Can someone I blocked make a new Instagram account and contact me?

They can try. When you block, choose the option to also block other accounts they may have or create. If new accounts still get through, block and report each one and say it’s evading a block.

Will blocking someone delete our messages?

The conversation typically stays in your inbox, but the blocked person can’t continue it. Screenshot anything important before blocking in case the thread becomes harder to access.

Should I block or mute someone on Instagram?

Mute when you just don’t want to see someone’s content and there’s no harm involved. Block, or restrict, when someone is contacting you in a way you don’t want.