If you aren’t a frequent Instagram user, you’d not know which accounts are viable and which ones aren’t. In such cases, coming across “User Not Found” on Instagram is a very common occurrence. Unless you have been blocked by the said users, there are a lot of other reasons why you are getting this message while clicking on a specific Instagram account.
However, we understand that not everyone is a professional when it comes to using Instagram. So, not knowing the exact reasons behind the “user not found” message is common. That said, this guide will address everything that you need to know about the reasons and the fixes behind the issue.
Reasons behind “User Not Found” on Instagram
So, after a long break from social media, you have finally decided to reinstall Instagram on your smartphone. And, the first thing that you see when you try to look up a certain account is that the account isn’t available.
Wondering why that is the case? This section of the post should give you a peek:
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Changed the username
The most common reason why you are getting the “User Not Found” on Instagramis that they have changed their username. This happens 9 out of 10 times. Since Instagram allows users to change their Instagram handle anytime without any consequences, it isn’t surprising that most users indulge in that from time to time.
So, if a user has changed their user name, and you are searching them using their old username, you will find the user not found message. In other cases, if it is a popular handle, some other users might be using it after the former user gave it up.
If that is the case, we’d recommend checking their availability on other social media. In case they have changed their Instagram handle, they should mention that in their updated bio on other social media too.
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User blocked you
Another common reason why you are noticing the user has not found the message is because the other account blocked you. When someone blocks your account on Instagram, you won’t find their profiles when you are searching for them on the platform.
However, the catch is that you can chat with them if you have a chat history. This is quite a complicated feature but when someone blocks you, their profile will come up as a user not found to make you believe that they deleted their profile.
If you want to double-check if that is the case, you can use a burner account. If the account has genuinely blocked you and not deactivated or deleted their account, you should be able to access their Instagram handle from other profiles.
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User deleted their account
Next on the list of reasons why you are met with “User Not Found” on Instagramis because they decided to delete their account permanently.
When a user deletes their Instagram account, their username is not available anymore along with the content and the other tags and posts. So, if you tagged them in any of your previous posts and can’t seem to find them in your tags anymore, it is a sign that they possibly deleted their account.
Still, we’d recommend that you cross-verify this by checking the same from a different account. If other accounts also notice the User has not found the message, it means that they deleted their account permanently.
Sometimes, your unstable Internet connection could also result in similar issues. So, check your internet connectivity if you are faced with this message.
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User deactivated temporarily
Instagram can be overwhelming at times, so it isn’t surprising that many users like to indulge in other ways to sort out their issues by taking a break from Instagram. In such cases, a temporary deactivating sounds like a more meaningful step.
If a user has done that, then searching for their Instagram username will return the user not found message. Keep in mind that this will pop up if you are searching for their account when their account is deactivated.
When a user temporarily deactivates their account, their data is kept hidden and that includes their username too. The reason why most users opt for deactivation or permanently deleting is to preserve their username, so no one else takes it.
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The user’s account is suspended
The last reason why you are getting “User Not Found” on Instagram is that your account is restricted, banned, or suspended by Instagram permanently. This can result from multiple reasons, including issues with not abiding by community guidelines, participating in hate speech and so many other complications.
If you are searching for a particular username and it is suddenly showing “not found”, there is a 99% chance that the same is due to the suspension.
Once the account is suspended, the users have a certain period to revert to Instagram with their grievances and their counterstrike. In case the issue or mistake is from Instagram’s end, they will restore the account and you will be able to find them again. But, in case that doesn’t happen, the suspended account will remain suspended.
The user not found message is quite common on Instagram. If you weren’t aware of it or didn’t know why the same is popping up, we hope this post gives you a basic understanding of all the possible reasonings. Make sure you always cross-check from a different account before you jump to conclusions. And, sometimes, all you need to do is close and reopen the app to refresh the functions.