What Does Restrict Mean on Instagram?

Not all interactions you have on Instagram will be positive. People might leave comments that can ruin your mood or make your followers feel bad. To stop this, you can use Instagram’s privacy feature to restrict such interactions. But, what does restriction mean on Instagram?

When you restrict an Instagram account, their comments and messages become hidden. This way, you won’t see their negative words unless you choose to. By doing this, it doesn’t mean you’re blocking them. Blocking and restricting on Instagram mean different things.

Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything you need to know about what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram. We’ll also clarify the differences between block vs restrict Instagram. Plus, we’ll show you how to restrict someone on Instagram.

So, let’s jump right in.

What Does Restrict Mean On Instagram

Restrict is one of the features on Instagram that helps users control how they interact with others. The platform itself categorizes this feature as a way to manage followers.

But, there’s more than that. Instagram added this feature in October 2019. They did it as an effort to help stop cyberbullying and make the community more positive.

We need to appreciate that move because data shows that 42% of young people have been bullied online. What’s even worse, 40% of them have gone through it more than once.

Also, 69.1% of Instagram users are younger than 35 years old. So, it’s a good idea to add extra protection to stop mean comments from reaching them. This will help users have more control over their online interactions and reduce online bullying or harassment.

So, what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram?

You can limit your interactions with certain users on the platform without blocking them. You can see restriction as a softer way to avoid unwanted interaction while maintaining a connection with them.

When you restrict an Instagram account, here’s what will happen:

The restricted users can still see your posts and stories — If you restrict someone on Instagram, they can still see what you post on Instagram.

• The restricted users’ comments are hidden — When you restrict someone, their comments are only visible to them and you. You can choose to approve their comments and make them visible to everyone, or you can delete or ignore them.
• No notifications for you — You won’t get notifications when a restricted user comments on your posts or sends you a direct message.
• Direct messages go to Message Requests — When a restricted user sends you a message, it goes to the “Message Requests” folder. You can read it without them knowing, and choose what to do with it.
• Your online status is hidden — When you restrict someone, they can’t see if you’re active on Instagram or if you’ve read their messages.

Now, back to your question: “What does restrict mean on Instagram?”

Simply put, it is a way to control how you manage your direct messages and comments from other users. So, you can filter out unwanted interactions. But, why you might want to do that?

Read More: What Does Quiet Mode Mean on Instagram?

Why Do You Need to Restrict an Instagram Account?

These are the reasons why restricting someone on Instagram can be a good idea:

• Reduce Negativeness — You can stop certain people from bothering you with their negative messages or comments on Instagram.
• Maintain Mental Health — You can protect your mental health by reducing stress and anxiety from worrying about what others might say.
• Stay Hidden — You can safeguard your online privacy by hiding your online status and not letting some people know if you’ve seen their messages or not.
• Better Control — You can decide how much interaction you want without fully blocking someone.
• Show Empathy — The person you restrict won’t know it, so they won’t feel bad or angry.
• Awesome Flexibility —You can restrict and unrestrict someone anytime you want, in case you want to give them another chance.
• Softer Approach — Restricting is a softer way than blocking someone on Instagram.

Read More: How to Hide Likes on Instagram

Block vs. Restrict Instagram: 9 Differences

Instagram introduced blocking in 2013, six years before the Restrict Instagram was released. Blocking is a popular feature but some people think blocking is a bit too harsh.

So, what’s the difference between blocking and restrictions on Instagram?

Feature	Block	Restrict
Blocked users can see your posts and stories	No	Yes
Blocked users can comment on your posts	No	Yes, but only they can see
Blocked users can send you direct messages	No	Yes, but messages go to a separate folder
Blocked users can tag or mention you	No	Yes
Blocked users can see your active status	No	No
You can see their posts and stories in your feed	No	Yes
Blocked users are notified when you block them	No	No
You must unblock before following again	Yes	No
Blocked users can create new accounts to follow you	No	Yes

With that in mind, when should you use Block or Restrict on Instagram?

Block

• If someone is spamming, scamming, or pretending to be someone else.
• If someone is stalking, harassing, or threatening you.
• If you don’t want to see or talk to someone on Instagram.

Restrict

• If someone is being rude by leaving inappropriate comments on your posts or stories.
• If someone keeps sending you messages you don’t want.
• If you want to avoid arguing with someone on Instagram.
• If you’re not sure about blocking someone yet, but you want to limit their interaction.

Make sure you know the differences so you can make the best choices. Now, if you really want to do that, how to restrict someone on Instagram?

Restrict on Instagram: 4 Ways to Do It

If you want to restrict an Instagram account, you have 4 options. The steps are similar on both iPhones and Android devices.

1. Restrict Instagram Accounts Through Messages

Here are the steps to restrict an Instagram account through Messages:

• Tap the Messages icon at the top right of your Instagram main page.
• Open the chat with the person you want to restrict.
• Tap the person’s name at the top of your chat.
• Tap Options under the Profile name, next to Mute.
• Tap Restrict, above the Block option.

2. Restrict Someone Through Comment

Here’s what you need to do to restrict an Instagram account through comments:

• Find the post where the person you want to restrict made a comment.
• Tap View all comments for that post.
• Press and hold the comment made by the person you want to restrict.
• Tap the Notice icon.
• Tap Restrict followed by their username, under the Mute option.

3. Restrict Instagram Users From Settings

Here’s how to restrict an Instagram account through Settings:

• Tap on your profile at the bottom right of the screen.
• On your Profile page, tap the hamburger menu at the top right.
• Tap on Settings and privacy.
• Under the How others can interact with you section, tap on Restricted.
• Tap Continue to open the Restricted Accounts page.
• Search for the account you want to restrict.
• Tap Restrict next to their username.

4. Search and Restrict Someone Via Profile

Here’s what you need to do to search and restrict an Instagram account:

• Tap Explore and search for their username.
• Go to their profile.
• Tap Options or the Hamburger menu at the top right.
• Tap Restrict under the About This Account

How to Unrestrict Instagram Account?

That’s how you restrict someone on Instagram. But if you want to change it back to normal, how do you unrestrict an Instagram account?

Basically, when you have restricted accounts on your list, then there will be always an option to restrict them. So here are the steps:

• Go to your profile page.
• Tap on Settings and privacy menu.
• Under the How others can interact with you section, tap on Restricted.
• On the Restricted Accounts page, find the account you want to unrestrict.
• Tap Unrestrict

How to Know If Someone Restricted You On Instagram

You know how to restrict an Instagram account and unrestrict them. But do you know if someone is restricting you?

When you’re restricted, everything seems normal unlike when they block you. You can still see their posts and stories, plus make any comments on their post. So, here’s how to find out:

• Can you see if they are active? You have enabled activity status on your account but cannot see when someone is online. This could mean that they have restricted your Instagram account.
• Are your comments only visible to you? If you leave a comment on someone’s post, but it doesn’t show up for your mutual friends, it probably means you’ve been restricted.
• Are your DMs being replied to? If you send a DM to someone and they don’t reply or take a long time, it could mean they restricted you. Your message goes to their request folder and needs to be approved manually.

Final Thoughts on What Happens When You Restrict Someone on Instagram

Can you restrict someone on Instagram? Sure, you can. You can protect yourself and your followers from negative comments and messages, without completely blocking the person.

Instagram’s restriction is quite a new feature to help keep the platform more positive and enjoyable for its users. So, how do you restrict someone on Instagram? You have four methods to choose from:

• Through messages
• Through comments
• Through settings
• Through someone’s profile options

Those are easy steps that can make a big difference to your Instagram experience, especially if you’re a content creator trying to build an online presence. With this feature, you can prevent negativity from ruining your mood, making you more focused on content creation and building credibility.

That’s all for now. We hope this information helps. Be sure to subscribe to our blog to get more information about Instagram features and anything content creators.

FAQ about Restricting Instagram Account