How To Fix Action Blocked On Instagram

Getting an action blocked on Instagram is the last thing you’ll need on your day, especially without knowing the reason behind the block.

There’s no doubt that Instagram is one of the best social media platforms in the world, with the likes of Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat. Instagram offers users a lot of features that they can have fun with, such as stories, highlights, and camera filters. 

Like any social platform, Instagram has a set of guidelines that every user must follow. If you violate any of their rules, they can penalize your account and block it for days or permanently. 

If you are reading this, we can assume that you are seeing an ‘Action Blocked’ error on your account. 

There are different reasons for this error, and it can get in the way of your day-to-day activities. 

What Is An Action Blocked Error?

The action blocked error on Instagram is a prompt that shows up when you perform basic actions such as liking a post, commenting, following a user, sharing stories, or posting on your timeline. 

What this usually means is that Instagram has blocked your account and restricted it from performing actions on the platform. 

There are various types of action blocks on Instagram: 

• Temporary Block – this is the most common action block implemented by Instagram. This usually lasts for 24 hours, and you can get it if you violate Instagram’s terms of service the first time. 
• Action Block W/ Expiration Date – this action block is similar to a temporary block but with an expiration date. When you receive this type of block, Instagram will notify you when the ban/suspension is lifted and can last up to 30 days. 
• Action Block Without Expiration – this form of action block is usually awarded to users who violated platform guidelines multiple times or have been reported by multiple users. This type of block doesn’t have an expiration date, and you can’t contest it. 
• Permanent Block – when this is awarded to your account, you can no longer use the platform using your account, and it is often irreversible. 
  
  

What Triggers Action Blocks?

Action blocks on Instagram are usually caused by an exceeded number of actions you perform in a period (per hour/per day). Once you exceed the allowed limit, Instagram might block you from performing any more actions. 

Unfortunately, this limit doesn’t have a specific number and could vary depending on your account’s age, violation history, usage of bots, and other factors that are unique to your account. 

As a general rule, you should avoid spamming actions on the platform that can alert suspicion. 

For instance, don’t go following 100 to 150 people at once. Avoid liking multiple posts of one user in a short period, and refrain from sending similar messages to multiple users. 

How to Fix Action Blocked Error on Instagram

With that out of the way, here are some effective workarounds for the action-blocked error on Instagram: 

1. Check Instagram’s Status. 

Before worrying about getting permanently banned, you might want to check Instagram’s servers first to see if there are no issues on their end. If you are sure that you did not violate Instagram’s guidelines, there’s a good chance that the action blocked error is caused by ongoing system maintenance or server-related errors. 

To confirm this, you can use third-party sites like Downdetector to view the current status of Instagram. 

If there are reported issues with Instagram’s servers, the best thing you can do is wait since server-related problems can’t be resolved on your end. On the other hand, you can head to the next solution if there’s nothing wrong with the servers. 

2. Clear Instagram Data (Android). 

For Android users, we suggest clearing Instagram’s cache if you see an action block error. This should clear your temporary data and refresh your session. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, locate Instagram from your home screen. 
2. After that, press and hold the app icon until the selection menu appears. 
3. Tap on App Info and access the Storage tab. 
4. Lastly, hit the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons. 

Re-login to your Instagram account afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

3. Update Instagram. 

The version of Instagram you’re using may no longer be supported by the servers, causing the platform to flag your session and activity to be suspicious. To avoid issues, ensure that you’re using the latest version of the app. 

For Android: 

1. Launch Google Play Store on your device. 
2. After that, tap on your Profile and access the Manage Apps & Device tab. 
3. From there, go to the Updates Available page and locate Instagram. 
4. Hit the Update button beside the app to start the process. 

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For iOS:

1. First, go to the App Store on your iOS device. 
2. Next, open your Profile and look for Instagram on the list. 
3. Lastly, tap the Update button to install the latest version. 

Once done, try using the platform to check if the action blocked error still occurs. 

4. Reinstall Instagram. 

You can also try reinstalling Instagram if you still encounter the action blocked error. This should give you a fresh install of the app, which could bypass the temporary ban on your account. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, locate the Instagram app from your home screen. 
2. After that, press and hold the app icon until the options menu shows up. 
3. Lastly, tap on Remove App (iOS) or Uninstall (Android) to remove Instagram. 

Launch the App Store or Play Store afterward and download the latest version of Instagram. 

5. Report The Issue. 

If you are sure that you did not violate any rules, we recommend filing a report to Instagram’s team to reconsider the banning. By filing a report, Instagram’s team can manually review your activity to ensure that the banning is not wrongfully placed. 

Depending on the action blocked prompt you receive, you might see a ‘Tell Us’ and ‘Ignore’ prompt. If you wish to contest the ban, tap on Tell Us and explain your side. 

On the other hand, you can head to Settings > Help > Report a Problem if you only see an ‘Ok’ button on the prompt. In the text field, write about how your account was wrongfully banned from the platform. 

For disabled accounts that are about to be deleted, you can file a complaint from the log-on screen. 

Upon logging into your account, you’ll have the option to Download Data to get access to your content or Request Review to halt the removal of your account. 

6. Try Using Mobile Data. 

The ban on your account could be based on your IP address. If this is the case, you might still be able to bypass the action-blocked error by switching to mobile data or another wireless network. 

To increase your chances, you can also try using VPNs to access Instagram. We suggest using PureVPN. 

PureVPN uses secured and reliable servers to ensure that you won’t encounter problems online. It works with most applications and can be used with streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+. 

7. Link Your Social Accounts. 

Instagram allows users to create Business and Creator accounts without the need to connect to Facebook. If your account is not linked to Facebook and you receive an action blocked error, link your Instagram account to your Facebook page. 

This should prove that you are not a bot. You can also try linking your other socials to increase your chances. 

8. Use Another Device. 

You can also try using another device if your account has been temporarily banned from the platform. There’s a good chance that you are only banned from using your device, and your account could work with other devices. 

Try logging into your account using a web browser, another mobile device, or a tablet. 

9. Stop Using Bots. 

If you have a business account and use bots to automate likes, follows, and replies, we suggest removing it from your account if you are slapped with a temporary ban. More often than not, bots can spam on the platform, which can alert Instagram and temporarily suspend your account. 

10. Wait It Out. 

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is wait it out. Unfortunately, you might have unknowingly violated some of Instagram’s guidelines, and all that you can do now is wait for the suspension to be lifted. 

Depending on what guideline you violated, an action blocked error can last a few hours up to a few days. 

Avoiding Action Blocked Errors in the Future

There are times when you don’t have a clue of what action of yours resulted in getting your account blocked on Instagram. Sometimes the mistake is very minute or even unintentional.

So let us first discuss some of the common reasons which could result in “Action Blocked” on Instagram. This discussion would also help you to be extra conscious the next time and know what actions can land you in this situation.

1. Your Instagram account bio info is not complete. If you are using your Instagram account actively but haven’t completed your profile information or uploaded a profile picture, then Instagram will consider your account as a fake account and block you.
2. There are no posts or only a few posts on your account. If you have an active Instagram account but, you haven’t posted anything on it yet or have posted just a couple of things, then Instagram will feel that it is some spam account and would decide to block you.
3. You are posting numerous posts at a single time. Do not post all your trip or celebration images at once on Instagram because that is going to annoy Instagram definitely, and it is going to block you. So, you will have to be patient and post the images periodically instead of posting them in a single go.
4. You are posting a single post multiple times. Is there a shortage of fresh, new images at your end, and so you find yourself posting the same picture repeatedly? If yes, then Instagram is going to block you for your action because Instagram feels that you are annoying its audiences by posting the same content over time.
5. You are posting inappropriate content. Posting sexual, abusive, or inappropriate content from your account will result in the blocking of your account. So you need to be careful that you don’t post anything controversial from your account.
6. You are posting copyrighted content illegally. Whatever you post on Instagram needs to be your original content. If copied from elsewhere, you need to ask for authorization from the concerned authority. If you post something that has been copyrighted by someone and you haven’t taken legal permission from that person before using his/her content, then Instagram will find it out and will block your account.
7. You are liking numerous posts at a single time. As per Instagram rules, you are allowed to like a maximum of 350 posts in one hour. So, if you like more than 350 posts in an hour, then Instagram will block your account as it would consider that it is a spam account, which is like a large number of posts to get noticed.
8. Tagging the same account very frequently in your posts or comments. Suppose you are tagging your friend or your family member repeatedly in a short span in your posts or comments, then Instagram is going to block your account. Try and avoid doing so
9. Commenting on the same content under several posts. Suppose you want to thank all your friends and family members following you on Instagram and who have wished you for your Birthday by a post. But, sometimes, it can create a problem. If you keep on commenting on the same content under several posts, then Instagram may block your account.
10. Commenting about inappropriate content. Commenting anything offensive or inappropriate on someone else’s post can also lead to the blocking of your account.
11. You are messaging many people in a short span. If you have bugged a lot of people by messaging them and if you have done it in a very short period, then there are chances of your account getting blocked by Instagram’s system.
12. You are messaging inappropriate content. You cannot message any offensive, abusive, or sexual content on Instagram because if it finds out that you have messaged something inappropriate to another user, it is going to block you.
13. You are following or unfollowing various accounts frequently. People follow a large number of accounts to increase the number of followers for their accounts and later unfollow those accounts. So if you have followed or unfollowed a large number of accounts in a short span, then be careful because Instagram is not going to like it and is going to block your account as a repercussion for your actions.
14. You are following a large number of accounts. If you keep on pressing the Follow button for every account and you end up following more than 20 people in an hour, then beware because you may be blocked soon. Also, Instagram allows a single account to follow a maximum of 7500 other accounts. So if you have exceeded that number, then Instagram is going to block you.
15. You are using third-party apps to increase the number of likes on your post(s). If you want to become popular very soon by increasing the number of likes on your posts and for which you are using any third-party apps, then Instagram will quickly figure it out as spam and will block your account.
16. You are using third-party apps to increase the number of followers on your account. If you use any third-party apps to increase the number of followers for your account, then beware because Instagram will soon figure it out as spam and will block your account.
17. You are using an automated system or bot to perform actions. If you are using an automated system or a bot to follow, unfollow, like, comment, or message on Instagram, then you will be blocked.
18. You are logging into your Instagram account from various IP addresses. If multiple sign-ins are happening to your account from multiple IP addresses, then Instagram will think that either your account has been hacked or is a spam account and will block your account.
19. Several user complaints against you. If Instagram receives several complaints about some of your actions, then it will decide to block your account.

You should go through the guidelines above, provided by Instagram, to avoid any such mishaps in the future. Now that you know the reasons owing to which your account must have got blocked. Let us address some of the ways you can try to fix this issue.

That wraps up our guide on how to fix the action blocked error on Instagram. If you have questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

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