Did you get the error message “User not found” on an Instagram profile? Maybe you searched for a profile and were greeted with this error.
There are actually multiple situations in which the “User not found” message can appear.
It might be because the particular user has blocked you on the Instagram application, their account has been suspended, their account has been disabled, or, lastly, they must have changed their username to something else.
Unfortunately more often than not, “User not found” is the result of being blocked.
However, that doesn’t have to be your first assumption. You can always find out what the reason is.
1. Blocked
When someone blocks you on Instagram, their profile displays the message: “User not found”.
You might still be able to visit their profile but their posts, profile picture, and bio will be hidden from you. If you visit the profile of a user who has blocked you, you will only see the error message.
Getting blocked is the most common reason behind the error message.
If you’ve been blocked by someone their username will not appear in the search results if you type in their username.
2. Suspended account
You might also encounter an error if the person you’re looking for has gotten their account suspended.
An account can easily get suspended when the user violates the guidelines given by Instagram.
In most cases, Instagram doesn’t give any kind of warning before the suspension of an account.
Some violations that result in temporary or permanent suspension of an account are graphic content, illegal content such as selling of drugs or firearms or hate speech, bullying, or even spamming.
So, another reason for not being able to look up an account can be because their account has been suspended. Even in the case of account suspension, you will be unable to visit their profile.
3. Deleted or Disabled account
Deleting an account refers to permanently leaving Instagram. So when someone has deleted their Instagram account, you will not be able to view their account. The deleted account will be expunged from Instagram and hence will not exist.
Unlike the deletion of an account, a disabled account is temporarily hidden from everyone on Instagram. It can easily be accessed by the user when they are ready to use the account again.
It is quite common for people to take a break from social media. They do so by disabling their account. When you disable your account, it is not deleted, and nor are the contents of the accounts such as posts, videos, or reels.
Nevertheless, a disabled account cannot be found. If you’re looking for someone on the app and they have disabled their account, then you will see the “User not found” message on their profile.
4. Change in username
Searching for a user with their old username when they have switched to a new one will not show you their account. Instead, it will display the error message.
Sometimes when you look up an account or click on their username from a post they’ve liked it might show a blank account with the message “User not found”. This means they have changed their username to something else. And in order to find them, you will need to ask or enquire about their new username.
Looking up for a user using their former username will not show you results. This is also one of the common reasons for accounts not being found.
Conclusion
To sum up the article, “User not found” is the error message that s displayed when:
- an account has been deleted
- an account has been disabled
- when the username has been changed
- an account ahs been suspended
- or when you have been blocked by that user
There is no concrete way to be sure which of these has happened to you. You can always straight up ask for their username to verify before assuming the worst.
Further Reading
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