What Is an Instagram IP Ban and How to Fix It Quickly

If you are currently facing an Instagram IP ban, this guide is for you. We will discuss in detail how to bypass instagram IP ban without having to hire an IT expert or digital marketing guru to help you out. By the end of this guide, we promise to have provided tangible solutions to help you regain access to your Instagram feed. Let’s dive in

What Is an Instagram IP Ban?

An Instagram IP ban is when Instagram blocks the IP address of your device or network from accessing the platform. For those who may not know, the IP addresses assigned to your device or network are the major identifiers platforms use to identify users. It is like the address name of your device or network on the internet.

If Instagram detects any user behavior that could be violating their policies, they can immediately block the IP address of the device in question. Once your IP address is blocked, you will no longer have access to Instagram using the same IP. Unfortunately, most users do not know about this and how exactly to bypass the ban. That’s what we will cover in the next sections of this guide. 

What Happens When Instagram Blocks an IP?

When Instagram blocks an IP, the device or network using that IP address will lose access to the platform. That means if the IP address of your home router is blocked, everyone using the router to connect to the internet will not be able to access their Instagram accounts. But unlike most errors, Instagram does not explicitly tell you when your IP is blocked, making it more confusing for less technical users. 

Why Instagram Uses IP Bans

The main reason Instagram uses IP bans is to ensure all platform users abide by their rules. For instance, Instagram may not want users to have more than a given number of accounts connecting to their platform from the same device. Instagram can ban a device’s IP address if it detects a user switching between multiple accounts on that same device.  

Is an Instagram IP Ban Permanent or Temporary?

It can be either of the two. Temporary bans usually last about one to two days and these are usually due to unusual activities like too many engagements coming from your account within a short period. On the other hand, permanent IP bans are usually due to bigger policy violations such as spamming users on the platform. 

How to Tell If You’ve Been IP Banned on Instagram

As stated earlier, Instagram doesn’t explicitly inform users when their IP gets banned. Instead users have to figure it out on their own. Here are common signs of IP bans: 

• Your feed stops loading content whether you’re using the app or browser
• You experience login issues even when you’re sure of the credentials
• Everyone else around you is able to access Instagram, but your device still fails to load it
• All the Instagram accounts on your device cannot access the platform
• You constantly get error messages like “Try again later” or “Couldn’t refresh feed”

If you experience any of the above signs, the chances of your IP being banned are very high. 

Common Reasons Behind an Instagram IP Ban

Excessive Automation and Bot Behaviors

If Instagram detects that you are using bots to automate likes, follows, or comments, it could block your device or network IP address. Even if you use Instagram manually, your IP address could be blocked if your actions, such as the frequency of liking posts or following accounts, seem unusual.

Spamming or Overusing Actions 

Sending several messages beyond what Instagram considers normal can also lead to IP bans. This doesn’t only apply to DMs, but to comments as well.

Multiple Account Logins From One Network 

If Instagram sees an abnormal number of account connections (multiple devices) coming from the same network, it could block your IP. Of course, it is unlikely that your IP could get blocked if it is just two or three accounts connecting from the same network. 

Violating Instagram’s Community or API Policies

Your IP could get blocked if you violate any of Meta’s user policies such as posting restricted content or running fake ads on the platform. Sometimes violating policies triggers more penalties than just an Instagram IP ban. However, blocking the IP address is usually one of the first steps Meta takes. 

Suspicious Activity Detected From Your IP 

Your IP could get banned if Instagram detects suspicious activities like data scraping or login jumps (using IPs from totally different locations within a short period). 

How Long Does an Instagram IP Ban Last? Is Instagram IP Ban Permanent?

The Instagram IP ban duration period usually depends on the reason behind the ban. 

Temporary vs. Permanent Bans

Temporary blocks will usually last about 24 to 48 hours. In this case, you will lose access to Instagram for about a day or two. For permanent bans, the IP is totally blocked from ever connecting to Instagram again. IP bans lasting more than two days are most likely permanent. Permanent bans are usually due to severe policy violations. 

Factors That Influence Duration

• Type of violation: Minor violations such as excessive activity may lead to short IP bans, while serious violations trigger longer ones.
• Repetition of offenses: Instagram may also consider the frequency of the violations to determine how long the Instagram IP ban should last.
• Use of automation tools: Violating Instagram rules while using automation tools usually results in longer bans than manual usage.       
• IP and account reputation: If an IP address was involved in some policy violations previously, Instagram could ban it permanently. Newer accounts are also more likely to get penalized for longer periods. Remember, Instagram IP bans affect your IP reputation in the future. Once an IP is banned, it is likely to be banned again if it is involved in any slight form of unusual behavior.

How to Know When It’s Lifted

You will know the ban is lifted if you are able to access Instagram again using the same device or network. If the ban was on a specific IP address of a network, other PCs or mobile devices using the same network will also get access to Instagram again. 

How to Fix an Instagram IP Ban (Step-by-Step)

If you got your device IP banned while using Instagram, use these five steps to resolve the issue and get access to Instagram again. 

Restart Your Router or Change Network

Your ISP normally assigns another IP address to your router after a restart. After the reboot, your device will now be using a new IP, allowing you to get rid of the ban. Changing the WiFi network you are using can also help bypass the IP ban. 

Use a Residential or Mobile Proxy

Using mobile and residential proxy solutions helps you access IPs of real user devices. When using any of these proxies, your device or network IP is replaced with the proxy’s IP before sending your traffic to Instagram, bypassing the initial IP ban. 

Clear Cookies and Cache

Clearing cookies on your device can sometimes force your ISP to assign the device another IP address. If you are using a browser, you can clear cookies and cache by going to the browser’s Privacy and Security settings or website data (in the case of Safari).

Contact Instagram Support

If your connection is still blocked after trying all the above methods, consider contacting Instagram support to appeal Instagram IP ban. Instagram’s support will inspect your account to figure out the real cause of the Instagram IP ban and suggest solutions.

Wait for the Restriction to Expire

If you are not in a rush to access Instagram again, you can wait for a couple of days to get access again. For temporary bans, your IP will be allowed access to the platform in about one to two days. 

How to Avoid Instagram IP Bans in the Future

To avoid future inconveniences resulting from Instagram IP bans, follow these steps: 

Limit Automation Speed and Frequency

Ensure to program your bots to do activities such as liking posts or following accounts like real humans would. For instance, you could automate them to like about 50 posts or follow 30 accounts per day. It is never a good idea to do hundreds of actions everyday. 

Follow Natural Human Patterns

Even when you are using Instagram manually, always mind the number of actions you take in any specific period of time. Yes, it may be possible to do hundreds of engagements manually per day, but it is unusually not a common practice among users. So, it could potentially lead to an Instagram IP ban.

Use Rotating or Dedicated Proxies for Multi-Account Management

For businesses and social media managers accessing multiple accounts on one device, using rotating proxies with dynamic IP addresses is the way to go. You can use the proxies to switch your IP address every time you want to change from one account to another. 

Even when you are using the same network or device to manage several accounts, Instagram would not detect it if you keep changing the IP address. Our dedicated proxies give you access to clean IPs, further minimizing risks of getting banned. 

Avoid Free or Public Proxies

Using proxies avoids instagram IP bans, but not the free ones. Free proxies could allow you access to IPs that may be having a bad reputation, which increases the chances of IP bans. Just like free proxies, IPs from public proxies are also usually not clean, making it common for Instagram to block them. 

Stay Within Instagram’s Daily Action Limits

Always ensure to do engagement actions such as liking or commenting on posts in a more natural pattern. When using bots, always automate the action blocks to be within an acceptable limit. 

Why Proxies Are the Safest Solution

Among all the options we have discussed, using proxies is the safest solution for addressing the IP bans issue. Here is why: 

• Proxies give you access to several clean IPs, minimizing chances of IP bans
• They also allow you the option to choose IPs from different locations, making detection harder and IP bans less common
• It is pretty easy to switch between different IPs with proxies when managing multiple accounts on one device. This reduces chances of IP bans when using the same device to run many accounts

Residential vs. Datacenter Proxies for Instagram

Residential proxies are the safest for Instagram since they allow you to use IP addresses from real user devices, minimizing the chances of IP bans. Datacenter proxies are usually not the best choice since they are easier to detect and block. So, choose residential proxies if you need a much smoother experience. 

Summary

If you have followed this guide this far, we hope you have regained access to Instagram by applying one of the fixes we provided. While IP bans are uncommon for everyday users, they are particularly frequent for businesses and social media managers, especially those using automation tools.

Using Instagram naturally by taking fewer actions at a time helps everyday users avoid getting banned. For business users, the best solution is using residential proxies. These proxies allow you to change the IP address of your connection every time you switch between accounts, making it harder for Instagram to detect that you are using the same device to manage several accounts. It is also a much cheaper solution than using multiple devices.

Get started with ProxyWing Instagram proxies today to bypass IP bans.