Have you ever been looking for a profile on Instagram and it results on a page that says “User Not Found”? You’re not alone. This is a common message meaning that you can’t access the profile of that username. The question is, what does “user not found” on Instagram mean?
The short answer is that this user likely blocked you or deleted their account. There are, however, other reasons this message may be popping up during your scrolling session.
What Does the “User Not Found” Page Look Like?
If you’re unfamiliar, the “user not found” page can be confusing. Typically, you’ll enter in a username, the page will start to load, and then you’ll see the message. It may show up as a profile page with “no posts yet” and then “user not found” on a gray banner at the top.
This message will usually appear when you attempt to type in a username in the search bar to find their profile. If you are looking for someone specific, this message can be frustrating to see.
What are the Possible Causes for “User Not Found” on Instagram
They Deactivated or Deleted Their Account
The most common reason you’ll see “user not found” on Instagram is that the user deleted or deactivated their account. This means that whatever content they had is now unavailable. They don’t exist on Instagram anymore.
If they deactivated their account, this may be temporary and their account will become available again. If they deleted the account that means it’s gone forever.
The User Has Your Account Blocked / You Blocked Theirs
Another possibility is that the user has blocked your account. Instagram makes it easy to block accounts that you don’t want to see or interact with. When someone blocks you on Instagram, and you try to view their profile, it will say “user not found.”
On the flip side, if you blocked someone’s Instagram account you will see the same message. If you want to unblock them, you can go into Privacy Settings to do so.
Technical Glitches on the Instagram App
Sometimes, the “user not found” error shows up due to a technical glitch or problems with Instagram’s servers. Typically, these glitches are temporary and it’s just a waiting game. You can try refreshing the page or closing the app to see if that fixes the problem. If you continue to see the error, you may want to report it to Instagram support.
What Should I Do If I Still Want to See That User’s Content?
If the “user not found” error isn’t resolved by updates or they reactivate an account, you have likely been blocked. The best thing for you to do in this situation is to respect their privacy. There is likely a reason they have chosen to restrict your access. You should move on and find other accounts to follow and interact with.
The Bottom Line
Simply put, the “user not found” message on Instagram can have various meanings. The most common is that another user has blocked you. If you see this message and think it may be a technical glitch, make sure to report it to Instagram.
