Instagram has been a great platform for connecting with friends, family, or strangers. But have you ever searched for their account and seen the “user not found” error on Instagram, leaving you confused? In this article, I will discuss what it means, the reasons behind the issue, and what you can do to fix it.
Answer:
The “user not found” error on Instagram can mean that the user has deactivated or deleted their account, changed their username, blocked you, and so forth, depending on the situation.
What Does “User Not Found” Mean On Instagram?
User Not Found on Instagram can have different meanings depending on the situation. Here I will discuss the possible cases where the “user not found” error might appear.
Posts Are Visible Though User Not Found On Instagram
While you visit a user’s Instagram profile, the posts might still be visible though it says “user not found” in some cases. In most cases, if the user has blocked you, it shows the error “user not found,” and you cannot view any posts on their profile. But sometimes, the posts might still be visible in such a case due to a technical glitch on Instagram.
This glitch lasts only for some time, and posts will stop showing once you restart the Instagram application.
Profile Picture Is Showing Though User Not Found On Instagram
If you visit a user’s Instagram account soon after they’ve been suspended or have deactivated their account, the profile picture might still show.
Thus, if you check the profile again after a while, you won’t see the profile picture.
Able To DM The User Though User Not Found On Instagram
If you can direct message a user, but it shows the error “user not found,” you should know that the user did not receive the messages.
Thus, it’s best not to waste your time and find other ways to get your message to them.
Bio Is Showing Though User Not Found On Instagram
The bio might be available for a while even after it shows a user not found error. This is a technical glitch, so the bio will go away if you give it some time and check again.
7+ Reasons Behind “User Not Found” Error On Instagram
Like me, you might have also faced a situation when you searched for a username on Instagram, but it showed a “user not found” error. There is no definite answer to why this happens. There can be various reasons behind the issue, which I will list below.
- You mistyped the username.
- The user changed their username.
- They blocked you.
- Their Instagram account is suspended.
- The user deactivated their account.
- They have deleted their Instagram account permanently.
- Temporary glitch on Instagram.
- Instagram is not updated.
Mistyped The Username
One of the simple reasons it shows the “user not found” error on Instagram is human error, i.e., mistyping the username. Typing even a single character wrong might result in Instagram’s “user not found” issue.
Before searching for a user’s Instagram profile, make sure you know their correct username and type it correctly. For example: if the Instagram username is hannah_12, you must type “hannah_12” on the search bar.
Change In Their Username
The user might have changed the username you are trying to find, so if you search for them by typing the old username, the user not found issue might show up.
Blocked By The User
This is the most common reason for Instagram’s “user not found” error. If the user has blocked you, you won’t be able to see their posts or be able to interact with them.
Suspended Instagram Account
If you have violated some Instagram guidelines, Instagram could ban/suspend your account. In such cases, it shows the user not found an error on Instagram.
Account Deactivation
If the respective user has deactivated their account temporarily, you won’t be able to see their posts, and it will show the error “user not found.” Thus, check if they have deactivated their account or if there is another reason it’s showing the error message.
Account Deletion
The error “user not found” also occurs if the respective user has permanently deleted their account. This is why searching for the account shows the “user not found” error on Instagram.
Temporary Instagram Glitch
You know how there are man-made errors. Similarly, there occurs technical glitches in the technical world as well. The reason behind the “user not found” error on Instagram might also be a temporary glitch.
Waiting it out until Instagram resolves the issue is the best you can do in such a case. Besides you may also try restarting your phone, checking your internet connection, updating the app, or even reinstalling it.
Outdated Version Of Instagram
Often, the apps on your phone might run an older version, which might cause different issues. This isn’t most likely to occur, but in some cases, the user not found error might show up if you use the outdated version of Instagram.
Thus, try updating your Instagram app and go to the user’s profile again to see if it changes anything.
Fixes For “User Not Found” Issue On Instagram
While the reason behind the “user not found” issue might vary depending on the situation, some common fixes for the “user not found” issue on Instagram might be:
- Searching for a valid username
- Searching through other social media
- Sending a new message
- Updating the Instagram app
Search For A Valid Username
Either you have mistyped the username or entered an old username; knowing the valid username and entering it correctly is a must. Typing even a single character wrong might show up a different account or not show any result.
So type in the full username of the account correctly to avoid the “user not found” issue.
Search Through Other Social Media
If you cannot find the user on Instagram, try searching for them on other social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, etc. The user might have updated their Instagram username on other social media. You can find their updated username and try searching for them on Instagram again.
Send A New Message
Try sending a new message to the user even though it shows the “user not found” error. Usually, this occurs when a user has changed their username or blocked you on Instagram.
So, you can send a new message to let them know that you are searching for their profile on Instagram. But you never know whether the message is reached that person or not.
Update The Instagram App
In a few cases, an outdated version of Instagram might be the reason behind the “user not found” error. So you may also try updating the Instagram app and searching for the user again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions related to the topic.
Why Does It Show ‘User Not Found’ Error But Can Message Them On Instagram?
If it shows the “user not found” error, but you can message them on Instagram, chances are that they have blocked your account. If you have been chatting with them previously, you can continue sending them messages in such cases, but you cannot see their posts on Instagram. Also, the user won’t receive any of your messages even if you send them.
Why Can’t I Tag Someone On Instagram?
You can’t tag someone on Instagram because they have disabled the tagging option, included too many tags, have a private account, spelled the username wrong, and so on.
How To Change Username On Instagram?
To change your Username on Instagram, firstly, open your Instagram application > Tap on your profile/ Bitmoji > Click on edit profile > Tap on your username > Change your username.
Conclusion
Thus, the “user not found” error on Instagram can mean that the user has blocked your account, deactivated or deleted their account, their account got suspended by Instagram, and so on. There is no definite answer to it since there can be different reasons depending on the situation.
Hope you found our article helpful. Thank you for reading!
