Banned Hashtags on Instagram Ruin You & You Don’t Even Know

Accidentally using banned hashtags on Instagram could be your account’s kiss of death. You may have heard of a banned hashtag, but you don’t think it could ever affect you. Think again.

If you apply any of the banned hashtags in your Instagram posts and reels, those who follow you will not see it. People can only view it if they deliberately visit your user account. They can also see it if you hyperlink it in your Instagram Stories. Suppose users search for the prohibited hashtag and scroll through the search results. They can see your banned hashtag post. Other than the forgoing options, they won’t be able to see it.

If you use a significant number of hashtags that are not permitted, Instagram may flag your account, which may ultimately result in a “shadowban.” If you’re very unlucky, this could result in even the complete removal of your account. 

In this situation, the most prudent thing to do is err on caution rather than regret. Ensure that the hashtags you intend to use are active and that Instagram has authorized them before you use them. This will increase the number of people who see your post and the likelihood that they will become your followers. 

Banned Hashtags on Instagram Could Stunt Your Growth

We’re fans of hashtags at Path Social. We are not fans of banned hashtags on Instagram. You must keep track of the hashtags you use on Instagram since they are integral to any successful business’s strategy on the platform. We even offer tips on how to optimize hashtags usage.

Doing so might throw off your entire strategy for promoting on Instagram. So, you should not inadvertently use a hashtag that Instagram removed from circulation. Have you used hashtags and other organic tactics to build your Instagram account? Is your account yet to grow at the rate you would like? You could be inadvertently using blocked hashtags.

As a content creator, it is essential to know which hashtags are not allowed. Hashtags that have been flagged by users of Instagram as violating the platform’s restrictions and subsequently removed from the platform are referred to as “banned hashtags on Instagram.” This implies that Instagram buries every post that utilizes that hashtag, which will only damage your efforts to develop and increase your organic reach. Avoid a drop in engagement and follow our tips.

The list of prohibited hashtags is dynamic and frequently updated depending on user feedback and inspections conducted by Instagram. It’s a shame that Instagram doesn’t make public a list of the hashtags that are now off-limits. Users may have to do some experimentation.

You May Know Banned Hashtags on Instagram Without  Knowing It 

The tricky thing about banned hashtags on Instagram is that you could be using one without even knowing it.  No one decides just to use sketchy words and disturbing double entendres. This isn’t how hashtags are banned.

Instagram decides what hashtags to ban through community reports. Most of the time, it occurs because users share improper information and use particular hashtags. However, there are some hashtags that you wouldn’t necessarily anticipate to be prohibited, and those are the ones. However, there are circumstances in which similarly situated options are acceptable.  

Most people would not publish fake news or hate speech with (generally considered) harmless hashtags. Instead, these postings often belong to bots or spammer accounts. Hence, this is yet another method that Instagram uses to clamp down on fake profiles. This is to improve the process of using the Instagram platform for its members.  

Are you mistakenly utilizing banned hashtags? Have a look over the list we will provide to see if one or more of these are anything you’ve utilized in recent times.  You might have uncovered the solution to your problem if a post with a banned hashtag didn’t perform adequately.

Be Careful Not to Accidentally Use Banned IG Hashtags

We wished that a “Banned IG Hashtags” list was available every month. Since Instagram does not post a list of prohibited hashtags, there is some degree of fluidity. You may get started by searching for resources similar to this one and reading through the list of hashtags that are currently prohibited. If you are going to use any of them, you should take them off the compilation of hashtags you have prepared.

Your Instagram List Could Have Banned Hashtags on Instagram

Checking your hashtags before adding them to your posts on Instagram is a good idea. This will help ensure you are not using a hashtag removed from the platform. Do you have a list of hashtags, or select hashtags each time off the cuff? Check them occasionally to ensure that none of the hashtags on your collection are on the restricted list. 

Instagram employs bans like these to detect and remove phony accounts. You must monitor your activity to ensure it does not appear as spammy behavior. Altering the way you use hashtags is one method for accomplishing this goal. Avoid using the same few hashtags on each of your posts. Because of this suspicious behavior, Instagram gets the impression that you are either a bot or a phony account. 

Instead, use a variety of hashtags pertinent to both the content of your caption and the image you are sharing. Assist the algorithm in determining that you are a real person operating an actual page. Show that the hashtags you use match the things in the photographs you share.

What Hashtags Are Banned on Instagram: Look Out for This Warning Message

If you search some hashtags manually, you may find this message: “Recent posts from # [hashtag] are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram’s community guidelines.” If you do, run from that hashtag like the plague. Your post may end up in that list of banned hashtags.

Want to know what hashtags are banned on Instagram? These are the banned hashtags on Instagram as of 2023, according to Andrew Lee Ventures:

• #alone
• #assday
• #ass
• #antivax

• #beautyblogger
• #bikinibody
• #boho
• #brain

• #costumes
• #curvygirls

• #date
• #dating
• #desk
• #dm
• #elevator
• #graffitiigers

• #hardworkpaysoff
• #happythanksgiving
• #humpday

• #iphonegraphy
• #italiano
• #kansas

• #killingit
• #kissing

• #master
• #models
• #mustfollow

• #nasty
• #newyearsday

• #petite
• #pornfood
• #pushups

• #saltwater
• #shit
• #shower
• #single
• #singlelife
• #skype
• #snap
• #snapchat
• #snowstorm
• #sopretty
• #stranger
• #streetphoto
• #sunbathing
• #swole

• #tag4like
• #tanlines
• #teens
• #thought
• #undies
• #valentinesday
• #workflow

It might be difficult to find your way around Instagram-banned hashtags. These hashtags are always updated, and Instagram never provides specific information. This list could be changing as we speak. 

Engagement and growth come from using excellent, correct hashtags. It is well worth the additional work required to avoid using a prohibited hashtag. That’s the truth. Good, accurate hashtags are more likely to be discovered and used. So at Path Social, we recommend using them but using them responsibly. 

Check Your Posts: How To Check Banned Hashtags on Instagram

Use a method that is not overly complicated to figure out whether you accidentally used banned hashtags on Instagram. Have a look at these two helpful hints for how to check banned hashtags on Instagram:

For Posts That You Already Have Up

Listen carefully for the quickest and most accurate method to determine whether or not you have been shadowbanned on Instagram. Check whether any of your posts appear on the result pages for relevant hashtags.

What is the procedure for carrying out such an action? Use a different account that does not follow it. After posting to your main Instagram account, you should immediately switch to using this secondary account. You may check to see if your post is in the search results for the hashtags.

Before You Post

The most efficient method for determining whether or not you are about to use a banned hashtag is to search for one related to the topic in question. If it does not appear and there is no hashtag with that name, then it is highly probable that Instagram has restricted its usage. If it does display, it is unlikely that Instagram has banned its use. Clicking on them will only show you a limited number of posts pertinent to your search.  

Did You Know You Can Check for Banned Hashtags on Instagram Checker?

You must avoid utilizing any banned hashtags on Instagram at all costs. Remember that Instagram can report your account as a spammer or for violating their community rules if you do so.

Luckily, there is an even easier way to check for banned hashtags on IG. You can just put in the hashtags you want to check using a prohibited hashtag checker tool, which will check for you. You can find this at MetaHashtags.

In addition, if you use a MetaHashtags-associated hashtag generator, you will receive a notification if it discovers prohibited hashtags. This site keeps a comprehensive list of restricted hashtags. They claim to update and amend this list is routinely updated each day. Some hashtags are prohibited permanently, while others are just for a limited time. It’s a good time to check banned hashtags on Instagram Checker.

Do This if You Think You’re Using Banned Hashtags on Instagram

Want to come out of the shadows? Banned hashtags on Instagram can ban you to the app’s outskirts. Do this if you think IG banned your post:

1. Be sure you follow all of the community guidelines and standards that Instagram has established. Ensure you have a solid strategy for utilizing hashtags, considering the likelihood that you can’t use certain hashtags. Use an online hashtag checker or check manually.

2. Get rid of hashtags, pronto. If you follow the advice above, you will have no trouble determining which irrelevant hashtags to focus on. This will demonstrate to IG that you are adhering to their guidelines and not publishing anything that might be considered inappropriate hashtags.

3. You might not be aware of this, but Instagram limits how many actions you can take on the app daily. This includes people who follow you, like your posts, comment, and send you direct messages. If you are participating in too many activities, you should reduce the time you spend doing them. Your account could be marked as one that is promoting activity that is comparable to spam because of this.

Remove Banned Hashtags on Instagram: Play the Waiting Game or Do This in the Meantime

You’ve implemented the adjustments mentioned in the previous sections and no longer use banned hashtags on Instagram. Now you want Instagram to remove the shadowban on your account. Still, you are unable to see any changes, which is unfortunate.  

The amount of time your Instagram account will continue to be severely impacted by a shadowban is uncertain. On Instagram, a shadowban may last from a few days to many weeks. And if you do nothing about it, it may become permanent if you don’t try to change the situation. Instagram takes potentially publishing sensitive content seriously.

Alternatively, you could consider being proactive with your Instagram account. You should experiment with utilizing other hashtags connected to your content but not restricted by Instagram. Using a hashtag tool, you may search for alternative hashtags appropriate for your content and permitted on Instagram. Hashtagify is one such tool.

Using Banned Hashtags on Instagram Isn’t the End 

When you no longer use banned hashtags on Instagram, you can return to organically growing your page. This is where we come in. Over the past decade, Path Social has been consistently putting in long hours working on an internal platform. Instagram influencers and an engagement strategy that includes an AI targeting algorithm attract followers for your account. 
Grow your own organic following with users that are enthusiastic and engaged. If you apply our guidance, you can develop a robust IG community catered to your niche. Ready to get started by increasing the number of people who follow you on Instagram? Start growing and gaining IG followers with Path Social today.