What Does Restrict Mean on Instagram? Everything You Need to Know for Better Management of Your Instagram Account

You don’t have to be a social butterfly to enjoy social media. You can be a very private person — a classic introvert — and still feel safe having a social media presence with the proper privacy configuration. On Instagram, private and public accounts alike (including business accounts) have several options to protect themselves from abuse, bullying, spam, inappropriate comments and offensive language. One of the widely used options is Restrict. So what does restrict mean on Instagram and when should you use it?

What Does Restrict Mean on Instagram and How Is It Different From the Block Option?

There are a few helpful differences between what Restrict means on Instagram and what the Block option entails.

The Restrict option allows you to control which comments appear on your posts. When you Restrict an account, the restricted person can still see, like, and comment on your posts, but their comments will only be visible to them. You won’t receive notifications about their comments, as well. Other steps you can take with regards to a restricted person’s comments on your posts include:

• Seeing their comment by tapping “See comment”
• Approving their comment so it will be visible to others
• Ignoring or deleting their comment

A person you’ve restricted won’t see when you’re online, as well. They can send you messages but these (and your previous chat, if there’s one) will be stored in your Message Requests Inbox. They won’t know if you read their message/s.    

The Block feature, on the other hand, completely removes a person’s ability to find you on Instagram, view your profile and posts, and interact with you in any way.  

For both options, the people you Restrict or Block won’t be notified about the action. 

How to Use the Restrict Option on Instagram

What does Restrict mean to your Instagram account’s privacy and safety? How do you Restrict someone on Instagram?

• Restrict someone through messages. Just go to your chat and tap the person’s name. Tap the three dots on the top right. Tap “Restrict” and then tap “Restrict account” to confirm. Keep in mind that if you’re in a group chat with the person you’ve restricted, you’ll be notified that you’ll see a restricted account’s message/s. 
• Restrict someone through the comments section. Go to your post and tap “View all comments.” Find the comment of the person you want to restrict and hold your finger on the comment. Tap the exclamation point icon, then tap “ Restrict [username].”
• Restrict someone through your Instagram settings. Go to your profile and tap the three lines on the top right. Tap “Settings,” then “Privacy.” Find “Restricted accounts” below “Connections,” then tap “Continue.” Find the account you want to restrict and tap “Restrict” next to their name. 
• Restrict someone through their profile. Go to their profile by searching their username or tapping their username from their feed or Instagram Story. Tap the three dots on the top right. Tap “Restrict,” then tap “Restrict account” to confirm.
• Restrict multiple accounts at the same time. Go to your post and tap “View all comments.” For an iPhone, tap the three dots on the top right, then tap “Manage accounts”; Android users don’t have this step. For both iPhone and Android, just select all the comments you want to manage and tap the “Restrict” button to restrict multiple accounts at the same time.     

Final Thoughts: Use the Restrict Feature for Enhanced Safety and Privacy

To sum it up, what Restrict means on Instagram is enhanced safety and privacy for your account through better control of which comments appear on your posts, who can see when you’re online, and which messages go directly to your main inbox. 

Aside from Restrict and Block, Instagram also offers other options to help you manage how people can interact with you on the platform. For example, you can choose to temporarily limit unwanted or negative comments, turn off comments, use comment filters, or report comments for abuse or spam.
For business pages, growing your Instagram account always comes with the risk of exposure to spam, harassment, abuse, and even bots. You increase your risk exponentially when you use third-party apps to help you increase your followers. If you need help on your Instagram growth journey, find a reliable partner that understands the value of organic growth — a company like Path Social. Take advantage of Path Social’s proprietary AI targeting technology and in-house team of social media experts, and start growing and gaining Instagram followers today!