FIXED: Why Can’t I Follow People on Instagram?

Instagram has become one of the biggest social media platforms. You can follow celebrities, friends, and family members and see what they are up to through their posts and stories. However, recent complaints have arisen that users cannot follow accounts on Instagram.

Follow Icon On Instagram

In this article, we will explore the potential causes and solutions to this problem. So, without further ado, let’s dive straight into it.

If you tap the Follow button but nothing happens, you’re likely facing this issue. There are a few common reasons this can occur. Work through the steps below and you should be able to fix it quickly.

1. Internet Connection Issue

The most common cause is an unstable internet connection. An unstable connection can break many app features, including the Follow action. Make sure your connection is up and running. You can check by running a speed test or by watching a YouTube video to see if it loads smoothly.

Not a normal speedtest result, the connection is extremely unstable according to the result.
This is not a normal speed test result; the connection is extremely unstable.

2. Instagram’s Servers Are Down

Another thing to check is the status of Instagram’s servers. Sometimes, you can’t follow people because Instagram’s servers are down. Visit DownDetector to see if there are outages in your region. If there is an outage, you’ll need to wait until services are restored.

3. Re-installing Instagram Application

Sometimes, software glitches and bugs can stop you from following accounts. An easy fix is to uninstall the Instagram app and then reinstall it. Head over to your phone’s app installer, search for Instagram, and uninstall it. Then reinstall the app, sign in, and check if the issue persists.

4. Another Account Has Blocked You

If you can’t follow a particular account, you might have been blocked by that user. When you’re blocked, you can’t message them, see their posts, or send a follow request. We have a dedicated guide on this—check it out below.

5. Following Multiple Accounts Quickly

Instagram limits how many times you can follow and unfollow in a short period (often around sixty actions per hour). This helps prevent bot accounts and third-party apps from abusing the platform. If you’ve been following/unfollowing rapidly, Instagram may temporarily restrict these actions, and you might see an “Action Blocked” message.

The only solution is to take a pause from the app and try again after an hour or so.

6. Following More Than 7,500 Accounts

Many users don’t know this, but there’s a limit to how many accounts you can follow. According to Instagram, “To help reduce spam” they do not allow users to follow more than 7,500 accounts. If you’re close to that number, consider unfollowing some accounts before following new ones.

7. Using a VPN Connection

Many users use VPNs to securely browse the internet. However, major platforms, including Instagram, discourage the use of VPNs because they hide your real location and may trigger account safeguards. If you’re using a VPN, some app features might not work properly. You can check if this is the case by disabling the VPN.

If the issue gets resolved after turning off the VPN, it means the VPN was causing it. Try avoiding that VPN in the future or look for a better alternative.

8. Submit a Report to Instagram

If you’ve tried all the suggestions above and the issue remains, submit a report to Instagram. Open Instagram and shake your phone left and right. Tap Report problem in the pop-up. Write a short summary of the issue and upload relevant screenshots. Submit the report, and hopefully support will get back to you soon.

Reporting the problem to Instagram
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kamil Anwar


Kamil is a certified MCITP, CCNA (W), CCNA (S) and a former British Computer Society Member with over 9 years of experience Configuring, Deploying and Managing Switches, Firewalls and Domain Controllers also an old-school still active on FreeNode.
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