Do you know someone who drops vile and mean comments on your posts? Or a nosy relative with judgemental eyes whom you can’t block? Ahh well, don’t we all know someone as such? These people make our time on social media platforms unpleasant. Thankfully, Instagram came up with an amazing solution, a super-helpful feature that lets you restrict people. But, what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram?
You may be wondering if the restrict feature is similar to the blocking one. Or, is the other person going to be notified when they are restricted? Because if that happens, your nosy aunt Karen might get pissed off. But, making boundaries, in this case– restricting, is important. Once you reach the end of this post and find out what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram, you will be able to take the necessary steps. So, keep reading!
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Here’s What Happens When You Restrict Someone On Instagram | No, It’s Not The Same As Blocking Someone!
A lot of people think that blocking and restricting are the same things just because they don’t know what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram. But no, these two features of Instagram have some important differences between them. Restricting someone allows you to draw boundaries in a subtle manner whereas, blocking is a drastic move. When you block someone, your profile will look blank to them and they will obviously find out.
What Happens When You Restrict Someone On Instagram? Know The Changes Here!
In the simplest of terms, when you restrict someone on Instagram, you’re basically limiting/restricting their access to your profile. But, you’re doing it in a way that they won’t find out. Of course, you will still be able to interact with this person on the platform– but the way that it happens will change. This is because the restrict feature in itself is very secretive.
So, once you tap on the restrict option on someone’s profile, the following things can happen:
Messages Will Be Moved To Message Requests
After you’ve restricted someone on Instagram, their messages will be moved to the message request folder. This folder will be present in the right corner of your message section. Any new messages that they send or any replies that they give to your Instagram stories will appear here too.
Also, when a restricted person sends you a message on Instagram, you’re not going to get a notification for the same. But you’ll be able to see the message easily. And, even when you open their message, they will not know because they won’t be getting the Seen tag– unless you chose to accept their message request. And, if you want to reply to their message, you will have to un-restrict their account.
They Won’t Be Able To See Your Activity Status
So, the activity status knows when someone is online and when they were last active on Instagram. The feature is turned on by default but you can turn it off from the Settings if you feel like it. However, if you turn off your activity status, it will be hidden from everyone and you won’t be able to see someone else’s activity status either.
Now, if your activity status is turned on and you choose to restrict someone, you can be sure that only the restricted user won’t be able to see your last active.
Their New Comments Will Be Hidden
Even after you’ve restricted someone on Instagram, they will be able to comment on your posts just like before. However, any comments that they make will be hidden from everyone— both you and your followers. Also, you won’t be getting a notification when a restricted person comments on your profile.
After you get a comment from a restricted user, you’ve got the option to view the hidden comment. After you’ve seen it, you can decide whether you want to delete it or approve it so that other people can see it as well. However, you can simply ignore the comment as well– the user is not going to find out.
Group Chats Will Change Too
If you’re ever to find yourself in a group chat with a restricted user, you’ll be notified of the same. Then, you will have the option to decide if you want to remain in the group chat or leave it altogether or remove the restriction.
Although the above-mentioned things will change, there are some things that are still going to be the same as before. For example, the restricted user will still be able to like your posts on Instagram or save them when they want to. Their likes will be visible to everyone else on the platform. You too will be able to see their posts and interact with them if you feel like it.
This is because restricting a user is not the same as blocking, unfollowing, or removing someone from your followers’ list.
Final Words
So, this is what happens when you restrict someone on Instagram! I hope this article brought you the clarity you needed to take a more informed decision about someone. Now that you’ve found out the after-effects of the restrict option, you’ll be able to decide if you really wnat to restrict or straight away block! Remember, both of these features are there to protect user privacy and peace of mind, so feel free to choose whatever fits your requirements!
Can you tell if someone has restricted you on Instagram?
While it’s obvious to someone when they’ve been blocked — because they can no longer find that user on the platform — it won’t be obvious when they’ve been restricted. They will see that user’s posts in their feed like they usually do. But they will no longer see when the user is online or has read their messages.
When you restrict someone on Instagram can they see your story?
Restricting an account lets you limit interactions with the user without blocking or unfollowing them. This is more helpful to limit interactions on posts, since restricted users will still be able to see your Stories.
What does it look like if someone restricts you on Instagram?
When someone restricts you, your new direct messages to them will appear in a message request folder rather than in a regular chat. The person who restricted you won’t be notified of any new messages, and they’ll have to manually approve them to answer you.
How long does Instagram restriction last?
The temporary block is the most common action block implemented by Instagram. It usually lasts up to 24 hours. You may get it after you break some of Instagram’s terms of service.
Can you soft block on Instagram?
You can block the person for a “soft block” and immediately unblock them. By doing this, you’re effectively making them unfollow you without them witnessing. They likely won’t notice, and even if they do, you can play it off as an error.
