Nearly every Instagram warning belongs to one of five families: security alerts, identity checks, restrictions, account decisions and login errors. Find yours in the table, then follow the official next step next to it. Two rules apply across the board: Instagram never raises account security with you in Direct messages, and no genuine step involves sending your password or a code to a person.
Find your message
Phrasing differs by app version and language, so match on meaning, not exact wording.
| Message | Meaning | Official next step |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of a sign-in from an unknown device | A device or browser new to Instagram tried your account | Yours? Approve. Not yours? Deny, then set a new password: suspicious logins |
| "Account may be at risk" | A weak or leaked password is suspected | Replace it; all other sessions end |
| Email about an address change | Your profile's email was swapped | Use the link in the old inbox: undo the change |
| "User not found" | Profile hidden: deactivation, deletion in progress, disabled, new @name, or a block | The possible reasons |
| "Try again later" / limited actions | Some activity is temporarily capped | Why actions get blocked |
| Data-scraping restriction | Signs of automated access or harvesting | Drop doubtful apps, new password, two-factor on |
| A request for a video selfie | A check that a real person, the owner, is asking | How the selfie check works |
| ID upload request | Proof of ownership or age, payments, or abuse prevention | Follow the steps; usually two or more tries |
| A suspended or disabled notice | Instagram says the account broke its rules | Request a review from the on-screen instructions: appeal plan |
| Email not found during a reset | A different or mistyped sign-up address | Try your username or phone, or Reset using Facebook if the accounts are linked |
| Reset link fails | Likely expired | Ask for a new one; choose reset, not login |
| Code or reset email missing | Delivery, filters or outdated contact details | What to check |
| A feature misbehaves | No published single cause | Update, test the website, then send a Report a problem |
Security alerts in detail
Login requests. With two-factor authentication on, unfamiliar devices and browsers trigger a prompt naming the device and its rough location. Approving lets the login through; denying it prompts a password reset. The login-activity buttons are covered in login alerts.
"Your account may be at risk." Instagram shows this for passwords it considers weak or possibly exposed elsewhere, say through reuse on a breached website or a link-up with an unapproved outside app. It states that it never stores your password itself. A new password ends every other session.
Email-change notices go to both the new and the old address. The copy sent to the old address comes from security@mail.instagram.com and lets you reverse a change you didn't make.
Selfie and ID requests
A video selfie is a short clip of you turning your head, used to show a real person, the owner, is behind the request. Per Instagram, it's never published and is erased within 30 days.
An ID request has four possible reasons in Instagram's words: account ownership, your age, payments, or abuse prevention (scams, phishing). The document isn't shown to other users, and you generally get a second attempt. Why it's worth doing:
- access can pause while the document is checked;
- refusing can mean lower reach for your posts, or no way back into the account;
- failing can end with a disabled account and its data erased.
Action blocks and scraping
Try again later is a temporary limit on some actions; causes and fixes are in Try again later.
A data-scraping restriction points to suspected data scraping, meaning automated collection that Instagram's Terms of Use forbid. Common causes Instagram mentions: bots or scripts pulling data without permission, sharing your login with an outside service (think follower or like sellers), and tools that interact with Instagram in ways it hasn't authorised.
If you can still get in, clear out unknown sessions and dubious connected apps, set a new password (every device gets logged out) and enable two-factor authentication.
Account decisions
Disabled accounts announce themselves with a message at login, and its instructions may include a review request if you think it's wrong. Locked out without any message? Instagram's three explanations: a login fault, an intruder, or deletion by you or someone holding your password. Deadlines and appeal routes: appeal plan, Request a review and the Oversight Board, waiting times.
Reset and username problems
- "Email address can't be found." The account may use a different address, or a typo from sign-up day. Switch to your @name or phone number; linked to Facebook? Reset using Facebook works too. Without the original inbox and without Facebook, Instagram says this route is closed.
- Expired reset link. Request another and use the reset option in it; Instagram explicitly says to avoid the login option there.
- @name not recognised. Sign in with email or phone instead. If you think a hacker renamed you, find Instagram's account-change email and have a friend capture your profile's current handle.
"Something went wrong"
For generic glitches there's no official cause list. What Instagram recommends: install the latest version (older ones lose support), test instagram.com in any browser, and on Android try the data-saving Instagram Lite. Persistent bugs go to Report a problem: contacting Instagram.
Never from Instagram
- Security warnings in your DMs: Instagram doesn't use Direct for that.
- Anyone wanting your password, a login code or backup codes.
- Security mail from any domain except @mail.instagram.com, @support.instagram.com, @facebookmail.com, @support.facebook.com and @global.metamail.com. Two weeks of genuine mail are listed under Recent emails.
- Anyone charging to restore, unban or verify an account: recovery scams.
Common questions
What does "User not found" mean on Instagram?
You can't see that profile right now. Instagram's documented causes: deactivation, deletion in progress, a disabled account or a renamed one. You might also be blocked; blocks aren't announced.
A DM claims to be Instagram security. Real?
No. Instagram handles security by email, never Direct, and every genuine email shows up in Settings › Recent emails.
What's behind "your account may be at risk"?
A password Instagram thinks is weak or leaked, often through a breach of some other site. Pick one that's unique to Instagram; the change logs out your other devices.
"Something went wrong" won't go away. Now what?
Update, test the website version, check your connection. Still broken? Report a problem from the app, which passes your device details on to Instagram.
A message that isn't listed here?
Screenshot it and send it over. At no cost we'll explain it and name the matching official route. Passwords and codes stay with you.
Sources
- Turn login requests on or off on Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Why Instagram tells you your account is at risk (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- What to do if the email address for your Instagram account was changed (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Why you're being asked to upload an ID to Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- If you think your Instagram profile has been hacked (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Why your account has been restricted for data scraping and what can you do (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- About disabled Instagram accounts (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- What you can do if your email address can't be found during a password reset for your Instagram account (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Links in password reset email from Instagram aren't working (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- What to do if you forget your Instagram username (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Something's not working with the Instagram app (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com
- Review recent emails sent from Instagram (Instagram Help Center) help.instagram.com