Your reach suddenly dropped 90%? You might be shadowbanned. Here's how to check and fix it.
How to Check for Shadowban
- Post with a small unique hashtag, then check from another account (that doesn't follow you) if your post appears under that hashtag
- Check Account Status: Settings → Account → Account Status — Instagram now tells you directly
- Sudden drop in non-follower reach in Insights
7 Steps to Fix Shadowban
- Stop all automation — unfollow bots, auto-likers. Remove third-party app access.
- Delete banned hashtags — remove them from recent posts.
- Take a 48-hour break — no posting, minimal activity.
- Report the problem — Settings → Help → Report a Problem.
- Switch to personal account temporarily — some report this resets flags.
- Post original content only — no reposted TikToks with watermarks.
- Warm up slowly — 1 post/day, genuine engagement, no mass actions.
Prevention
Never buy fake engagement from shady sellers, don't mass-follow/unfollow, and avoid banned hashtags. Recovery typically takes 2-14 days.