Are you looking for a way to make someone unfollow you on Instagram?
It can be a stalker, someone who you don’t like, or a follower who doesn’t engage with your post, similar to a ghost follower.
Maybe you just want limited people to see your content or don’t want a specific person to get access to your content.
So, is there any way to make someone unfollow you?
Quick answer: To make someone unfollow you on Instagram, consider blocking and quickly unblocking them, or using the Restrict feature. If these don’t help, keep reading for more solutions.
Although there aren’t direct ways to make someone unfollow you, you can still use some methods such as restricting their account, hiding stories and muting them. In this article, we’ll share step-by-step strategies on how you can do that.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Can You Make Someone Unfollow You On Instagram?
There are several ways to make someone unfollow you.
Why?
Because Instagram allows you to control who follows your account. Remember that methods to make someone unfollow might not be straightforward, but they can easily get the job done.
Here are some ways to do that.
Method 1: Block & Unlock The Follower Instantly
If you’re looking for a guaranteed way to get rid of a specific follower, then this strategy is of great help. First, you’ve to block the person. Here’s a step-by-step strategy to follow.
- Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Navigate to the profile of the person you want to block.
- On their profile, tap the three horizontal dots (Android) or three vertical dots (iOS) in the top right corner.
- In the menu that appears, choose Block. Instagram will then prompt you to confirm the action.
- Confirm your decision by selecting Block again in the confirmation pop-up.
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By doing this, they’ll be blocked. Now, you should instantly unblock them.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- Then, tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right to open the menu. On the menu, select Settings.
- Within the Settings menu, find and select Blocked.
- You’ll see a list of accounts you’ve blocked. Find the person you want to unblock.
- Tap on the person’s name to go to their profile, then tap on the blue Unblock button. Confirm your decision if prompted.
Now, they’ll no longer be a part of your followers list. If you don’t unblock them, they’ll be unable to find your Instagram account. Moreover, you’ll not be able to message each other.
However, remember that through this method, you can’t stop the user from following you again.
Method 2: Remove Them As A Follower From Your Profile
You might wonder if you can remove someone from your followers without blocking them.
Yes.
It’s done by removing them as a follower. Here’s how you can remove someone from your Instagram followers list.
- Open your Instagram account.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- On your profile, tap the number of followers to open the list of people following you.
- Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find the person you want to remove.
- Next to the person’s name, you should see an option that says Remove. Tap on it, and Instagram will prompt you to confirm the action.
- Confirm your decision to remove the person from your followers.
Method 3: Remove Your Follower From Their Instagram Profile
But is that the only way to remove Instagram followers?
No.
There’s another way through which you can remove followers from Instagram.
- Search for the user you want to remove from your followers list.
- Go to their profile and click the triple dots in the top right corner.
- Now click on the Remove Follower option.
- Confirm the pop-up, and now they’ll be removed as your follower.
Now, they will no longer be able to see your content on their timeline. Remember that it may impact any previous direct message conversations with them.
Method 4: Restrict The Follower
You can opt for this method if you don’t want to block someone or use the first two options.
It’s restricting their profile.
This feature was first released in 2019 in an attempt to address activities related to cyberbullying. Restricting someone on Instagram will hide their comments on your posts. They won’t be able to know your activity status, they won’t know if you’re online or offline, have read their messages, etc.
Instagram Restrict = Anti-bullying Function
Here’s a step-by-step process on how to do it.
- Open your Instagram profile.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- Tap on the follower’s username to go to their profile.
- On their profile, tap the three horizontal dots (usually in the top right corner).
- From the menu, select Restrict.
However, it’ll not remove them as your follower, but it’s a good alternative. It’s best when you want to make a person unfollow you because of their hateful comments.
By restricting them, you’re limiting their activity on your profile. Here’s what’ll happen.
- Their comments on your posts are only visible unless you approve them.
- Their messages go to your Message Requests, and you won’t receive notifications.
Method 5: Mute Their Stories And Posts
If you want to remove someone from followers without taking extreme action, it’s best to start by taking small steps.
When you mute someone, their posts and stories will not appear in your feed. However, they’ll be able to follow you. Here’s how you can mute someone’s stories and posts.
- Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Navigate to the profile of the person whose stories you want to mute.
- On their profile, tap on the Following button.
- Select Mute from the menu that appears and then choose Story and Post.
You can also mute someone’s post from your feed.
If you see a post or story from the person you want to mute in your feed, tap on the three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner of the post or story.
Choose the Mute option from the menu.
You can then choose whether to mute their posts, stories, or both.
Method 6: Hide Your Stories
You can hide your story from others if you don’t want them to see it.
Here’s what you should do if you want to hide your stories. Hiding your stories is an alternative to making someone unfollow you on Instagram.
- Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Navigate to the profile of the person whose story you want to hide.
- On their profile, tap on the three lines.
- From the menu that appears, select Hide Your Story.
It’s an amazing alternative if you are only unfollowing someone because you don’t want them to see your stories. But it’ll not prevent them from seeing your profile posts.
They’ll not be notified if you hide or unhide your Instagram stories from them.
Method 7: Make Your Account Private
If you’re tired of getting unwanted Instagram followers, then making your account private is best. Here’s how you can make your account private.
- Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right to open the menu.
- Tap on Settings (gear icon) at the bottom of the menu.
- In the Settings menu, select Privacy. You’ll see an option labeled Private Account. Toggle the switch to turn it on (it will turn blue).
That’s how they’ll no longer follow you. Every follower will send you a request first. If you accept their request, then they’ll see your posts and stories.
Is There Any Alternative To Make Someone Unfollow You On Instagram?
Remember that Instagram is a platform where interaction is extremely important. If you want to make someone unfollow them with minimal effort, you should stop engaging with their content completely.
If you see their post on your feed, don’t like or comment. They’ll eventually lose interest in your profile and unfollow you.
You can make subtle content changes.
Share content that doesn’t align with their preferences, gradually introducing topics or themes that may not resonate with them.
Lastly, use the close friends feature.
Share more personal content with a selected group. You can exclude the person as well.
- Tap on your profile picture to go to your profile.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right to open the menu.
- Select Close Friends.
- You can add or remove people from the Close Friends list as needed.
Remember, this feature is designed for sharing more personal or exclusive content with a select group. Thus, it offers a more private experience within the broader context of your Instagram account. Here’s another way to use this feature.
- Launch the Instagram app on your mobile device.
- Tap on your profile picture or swipe right from your feed to create a new story. Capture the photo or video you want to share.
- Before sharing, look for the Close Friends option. A green star icon usually represents it.
- Tap on Close Friends to create or manage your list. You can add or remove people from this list.
- Once your Close Friends list is set, choose Your Close Friends when sharing your story.
Is It Petty To Unfollow Someone?
It all depends on what makes you happy. Following or unfollowing someone is a personal choice. It’s considered petty depending on the context and reasons behind the decision.
If your content doesn’t align with other people’s goals, then it’s fine to unfollow them. Moreover, if they are negatively interacting with your content, this step is much needed.
But if the reason for not following is just a minor disagreement without justification, then it might be perceived as petty.
What Happens When You Remove a User As a Follower on Instagram?
By removing a user as a follower, your content will not appear in their Instagram feed anymore. To see your content, they’ll have to add your username in the search bar, tap on your profile, and view your content.
But, if your account is private, they won’t see your posts and stories even when they visit your profile. In short, your profile will appear locked.
However your followers count will also decrease. If you want to increase followers then you can purchase high premium followers from Buzzvoice.
What Are Instagram Unfollowing Etiquette For Maintaining Relationships?
Unfollowing on Instagram is a sensitive topic, and people can get triggered when you unfollow them, especially if they are your friends, family, or close friends. Here are some tips you should follow while unfollowing someone on Instagram to maintain a healthy relationship.
- Private Communication: If the decision to unfollow is due to personal reasons, consider communicating privately with the person. Explain your reasons respectfully to avoid any misunderstanding.
- Content Preferences: Unfollow based on content preferences rather than personal feelings. If someone consistently shares content that doesn’t align with your interests. It’s reasonable to unfollow without offending.
- Use Muting Options: If you want to reduce someone’s visibility in your feed without unfollowing, use the mute option for stories and posts. It allows you to maintain the connection without constantly seeing their content.
- Respect Privacy Settings: Be mindful of others’ privacy settings. If someone has a private account, unfollowing might be more noticeable. In such cases, consider sending a follow-up request instead of unfollowing.
- Reconnect If Necessary: If circumstances change, and you want to reconnect with someone you unfollowed, consider reaching out. Honest communication can help rebuild connections.
Can You Remove Multiple Followers On Instagram?
Batch unfollowing is not a good practice on Instagram and social media channels. Then, is there any solution?
Yes.
You should avoid unfollowing hundreds of people in a day. Because it can alert Instagram algorithms, they consider it suspicious bot activity.
The unfollowing limit on Instagram is 180 to 200 accounts per day. You should unfollow at least ten accounts in one hour to be safe. However, never unfollow more than 200 accounts in a day.
Can I Control Who Follows Me On Instagram?
If your Instagram account is private, you have full control over who follows you. Because anyone who follows you will send a follow request. It’s up to you whether you want to accept or reject the request.
Can Someone See If I Unfollow Them?
No. Because Instagram doesn’t send notifications. Suppose you hit the Block or remove the follower button, then Instagram will not notify them.
However, there are two ways they can know this.
- If they use a third-party app that tells them who unfollowed them.
- If they visit your Instagram account and see that you made them unfollow you.
But if you want to prevent them from finding your page again, simply block them.
Ending Thoughts
In Instagram, there’s no direct way to make someone unfollow you. But you can still utilize tactics such as blocking, unfollowing them, and much more, as mentioned in this article.
Blocking someone is an extreme way of making someone unfollow you. You can try some less extreme ways, such as making your account private or hiding your stories from them.
It lets you control who can view, comment, and share your Instagram content.