Are you getting a “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” error message on Instagram?
Here’s the full error message, “We’ve detected suspicious activity on your Instagram account and have temporarily locked it as a security precaution”.
The error message also states that your account might be phished.
When you tap on “Continue”, Instagram will then send a 6-digit code to your email or phone number.
This is to verify your identity to unlock your Instagram account.
However, a lot of users reported that they did not receive the code.
Moreover, some users have lost access to their email address.
This caused frustration among Instagram users as there isn’t an effective way to contact Instagram support.
If you didn’t receive the code, try checking your junk and spam mail as it might have landed there.
If you still didn’t receive it, read on for a step-by-step guide on how you can unlock your Instagram account.
- Why is my Instagram account temporarily locked?
- How to Fix “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” on Instagram
- How long does a temporary lock on Instagram last?
Why is my Instagram account temporarily locked?
Your Instagram account is temporarily locked either because you’re using a third-party app or you’re phished.
If you’re using a third-party app to follow or unfollow users, Instagram might lock your account.
A third-party app allows you to follow or unfollow users at a faster rate, so Instagram will think that you’re a bot.
Secondly, if you’ve entered your Instagram username and password from a fraudulent website, your account may be compromised.
To prevent your Instagram account from getting locked, you need to stop using third-party apps like Jarvee.
If you have an Instagram analytics app, make sure to avoid following or unfollowing users from the app.
To get rid of all third-party apps, log in to your Instagram account and navigate to your security settings.
On your security settings, navigate to “Apps and websites” > Active > tap on “Remove” on third-party apps.
If your Instagram account is locked, proceed to the next section to find out how you can unlock it.
How to Fix “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” on Instagram
To fix “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” on Instagram, you need to submit the “My Instagram account has been deactivated form”.
After submitting the form, you need to send a photo of yourself holding a handwritten code to prove your identity.
Lastly, wait for 1 to 3 business days for Instagram’s response.
Due to the large number of submissions, it may take weeks for Instagram to review your submission.
Do not trust any comments under social media posts or videos saying that they can help you to recover your Instagram account.
These comments are posted by bots and they are scams.
Technically, you’d be able to recover your Instagram account after entering the 6-digit code that is sent to your email address or phone number.
However, many Instagram users reported that the code isn’t sending.
Even if they received the code, entering it would display the “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” error again.
Step 1: Submit the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form
“My Instagram account has been deactivated form” > complete the form > submit.
The first step is to submit the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form.
To begin with, go to the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form.
Alternatively, you can search “My Instagram account has been deactivated” and select the Facebook search result.
Here are some other forms that you can use:
- https://help.instagram.com/contact/1652567838289083
- https://help.instagram.com/contact/396169787183059
- https://help.instagram.com/contact/437908793443074
- https://m.facebook.com/help/contact/606967319425038
Note: If the forms do not work for you, please watch the video above for an updated guide on how to fix the “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” error on Instagram.
You can also watch the updated guide on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbczOm_hGH8&t.
Once you’re on the form, enter your full name (e.g. Jane Doe).
Then, enter your email address that is linked with your Instagram account.
If you entered another email address, Instagram won’t be able to verify your identity.
So, make sure to use the same email address that you’ve used to sign up for Instagram.
Next, enter your Instagram username (e.g. followchainorg), and your phone number.
Lastly, explain that your Instagram account was deactivated by mistake and that you didn’t violate any of the community guidelines.
Select the “Submit” button to submit the form to Instagram.
Step 2: Send a photo of yourself holding the code
You will receive an email from Instagram stating that they require a photo of you.
Reply to their email with a photo of yourself holding the code.
After you’ve submitted the “My Instagram account has been deactivated” form, you’ll receive an email from Instagram.
The email requires you to send a photo of yourself holding a handwritten code.
Here are some points to take note of:
For example, if your code is “123456”, write it down on a sheet of paper, hold it below your face, and take a photo of yourself with it.
- Make sure that the code is not blurry.
- Do not cover your face with the sheet of paper.
- Use a JPEG file.
If the code is blurry, Instagram might reject your submission.
Similarly, if your face is not in the photo, your submission will be rejected.
After you’ve taken the photo, reply to Instagram’s email with the attached photo.
Sending the “mugshot” is part of Instagram’s process to verify your identity.
Everyone who submitted the form has to send a photo of themselves holding a code.
This is to verify that you’re human and not a bot.
Step 3: Wait for Instagram to reactivate your account
Wait for 1 to 3 business days for Instagram’s response. Due to COVID, be prepared to wait for a few weeks.
After you’ve replied to Instagram’s email with a photo of yourself holding the handwritten code, you need to wait for Instagram’s response.
If your submission is successful, you’ll receive a follow-up email from Instagram stating that your account has been reactivated by mistake (screenshot above).
If your submission is unsuccessful, you won’t hear back from Instagram.
Typically, Instagram will respond in 1 to 3 business days.
Some people managed to get their accounts back in less than a day, so it’s dependent on luck.
However, due to COVID, it might take several weeks before your submission is reviewed.
Instagram is overloaded with submissions even before the pandemic, so you have to be prepared to wait for a while for their response.
If you haven’t received a response after weeks, try replying to their email with a photo of yourself holding the code again.
However, don’t overdo it as your email might be marked as spam.
You’ve successfully learned how to fix the “Your Account Has Been Temporarily Locked” error on Instagram.
How long does a temporary lock on Instagram last?
A temporary lock on Instagram lasts indefinitely.
The lock will be lifted after you’ve entered a correct code or if your “My Instagram account has been deactivated” submission is successful.
Otherwise, your Instagram account will remain locked.
A lock is not a permanent ban, so your Instagram account can still be recovered.
Conclusion
Instagram accounts can be disabled without a reason, so it’s important to have a secondary account if something happens to your main one.
However, if your Instagram account is not permanently banned, there’s still a chance for you to get it back.
Appeal forms are manually reviewed by real people and not bots, so it might take a while for Instagram support to get to yours.
In the meantime, you can create another Instagram account and follow all of your friends and family again.
Further Reading
3 Ways to Know if Someone Muted You on Instagram
How to Add Your TikTok Link to Your Instagram Bio
How to See The Exact Time of an Instagram Post
Lim How Wei is the founder of Followchain. Feel free to follow him on Instagram.
