The “Link not allowed” error is a common error on Instagram.
Here’s the full error message, “Link not allowed. It looks like your profile contains a link that is not allowed. We restrict certain content and actions to protect our community. Tell us if you think we made a mistake”.
If you’re encountering this error, you might be looking for ways to fix it.
Though the “Tell us” button is to tell Instagram that they made a mistake, your link will still be blocked.
Similar to the “Action block” or the “Try again later” errors, the “Tell us” button is redundant.
In most cases, you have to fix the error manually or wait for it to be lifted.
For the “Link not allowed” error, you have to take manual action to get rid of it.
In this article, you’ll learn why you got “Link not allowed” on Instagram, and how to fix it.
Why am I getting the “Link Not Allowed” error?
You’re getting the “Link not allowed” error most likely because the link in your bio is linking to a website containing inappropriate content.
Otherwise, Instagram may have blocked your link by mistake.
Even so, you have to go through the same process to get your link unblocked.
In 2016, Instagram has blocked “add me” links, which means that certain Telegram and Snapchat links cannot be added to your bio.
If you added those links, you’ll receive this error, “Links asking someone to add you on another service aren’t supported on Instagram”.
However, other types of links are still allowed, such as YouTube, blogs, business websites, etc.
It’s still uncertain why Instagram blocked deeplinking on their platform.
However, the most logical assumption is because Telegram and Snapchat are posing a threat to their userbase.
With Telegram hitting 100 million monthly active users and Snapchat hitting 100 million daily active users back in 2016, it’s plausible for them to overtake Instagram.
Instagram is also known to be very restrictive with the external links you can add.
In social media platforms like Twitter, URLs that you add in your bio and the caption of your posts will be automatically converted into links.
On the other hand, you’re only given the ability to add a single link in your bio on Instagram.
The only other place where you can include a link is on your stories.
However, if you want to add a swipe up link in your stories, you need to reach 10,000 followers first.
At the end of the day, Instagram aims to keep its users on the app as long as possible.
How to Fix “Link Not Allowed” on Instagram
To Fix “Link Not Allowed” on Instagram, you can either try switching your network, using a link tool or using the Facebook Sharing Debugger Tool.
To begin with, your IP address might be blocked by Instagram.
Hence, you can’t add a link to you bio due to this.
If your IP address is blocked, switching your network will get rid of the error message.
On the other hand, if the link in your bio is blocked because it’s linking to inappropriate content, you can bypass this using a link tool.
Lastly, if your link has been blocked by mistake, submitting it in the Facebook Sharing Debugger Tool will do the trick.
Here’s how you can use these methods in detail.
Method #1. Switch your network
Switch from Wi-Fi to local data and vice-versa to get rid of the IP block.
The first method to fix the “Link Not Allowed” error on Instagram is to switch your network.
If your IP address is blocked by Instagram, switching your network will get rid of the block.
This is because your IP address will change once you’ve switched your network.
If you’re connected to Wi-Fi, switch to local data.
On the other hand, if you’re using local data (e.g. 4G), connect to a Wi-Fi instead.
For iOS devices, swipe up from the bottom of your screen to turn on/off Wi-Fi.
You can switch your network on an Android device by swiping down from the top of your screen.
Alternatively, you can try connecting to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) if the above method does not work.
Simply download a VPN app on the App Store/Google Play Store and connect to a VPN.
A VPN masks your IP address, so Instagram can only see the VPN’s server address and not yours.
After which, the “Link Not Allowed” error should be lifted.
Method #2. Use a link tool
Add an all-in-one link tool like Linktree or AllMyLinks in your bio.
The next method is to use an all-in-one link tool like Linktree or AllMyLinks.
An all-in-one link tool allows you to add more than one link in your bio.
This is especially useful for Instagram because you can only add a single link to your bio.
If you have multiple links that you want to add, you can use a link tool to do so.
A link tool also “hides” your link(s), so they won’t get blocked by Instagram.
For example, if one of your links are blocked by Instagram, you can use Linktree or AllMyLinks and add the same link there.
This will bypass the block and get rid of the “Link not allowed” error.
Alternatively, you can try using a URL shortener to bypass the error.
Paste your link in the shortener, copy the new link, and add it in your bio.
Since it’s a new link, it won’t get blocked by Instagram.
Method #3. Use the Facebook Sharing Debugger Tool
Facebook Sharing Debugger > website URL > debug > let us know.
The last method is to use the Facebook Sharing Debugger tool.
The tool allows you to see the information of a website when it’s shared on Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger.
It’s a quick way for developers to troubleshoot and fix issues, and it’s also commonly used by social media managers.
If your link has been blocked on Instagram by mistake, you can debug it using this tool.
Since the “Tell us” button does not work, you need to manually debug it in the Facebook Sharing Debugger tool.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can use the tool:
- Go to the Facebook Sharing Debugger tool.
- Paste the link (that is blocked on Instagram).
- Click on the “Debug” button.
- If the link is blocked, you’ll see the “Please let us know” text link.
- Click on “Please let us know”.
Once you’re done with this, it should take about 1 to 3 days for the link to be unblocked (if it does not link to any inappropriate content).
After that, you should be able to add the link in your bio without encountering any errors.
Conclusion
Link blocking is a common issue on Instagram and many users have faced it before.
At times, Instagram might block your IP address as well, and you’ll have to switch your network in order to lift it.
Instagram blocks certain links because they are harmful to the community.
For instance, some websites are commonly linked by spam accounts.
On the other hand, other websites contain inappropriate content in them.
“Add me” links are also blocked on Instagram where Telegram and Snapchat links cannot be added to your bio.
Instagram is known to be very restrictive when it comes to links and the number of actions you can carry out (e.g. following, unfollowing).
At the end of the day, Instagram hopes to increase the session duration per user and mitigate spammers in their platform.
FAQ
Why does my link not work on Instagram?
Your link does not work on Instagram because it only allows link in the “Website” field.
If you added a link directly in your bio, it will not be converted into a clickable one.
In order for your link to work, navigate to your profile > edit profile > website > enter website.
After you’ve entered your website’s link in the “website” field, it will be clickable.
Are you allowed to post links on Instagram?
Yes, you are allowed to post links on Instagram.
However, you cannot use “add me” links from Telegram or Snapchat as they are blocked on Instagram.
You’re only able to add one link in your bio on the “website” field.
You won’t be able to add links in the caption of your posts as they will not be clickable.
Further Reading
Couldn’t Load Users on Instagram (How to Fix)
How to See Who I Accidentally Unfollowed on Instagram?
How to Fix “A JavaScript error occurred in the main process” on Discord
Author: Lim How Wei is the founder of Followchain. Feel free to follow him on Instagram.
