Are you getting a “You may not be old enough to use Instagram” error?
Here’s the second part of the error message, “We’ll disable your account within 30 days if you’re not able to confirm you’re at least 13”.
Here’s the final part of the error message, “After this period, your account will not be recoverable”.
The error message happens either because you’ve set your age to below 13 or someone reported you as being under 13.
In some cases, you might get the error message even though you’re an adult.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix “You may not be old enough to use Instagram” and how long an Instagram appeal takes.
How to Fix “You may not be old enough to use Instagram”
To fix “You may not be old enough to use Instagram”, you need to complete and submit the “Help Us Verify Your Age” form.
After you’ve submitted the form, wait for a few days for Instagram to review it.
If successful, Instagram will email you that they’ve reactivated your account.
The “Help Us Verify Your Age” form requires you to attach a photo of your ID.
The ID that you provide needs to be government-issued.
In addition, your face and date of birth need to be clearly visible.
Keep in mind that your ID won’t be visible on your profile and it will be automatically deleted after 30 days.
Providing your ID is used for verification purposes only.
Instagram might take a while to review your appeal because of the overwhelming number of appeals.
Hence, you need to be prepared to wait for several days before you receive a response.
Here’s how to fix “Help Us Verify Your Age” on Instagram:
1. Navigate to the “Help Us Verify Your Age” form
To begin with, you need to navigate to the “Help Us Verify Your Age” form.
To do so, open a browser like Safari or Chrome and go to Google.
Once you’re on Google, search for “Help Us Verify Your Age”.
Tap on the search result that says, “Help Us Verify Your Age” by Instagram.
Alternatively, you can visit the form here: https://help.instagram.com/contact/730583250290732.
Here’s an alternate form if the first one doesn’t work for you: https://help.instagram.com/contact/293397334168432.
2. Provide your information
The “Help Us Verify Your Age” form allows you to verify your age.
Instagram disabled your account because they claim that you’re under 13 years old.
You can provide your ID to prove that you’re over 13 years old.
Firstly, enter your “Full name” into the “Full name” field.
Secondly, provide your email address in the “Email address” field.
Make sure to enter the email address that is connected to your Instagram account.
Thirdly, enter your Instagram username into the “Instagram username” field.
For example, if your Instagram username is “test”, enter “test” (without quotation marks).
Fourthly, you need to provide your date of birth.
Keep in mind that you need to be 13 years old and above to use Instagram.
3. Attach your ID
After you’ve provided your information, scroll down the form.
Now, you need to provide a photo of a valid ID.
Before you take a photo of your ID, make sure that it includes your face and date of birth so that Instagram can verify your age.
When you send Instagram a copy of your ID, it will be encrypted and stored securely.
In addition, your ID will be kept private and it won’t be visible on your profile, to friends, or to other people on Instagram.
After 30 days, your ID will be automatically deleted.
Now, take a photo of your ID, tap on “Choose File”, and select the photo that you’ve just taken.
You can also provide additional information in the “Any additional info” field.
Lastly, tap on “Send” to send the form.
After you’ve sent the form, you need to wait for a few days for Instagram’s response.
If successful, Instagram will send you an email saying that your account has been reactivated.
How long does an Instagram age appeal take?
An Instagram age appeal typically takes 3 to 5 days.
Due to the overwhelming number of responses, Instagram can take a while to review your appeal.
Hence, you need to be prepared to wait for several days before you receive a response.
Instagram will respond to you via the email address that you’ve provided.
If successful, Instagram will send you an email saying that your account has been reactivated.
Otherwise, you might not receive a response and your account will be disabled after 30 days.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that if you’re under 13 years old, you’re not allowed to use Instagram.
If you don’t have a valid ID that proves that you’re over 13 years old, you won’t be able to reactivate your account.
If that’s the case, you need to create a new Instagram account.
When you’re creating a new Instagram account, make sure to set your date of birth so that you’re over 13 years old.
That way, your account won’t be disabled because you’re not of age.
