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How to Report Comments on Instagram: Steps, What Happens Next and Other Options
- To report comments on Instagram, tap and hold the comment in the app, or use the three-dot Options button on the web, then tap Report.
- A reported comment disappears from your view right away, but that does not mean Instagram removed it.
- Instagram posts the outcome in Support requests, where you can often ask for a second review that usually takes about 24 hours.
- Reports are anonymous unless they are about intellectual property, so the account you report cannot see your name.
- For comments that are rude but not against the rules, Restrict, Hide, Hidden Words or Limits often solve the problem faster.
How to report a comment on Instagram on iPhone and Android
To report a comment on Instagram in the iPhone or Android app, open the comments, tap and hold the comment and tap Report. Instagram's Help Center lists the same steps for both apps.
- Open the post and tap the Comments icon below it.
- Tap and hold the comment you want to report.
- Tap Report.
- Choose the option that best describes why the comment is a problem.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finish.
Menus can differ slightly by app version. If you do not see Report, update the app and try again.
Reporting a comment on your own post
On your own post, the same tap-and-hold menu gives you more choices than Report. You can delete the comment, and you can tap Restrict account so that person's new comments are visible only to them until you approve them. Reporting and restricting together is a good choice for repeat offenders.
How to report comments on Instagram from a computer
To report comments on Instagram from a computer, use the three-dot Options button that appears when you hover over a comment. The steps work in any web browser on instagram.com.
- Open the post on instagram.com and click Comments below it.
- Hover over the comment you want to report.
- Click the Options button (three dots) below the comment.
- Click Report.
- Choose why the comment is a problem and follow the on-screen steps.
What happens when you report a comment on Instagram?
When you report a comment on Instagram, the comment disappears from your view and Instagram reviews it against the Community Standards it shares with Facebook and Threads. Disappearing from your screen does not mean the comment was removed for everyone.
- Hidden for you: you stop seeing the comment right after you report it.
- Review: Instagram checks whether the comment goes against those rules.
- Outcome: Instagram shows the decision in your Support requests.
- If it stays up: Instagram may still use your report to place similar content lower in your feed.
- Second review: if you disagree, you can usually request a review. Instagram says these reviews usually take about 24 hours, and some content types are not eligible.
- Oversight Board: if Instagram keeps its decision after a second review, some cases can be appealed to the Oversight Board, which takes only a limited number of appeals.
How to check a reported comment and request a review
You can check a reported comment in the Support requests area of the Instagram app. Instagram notes that not every report you make may appear there, so keep your own screenshots of serious comments.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap the Menu icon (three lines) in the top right.
- Under More info and support, tap Help.
- Tap Reports and violations, then tap Reports.
- Tap the report you want to check to see whether action was taken.
- To disagree, tap Request a review of our decision, if the option appears. Some types of content cannot be re-reviewed yet.
Does Instagram tell who reported a comment?
No, Instagram does not tell the person who reported their comment. Instagram's Help Center says reports are anonymous, except when you report intellectual property infringement, and the account you report cannot see who reported it.
The commenter may still guess, for example if only one other person was in the conversation. If you fear the person will react badly, restrict or block them at the same time you report, so they cannot keep commenting on your posts.
Reports about intellectual property, such as someone posting your photo or design without permission, work differently. Those reports are not covered by the anonymity rule, so read the form carefully before you send it.
Other ways to deal with a bad comment besides reporting
Reporting is for comments that break Instagram's rules. For comments that are rude, spammy or simply unwanted, these tools often work faster and give you more control.
| Tool | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Delete | Removes any comment on your own post | One-off spam or rude comments on your posts |
| Hide | Makes a comment on your post visible only to you and the commenter | Comments you want gone without a fuss |
| Restrict | New comments from that account are visible only to them until you approve | Someone you know who keeps being unpleasant |
| Hidden Words | Filters comments with offensive or custom words, phrases and emojis | Repeat insults, spam words or emoji attacks |
| Limits | Hides comments from groups such as recent followers for up to four weeks at a time | A sudden wave of unwanted comments |
| Block | Stops the account from interacting with you | Harassment or anyone you never want to hear from |
| Turn off commenting | Closes comments on a single post | A post that keeps drawing trouble |
Limits suits a sudden pile-on best. Open your profile, tap Menu, then under How others can interact with you tap Limit interactions. Limited accounts are not told, and their comments stay hidden unless you approve them, even after Limits ends.
Hidden comments can be brought back at any time. Our guide on how to unhide a comment on Instagram explains how.
How to report a comment you cannot see or without an account
If you cannot see a comment, for example because the commenter blocked you, or you do not have an Instagram account, ask a friend with an account to report it for you. They can use the normal Report option on the comment.
Give your friend as much detail as you can, such as a link to the post and a screenshot. Instagram says it cannot act on content until it can find it, so clear details speed things up.
If the comment is part of a pattern, such as the same account leaving abusive comments on many posts, report each comment and consider reporting the account itself from its profile too.
Keeping your comment section healthy after you report
A healthy comment section mixes quick moderation with real conversation. Reporting and filtering clear out the bad comments; good prompts bring in the right ones.
- Act early: deal with abusive comments soon after they appear, before others pile on.
- Pin a good comment: a pinned, positive comment sets the tone for everyone who arrives later.
- Ask a clear question: a caption prompt gives followers something better to talk about.
- Check your filters: if real comments go missing, see why Instagram comments are not showing.
On a brand page that feels quiet after a clean-up, SocialGrowthly lets you buy custom Instagram comments that you write yourself, one per line, to restart a positive thread. They add social proof only; real replies still come from tactics like those in our guide on how to get more comments on Instagram.
Questions people also ask
Does Instagram tell someone you reported their comment?
No. Instagram's Help Center says reports are anonymous, except for reports about intellectual property infringement, and the account you report cannot see who reported it. Your name is not shared with the commenter. If you worry about backlash, restrict or block the account as well.
What happens if the reported comment does not break the rules?
The comment stays up, and Instagram tells you its decision in Support requests. Instagram may still use your report to show you less similar content. If you disagree, you can usually tap Request a review of our decision in Support requests. If the comment is on your own post, you can delete it, hide it or restrict the person yourself.
Why did the comment disappear after I reported it?
Instagram hides a reported comment from your view as soon as you report it. That does not mean Instagram removed it for everyone. Other people may still see the comment until Instagram finishes its review and decides whether it breaks the Community Standards. Check Support requests in the Help menu for the final decision.
How long does Instagram take to review a reported comment?
Instagram does not publish a fixed time for first reviews of reported comments. It does say that a second review, which you request after a decision, usually takes about 24 hours. You can check progress under Profile, Menu, Help, Reports and violations, then Reports, where Instagram posts updates on reports it has reviewed.
Can I report a comment on someone else's Instagram post?
Yes. The Report option works on comments on any post you can see, not just your own. Tap and hold the comment in the app, or use the three-dot Options button on the web, then tap Report. You cannot delete or hide comments on other people's posts, so reporting is the main tool there, along with blocking or restricting the commenter.
Can I report an Instagram comment without an account?
You need an account to use the Report option on a comment. If you do not have one, or the commenter blocked you so you cannot see the comment, Instagram suggests asking a friend with an account to report it for you. Give them the post link and a screenshot, because Instagram needs to find the comment before it can act.
Should I report a comment or restrict the person?
Report comments that break Instagram's rules, such as threats, hate speech or harassment. Restrict works better for someone who is annoying or unkind but not breaking rules, because their new comments become visible only to them unless you approve. You can do both: report the worst comment, then restrict the account so future comments stay quiet.
- Instagram Help Center: Report a comment on Instagram
- Instagram Help Center: View something you've reported
- Instagram Help Center: What to do if Instagram didn't remove content you reported
- Instagram Help Center: Restrict or unrestrict someone on Instagram
- Instagram Help Center: Temporarily limit people from interacting with you
- Instagram Help Center: Report something if you don't have an account or can't see it