Instagram Restrict vs. Block: Which Privacy Option Should You Use

Blocking people on Instagram whom you know in real life can get pretty awkward. For instance, if you block your classmate who bullies you, things can get problematic. That’s because the other person will know you have blocked them. To avoid that, Instagram launched the restrict feature. Here we will tell you the difference between Block and Restrict features on Instagram.

Even though Instagram has provided the block feature to shut off people from your profile, it’s not an easy decision to make. Usually, one racks their brain to hit the block button finally. That is where the restrict option can help you.

Don’t get confused. Let’s understand how the restrict option differs from the block when it comes to profile, messages, and comments. We have also covered how to restrict and block people on Instagram. Let’s start from the beginning.

What Does Restrict Mean on Instagram

Touted as an anti-bullying feature, restrict on Instagram helps avoid unwanted interactions without letting the other person know about it. Restrict is a toned-down version of blocking that offers the capabilities of blocking in a limited manner.

When you restrict someone, Instagram will hide their comments and messages, including notifications about the same. It’s like keeping the restricted user at a distance where you can’t see their comments and messages whenever you use Instagram and they won’t even know about it.

Instagram Restrict vs. Block: What Happens When You Use Them

Blocking someone hides your feed and stories from the person you block. If the blocked person visits your profile, Instagram will show a few details such as followers, following, and the number of posts. The person can’t see your recent or past posts even if you have a public profile. It’s also one of the indicators to know if someone has blocked you.

On the other hand, when you restrict someone, nothing changes in terms of feed and stories. The restricted person can still see your stories and published posts. The same holds true from your side. That is, you can view their stories, highlights, and feed.

Instagram Restrict vs. Block: Who Can See Your Posts

When you block someone, they cannot see or comment on your posts. However, when you restrict a person, you can still comment on each other’s posts. However, when the restricted person posts a comment, it will only be visible to that person. Neither you nor any other person can see it.

With the restrict feature, you are letting the user enjoy their right to comment without disturbing and impacting you. Your comments behave normally on their posts. Everyone will see them, including the restricted person.

Instagram Restrict vs. Block: What Happens to Comments

You might wonder where the comments by the restricted user go. Well, they’re available in the comment section of the post but hidden under a protected message or what Instagram refers to as a sensitivity screen. You aren’t notified about such comments in your notification tab. You will have to open the post to view the comment.

You can either leave the comment as it is (the comment will remain hidden for you and others) or take multiple actions. Firstly, since the comment’s content isn’t visible to you, you can view it by tapping on See comment. This makes the comment visible to you only.

Secondly, you can delete it. However, if you do so and the other person views the post again, the person will notice that you have removed the comment. You can also approve the comment. When you approve it, everyone can see it as a normal comment. When you take action on the comment, the restricted user isn’t notified. So don’t worry; you are safe either way.

Can Restricted Accounts Message You

A blocked person cannot message you, nor can you send a message without unblocking them. Things are different in the case of the restrict mode. When you restrict a person, they can still message you. However, their messages will arrive in the Requests folders, present in your inbox above the message list.

That’s not all. Since the messages from the restricted people arrive in the Requests folder, Instagram won’t notify you. You will have to check the Requests folder manually to check their messages.

You get the privilege to view the message without Instagram notifying the restricted person with the ‘Seen’ text in their inbox. That is, they won’t know when you have read the messages. It’s like the Ignore mode of Facebook Messenger.

If you want to reply to such messages or send a new message to the restricted account, you’ll need to Unrestrict (remove restriction), as shown below.

Restricted vs. Blocked on Instagram: What Happens to the Activity Status

When you restrict a person, they won’t be able to see your Active status on Instagram. The same holds true for the block option.

Can Restricted Accounts Tag or Mention You in Posts

When you block someone on Instagram, they won’t be able to tag you in their posts or stories. Your username won’t be available to them when they try to mention you. On the other hand, when you restrict an account, they will still be able to tag or mention you.

Additionally, you will be notified when a restricted account mentions you in their story or tags you in a post. So, if you wish to avoid being tagged in posts without your consent, it’s best to block the account.

Restricted vs. Blocked: Do You Get Notifications

Blocking someone removes all interactions with the account, so there is no question of notifications. When it comes to restricting, though, as you must have noticed, you aren’t notified about two kinds of interactions — messages and comments. But you get notified about tags.

Can the Other Person Know You Blocked or Restricted Them

The biggest drawback of the block feature is that it’s not private. A direct way to know if someone has blocked you doesn’t exist. However, many methods help you confirm the same.

Fortunately, things are safe in terms of the restriction feature. That’s because the other person will never know if they have been restricted. Everything appears normal on their end. They can still comment, send messages, and view your profile like any other user. It’s on your end where things are different.

How to Restrict Someone on Instagram

There are three methods to restrict a person or account on Instagram – from the comments section, the Settings page, and an account’s profile. Let’s go over all of them. You can pick the method that suits you the best.

1. Restrict a User From the Comments Section

This is the easiest way to restrict a person or account on Instagram. Let’s see how to do it on Android as well as iOS devices.

Restricting an Account on Android

On Android phones, tap and hold the comment on your post from the person you want to restrict. Tap on the information icon at the top and hit the Restrict button.

Restricting an Account on iPhone

On an iPhone, swipe left on the comment and hit the information icon. Then select Restrict.

2. Restrict User From Settings

Follow these steps to restrict users from the Settings page.

Step 1: Open the Instagram profile screen and tap on the three-bar icon. Tap on Settings.

Step 2: Tap on Privacy and hit Restricted Accounts.

Step 3: Use the search bar to find the person you want to restrict. Then hit the Restrict button next to their name.

3. Restrict a User From Their Profile

To do so, open the profile that you want to restrict in the Instagram app. Hit the three-dot icon at the top-right corner and select Restrict from the menu.

How to Unrestrict Someone on Instagram

Step 1: In the Instagram app, tap your profile icon and open Settings.

Step 2: Next, select Privacy followed by Restricted Accounts. You will find the list of all the restricted accounts.

Step 3: Tap on the Unrestrict option next to the account you want to unrestrict.

Alternatively, open the profile of the restricted account and tap on Unrestrict.

How to Block or Unblock Someone on Instagram

To block a user: Open their profile and hit the three-dot icon. Then select Block.

To unblock a user: Search for the user you want to unblock and head to their profile. Hit the Unblock button.

FAQs for Instagram Restrict vs. Block

Instagram Restrict vs. Block: Which One to Use

If you don’t want the other person to see your posts or stories or even interact with you in any way, you should block the person. Use the block when you cannot bear the person, and you are ok with them knowing they have been blocked.

On the other hand, if you want to avoid someone without letting them know, restrict is a good option. When using restrict, your posts and stories are still accessible to the person. Only comments and messages are affected. You can call restrict a soft block.