Instagram Rate Limits 2026: Follow, Like & Action Limits Explained
Every limit Instagram enforces in 2026—follows, likes, comments, DMs, and more. Know the exact numbers to avoid action blocks and keep your account safe.
Instagram Rate Limits Explained
Instagram rate limits are the invisible guardrails that control how many actions you can perform per hour, per day, and per week. These limits exist to prevent spam, bot activity, and platform abuse—but they also affect legitimate users who are simply trying to grow their accounts.
The tricky part? Instagram doesn't publish official numbers. The limits are dynamic, based on account age, trust score, past behavior, and even the time of day. What works for a 5-year-old account might get a new account instantly blocked.
This guide breaks down every known limit for 2026, based on extensive testing and community data. Whether you're growing manually or using automation, these are the numbers you need to know.
Key Insight
Rate limits are dynamic, not static. A new account might be limited to 20 follows per day, while an established account can safely do 150-200. Your personal limits depend on your account's trust score.
Follow & Unfollow Limits
Following and unfollowing are the most closely monitored actions on Instagram. Aggressive follow/unfollow behavior is the #1 trigger for action blocks, especially on newer accounts.
Follow Limits by Account Age
| Account Age | Follows/Hour | Follows/Day | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-1 month | 5-10 | 20-50 | High Risk |
| 1-3 months | 10-15 | 50-100 | Medium Risk |
| 3-12 months | 15-20 | 100-150 | Medium Risk |
| 1+ year | 20-30 | 150-200 | Lower Risk |
Unfollow Limits
Unfollowing is tracked just as closely as following. Instagram sees mass unfollowing as a signal of follow/unfollow manipulation. The same hourly and daily limits apply.
- Safe daily unfollow limit: Match your follow limits
- Spread unfollows throughout the day, not all at once
- Wait 24-48 hours after following before unfollowing
- Never unfollow more than you followed—Instagram notices
Hard Limit: 7,500 Total Follows
Instagram caps every account at 7,500 total follows. Once you hit this limit, you must unfollow people before you can follow anyone new. This limit applies regardless of account age or verification status.
Like Limits
Likes are less risky than follows, but they're still monitored. Instagram uses like patterns to detect bot behavior—if you're liking hundreds of posts in minutes, you're clearly not human.
| Account Age | Likes/Hour | Likes/Day |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 month | 15-20 | 100-200 |
| 1-3 months | 30-50 | 300-500 |
| 3-12 months | 50-80 | 500-800 |
| 1+ year (trusted) | 80-120 | 800-1000 |
The theoretical maximum is around 1,000 likes per day, but hitting that ceiling regularly will raise flags. Conservative operators stay under 500 per day and vary their patterns.
DM Limits
Direct messages have strict limits, especially for messages to people who don't follow you. Instagram heavily restricts cold outreach to prevent spam.
| DM Type | Daily Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| To followers | 80-100 | Higher trust, lower risk |
| To non-followers | 20-40 | High spam risk, proceed carefully |
| New accounts | 10-20 | Very restricted initially |
If recipients report your messages as spam or don't respond, your DM limits will be reduced. Instagram tracks response rates and adjusts your throttling accordingly.
Story & Reel Limits
Content posting has softer limits than engagement actions, but they still exist. Instagram wants you posting content—they just don't want you spamming.
- Stories per day: Up to 100 (but algorithm may reduce reach after ~10)
- Reels per day: No hard limit, but 3-5 is optimal for reach
- Feed posts per day: 1-3 recommended (more can hurt engagement rate)
- Story mentions per story: Up to 10 accounts
New Account Restrictions
New accounts face dramatically stricter limits. Instagram assumes every new account might be a spam bot until proven otherwise. The first 30 days are critical.
First 30 Days: Warm-Up Phase
| Week | Follows/Day | Likes/Day | Comments/Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10-20 | 30-50 | 5-10 |
| Week 2 | 20-40 | 50-100 | 10-20 |
| Week 3 | 40-60 | 100-200 | 20-30 |
| Week 4 | 60-80 | 200-300 | 30-50 |
Warning: First 48 Hours
The first 48 hours are the highest risk period. Instagram monitors new accounts intensely. Do almost nothing—just browse, like a few posts organically, maybe follow 5 accounts you actually want to follow. Any automation or aggressive activity will get you flagged immediately.
Action Blocked: Causes & Fixes
"Action Blocked" is Instagram's way of telling you that you've exceeded limits or triggered spam detection. Blocks can last from 1 hour to 2 weeks depending on severity.
Common Causes
- Exceeding hourly limits: Too many actions in a short time window
- Repetitive actions: Same comment, same timing, same targets
- New account aggression: Doing too much too fast on a fresh account
- Third-party app detection: Using flagged automation tools
- IP flagging: Using datacenter IPs or flagged proxies
How to Recover
- Stop all actions immediately. Don't try to "push through" the block.
- Wait 24-48 hours. Most temporary blocks lift automatically.
- Switch to organic behavior. Browse, watch stories, don't engage aggressively.
- Verify your account. Phone number and email verification help.
- Reduce limits by 50% when you return. Ease back into activity.
Instagram Trust Score
Instagram assigns every account an internal trust score that determines your personal limits. This score isn't visible, but its effects are real. Higher trust = higher limits.
Factors That Increase Trust
- Account age (older = better)
- Verified phone number and email
- Complete profile (bio, profile pic, posts)
- Regular organic content posting
- Natural engagement patterns
- No previous action blocks or warnings
Factors That Decrease Trust
- Previous action blocks
- Spam reports from other users
- Using flagged third-party apps
- Sudden spikes in activity
- IP address red flags
Safe Limits by Account Age
Here's the complete reference table for safe action limits. These are conservative numbers designed to avoid any risk of action blocks.
| Action | New (0-3mo) | Established (3-12mo) | Trusted (1yr+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follows/day | 30-50 | 80-120 | 150-200 |
| Unfollows/day | 30-50 | 80-120 | 150-200 |
| Likes/day | 100-200 | 300-500 | 500-800 |
| Comments/day | 15-30 | 50-80 | 100-150 |
| DMs/day | 10-20 | 30-50 | 60-80 |
| Story views/day | 100-200 | 300-500 | 500-1000 |
Timing Matters: Delays Between Actions
New accounts: 45-60 second delay between actions. Established accounts: 20-30 seconds. Trusted accounts: 10-20 seconds. Human browsing has natural variation—your automation should too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many people can I follow per day on Instagram?
For established accounts (1+ year old), the safe limit is 150-200 follows per day. New accounts should stay under 50 per day during the first month. Always spread follows throughout the day rather than doing them all at once.
Q: How long does an action block last?
Most action blocks last 24-48 hours. Repeated violations can result in blocks lasting 1-2 weeks. In severe cases, accounts can be temporarily suspended or permanently banned.
Q: Do Instagram limits reset every 24 hours?
Yes, daily limits reset on a rolling 24-hour basis, not at midnight. Hourly limits reset every hour. Instagram also tracks patterns over weeks, so consistent overlimit behavior compounds risk.
Q: Why do some accounts have higher limits than others?
Instagram's trust score system gives older, verified, well-behaved accounts higher limits. Account age, engagement patterns, and history of violations all affect your personal limits.
Q: Can I increase my limits over time?
Yes. By gradually increasing activity over weeks/months, maintaining a complete profile, posting quality content, and avoiding violations, your trust score increases and limits expand naturally.
Conclusion
Instagram rate limits are designed to catch bots and spam, but they also affect legitimate growth efforts. The key is understanding that limits are dynamic—they depend on your account age, trust score, and behavior patterns.
Start conservative, build trust over time, and never push the limits so hard that you trigger action blocks. A slow, steady approach always beats aggressive tactics that get you banned.
Key Takeaways
- Limits are dynamic. Account age and trust score determine your personal limits.
- New accounts must warm up. First 30 days require very conservative activity.
- Follows are highest risk. They're monitored more closely than likes or comments.
- Action blocks are temporary. Wait 24-48 hours and reduce activity when you return.
Whether you're growing manually or using automation tools, respect these limits and you'll avoid the frustration of action blocks and account restrictions.
Comment Limits
Comments are high-risk because they're easily detected as spam. Instagram analyzes comment content, timing, and patterns. Generic comments like "Nice!" or emoji-only comments trigger spam filters faster.
Comment Best Practices
Write comments that reference the actual content. "This lighting is incredible" beats "🔥🔥🔥" every time. Instagram's AI can detect generic engagement, and accounts that only leave low-effort comments get throttled.