With the well over 1 billion monthly active users that Instagram gives brands and influencers access to, it would be a shame if any of your posts failed to convert followers because they simply weren’t visible.
But that’s exactly what happens when you include a banned hashtag in your Instagram post.
What Is a Banned Instagram Hashtag?
A banned Instagram hashtag is a hashtag that Instagram has effectively banned from being used or from growing in popularity. Of course, you can still use banned hashtags, but the cost of doing so is that your post won’t get seen.
Why Do Some Instagram Hashtags Get Banned?
Some hashtags get banned because users have reported them to Instagram as containing posts that violate Instagram’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. For example, users might report a hashtag if some accounts repeatedly tag their inappropriate or harmful content with it.
Will You Get Banned If You Use Banned Instagram Hashtags?
There’s no benefit to using a banned hashtag in your Instagram post. You may, however, include one without realizing that it’s been banned.
If you accidentally include a banned hashtag in your Instagram post, what will happen next?
The first time you use a banned hashtag on Instagram, the main consequence will be that your post won’t be shown to your audience. It also won’t appear in search results.
The bottom line is you’ll get no engagement from that post. This is obviously not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world, either.
However, if you continue to use banned hashtags in your posts, a lot worse could happen. For example, Instagram could shadowban you, which means it will stop showing your content to your audience without telling you. It could even go a step further and suspend or remove your account from the platform.
That’s why it’s important to check if any of the hashtags you want to use are banned before you select “Publish” on your Instagram post.
List of Banned Instagram Hashtags (Updated 2023)
One of the most effective ways to avoid using a banned Instagram hashtag is to check a list of them first.
Below is a list of banned Instagram hashtags from A-Z, updated for 2023.
A
- #abdl
- #addmysc
- #adulting
- #alone
- #always
- #armparty
- #asiangirl
- #ass
- #assday
- #assworship
B
- #beautyblogger
- #besties
- #bikinibody
- #boho
- #brain
C
- #costumes
- #curvygirls
D
- #date
- #dating
- #desk
- #direct
- #dm
E
- #edm
- #eggplant
- #elevator
G
- #girlsonly
- #gloves
H
- #hardworkpaysoff
- #hawks
- #hotweather
- #humpday
- #hustler
I
- #ice
- #instasport
- #iphonegraphy
- #italiano
K
- #kansas
- #kickoff
- #killingit
- #kissing
L
- #loseweight
- #lulu
M
- #master
- #mileycyrus
- #milf
- #mirrorphoto
- #models
- #mustfollow
N
- #nasty
- #newyearsday
- #nudity
O
- #overnight
P
- #parties
- #petite
- #pornfood
- #prettygirl
- #pushups
R
- #rate
- #ravens
S
- #saltwater
- #samelove
- #selfharm
- #single
- #singlelife
- #skateboarding
- #skype
- #snap
- #snapchat
- #snowstorm
- #sopretty
- #stranger
- #streetphoto
- #sunbathing
- #swole
- #shower
- #shit
T
- #tag4like
- #tagsforlikes
- #tanlines
- #todayimwearing
- #teens
- #teen
- #thought
U
- #undies
V
- #valentinesday
Y
- #youngmodel
How To Check If a Hashtag Is Banned from Instagram Yourself
There are three reliable ways you can use to check if a hashtag is currently banned from Instagram and therefore not safe to use in your posts.
1. Check a Banned Instagram Hashtags List
The easiest method is to consult a banned Instagram hashtags list, like the one we compiled above, to see if any of the hashtags you want to use are on there. You can bookmark this page to your web browser and refer back to it anytime you’re creating an Instagram post.
2. Search for the Hashtag in Instagram Explore
You can also easily tell if a hashtag is banned simply by searching for it in Instagram Explore.
When a hashtag is banned and you search for it in Instagram Explore, you’ll see the following message in the search results: “Recent posts for # [insert hashtag] are hidden because some posts may not follow Instagram’s Community Guidelines.”
If that message doesn’t appear, then you’re all clear!
3. Use a Banned Instagram Hashtag Checker
If you don’t want to check against a list or search for hashtags to check their banned status yourself, you can use a banned Instagram hashtag checker.
MetaHashtags and IQhashtags are free websites where you can paste in all the hashtags you want to check. IQhashtags will also scan your Instagram profile and trawl it for hashtags that are banned, so that you can go back and remove them.
Keep in mind that some hashtags may get “unbanned” if the types of posts that are associated with them start to realign with Instagram’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. By the same token, Instagram can ban a new hashtag at any time.
All that is to say, remember to always check your hashtags – even if you think they’re safe. Some of the most seemingly innocent hashtags, like #beautyblogger and #valentinesday, are currently banned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Find a Banned Instagram Hashtag?
To find a banned Instagram hashtag, refer to the list of banned Instagram hashtags above. You can also search for a hashtag in Instagram Explore to see if it’s banned, or you can paste it into a banned Instagram hashtags checker.
What Hashtags Can Get You Shadowbanned on Instagram?
Using any of the hashtags in the list of banned Instagram hashtags above can get you shadowbanned, meaning your posts will not be visible to other users.
Conclusion
As a brand, business, or influencer, your goal is to grow your reputation and engagement on Instagram. But if you use a banned hashtag in your post, whether on accident or purpose, your post – and possibly your entire account – could get shadowbanned. In the worst-case scenario, your account might even get deleted.
Avoid this nightmare situation, plus ensure that your content gets the best possible chance at engagement, by “banning” the banned Instagram hashtags on our list from your captions.
