Here’s What Is Means If You See “Instagram User” In Your DMs

So, you’ve been scrolling through your Instagram DMs. Maybe you’ve been reminiscing on the ghosts of DM slides past. Or, maybe you're trying to find that hilarious meme you sent a friend a few weeks back. Suddenly, you see it: An ominous default gray profile picture with the name “Instagram User.” When you click on their profile, you see “User not found” instead of a follow button. Is your DM inbox cursed?

Before you get Mark Zuckerberg on the line, take a breath. As weird as it can be to see a message correspondence with this vague persona in your inbox, it can happen to almost anyone. And there are a few reasons for it.

Whether you’re trying to contact someone who is now appearing as “Instagram User” in your inbox, or want to identify the mysterious Instagram User dwelling in your inbox, here’s what you need to know about the Instagram message.

What Does “Instagram User” Mean In DMs?

If you’ve found one (or multiple) messages labeled “Instagram User,” you might be feeling puzzled as to whom this seemingly anonymous profile could belong. Essentially, “Instagram User” is an alias that Instagram places above chats with people whom you can no longer contact on Instagram messaging.

If you see an Instagram User in your inbox, this could be for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons is that this person deleted their account or that it was disabled. NerdTechy also reports that someone might also show up as “Instagram User” if they blocked you. Being blocked by someone makes it impossible to view their profile or message them, so this might be why they’re showing up in your DMs as an unidentified user.

If you want to find out the original identity of this person, take a look at your messages with them. More than likely, you’ll be able to recognize your message thread with them. Maybe you’ll see inside jokes with your friend who recently went off the grid, quickly solving your mystery. Or, maybe you won’t be able to piece together who the person is at all.

The good and bad news is, there’s not much to do if you see this in your inbox. It might mean someone deleted their profile. It might mean someone blocked you. And, either way, you can’t message them to ask. So, if you see this ominous gray icon lurking in your inbox, don’t stress too much. Reorient your focus towards answering those countless blue dots next to friends waiting for your reply.