Instagram limits how often you can perform certain actions to prevent spam and protect the community. The main limits include:
- Following or unfollowing: up to 200 actions per day
- Sending direct messages: up to 80 per day
- Posting likes: up to 1,000 likes per day
- Commenting: up to 200 comments per day
- Hashtags and tags: up to 30 hashtags and 20 people per post
- Caption length: up to 2200 characters
If you exceed these limits or perform actions too quickly, Instagram may temporarily restrict your account and show a warning like "We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram." These restrictions usually last 24 to 48 hours but can be longer if repeated violations occur. To avoid or resolve these limits:
- Gradually increase activity instead of sudden spikes
- Avoid spammy behaviors like multiple comments on the same post or repeated identical comments
- Follow Instagram's community guidelines
- Refresh the app, switch devices, or change your password if you receive the warning
- Report to Instagram if you believe the restriction is an error
In summary, Instagram enforces daily limits on actions like follows, likes, comments, and messages to prevent spammy or automated behavior and these restrictions can temporarily limit your activity if exceeded.
