Free Instagram shadowban checker. Test hashtag visibility, Reels reach, Explore suppression and account status. Instant results, no login, no signup needed.
An Instagram shadowban is an invisible restriction that limits your content's reach without notifying you. Your posts still appear on your profile but stop showing in hashtag feeds, on the Explore page, or in Reels recommendations for non-followers. Instagram officially calls this losing recommendation eligibility but the effect is the same your reach drops dramatically without any explanation from the platform.
The strongest signs are a sudden drop of 50% or more in Reels views, posts not appearing under hashtags you used when searched from a non-follower account, and a sharp decline in reach from non-followers in your Instagram Insights. Our checker analyzes these signals automatically and gives you a risk score for each category instantly.
Minor shadowbans caused by banned hashtags typically resolve within 3 to 7 days after removing the offending hashtags. Moderate restrictions from spammy behavior last 1 to 2 weeks. Severe cases involving repeated violations or third-party automation tool usage can last 30 days or more. Running our checker regularly helps you detect and address restrictions early before they escalate.
The most common causes in 2026 are using banned or restricted hashtags, exceeding Instagram's recommended 3 to 5 hashtag limit per post, using non-Meta-approved third-party scheduling or automation tools, mass following or unfollowing behavior, receiving multiple spam reports, and posting content flagged by Instagram's AI moderation system. TikTok watermarks on cross-posted Reels are also a documented suppression trigger in 2026.
Account Status in Instagram Settings is the closest official indicator. Go to Settings, scroll to Account Status under More Info and Support. If everything shows green, Instagram is not officially restricting your account — but algorithmic suppression can still occur without showing in Account Status. Our checker analyzes public visibility signals that Account Status does not cover.
Yes. Using even one banned hashtag can trigger post-level visibility restrictions that affect your entire caption's hashtag set. In 2026, Instagram recommends using 3 to 5 relevant hashtags per post. Use our checker to identify any restricted tags in your recent posts and remove them immediately to begin recovery.
Yes. The checker is completely free with no account required, no login, and no daily usage limits. Unlike paid audit services that charge up to $97 per scan, our tool runs on publicly available Instagram visibility signals at no cost.
No. Our tool only reads publicly available Instagram signals it never connects to your Instagram account, never requests your password, and never takes any action on your profile. Running the check has absolutely zero effect on your account status.
Check weekly if you post regularly, and always immediately after noticing a sudden drop in reach, likes, or comments. Also check after changing your hashtag strategy, after using a new third-party scheduling tool, or after receiving any notification from Instagram about your content.
Stop posting for 24 to 48 hours to let any active restriction begin to clear. Remove all posts containing banned hashtags. Disconnect any non-Meta-approved third-party apps that have access to your Instagram account. Switch to using 3 to 5 highly relevant hashtags per post. Report the issue to Instagram through Settings, Help, Report a Problem describe the reach problem without using the word shadowban.