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On any given day, almost 100 million photos and videos are posted to Instagram. With so much content being posted, it doesn’t take much for photos to get lost. That’s when hashtags come into play. Depending on which photos you want to see in your feed, you might be asking how to block hashtags on Instagram or how to unfollow hashtags on Instagram.

Hashtags are used by Instagram content creators to categorize their posts, to attract followers to a specific niche, and to increase follower engagement. Viewers use hashtags to find the pictures and topics that interest them.

The number of hashtags that can be used on Instagram is practically limitless, and anyone can use any hashtag they want, regardless of whether or not it actually applies to what they are posting.

Creators are allowed to use up to 30 hashtags in their post, and the more they add, the more potential viewers they’ll get. This is beneficial to them, but — again — they may not always be using hashtags responsibly. They could just be using the most popular options at the time to increase their post views.

This can be incredibly stressful for you as the viewer because it might mean that you are getting posts for hashtags you follow that you don’t want to see. If that happens, you might be wondering how to block hashtags on Instagram.

How to block hashtags on Instagram (Step-by-Step)

While you can’t block them completely, there are ways you can reduce seeing certain topics that don’t necessarily apply to the hashtags you want to view. Read on to discover the steps for how to block hashtags on Instagram.

Step 1 | Open Your Instagram Account

The first thing you’ll need to do when learning how to block hashtags on Instagram is to open your Instagram account. You can follow these steps while logged in on a laptop or desktop computer or while using the app on your phone.

Step 2 | Find the Posts with the Hashtag You Want to Block

After you have logged in to your Instagram account, you’ll need to look for the post(s) that contain the hashtag you don’t want to see.

Step 3 | Click on the Three Dots

Once you find the post, you will notice three vertical dots on the right-hand side of the screen.

Click on those.

Click on the Three Dots - how to block certain content on instagram

Step 4 | Click on “Don’t Show for This Hashtag”

When wondering how to block hashtags on Instagram, after clicking on the three dots, a menu with a variety of different options will open. You’ll want to find the “Don’t Show for This Hashtag” option and click on that.

Click on Don’t Show for This Hashtag - how to block hashtags on Instagram

Step 5 | Repeat the Process for Several More Posts

Instagram uses an algorithm to show you posts based on your hashtag preferences and your viewing habits. It doesn’t have control over what hashtags a creator adds to their photos, so it doesn’t know whether or not the hashtag is relevant to what you actually want to see.

After you have clicked on the “Don’t Show for This Hashtag” for one particular post, you’ll want to repeat this for several more posts that you don’t find relevant. Doing this for at least four other posts may teach the algorithm exactly what you’re looking for so that it blocks content you don’t want to see in the future, even if it contains a hashtag you’re following.

Repeat for more hashtags - how to block hashtags on Instagram

How to Unfollow Hashtags on Instagram

In addition to asking how to block hashtags on Instagram, you might also be wondering how to unfollow hashtags on Instagram. The process for this is fairly simple and straightforward, and these are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Step 1 | Log in to Your Instagram Account

When asking how to unfollow hashtags on Instagram, the first step of the process is to log in to your account. You can access your feed either on your desktop or laptop computer or the app on your phone.

Step 2 | Find the Hashtag You Want to Unfollow

Once you’re in your account, you’ll then need to look for the hashtag you want to unfollow.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to a post that uses the hashtag and click on it.

Step 3 | Unfollow the Hashtag

Once you have clicked on the hashtag, it will take you to the hashtag home page. Once there, you should see an “Unfollow” button.

Click on that.

Once you have completed all of these steps, you will have successfully unfollowed a specific hashtag on Instagram. If there are others you no longer want to follow, you will repeat the steps until you have narrowed your hashtag list down to the options you want to look at and enjoy.

Unfollow the Hashtag - how to block hashtags on Instagram

How to Block Certain Content on Instagram

Another question you might be asking when creating your perfect Instagram feed is how to block certain content on Instagram. The steps for this will depend on whether you are blocking content or a person, but we’ll walk you through each process.

Blocking Content

Probably the easiest way to block certain content from your Instagram feed is to stop following the accounts.

Step 1 | Access Your Instagram Account

You can log in to your account using a laptop or desktop computer, or you can access it from your mobile phone.

Step 2 | Find the Account You Want to Block

After logging in, when wondering how to block certain content on Instagram, the next step in the process is to find the account you want to block and click on it.

Step 3 | “Unfollow”

Once you are on the account’s homepage, you will then click “Unfollow.” You should no longer see this information in your feed.

click on Unfollow - how to unfollow hashtags on instagram

Restricting Accounts

If you no longer wish to engage with certain people on your Instagram account, then you can restrict them.

Step 1 | Log in to Your Account

Before you can restrict people, you’ll need to log in to your Instagram account.

Step 2 | Go to Your Profile Page

After you have logged in to your account, you’ll then want to go to your profile page by clicking on your profile picture.

Step 3 | Open Settings

Once you are on your profile page, you’ll want to click on the three horizontal bars in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. This will open up a menu.

Click on the “Settings” option.

restrict content on Instagram - how to block certain content on instagram

Step 4 | Open “Privacy”

Under the “Settings” menu, you will see another list of options. Look for “Privacy” and click on that.

Step 5 | Scroll Down to “Connections”

In the “Privacy” menu, you will want to look for the “Connections” subheading.

Underneath this is where you’ll find “Restricted Accounts.” Click on that.

Step 6 | Add Accounts to the Restricted List

You will then be taken to a screen that will allow you to search for and add the accounts you want to add to your restricted list. Type the name or subject into the search bar and then click on the “Restrict” button on the right-hand side of the screen for each account.

restrict accounts on instagram - how to block certain content on instagram

Creating an Enjoyable Experience on Instagram

When scrolling through Instagram, you may run into some images you don’t want to see because of hashtag misuse. If you’re wondering how to block hashtags on Instagram, you’ll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Open Your Instagram Account
  • Step 2: Find the Posts with the Hashtag You Want to Block
  • Step 3: Click on the Three Dots
  • Step 4: Click on “Don’t Show for This Hashtag”
  • Step 5: Repeat the Process for Several More Posts

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