Have you ever encountered a notification on Instagram that reads, “We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram…” while trying to share a post or Story? It boils you up, right? More so if you are looking forward to your Instagram followers seeing what you have for them, and Instagram just does not let you post it.
Here is what the error message looks like:
Well, this is Instagram’s way of giving you a warning. There are several reasons why this happens. Instagram’s humble beginning was a social media app that allows users to share photos. But as years have gone by and as more users are signing into the app, Instagram has become a site where several creative things can be found. You can share videos and even buy or sell your products. If you own a business, Instagram will also help you find the right customers.
With more and more people signing up on Instagram, the social media platform has become stricter about what posts it actually allows. It has stern rules regarding what you can post and what you cannot. Here are some reasons you see the “We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram…” message on your screen and how you can fix it.
Possible Reasons Why You Are Getting The ‘We Limit How Often You Can Do Certain Things On Instagram’ Error
Here are some of the reasons why you are getting that message.
Instagram Sets Limits On Following And Unfollowing
Know this: Instagram sees both following and unfollowing as similar actions. There is a daily limit on following and unfollowing, which is 200.
Whether you follow 200 people, unfollow 200, or follow 100 and unfollow 100, these are all considered the same thing by the platform, and if you follow more, you are violating the limit.
You can gradually follow and unfollow people. But what if you are new on Instagram, you might ask? If you are new to Instagram and want to follow several accounts in one go, still do not exceed the limit.
A significant increase in following and unfollowing is flagged as spam, which the Instagram algorithm sees as the doings of a bot, which is not the case if you own a real account.
It Also Sets Limits On Forbidden Content
To know which types of content are acceptable on the platform and which you should avoid, read Instagram’s “Community Guidelines.”
Some of the forbidden content on Instagram include:
- Hate speech against any race, social caste, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or disease, etc.
- Sexual content (including naked photos)
- Harassing or threatening other users
- Promoting violence in any way, and more
Limits On Direct Messaging
The platform also sets limits on direct messaging. Of course, you can direct message your Instagram friend or follower whenever you want, but if you start to overuse the feature and spam, Instagram can always notice them. The limit on direct messages is 80.
Limitations On Liking And Commenting On Posts
Many social media users love to like and comment on posts, especially if you really like what you see, right? Well, too much of this can lead to an error message. The limit on this is 1,000 or around 200 per day. With this number, you are less likely to reach it, so there is no need to worry. Just treat this as a warning.
However, be mindful that commenting on the same comment many times can often lead to a ban, as Instagram considers this spam. Many people resort to this, even if they are unaware, when participating in Instagram giveaways where they would really need to write comments. Just be mindful of this.
There Are Also Limits On The Length Of Videos And IGTV
While Instagram is all for your posting of both images and videos, it has limits on the duration of those videos. Videos posted on your profile can be up to a minute long, while videos on your Story can be up to 15 seconds.
But how come there are videos you see on Instagram longer than this limit? Well, those might be under IGTV and Instagram Live. On IGTV, users can upload videos between 15 seconds to 10 minutes long.
For Instagram Live, you can broadcast your video to your followers as part of your Instagram Story. The limit is 60 minutes per live stream, but you can always start another video if you have already reached that limit.
Instagram Sets Limits On Hashtags
Hashtags are handy features you can use to reach out to more people. Social media platforms like Instagram are all for these hashtags, but with limits. The limit is 30 hashtags per post, and if you exceed it, you either get a blank caption when your post is posted or you get the “We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram…” message.
It Also Sets Limits On Tagging
Another way people connect with each other on Instagram is via the tagging feature. However, there are also limits to tagging users on your posts, Stories, and comments. You can tag up to 20 people and up to 10 when it comes to comments.
Limits On Stories
Instagram is quite generous when it comes to posting Stories. Users can post up to 100 Stories daily, which is quite more than enough.
If you want to add your 101st story, you will have to wait 24 hours after the first story on your set is uploaded. As older Stories disappear, you can then add more Stories.
Limitations On The Character Count Of Captions And Comments
Sure, you can go as detailed or concise as possible, but there is a limit of 2,200 on captions. If you violate this rule, you will get the ban.
There Are Also Limits On The Character Count Of Usernames And Bios
You can pour out your creative juices when thinking of a good and cool Instagram username, but there is a limit. You are only allowed to create a username of up to 30 characters. For the bio or the details that describe yourself for others to see, the limit is 150.
Ways To Fix The ‘We Limit How Often You Can Do Certain Things On Instagram’ Error
Change Your Password
Among the quickest ways many people found to prevent Instagram from limiting their accounts is when they change their passwords. So far, this is the simplest way to get Instagram to stop sending you that notification. You can easily do this by going to Settings> Security > Password.
Create A Backup Account
We know this isn’t a permanent solution. However, creating a backup account will help inform your followers that your account is restricted at the moment and that you will not be able to reply to any comments or DMs during that day. This is a temporary fix that still lets you stay connected with your followers even if your other account has been restricted.
Delete Those Posts And Stories That Are Against Instagram’s Community Guidelines
This way, however, is not a guaranteed procedure, so you will not get that error message. But it is a good start. By doing this, you will know which post is against Instagram’s Community Guidelines. This same notification will be sent to you before Instagram takes down your post or Story. If the social media platform is still reviewing your post or Story and has already restricted your account, what you can do is try removing those posts or Stories. In this way, you can still be allowed to use your Instagram account normally again.
Reach Out To Instagram’s Support Team
If you cannot figure out the problem and do not know how to solve it on your own or to use the steps mentioned so far, you can reach out to Instagram support’s team. This is touted as the easiest way to find out why you are getting that error message. Since you cannot relate the problem to anything you might have done as to why you are receiving that error message, there might be a glitch or error on the part of Instagram. If this is the case, feel free to contact Instagram support.
To report your problem on Instagram by contacting them, here are the steps:
- Tap the three-line icon located on the top-right corner of your screen.
- Select “Settings.”
- Then, choose “Report a problem” and write about the issue you are encountering.
In Conclusion
With this guide, you have learned both the ways to resolve the “We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram…” error message and the reasons why this message appears. If, along the way, you encounter that message, try any of the solutions we discussed above so you can keep using Instagram with no hassles. Did this guide help you? Feel free to share it online.
