You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You: Meaning + Fix

Instagram really cares about your privacy. It has given users the power to control their messages, notifications, stories, and posts. You can even take a breather from notifications and DMs with a cool feature called “Quiet Mode”.

Now, if you ever get that message saying “You can’t message this account unless they follow you,” don’t stress! It simply means the user wants to keep their Instagram world in check, and that’s totally okay. 

If you’ve stumbled upon this message and need a solution, you’re in the right place. Keep reading, and we’ll help you out in this blog.

What Is “You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You” on Instagram?

Normally, Instagram allows you to send messages to anyone, even if you don’t follow them. However, if you send a message and receive the response “You can’t message this account unless they follow you,” it indicates that the person has adjusted their message settings. They’ve chosen to receive messages only from users they follow.

You Can't Message This Account Unless They Follow You

What Is “You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You” on Instagram

How to Fix “You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You” on Instagram?

This message appears when an Instagram account chooses to get messages only from its followers. So, if you’re wondering how to remove “you can’t message unless they follow you”, the only way is to ask the person to follow you back. There’s no other way to bypass this setting.

Suggested Post: See Who Doesn’t Follow You Back on Instagram

How to Stop People Who Don’t Follow You on Instagram from Messaging You?

To activate this setting for yourself and avoid messages from non-followers, follow these steps:

  1. Go to ‘Settings and Privacy’. 
  2. Tap on ‘Messages and Story Replies’. 
  3. Then, choose ‘Message controls’. 
message requests from others on Instagram

Instagram Messages and Story Replies

  1. Lastly, choose the option ‘Don’t Receive Messages from Others’. This means that if someone who isn’t following you sends you a message, they’ll see the message “You can’t message this account unless they follow you”. 
how to control messages on Instagram

How to Not Receive Message from Others on Instagram

However, to change the settings and receive messages from everyone, whether they follow you or not, choose ‘Message requests’ under ‘Others on Instagram’. 

This way, even your non-followers can message you and their messages will go to message requests. 

How to Receive Message from Everybody on Instagram

How to Receive Message from Everybody on Instagram

Suggested Post: How to Recover Deleted Instagram Messages

Wrapping Up

In a nutshell, “you can’t message this account unless they follow you” is a privacy setting for Instagram accounts that have chosen to limit their messages. There’s no other reason why you may face this error. To get rid of this message, you have to ask the person to follow you back. 

FAQs  

You found out all about “Why does it say you can’t message this account unless they follow you” while messaging on Instagram. Let’s explore the common questions people may have about this topic.

1. Why Does Instagram Say “You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You”?

You face this message because they’ve set their Instagram privacy settings to only receive messages from people who follow them back. 

2. Can You Change the Message Settings on Your Instagram PC?

No, while you can send direct messages on Instagram’s web version, managing your messages comprehensively is not fully supported. For significant changes to your message settings, it’s still recommended to use the Instagram mobile app on your smartphone or tablet.

3. Can You Message on the Instagram Website?

Yes, you can send direct messages on Instagram’s website (instagram.com) through your web browser.

4. How to View Direct Messages on Instagram on the Computer?

To see your DMs on the web browser, simply follow these steps:

  • Go to the Instagram website and log into your account.
  • Click on the airplane icon on the left side of the screen.
  • Then, you can tap the chat you want to see the messages. 

5. How to Message an Instagram User You’re Not Following?

Typically, you can send a message to anyone on Instagram, whether you’re following them or not. The only time this doesn’t work is when they’ve tinkered with their message settings to limit messages from people who aren’t in their follower list.

6.  Can You Face “You Can’t Message This Account Unless They Follow You” on a Business Account?

Yes, even business accounts can limit the messages to their followers only. 

7. What Happens If You Message Someone Who Doesn’t Follow You on Instagram?

You can only send one message to someone who doesn’t follow you on Instagram until they accept your request to chat. 

9. Why Can’t I Message an Account That Doesn’t Follow Me?

If you can’t message a non-follower account, it’s because they have changed their privacy settings to not receive messages from others. 

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