Instagram : Exploring Photos and Videos (Activity, Hashtags and Place Pages )
Search & Explore
How are photos and videos chosen for Search & Explore?
We’re always working to update the types of photos and videos you see in Search & Explore to better tailor it to you. Posts are selected automatically based on things like the people you follow or the posts you like.
Who can see photos that appear in Search & Explore?
If you see a post in Search & Explore, it doesn’t mean that everyone else is seeing it. We’re always working to update the types of posts you see in Search & Explore to better tailor it to you. For example, we may show you photos and videos that people you follow have liked or are liked by a large number of people.
If your account is set to private, only your approved followers will be able to see photos you’ve shared in Search & Explore.
How do I clear my Instagram search history?
Instagram saves searches in Search & Explore to make it easier for you to find your favorite accounts and hashtags again quickly. To clear your search history:
On the Instagram app for iOS or Android devices
- Go to your profile and tap .
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Security, then tap Clear Search History (iPhone) or Search History (Android).
- Tap Clear All > Clear All.
On your computer or mobile browser
- Go to instagram.com on your computer or mobile browser.
- Click and then click .
- Click Privacy and Security > View Account Data.
- Below Search history, click View all.
- Click Clear Search History > Yes, I’m sure.
Keep in mind that clearing your search history is temporary, and that searches you clear may reappear in your history after you search for them again
Why do I have to be over a certain age to view some Instagram accounts?
Some accounts, like alcohol brands, post content that’s meant for older audiences. These accounts may choose to restrict their content to people who are over a certain age. To determine whether you’re able to see a restricted account, we may use information you provide on Instagram or on Facebook (our parent company).
You may need to update your Instagram app to the most recent version to see restricted accounts.
What can I do if I see a post I don’t like in Search & Explore?
If you see a post you don’t like in Search & Explore, you can choose to see fewer posts like it:
- Tap the post.
- Tap (iOS) or(Android) above the post.
- Select See Fewer Posts Like This.
If you see something that doesn’t follow our Community Guidelines, you can select Report and follow the on-screen steps.
Why am I seeing a blue dot next to results in Search on Instagram?
If a blue dot appears next to a search result, it means it’s an account that has shared posts you haven’t seen yet.
Activity, Hashtags and Place Pages
How do I use hashtags on Instagram?
You can add hashtags in the caption or comments of your post. If you have a public account and add hashtags to a post, the post will be visible on the corresponding hashtag page.
To tag a photo or video with a hashtag:
- Take or upload a photo or video.
- Choose to add a filter, then tap Next.
- Tap Write a caption… and type # followed by text or emoji (example: #flower).
- Tap Share.
If you want to add a hashtag to a post you’ve already uploaded, edit the caption or include your hashtag in a comment on your photo.
After you tag your post with a hashtag, you’ll be able to tap the hashtag to see a page that shows all photos and videos people have uploaded with that hashtag.
Things to keep in mind:
- When people with private profiles tag posts, they won’t appear publicly on hashtag pages.
- Numbers are allowed in hashtags. However, spaces and special characters, like $ or %, won’t work.
- You can only tag your own posts. You can’t tag other people’s photos/videos.
- You can use up to 30 tags on a post. If you include more than 30 tags on a single photo/video, your comment won’t post
How do I follow a hashtag on Instagram?
You can follow hashtags on Instagram to stay connected with interests you care about.
To follow a hashtag:
- Tap any hashtag (example: #flower) you see on Instagram.
- Tap Follow. Once you follow a hashtag, you’ll see its photos and videos appear in feed.
To unfollow a hashtag, tap the hashtag and then tap Following. You may need to tap Unfollow to confirm.
How do I see hashtag or location pages?
To see the page for a location or hashtag, you can search for it or tap the hashtag or location that appears on a post.
Hashtag and location pages include public posts and stories that have been shared with the corresponding hashtag or location
Why aren’t Top or Recent posts showing up for a particular Instagram hashtag page?
We may remove the Top or Recent posts in a hashtag page if people are using the hashtag to post content that goes against our Community Guidelines.
What are Top posts on Instagram hashtag or place pages?
At the top of some hashtag and place pages you may see a section called Top. Top posts appear on trending hashtags and places to show you some of the popular posts tagged with that hashtag or place
Why can’t I search for certain hashtags on Instagram?
Hashtags on Instagram may not be searchable if they’re consistently associated with content that doesn’t follow our Terms of Use or Community Guidelines.
We review these hashtags periodically and may make the hashtag searchable again if the content associated with particular hashtags changes over time. We encourage people to report inappropriate hashtags by using our built-in reporting.
What photos and videos show up on Instagram hashtag and location pages?
Hashtag and location pages include public photos and videos that were shared with the corresponding hashtag or location. You can tap at the top of these pages to see public stories, and scroll down to see public posts.
If your account is set to private, only your approved followers will be able to see posts you’ve shared, and photos and videos from your story won’t appear on hashtag or location pages.
In what order do photos and videos appear on hashtag pages?
At the top of some hashtag pages you may see a section called Top Posts. Top posts appear on trending hashtags to show you some of the popular posts tagged with that hashtag.
In the Most Recent section, photos and videos appear in the order that they were posted.
Keep in mind that if you add a hashtag to a photo after it was posted, the photo will still appear on the hashtag page according to the time it was originally posted, not the time the hashtag was added.
