How to Get Verified on Instagram – The Step by Step Method & Exact Criteria You Must Meet!
We’ve all seen it before.. That official blue check next to someone’s username on Instagram. How fancy! How exclusive! How the heck did they get it?!
This blue check signifies “verification” by Instagram and instantly gives your account authority. Anyone landing on your feed will know you’re accredited in some way which is amazing for business and effortlessly builds up your credibility.
Just a few months ago, I was fortunate enough to be verified on @instawithalex & @menandcoffee and I couldn’t be happier!
Along with that comes all the questions..
How do you get verified on Instagram?
Until late 2018 there was no way to request Instagram verification. You simply had to hope your account would be chosen. These blue checks were almost exclusively saved for major celebrities and well-known brands like Kim Kardashian and Mercedes.
Now, however, you can actually request to be verified! But, keep in mind, not everyone that submits a verification request will be approved. Below I break down the step-by-step process of how to get verified on Instagram, including the exact criteria you need to meet for the best chance at approval!
Prefer to watch the video version of this tutorial? Check out my YouTube Video!
How to get verified on Instagram:
1. Navigate to your account settings by tapping the 3 line icon in the top right of your profile and hitting ‘settings’ at the bottom.
2. Scroll down and select ‘request verification’.
3. From there, you will be asked to submit the following:
• Instagram Username (this will be the account you’re currently logged into and want to have verified)
• Your Full Name (insert your full name as seen on your legal identification. If this is for a business you want to enter the name of the primary shareholder)
• Known As (for me this was simply Alex Tooby, however if this is for a company you’ll want to enter the company name)
• Account Category (select the closest match)
• A picture of valid photo identification (this can be a passport, driver’s license, or national identification card. Alternatively, you can provide official business documents such as tax papers, recent utility bills, etc.)
4. Then you simply have to press ‘send’, and wait.. The time you’ll have to wait is not clearly noted by Instagram so it could be a few hours, days, or weeks. Try your best to be patient!
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Additional Criteria Considered for Instagram Verification
Instagram does publicly state a number of qualifications each account must meet if it wants to be verified on Instagram. So, for the highest chance of being approved, make sure your account complies with the following:
1. Authentic. Your account must be a real person, business, or entity. “Fan” accounts (like those created for celebrities) are excluded from this category.
2. Unique. Instagram typically doesn’t verify general interest or repost accounts. The content being created and posted must be your own. (@menandcoffee seems to have by-passed this rule but I believe that’s because my account passed all the other qualifications.)
3. Public & Complete. Instagram requires every verified account to be public and have a completely filled out bio. This includes having a profile picture and posts uploaded to your account. I always tell my students having a complete, optimized and effective bio is essential for Instagram and this just makes that even more true! Want to watch a lesson on optimizing your bio? Sign up for my FREE course!
4. No Cross-Promotion. Your account cannot have “add me” links that tell users to follow you on other social platforms. Your link should only be used to direct traffic to your website, store, landing page, etc.
5. Notable. While verification was typically reserved for celebrities before, Instagram is now considering accounts that have been featured in multiple well-known news sources. This is where I think most people end up being denied for verification. Having a popular brand is not enough if you have no press outside of your own website. Instagram wants to know that you’re globally notable and recognizable! (Paid or promotional content is deemed invalid)
A few things to note after submitting your Instagram verification request
1. There’s no minimum follower requirement to be verified on Instagram. Instagram doesn’t require you to have a certain amount of followers to apply for verification (unlike some of their other features!) On the flip side of that, having millions of followers doesn’t guarantee verification, either! It’s all about those qualifications listed above so make sure you meet them!
2. Instagram does not give specific reasons for denying verification requests. Users will receive a notification that says your account hasn’t met the criteria and that’s it. Kinda annoying, right?! You are, however, able to submit a request every 30 days, so keep trying!
3. There is no way to manually submit news articles you’ve been featured in – Instagram does their own research on press and appearances. If the articles you’ve been featured in can be found on Google, they will find them! If you’ve been featured in publications make sure your / your business name is listed in the title, or the excerpt that displays on google. If your name is mentioned in passing it may not hold as much weight.
4. There’s no telling when Instagram will approve or deny your request. In typical Instagram fashion, it can take days or weeks. Just keep an eye on your notifications (which is how they told me I was verified!) for your approval or denial message.
5. You will NOT receive an email from Instagram asking you to apply for verification, nor can a third party get you verified for a fee! There are plenty of scams related to Instagram verification so make sure you don’t fall for any. If you receive an email from Instagram suggesting you can get verified by clicking a link, DON’T DO IT! This is how you get your account hacked! I received one of these emails and when I checked who the sender was, it was verifiedbadges@gmail.com! That’s definitely not Instagram! Also, do not pay anyone to get you verified, whether they claim to “know someone at Instagram” or not. It’s not possible. The only way to be verified on Instagram is through the official application process noted above.
That is how to get verified on Instagram! As you can see, while there is the option for everyone to request Instagram verification, there unfortunately is no guarantee that you’ll be approved. However, if you follow the steps above and make sure your account meets all of the criteria listed, you WILL have the best chance! If you are denied, remember you can resubmit your application every 30 days. Good luck!
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Have you applied to be verified on Instagram? What was the result?
Let me know in the comments!
I have been denied a few times now, and it is hugely annoying as the account over delivers on all of the above points. Absolutely loads of articles / features in some of the worlds better known publications and websites. Quite a few international awards won for the work. A publishing deal and lots of speaking engagements. No verification so far, there doesn’t seem to be any real measurable criteria for it either as I know other accounts in my field who are verified and don’t meet the criteria. It seems almost like the throw of a dice when I… Read more »
I would certainly keep trying and perhaps adjust the info that you’re entering in the submission form! A slight name change or category could help
Hmmmm not so sure. It gets a little demotivating after a few tries. One of the pages I know that has been verified has been routinely bulk buying followers and using the Follow / Unfollow method, Socialblade shows up this activity on their account quite clearly, but still ended up a verified page. You would think Instagram would actually check for this kind of activity but no obviously not. As I said there does seem to be any sense behind it. It sounds like I am irked but that’s only because I am 🙂
I think if you fall in a genre or area where you are actively promoting Instagram then it’s a not brainer for them. If you are a photographer among millions then they are much much more selective and that’s where the problem lies. I will let you know how this latest attempt goes.
I take it all back Alex. They just Verified it. Weird that it took them less than an hour since this last request.
haha, that’s awesome!!! congrats! <3
What did you do differently??
Nothing, I was verified using these exact methods and qualifications
From memory I tried what Alex suggested as my only difference when applying. I forgot what the options were when you chose what kind of account you think you are running, I just chose something different from that list to normal. I personally think it was down to the person doing the checking this time. There are lots of features online about my work and maybe the person that check previously didn’t look very hard?
So thank you Alex for the reminder to apply again, they just verified my account. better late than never!
Do you have anyone claiming to be you?
There is another page that shares the same name with a slight difference to differentiate it. It deals with photography and art so they’re not impersonating but it’s similar.
alex, do you think your follower number matters at all for getting verified?
No it doesn’t seem to play a role if you meet all the listed criteria.. However if you do have a very high follower count they may process your account quicker because it will be easy for them to determine if your account is worthy. I can’t be 100% certain though!
How do you have so many words in your Instagram description ? Every time I try to increase my description it says I have too many. Help!
Hmm.. i’ve never had that problem! I’m pretty sure we get at least 1000 words. Seems like a glitch – make sure your app is fully updated
I was really surprised my husband’s request to be verified was denied. He’s been written about and interviewed for nearly two decades, including an interview with Oprah. He has celebrity endorsements, two books under his belt, and another coming out in spring. The only thing I wondered about is the categories. He’s an author and subject matter expert, and I didn’t see a good fit for him in the category section, so we chose other. I wonder if we should have chosen business/brand/organization? We’ll try again next month, but it does seem a bit random, especially considering the experience Matt… Read more »
Hmm he definitely sounds like someone who should be verified! Is his first and last name in his bio or username?
I thought so too, and was really surprised when they denied it. His name is in his bio, and it’s his username. The only thing is we had to use a _ between his first and last name, but I wouldn’t think that’s the dealbreaker. His website and what he does is in his bio too. We’ll try again in a month, but I did think it was weird.
Yeah he sounds like he’s meeting all the criteria! Definitely try again. There’s already one person in the comments who had been denied a bunch but was approved today!
Thanks. I saw that and it gives me hope 🙂
Hey Alex! Thank you so much for the valuable informations you drop in …Instageam doesn’t even let me to upload the Documents …I don’t know why? I try in two accounts but there is nothing …I try to upload but nothing …Please,Just explain to me why!
Do you see the option to upload something or no? If you do but it’s not working, you might be trying to upload a file they don’t support. I would stick to jpg
I see the option but when I click on upload button ..it doesn’t let me to download They don’t let me to see what to download …It doesn’t work
Choose File when I click on it ..It doesn’t work it goes nowhere
Are you using android or iphone? Make sure your ig app is fully updated as well
It’s updated…I use android( Samsung)
Alex, I didnt understand what you said about Fan accounts(like those created for celebrities).
Is that possible for Fan accounts to get verified or not?
No, Instagram states that they don’t approve fan accounts unfortunately.
Will it be possible to be verified with less than 1000 followers and more than 500?
If you meet all the other criteria, then yes it is a possibility!
hi Alex! for a business IG account, is it better to put business documents or personal documents for the owner/person behind the brand?
I think if you could find a doc that has both the business name and owners name on it (or put two photos side by side) I think that would be ideal! We’re going to try this for my boyfriends biz.
Hi im a public figure in a well known group P.M. Dawn however instagram still denied both my verfication and my groups page even tho myself and my group have a lot of major press to our name and we verified on other social media platforms if possible please follow me @nevesslu47krok to speak privately on this matter. Thanks
Hmm I would just keep trying. Potentially switch up the answers you give in the form submisson as well
It’s a scam. That application is just there to make users think they can get verified. Instagram is only gonna verify who they want and I don’t think they even look at those applications. My daughter is a well known popular model (Instagram @e.miah) and has been harassed on Instagram for years, have tons of fake accounts and imposters. It recently got so bad and turned into cyber bullying and I now have a open criminal case on the attackers. I requested verification AGAIN (I’ve done so many times) only to be denied again even after providing this case info… Read more »
I’m so sorry to hear that Keeycha. Cyber bullying is very real and I wish Instagram would take it more seriously (as they claim to). I can confirm that I was verified using the application. The bullying issue is something completely separate and I hope you are able to get that resolved!
Dumb article. This is exactly what I did, without any instructions, just following IG’s own UI. Now, one year later, still nothing. Nada.
Sorry you think this blog post is “dumb” Phoenix. You’re likely not meeting the criteria clearly stated in this blog post, maybe you should read it again! Good luck..
The article is not dumb, it goes through, yes, the Instagram’s own UI steps, because it over-explains them so everybody would understand.
I was also rejected initially so I’ll make sure to try again later.
Thanks Val! Keep trying!
Will surely do!