- Where Instagram notification settings live
- Turning on Instagram notifications in the app
- Which Instagram alerts you can expect once they're on
- Turning on Instagram notifications for one account you follow
- If you paused Instagram notifications and forgot
- Checking your phone's own settings for Instagram
- Why Instagram notifications might be coming from the wrong account
- Instagram notifications at a glance
- What to check if Instagram notifications still don't turn on
- Frequently asked questions
To turn on Instagram notifications, tap your profile picture, tap Menu, then tap Notifications under How you use Instagram and choose what you want to hear about. Instagram's Help Centre says that screen is where you pick your alerts. If nothing arrives, check whether you've paused push notifications and your phone's own settings.
If you run a small business or a creator account, a missed comment or message can mean a missed customer. If you're just using Instagram with friends, you still probably want to know when someone replies. Either way, the alerts only work if they're switched on in the right place, and that place isn't obvious the first time you look.
I'm going by Instagram's Help Centre here, so the steps match what Instagram itself says. Menus do change between app versions, so if a label looks slightly different on your phone, look for the closest match.
Where Instagram notification settings live
According to Instagram's help pages, push notifications tell you about interactions and posts you might be interested in, and your notification settings let you choose which of those you hear about. The settings sit in one spot in the app on both Android and iPhone.
Turning on Instagram notifications in the app
- Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
- Tap Menu in the top right.
- Below How you use Instagram, tap Notifications.
- Look through the list and choose the types of alert you want. Instagram lists them in groups, so work through each group and pick the ones that matter to you.
That's the main route. Everything else on this page is about getting the right alerts, for the right accounts, on the right device.
Which Instagram alerts you can expect once they're on
Instagram's page on when it sends push notifications says you may be notified when someone:
- Follows you
- Likes or comments on one of your posts
- Mentions you in a comment
- Sends you a message
- Goes live
I'd start with comments and messages if you're running a business account, because those are the ones where a quick reply matters. If you're working on engagement, my guide on ways to improve your Instagram engagement covers what to do once those replies start coming in.
Turning on Instagram notifications for one account you follow
You can ask Instagram to alert you every time a particular account shares something. That's useful for a supplier, a client or a creator you don't want to miss. Instagram's help pages give these steps:
- Go to the profile of the account you want alerts from.
- Tap Notifications near the top of their profile.
- Tap Posts, Reels or Live videos to choose which type of alert you'd like.
- Tap the option you prefer.
Two details from the same help pages are worth knowing. First, if you want this for several people, you'll have to visit each profile and set it one at a time. Second, even with alerts off for someone, you may still get a push notification when they share something for the first time in a while. The page also says people aren't told when you turn notifications on or off for them.
If you paused Instagram notifications and forgot
This catches a lot of people. Instagram lets you pause push notifications for a set time, and if you did that and forgot, nothing will arrive however well your settings are chosen. The steps Instagram gives for pausing show you where to look:
- Tap your profile picture, then tap Menu.
- Tap Notifications below How you use Instagram.
- Find Pause push notifications and check whether the toggle is switched on.
- If it's on, switch it off. You can also tap an individual notification setting under it to turn that kind of alert on or off.
While you're in there, read down the list for any category that's switched off. It's easy to turn something off in a hurry and forget.
Checking your phone's own settings for Instagram
The app's settings only control what Instagram sends. Your phone has its own switch for whether Instagram is allowed to show alerts at all. Instagram's Android help says you can open your phone's settings, tap Apps, tap Instagram and adjust notifications there, along with other app settings. On an iPhone the same idea applies: look for Instagram in your phone's Settings and make sure notifications are allowed. The exact menu names depend on your phone and its software version, so I won't pretend there's one path that fits every device.
If you've done everything in the Instagram app and still hear nothing, this is the next place to look.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Why Instagram notifications might be coming from the wrong account
There's one odd case in Instagram's help pages. If you're getting someone else's push notifications, it usually happens when someone logged into their Instagram account on your phone. Instagram says to ask them to log in on another phone, or you can turn push notifications off for your phone, or for that account only if you have access to it.
If you manage more than one account, the reverse can happen too: alerts for an account you forgot you'd added. Check which accounts are logged in on your phone and remove any you don't use.
Instagram notifications at a glance
| What you want | Where to go in Instagram |
|---|---|
| All your alert types | Profile, Menu, Notifications under How you use Instagram |
| Alerts for one account's posts, reels or live videos | That account's profile, then Notifications |
| Stop a pause you set earlier | Notifications, then switch off Pause push notifications |
| Allow Instagram to show alerts on your phone | Your phone's settings, under Apps or Instagram |
What to check if Instagram notifications still don't turn on
Work down this list in order, quick checks first:
- Confirm Pause push notifications is off.
- Check each notification category is switched on, not only the main screen.
- Check your phone's own settings allow alerts from Instagram.
- Make sure you're logged into the account you expect to hear from.
- Update the Instagram app and restart your phone.
If you've been through every item and still get nothing, report the problem from inside the Instagram app or use the Instagram Help Centre. I'd rather point you there than guess at causes the help pages don't name.
If you want more on keeping your account healthy once alerts are working, my notes on pinning a comment on Instagram show one way to manage the conversations those alerts bring.
This guide is part of my Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on Instagram notifications?
Tap your profile picture, tap Menu, then tap Notifications below How you use Instagram. From there you can choose which types of alert you want.
How do I get notified when one person posts?
Go to their profile and tap Notifications, then choose Posts, Reels or Live videos. You'll need to repeat this for each person.
Why aren't my Instagram notifications working after I turned them on?
Check that Pause push notifications is off, and that your phone's own settings allow Instagram to send alerts. Both can block alerts even when the app settings look right.
Does the other person know when I turn notifications on for them?
Instagram's help page says people aren't notified when you turn notifications on or off for them.
Why am I getting someone else's Instagram notifications?
Instagram says this usually happens when someone logged into their account on your phone. Ask them to log in on another phone, or turn push notifications off for that account.
