How to get the Instagram blue badge?

Being able to request this badge was reserved for, until not so long ago, a privileged few. It is now available to all users with either a business account or a personal account. In this article we will show you the requirements for requesting a badge and how to get verified on Instagram.

What is the verification badge?

The verification badge is the small blue icon with a white "tick" in the middle that appears next to the username to indicate that Instagram has confirmed that this account truly belongs to the person or brand it claims to represent. The coveted blue verification symbol proves that your account is "the authentic presence of the public character, the famous person or the global brand that it represents."

This function essentially fulfills two tasks: on the one hand, it ensures certain credibility and reputation (which is especially important if it is a professional account); on the other hand, it allows other users to easily distinguish between an authentic and a fake account since the symbol appears beside the name in the search results.

Note: Instagram reserves the right to grant and withdraw verified badges according to the requirements and conditions described on its help page. Instagram badges are free, however, not everyone can access them. 

As of February 2023, Meta (Instagram & Facebook) is allowing users to pay for a blue tick verification. The cost will be $11.99 (£9.96) a month on web, or $14.99 for iPhone users.

Requirements and how to request verification on Instagram?

In order for your Instagram account to be verified, you must fulfill certain requirements. Notably, your account must either be a registered business, or a real person. It can be the only "official" Instagram page for the business or personality. For example, you couldn't make another Leonardo DiCaprio account and claim to be him, as there is already an official one, and unfortunately, you are not Leonardo DiCaprio. 

The request must be made from the account you want to validate. The first step is to log into the account and go to the profile. Click on the icon with the three lines in the upper right corner of the screen.

• In the menu that opens, on the right edge, click on the Settings button (at the bottom).
• Find the Account section in the list and click on it.
• Enter Request verification.
• A form will open in which Instagram will ask for your Username, Name, Surname, your nickname or artistic name, and the Category of your account. After filling in all of the information, you must attach an image or your identity document. Now, the only remaining step is to press the Send button.

What to do if your request is rejected?

As we have explained, this process does not guarantee that Instagram will grant you verification of the account. Once they have studied your request (it will usually take a couple of days), you will receive a notification informing you of their decision. You should know that if it has been rejected, there are other ways of verifying the authenticity of your account. A good way to do so, for example, is to link your Instagram profile to your Facebook account, Twitter, or your official website. The more complete your profile, the better.

Note: You cannot buy an Instagram verification badge, and any propositions suggesting otherwise are false. Do not try to pay someone claiming to be an Instagram representative to get a badge. 

What to do if your identity is supplanted on Instagram?

If you find an Instagram account that is posing as you, the first thing you should do is contact the company.

How to report a fake account?

Simply access the profile you want to report and click on the three points in the upper right corner of the screen. In the following window that appears, select Report. Before proceeding to delete the account or take other actions, Instagram will ask for more information. Be sure to explain the situation clearly and in as much detail as possible.

How to report a post?

The process is very similar to the one described above: simply click on the three points that appear at the top right of the publication in question, click on Report and follow the indicated steps.