If you’ve ever searched your name or business on Google and found your Instagram photos or videos popping up in the results, there is a way to prevent this from happening, but there are some trade-offs. So follow along as we explain what is happening because you might not realise that under certain conditions, your content can be indexed by third-party search engines like Google and Bing, even if you didn’t explicitly approve it.
Takeaways:
- Why are my Instagram posts and reels showing up in Google Search?
- How do you stop your Instagram account from showing up in Search Engines?
- Instagram photos and videos are showing up in search results all of a sudden
Table of Contents
Why Your Public Instagram Photos and Videos Might Be Showing Up in Google Search (and How to Stop It)
Search engines work by indexing, organising and storing public content from around the web so it can appear in search results. Up until recently, Instagram generally told search engines not to index personal content from Stories, Reels, and Posts. But there are exceptions.
- You're over 18
- Your account is public
- You use a professional account (business or creator)
If your account is any of the above, then your public photos and videos, even ones shared before you turned 18, may be indexed by search engines and will probably appear in search engine results, starting with content from January 1, 2020, onward. And if someone else remixes your content (a feature allowed by Instagram), that version may be indexed too. Meta says that it does not control what search engines do with the indexed content. Your photos, videos, profile picture, bio, and even your username may be accessible through search results and controlled by each search engine’s own privacy policies.
How to Stop Your Instagram Content from Showing Up in Search Engines
The simplest and most effective fix is to set your account to private. This prevents anyone who doesn’t follow you from viewing your content, and keeps your photos and videos out of search engine indexing. To make your account private, follow these steps.
- Tap More in the bottom left of Instagram.
- Go to Settings > Account Privacy.
- Toggle on Private Account.
- Confirm by tapping Switch to Private.
Note: You cannot make a professional account private. If you want to go private, you’ll first need to switch to a personal account (see Fix 2 below).
How to Switch from a Professional to a Personal Instagram Account
If you’re using a professional account (Business or Creator), you can switch back to a personal one to prevent your posts from being indexed by search engines, even if your account remains public.
- Go to your Profile.
- Tap Professional Dashboard
- Tap the settings icon in the top right corner.
- Select Switch Account Type.
- Tap Switch to Personal Account, then confirm.
Heads-up: Switching to a personal account means losing access to tools like Meta Business Suite and in-app insights. However, Instagram saves your data for 90 days in case you change your mind.
How Long Does it Take For Results to Be Removed From Search Results?
It can take up to a few weeks for your Instagram account, along with Photos and videos, to vanish from search results. Sometimes it can take a little while longer. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about this; you just have to wait for Google to recrawl Instagram and remove any content that has been updated.
