What Does the Flag Mean on Instagram?

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Written by: Alex Popa

Updated:

What Does the Flag Mean on Instagram?

Are you wondering what the flag icon means on Instagram? Let me tell you all about it!

Did you see the flag icon when you were talking to someone on a private DM chat on Instagram? That flag symbol was in the top-right corner of the chat.

That button will let you “flag” the conversation or “mark” it as important. Instagram will immediately notify you if there have been any changes in the chat if you “flag” it.

This flag icon replaces the old “Star” icon that Instagram used to have.

Summary: In this article, I discuss the meaning of the flag icon on Instagram. Primarily, the flag icon is used to mark a conversation as important, making it stand out in your inbox. 

This feature is helpful for those who have many chats and need to quickly locate specific ones. The flag icon has replaced the old "Star" icon on Instagram. 

Additionally, the term "flag" can also refer to a user being flagged by Instagram for violating user guidelines or reporting another user for breaking the rules. 

The specific meaning depends on the context in which it's used. If you have any questions about the flag on Instagram, feel free to leave a comment below!

Why Would You Flag Someone on Instagram?

Flagging someone’s chat on Instagram will let you find their chat easier. If you’re a popular person and you’re talking to many people on Instagram, your inbox is filled with chats.

How will you find a specific chat among all the other chats?

With the “Flag” feature, you can do just that! A flagged chat will stand out immediately if you look through your inbox.

It becomes an “essential” chat that Instagram marks as such. You’ll notice an orange flag next to the chat when you open your inbox again.

If you want to flag someone’s chat, you go to their chat and look in the upper-right corner of the chat. There, you’ll find a flag icon.

Tap on it, and that’s it. You’ve just flagged a chat and marked it as important!

The other person won’t know that you’ve flagged their chat. They won’t be notified about this, and nothing will change for them.

What Else Can the Flag Mean on Instagram?

There’s another meaning for the flag on Instagram. When you hear that someone was “flagged,” it might mean that they’ve been restricted or banned by Instagram.

If someone is “flagged for spamming,” the Instagram algorithm or a moderator has discovered that a user has been spamming.

The user was accused or discovered to go against the user guidelines deliberately, and they were likely punished.

You can also report another player for breaking the user guidelines. This is also called “flagging a user,” which is yet another meaning of the flag on Instagram.

To know what meaning it has in a specific context, ask the other person what they mean. They might refer to any of these meanings.

Conclusion

In short, the Instagram flag can refer to several things:

  • To flag a chat, making it stand out among other chats in your inbox
  • A user being flagged by Instagram for breaking the user guidelines
  • Flagging (reporting) another user for breaking the user guidelines

If you have questions about the flag on Instagram, feel free to comment below. I’ll reply as soon as possible.

Stay tuned for other helpful articles about Instagram!

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Alex Popa

My name is Alex and I have a knack for social media in all its shapes and forms. I’ve dealt with such things for quite some time and I noticed that many people have issues with social media and technicalities.

Unforeseen errors, bugs, and other problems make their use of social media problematic. These things will be discussed amply in the guides on Whizcase.

I'll present the facts as they are, and offer quick and easy solutions for them.

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