How to Get Verified on Instagram: The Complete 2026 Guide
Quick answer
You can get verified on Instagram in one of two ways: apply for free as a notable public figure, celebrity, or brand through Instagram's traditional verification request, or subscribe to Meta Verified for a monthly fee starting around $14.99 and get your blue tick after submitting a government issued ID. Both paths lead to the same verified badge, but they follow very different eligibility rules, review processes, and timelines, and choosing the wrong one for your situation is the single biggest reason people waste months on a rejected application.
- Professional account
- 18 years or older
- Government issued ID
- Active posting history
Both paths end with the same blue badge. Only the conditions differ.
What Does It Mean to Be Verified on Instagram?
A verified badge is the blue checkmark that appears next to an account's name in search results and on the profile itself. It confirms that Instagram has verified the account as the authentic presence of the person, brand, or notable public figure it claims to represent. The badge does not guarantee more followers, better reach, or algorithmic boosts. Its main purpose is authenticity and impersonation protection, giving followers confidence that they are interacting with the real account rather than a copycat or fan page.
The badge also unlocks a small set of practical benefits. Meta Verified subscribers, for example, get access to direct customer support, proactive account monitoring for impersonators, and in some cases increased visibility in comments and search. For businesses, this translates into fewer scam accounts pretending to be your brand and a clearer signal of trust for new customers discovering your profile for the first time.
Who Is Eligible to Get Verified on Instagram?
Eligibility depends entirely on which path you choose, and confusing the two sets of requirements is one of the most common mistakes applicants make.
The legacy notability route
Instagram requires that your account be authentic, unique, complete, and notable, meaning you are a well known public figure, celebrity, or brand featured in multiple credible, independent news sources. There is no fixed followers threshold. Some accounts with under 10,000 followers get approved while others with hundreds of thousands are rejected, since how many followers to get verified on Instagram matters far less than genuine, third party media coverage.
The Meta Verified subscription
Eligibility here is far simpler and more transparent. You need a professional account (either business or creator), must be at least 18 years old, and need to meet minimum activity requirements such as an established posting history, a profile photo, and a bio. Unlike the free route, Meta Verified does not require press coverage or public notability. It is a paid subscription service rather than a merit based review, which is why approval rates are dramatically higher.
The 180 day rule applies to both paths
Accounts under 180 days old are automatically ineligible for verification, no matter how strong the rest of the application is. Newer accounts should build up history and wait before applying rather than submitting prematurely and receiving an automatic denial.
How to Get Verified on Instagram (Free Method)
This is the traditional route for anyone wondering how to get verified on Instagram for free, and it remains the only option for accounts that do not want a recurring subscription cost.
- 01
Confirm your eligibility.
Before applying, make sure your account genuinely fits Instagram's notability criteria. If you are just starting out, do not yet have media coverage, or your notability is limited to a small niche community, your request will likely be rejected no matter how many times you resubmit it. It is worth pausing here and honestly assessing whether press coverage, television appearances, or major publication features exist for your name or brand before investing time in the rest of the process.
- 02
Go to your profile settings.
Open the Instagram app, tap your profile picture in the bottom right corner, then go to the menu icon in the top right, followed by Settings and Privacy, and finally Account type and tools. From there you will find the option labeled "Request Verification," which starts the formal application.
- 03
Confirm your authenticity.
Instagram will ask you to submit a government issued ID such as a driver's license or passport for personal accounts, or official business registration documents for brand and company accounts. This step exists to confirm that the account genuinely belongs to the real person or registered entity applying, and mismatched or expired documents are a frequent point of failure.
- 04
Confirm your notability.
This is the step most applicants get wrong, and it is arguably the most important part of the entire application. You will need to attach links to news articles, television segments, radio interviews, or other public interest content that proves you or your brand are widely recognized by an audience beyond your own followers. Self published blog content, sponsored posts, and paid press releases generally do not count as genuine notability signals in Instagram's review process.
- 05
Submit your request.
Once every field is filled in and your supporting links are attached, submit the form. Instagram typically responds within 30 days, though it can take significantly longer during high volume periods, and there is no way to expedite or escalate a pending free application.
How to Get Verified with Meta Verified (Paid Method)
If notability is not realistically an option for your account yet, how to get Meta Verified on Instagram is the more predictable and faster path to a blue tick.
- 01
Check the eligibility requirements.
You will need a professional account, be over 18 years old, and meet Meta's minimum account activity standards, which typically include a public profile with a completed bio, a clear profile photo, and an established posting history rather than a brand new or dormant account.
- 02
Choose a profile to verify.
Open the Account Center in the Instagram app and select the specific profile you want to subscribe with. It is important to note that if you plan to subscribe two profiles under one payment method, both profiles must already be linked to the same Account Center, or the subscription setup will fail partway through.
- 03
Submit your ID and payment.
You will upload a government issued ID for identity confirmation and complete payment for your chosen subscription plan, confirming the recurring monthly cost through your device's app store or the web billing portal. Some regions may also require a short selfie video as an additional identity check before approval.
- 04
Get your blue check.
Once your identity is confirmed, Instagram typically activates your blue tick within a few days of successful payment and ID review, making this route significantly faster and more predictable than the free application, which can take weeks with no guaranteed outcome.
Free Verification vs. Meta Verified
Side by side, the two routes differ on almost every axis except the badge you end up with.
8 Tips to Improve Your Chances of Getting Verified
None of these guarantee approval, but every one of them removes a reason for a reviewer to say no.
Complete and optimize your profile.
Fill out your bio, profile photo, contact details, and website link fully. An incomplete or sparse profile signals inauthenticity to Instagram's automated systems and human review team alike, and is one of the fastest ways to get an application dismissed without much consideration.
Build your presence across other platforms.
A consistent, recognizable presence on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, or a personal website reinforces that you are a real, established public figure or brand rather than an account that exists only on Instagram. Cross platform consistency also makes it easier for reviewers to independently confirm your identity during the notability check.
Boost your earned media and press coverage.
Genuine news coverage is the single strongest factor in notability approval. Features in recognized publications, interviews, or television segments carry far more weight than self published blog posts or paid placements, which Instagram's reviewers are generally trained to discount.
Stay active and engage your followers.
Regular posting and authentic engagement such as replying to comments, posting Stories, and sharing Reels show Instagram that the account is active rather than dormant, which matters for both the free and paid verification paths since inactive accounts raise authenticity concerns.
Improve your searchability.
Make sure your name or brand is easily searchable on Google. If reviewers cannot find independent confirmation of who you are outside of Instagram itself, your request is far more likely to be denied, since the whole point of notability is being recognized beyond your own platform.
Report impersonator accounts.
If fake accounts are actively copying your identity, reporting them to Instagram can strengthen your verification case by demonstrating real, documented demand for protecting your name. This is one of the more overlooked strategies for building a stronger application.
Avoid policy violations.
Any recent violations of Instagram's Community Guidelines, including copyright strikes, spam flags, or content removals, can disqualify your application entirely, so it is worth reviewing your account's recent history before submitting a request.
Be patient and do not give up.
Many accounts are rejected on the first attempt, sometimes more than once. Waiting a few months, gathering additional press coverage, tightening up your profile, and reapplying is a common and often successful long term strategy rather than a sign that verification is out of reach.
Common Reasons Your Request Gets Rejected
Almost every denial traces back to one of these three, and two of them are fixable before you ever hit submit.
Your account does not meet the notability bar.
The most common rejection reason by far is simply not being well known enough yet in the eyes of Instagram's review criteria, regardless of follower count or engagement rate. This is why influencers with large but niche audiences are often rejected while smaller accounts with mainstream press coverage get approved.
There was a problem with your ID.
Blurry photos, mismatched names, expired documents, or IDs that do not clearly show all required information are frequent causes of denial for both the free and paid routes. Resubmitting with a clearer, current document often resolves the issue on a second attempt.
Your profile name does not match your ID.
If your Instagram display name does not align with your legal name or your business's registered name, Instagram will reject the request outright, since the entire purpose of the badge is confirming that the account matches a real, identifiable entity.
Is Getting Verified on Instagram Worth It?
For public figures, journalists, and brands facing impersonation, the verified badge adds real credibility and protects your identity online, particularly in industries where fake accounts actively scam followers using a stolen identity.
For casual creators without notable press coverage, the free route is unlikely to succeed no matter how many times it is attempted, making Meta Verified a faster, more predictable option if the monthly cost reasonably fits your budget and goals. Ultimately the decision comes down to whether your priority is cost (free, but uncertain and slow) or speed and certainty (paid, but recurring).
One thing the badge will not do is make people stop scrolling. If reach is the actual problem, the fix is in the first two seconds of your content, not next to your username. Hookest tracks the trending hooks working on Reels right now, and the Instagram Story navigation guide shows how to find the exact slide where viewers drop off.
Ignore anyone selling you a badge
Instagram has exactly two verification channels: the free request inside Settings and the Meta Verified subscription. Services promising a guaranteed badge for a one time fee are either reselling the same subscription at a markup or collecting your login details. There is no insider route, and paying for one usually costs you the account rather than earning you the checkmark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply for free through Settings if you are a notable public figure or brand with genuine press coverage, or subscribe to Meta Verified for a more predictable review process starting at $14.99 per month.
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