You can delete your own comments in seconds, but you can only hide or report comments from others
If you posted a comment on Instagram, you can remove it permanently from that post. If someone else commented on your post, you cannot delete their comment directly — instead, you can hide it from your feed, restrict the person, or report it to Instagram if it violates their rules.
The method depends on whose comment you want to remove and what device you are using. Both the mobile app and the web version work the same way, though the buttons are in slightly different places.
Key Takeaways
- To delete your own comment, tap and hold it (or right-click on web), then select delete from the menu that appears.
- To hide someone else's comment from your post, tap the three dots next to their comment and choose hide comment.
- Hiding a comment removes it from your post's visible comment section but does not notify the person who wrote it.
- If a comment breaks Instagram's rules, you can report it instead of hiding it, which sends it to Instagram's review team.
- Restricting a person prevents them from seeing when you are online, reading your messages, or commenting on future posts.
How to delete a comment you wrote
Open the post where you left the comment. Find your comment in the section below the image or video. On the mobile app, press and hold your comment until a menu appears with several options. On a computer, hover over your comment and right-click, or look for three dots that appear next to it.
Tap or click Delete from the menu. The comment disappears immediately and cannot be recovered. The person who posted the photo or video will not receive a notification that you deleted it, but they may have already seen it if they read the comments before you removed it.
How to hide a comment someone else left on your post
Go to the post where the comment appears. Find the comment you want to remove from view. On the mobile app, tap the three dots to the right of the comment. On a computer, hover over the comment and the three dots will appear.
Select Hide comment from the menu. The comment will no longer appear on your post for most people viewing it, but the person who wrote it can still see their own comment if they return to the post. Instagram does not notify them that you hid it. If you change your mind, you can unhide the comment using the same menu.
How to report a comment that violates Instagram's rules
If a comment contains hate speech, threats, spam, or other content that breaks Instagram's community guidelines, you can report it instead of just hiding it. Find the comment, tap or click the three dots next to it, and select Report comment.
Instagram will ask you why you are reporting it. Choose the reason that best matches the problem — for example, "It's spam" or "It's abusive or harmful". Instagram's team reviews reported comments and may remove them or take action against the account that posted them. You will not see the outcome of the report.
How to restrict someone from commenting on your posts
If one person repeatedly leaves comments you do not want to see, you can restrict their account. Go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Restrict. A restricted person can still see your posts, but their comments will only be visible to them — other people will not see them unless they click to view hidden comments.
Restricting someone is less visible than blocking them. The restricted person does not receive a notification, and they cannot tell they are restricted unless they try to message you or notice their comments are hidden. You can unrestrict them at any time by going back to their profile and selecting Unrestrict.
How to block someone if hiding comments is not enough
If you want to prevent someone from seeing your posts, messaging you, or interacting with your account at all, you can block them. Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select Block. A blocked person cannot find your profile, see your posts, or send you messages.
Blocking is more permanent than restricting and is visible to the other person if they try to visit your profile. They will see a message saying the account is not available. You can unblock them later if you change your mind, but they will not be notified when you do.
What happens when you delete or hide a comment
When you delete your own comment, it disappears from the post immediately. No one can see it, and Instagram does not keep a record of it on the post itself. The person who posted the photo or video may have already seen it in their notifications, but the comment is gone from the public view.
When you hide someone else's comment, it stays in Instagram's system but becomes invisible to most viewers. The person who wrote it can still see it on their own profile and in their activity. If they visit the post again, they will see their comment is still there. Other people will see a note saying "1 hidden comment" or similar, and they can click to view it if they want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the person see that I deleted my comment?
No. If they already saw your comment in their notifications, they will know it existed, but they cannot see it on the post anymore. Instagram does not send a notification when you delete your own comment.
Can the person see that I hid their comment?
No. They can still see their own comment when they visit the post, but they will not receive a notification that you hid it. Other people will see that a comment is hidden, but the person who wrote it will not know you took that action.
What is the difference between hiding and restricting?
Hiding a comment removes it from view on a single post. Restricting a person affects their entire account — they cannot see when you are online, their comments are hidden on all your posts, and they cannot message you. Restricting is broader but less visible to the other person.
If I delete a comment, can I get it back?
No. Once you delete a comment, it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered. If you need to correct something you said, you would have to write a new comment.
Can I delete comments on someone else's post?
No. You can only delete comments you wrote yourself. On posts that belong to other people, you can only hide your own comment or report theirs if it breaks the rules.