How to Remove Bot and Spam Followers on Instagram

You remove bot followers the same way you remove anyone: from your Followers list or their profile, using the Remove option. Instagram has no “remove all bots” button, so the real work is deciding which accounts to remove, removing them at a gentle pace, and changing a few settings so fewer come back.

If you haven’t worked out which followers are fake yet, start with how to spot fake followers, then come back here.

Should you remove them at all?

You don’t have to. A handful of bots does no real harm, and Instagram removes many spam accounts on its own over time. Removing them is worth it when:

• They’re a noticeable share of your followers and are dragging down your engagement rate.
• They’re sending you scam DMs or spam comments.
• You’re about to pitch brands, who may look at your follower quality.
• They simply bother you.

Removing one bot

Removing a follower is quiet. They aren’t notified, and they aren’t blocked. The steps:

1. Open your profile and tap Followers.
2. Find the account, using search if you have its username.
3. Tap the option next to their name to remove them, and confirm.

You can also do it from their profile, through the menu at the top. For a full walkthrough, including how removing differs from blocking, see how to remove followers without blocking.

Remove, block or report?

For bots, you have three options, and each does something different:

• Remove: they stop following you, but could follow again. Fine for harmless empty accounts.
• Block: they can’t follow you or find your profile. Better for accounts that send spam or scams. Instagram may also give you the option to block other accounts the same person creates.
• Report: tells Instagram the account is spam or fake. Worth doing for obvious scam accounts, since it helps Instagram remove them for everyone.

Work through them in order

When there are hundreds, prioritise:

1. Accounts sending scams or spam to you. Block and report these first.
2. Obvious bots: no picture, no posts, random usernames, following thousands.
3. Likely bots with one or two warning signs. Check these before removing, since some will be real people with sparse profiles.

To build that list faster, scan your account with Unfollower Tracker, open the Fans tab and turn off the verified filter so real brands are out of the way. Accounts with Instagram’s grey default avatar stand out as you scroll. You can copy the usernames and work through them on Instagram. The extension doesn’t remove followers itself. It helps you find them, and the removing happens in Instagram.

Pace yourself

Removing followers is an action like following or unfollowing, and Instagram limits how quickly you can repeat actions. It doesn’t publish those limits. Removing a long list in one sitting, as fast as you can tap, can lead to a temporary block.

A cautious approach:

• Take a few seconds between removals.
• Do a limited batch, then take a proper break.
• Spread a large cleanup over several days.
• If you see “Try again later”, stop and wait. What that error means explains how long it tends to last.

Any app or script that removes followers automatically carries some risk, because automated actions are against Instagram’s terms.

Stop new bots arriving

Removing bots is pointless if they come straight back. A few settings help, though menu names change, so search Settings if you can’t find them:

• Go private for a while. On a private account, nobody can follow you without approval. Private vs. public covers the trade-offs.
• Use hidden words and comment filters to hide spam comments and DM requests.
• Look at limits and message controls, which can restrict interactions from accounts that don’t follow you or recently followed you.
• Avoid spam magnets: follower-buying offers, follow-for-follow groups and “free followers” sites.

The short version

• There’s no bulk bot removal on Instagram. You remove them one at a time.
• Block and report scammers, remove harmless empty accounts.
• Look for default avatars and odd usernames to build the list, then remove slowly over days.
• Tighten your settings so fewer bots follow you in future.