Instagram profile with blue check verified
You'll need to meet Instagram's verification requirements before you can get your blue check.
Picture alliance/Getty Images
  • To get verified on Instagram, you’ll need to be ready to submit some personal information, including your full legal name and photo ID. 
  • There are several requirements you have to meet to get verified on Instagram, but Instagram isn’t totally clear about what those exact requirements are.
  • If you’re certain you meet Instagram’s standards, you can get verified by submitting a request through the app.
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In today’s influencer-driven social media landscape, the coveted blue “verified” checkmark found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram gives you street-cred, and gives your posts a seal of authenticity from the platform. 

And while this tier of social influence was originally reserved for established celebrities and brands, Instagram has now made it possible for any Instagram user to apply for verification directly from the app — but users still have to meet some pretty high standards before Instagram approves the request.

Applying for verification itself is a pretty painless process. Here’s how to request verification from Instagram, using the mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone. 

What you need to get verified on Instagram

According to Instagram’s help site there a few key attributes it looks for when designating a verified account. Before you consider submitting your verification request to Instagram, take a look at the criteria to see if you’ll be approved for a blue account badge. 

  • Is your account authentic? As long as you’re being yourself and not purposefully impersonating another person or brand, you qualify. 
  • Is your account unique? Instead of focusing on impersonating accounts, this caveat focuses on how many Instagram accounts you’re operating. For example, an influencer or brand would need to have just one central account that represented them (instead of several different ones) in order to be verified.
  • Is your account complete? Instagram stipulates that a “complete” profile must have a bio, profile picture and at least one post. But the trickier part might be that Instagram also specifies your account can’t have “add me” links to other social channels, like a promotion to follow your Twitter account. 
  • Is your account notable? This is both the most open-ended standard and (arguably) the most important. Instagram defines notable as a brand or entity that is “well-known” or “highly-searched” and in part uses media coverage to determine this status — excluding paid promotional content. 

Apart from those criteria, and adhering to Instagram’s community guidelines and terms of service, determining exactly what makes or breaks a verification request is still a bit of a mystery. But if Instagram denies your campaign for verification this time around, you can always apply again in 30 days. 

How to get verified on Instagram

If you feel that you meet all the criteria listed above, it's time to submit an application.

1. Open your Instagram app.

2. Tap your Profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the app screen.

3. Tap the three bars in the top-right corner of your profile.

4. Select the Settings option. 

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Open the Settings page.
Sarah Wells/Business Insider

5. Tap "Account." 

6. On your Account Settings page, choose "Request Verification."

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Tap "Request Verification."
Sarah Wells/Business Insider

7. You'll be prompted to provide your full name, a photo of an official document to verify it (like a driver's license, passport, or business tax filing), and a category that best describes your account (such as blogger/influencer, business/brand/organization or news/media). 

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Fill in the verification prompts, including your identity and page category.
Sarah Wells/Business Insider

8. When you're done, tap the blue Submit button. 

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