Instagram Unblocked: How to Unblock and Use Instagram at School

Instagram is a rapidly growing social networking platform, which has gained attention and popularity due to its innovative focus on photo and video sharing.

Even if you are not fond of social networks yourself, it goes without even questioning that Instagram can benefit everyone in numerous ways.

It can especially be a valuable tool for schools and students.

An image featuring a person using Instagram on their phone

Let’s have a closer look at how school students can make use of the special features of Instagram on school WiFi and other internet connections.

  • First of all, Instagram can be used for capturing pictures on field trips and other excursions. Sharing such photos can be proven especially appealing, highlighting the fact that knowledge is something fun rather than dull and flat.
  • Another way Instagram can benefit students is to show their work to their families and close friends. Rather than keeping everything at school and out of reach, Instagram makes it possible to offer a glance of your work to everyone you wish to show it to.
  • When they are in the middle of a presentation or an experiment, students can use Instagram and keep their memories alive. Instagram for school computers can be helpful in times of revision and exams, particularly for students who enjoy learning via audiovisual techniques.
  • Students can get inspiration out of Instagram. Finding what you can read from books posted on friends’ timelines or reading about favorite quotes can be inspiring. What is more, by following writers, philosophers and other intellectuals, you can catch a glimpse of their own recommendations.
  • Last but not least, you can use Instagram at school to identify your progress or start a treasure hunt with clues that will keep students motivated. High-quality photos will push students towards engaging in such activities and getting interested in participating.
An image featuring a person using Instagram on their phone and laptop

It is true that many raise concerns as to whether or not the students should be free to use Instagram and other social networking platforms while at school. This is why there are such strict restrictions regarding its use.

Most frequently, students are only allowed to access websites that are closely related to education, or they are denied access to the web altogether. The very same problem is faced by students when they try to get online and access Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social networking portals and attempt to stream content online through sites like Netflix.

On the bright side, there are ways for you to unblock and access Instagram at school, along with other blocked sites like Facebook. You can overcome school internet restrictions and gain access to any website you want, no matter how strict and effective your school firewalls are.

Of course, too much unnecessary navigation to social media sites could hamper students’ learning experience. Still, it’s useful to be able to unblock your favorite sites online, even at school, which is why we present these methods to you.

How to Unblock Instagram at School in 2023

An image featuring a phone that has opened Instagram and has some kind of error message

There are two main methods that will allow you to unblock and use Instagram at school. The basic principle behind them is the fact that they don’t keep your personal digital information (for example, your IP address) intact. On the contrary, they change your IP address to make it appear like you’re somewhere else, with a different digital footprint.

Let’s talk a bit more about how this works:

VPN: In short, with the use of a VPN, you mask your identity and get a brand new IP address online. In this way, you won’t appear to be located at your school. This is the key to success when it comes to unblocking restricted content.

So, basically, what you need to do is to subscribe to a VPN, choose a VPN server and connect to the web through this server.

As a result, you will be able to unblock the limited content available at school—and that includes Instagram. VPNs operate using encryption, meaning your connection will be protected as you surf the internet. You may notice slower performance while connecting due to the encryption process, but it’s not enough to significantly hamper your experience. Also, the extra protection is worth the slightly slower connection.

The second method is to use a proxy server. We’ll cover both methods in detail in the next section.

Get Instagram Unblocked Effectively with 5 Methods

Unblock Instagram Using Mobile Data

An image featuring a person holding their phone with cool drawn logos coming out of it representing mobile data concept

This is probably the method that requires the least amount of technical know-how. Essentially, all you have to do to unblock Instagram is disconnect your mobile device from the internet service provider or the WiFi network you are currently using. In your case, it would be the school network.

Then, use your data plan to get the best connection speed at unblocking Instagram. As mentioned before, this method is not so sophisticated that you have to read up on it to get started. But it will unblock Instagram and get you started playing games on other sites if that is what you want.

Getting rid of Instagram blocks is not an easy task, but using your own data plan can make things easier.

Of course, we’re assuming here that you have your own devices—or, more specifically, Android devices—that can not only connect to the school’s WiFi but also support data usage through 5G, 4G or even 3G mobile networks.

Schools usually block social media sites at the network level. Moreover, they might have set up geo-location restrictions in a way where accessing Instagram from within the school premises is blocked. In that case, this method may not work. In our experience, though, this method should allow you to access blocked sites without any need for a VPN provider or a service that offers free proxy servers.

Using this method, you may use your favorite harmless social media app, but an app like Instagram will eat up your mobile data very quickly. Instagram Stories are a huge problem for people who use mobile data to consume content. Moreover, this method will not work on a school computer since schools block Instagram most of the time, and you can’t use your device’s internet with your school computer.

Unblock Instagram With Proxy Servers

An image featuring a person using his laptop with proxy server text in front representing proxy server concept

You can enjoy Instagram music (which doesn’t always have to have instruments involved since Instagram also allows just lyrics) from your browser’s search bar by using a proxy service.

Schools block access to streaming services and third-party apps to make sure students are concentrating on work. But sometimes, particularly after a tough study session, there is no harm in you accessing Instagram and other blocked sites with the help of either browser extensions or website URL services that allow you to see fun travel photos, watch unique food-making videos, laugh at cute animals doing silly things and other interesting content. One new tool to download Instagram photos and watch Instagram stories is ImgInn.

As effective third parties, proxy servers can enable all of that by hiding your IP address. Even your ISP can’t know your IP address. Beyond that, proxy server providers don’t offer much protection, even if you have a user account with them. But since Instagram logs your location and then uses it to deliver (or not deliver) content to you, a proxy server can change your location to a place where the restrictions on Instagram are not so harsh.

Using a proxy server to access Instagram and streaming services is also very easy. All you have to do is go to the proxy servers provider’s website, click on the link that says unblock Instagram (some proxy servers don’t even require that; they just unblock Instagram and other sites when you interact with their input field), and then paste the URL in the text field provided to unblock Instagram.

Warning:

The only problem with this method is that even though it will unblock Instagram at school for you, it doesn’t protect your data. If you are willing to take that risk, then go ahead.

Access Instagram With HTTP Instead of HTTPS

An image featuring a search engine that has http link onto it

HTTPS is great for privacy. It isn’t great if you want to unblock Instagram at school. To use this method, just take any URL you want to unblock and then remove the “S” from the part that says HTTPS.

Almost all good websites use HTTPS now since it provides a higher level of security. But when you want to unblock Instagram at school, you have no time for security.

Just keep that in mind while you use this method to unblock Instagram at school.

Unblock Instagram With Various URL Shortening Services

An image featuring text that says URL shortening with binary code next to it

For the most part, schools use simple website blockers that you can unblock with help from URL shortening services like Bitly or TinyURL.

Just go to the website of the URL shortening service that you like and input the URL you would like unblocked. Since the name of the website is hidden when you shorten a URL, most blockers are unable to pick it up and block it.

However, you will need a bit of luck to get Instagram unblocked through this method. That compels us to go to our last and best method to get Instagram unblocked.

Access Instagram Instantly by Using a VPN Service

An image featuring a VPN service concept

VPN providers can get Instagram unblocked for you in a matter of seconds. And all they use is a VPN application. No matter where you want to access Instagram, a VPN works—except in countries where VPN use isn’t exactly allowed.

Yes, people living in the west have long known that countries like Iran and China monitor VPN usage. That is why it is extremely important to use a VPN service that is able to hide your activity sufficiently and also hide the fact that you’re using a VPN service in the first place.

Note:

That means you cannot use free VPNs. It also means that browser extensions may not work. And you will have to check to see if the VPN offers apps to get around blocked Instagram access.

You can easily do that by going to the VPN provider’s website and checking if it offers the latest security features such as kill switches and split tunneling, which you may need to keep your data safe and secure at the same time.

In a forthcoming section, we’ll list the best VPNs for unblocking Instagram and other social media websites, even in the before-mentioned countries like China and Iran.

Bonus Method: Tor

An image featuring the Tor Browser on the phone and on a laptop

You can use the Tor browser instead of a VPN server to unblock Instagram and other social media platforms. It is just like your average browser. But it comes with a built-in capacity to get past restrictions and unblock sites.

You don’t need to understand how Tor works in order to use it. Just know that it takes your data and sends it through a number of servers located all over the world, which makes it impossible for your school to know what you’re doing online. So, if you want to unblock Instagram, you’ll launch the Tor browser and then use the URL bar to input the Instagram URL you’re interested in.

Tor is better than proxy servers when it comes to unblocking websites. And since a given Tor network contains so many servers, it is impossible for a resource-constrained entity like a school to install systems that can detect if a server belongs to the Tor network.

So, why have we listed Tor as a bonus method rather than one of the best methods to get rid of website blocking mechanisms? Well, it is because Tor is very slow. Since your data has to pass through a number of different relay servers located in distant corners of the world before coming back to your computer, this increases the distance between the destination and your computer to a huge degree.

Consequently, you always experience a speed drop when using Tor. With Tor, you can’t really browse a resource-intensive website like Instagram smoothly. That is why this option isn’t recommended as your first solution.

Best VPNs for Unblocking Instagram and Other Social Media Websites

NordVPN

NordVPN Logo

NordVPN offers the best protection in the market today. It has tons of privacy features and has a great privacy policy. All of that will cost you, though, especially if you don’t sign up for its two-year plan.

SurfShark

SurfShark logo

SurfShark offers unlimited simultaneous connections per account and comes with a good number of privacy features. It is also one of the cheapest VPNs if you sign up for the long-term plan.

ZenMate

ZenMate logo

ZenMate may not have the best privacy policy in the industry, but it has unlimited connections per account and unblocks all major streaming services. It also has a free trial, so it’s definitely worth a shot.

IPVanish

IPVanish logo

With 10 simultaneous connections on offer and a good server network, IPVanish offers great value for your money. However, the company is not the best at explaining its privacy policy, and the user interface needs to be simpler.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN logo

A huge VPN server network can be yours at a cost if you sign up for the monthly package. Apart from that, CyberGhost has all the latest features a VPN should offer and backs that up with very accomplished apps.

Step-by-Step Guide on How To Use a VPN for Unblocking Instagram

Step 1: Go to the Official Website of the VPN You’re Interested In

From there, take a look at whether it unblocks Instagram.

Step 2: Download the VPN App

Make sure it is meant for your operating system.

Step 3: Subscribe

You need to buy a package and then create an account with the VPN service.

Step 4: Launch the App

Install the VPN app on your system, launch the app and then sign in with your credentials.

Step 5: Select a Server and Connect

Experiment with the servers on offer and note how they affect performance.

Which Option Works Best for School Instagram?

An image featuring a person using Instagram

Choose any of the five methods displayed above according to your preferences and priorities. A student who also values online privacy and security a great deal should go for nothing else but the VPN method.

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both options, going with VPN is definitely a better deal since modifying DNS isn’t safe, and Security Gladiators would never go with such a pick.

It is in your hands to make the most out of your time at school. Without extremes, you can bypass the boundaries set for accessing social networking platforms like Instagram at school easily and with the utmost efficiency.

Whether you use school computers or your iPhone, Android or any other device at school, you now know what you need to do to achieve what you wanted.

FAQ: Access Social Media Sites, Including Instagram App, via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) Server

How Do I Unblock Instagram on My Browser?
You can unblock Instagram on your browser through the same steps described above.
If you want to save time, sign up for a VPN, install the VPN app, connect to a VPN server, launch your web browser and go to the Instagram URL that was previously blocked.
Stella Strouvali Stella is a certified writer and zealous wordsmith, a true fan of Placebo, technology, Panionios and wellness. Still, her true passion has to do with eagerly learning new things and passing them on to others. “An unexamined life is not worth living”, to quote Socrates.

59 thoughts on “Instagram Unblocked: How to Unblock and Use Instagram at School”

  1. There are some problems with this article. Although the information provided is correct in the sense that they will achieve the goal of being able to bypass web filtering, there are some technical flaws.
    1) public VPNs aren’t slow because of the encryption, instead this is due to the provider throttling the connection.
    2) modifying your DNS settings is dangerous and can lead to identity theft. I’m sure the Unlocator service is legit but “shooting in the dark” when it comes to modifying your DNS settings is a terrible idea.
    I’m not going to comment on the possible moral problems with providing this advice, but for a site called “Security Gladiators” the considerations of personal online security should probably be addressed.

    Reply
  2. Instagram is blocked and so is HideMyAss schools are getting very smart these days…….you can’t even try to go on youtube it takes a lot of time to hack the system omg its like trying to commit a murder in a crowd….impossible. Try again!!!!

    Reply
    • Thanks for the comment munojat,
      Yes. This is why we have written this guide.
      If you encountered any problems then please mention those using the comments section.

      Reply
  3. Did you ever bother to think there are certain state and government regulations that we technology directors have to use such as CIPA, child protection acts and so on. Thanks so much for putting this information out there making our jobs harder and putting children’s lives at risk. What an idiot!!! Maybe students need to pay attention in school, not be playing on social media. Maybe then common sense and kids with brains would make a come back.

    Reply
    • Thank you for the comment.
      Or teachers can allow students specific blocks of time to spend surfing the web under supervision.
      Using Instagram is by no means hurting academic performances.
      Students have to make sure that they take care of their other 23 and a half hours that they have after they are done with using Instagram.

      Reply
  4. Did you ever bother to think there are certain state and government regulations that we technology directors have to use such as CIPA, child protection acts and so on. Thanks so much for putting this information out there making our jobs harder and putting children’s lives at risk. What an idiot!!! Maybe students need to pay attention in school, not be playing on social media. Maybe then common sense and kids with brains would make a come back.

    Reply
    • Thanks for the comment Alexis.
      School may suck. But you’ll thank the school and what it taught you when you need money for family, treatment and holidays.

      Reply
    • Thanks for the comment Roselyn,
      This school that you find boring is going to make sure you have food on the table and a roof over your head.
      So keep studying.
      And when you feel tired use our techniques in this guide to relax a bit by surfing Instagram for a bit.

      Reply
  5. Hi there, when I saw this site I thought it would be a way to get on without using personal data but instead, it told me to get it so yeah. This info should not be used. I know that someone will find a way around it. Thanks. :D

    Reply
  6. Hi guys, I was looking for a free way around it but instead, I got a way to pay for personal hotspot or free internets around us. My school is not very known and there is no public wifi here. My mum will never let me use her money or my money on personal data so yeah. This was useless for me. I know someone will find a way around it. thanks.>.<

    Reply
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