What Does "Content unavailable cannot find this user" Mean on Instagram?

Have you ever tried to view an Instagram post or story that someone shared with you directly in a DM, only to be met with the frustrating error messages "Content Unavailable" or "Cannot find this user"? As a fellow tech geek and avid Instagrammer, I‘ve been there too.

These vague and confusing notices can be a real pain when you‘re trying to view something that was specifically sent to you. But what do these errors actually mean and how can you get around them?

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll use my insider knowledge to explain exactly why you see these messages, what‘s causing them behind the scenes, and most importantly – how to fix things so you can view the content you were promised.

Stick with me and you‘ll have the skills of an Instagram expert and be able to troubleshoot any "Content Unavailable" or "Cannot find this user" issues that come up. Let‘s dive in!

What Exactly Does "Content Unavailable" Mean on Instagram?

Let‘s start by decoding what the error message "Content Unavailable" means when you encounter it on Instagram.

At a basic level, it means the specific piece of content (like a photo, video or story) you are trying to view no longer exists on Instagram‘s servers and cannot be accessed.

But why has the content gone missing? There are a few main reasons you could get the "Content Unavailable" notice:

• The original post was deleted by the creator. If the user who originally posted the content decides to delete it from their own Instagram profile, it will disappear from everywhere it was shared, including in DMs.

• The account that posted the content was deleted. If the full Instagram account responsible for the post is removed, either by the user or by Instagram itself, all content from that account will become inaccessible.

• You were blocked by the account that posted. If the OG account has blocked you, you‘ll lose the ability to view their profile or any of their content.

• The content violated Instagram‘s guidelines. If the original post broke community rules, Instagram may remove it completely from their app across the board.

• The original account is suspended. If an account gets temporarily suspended, its content gets hidden until the suspension lifts.

So in summary, "Content Unavailable" means the specific post, video, photo, etc. you are trying to view is gone forever from Instagram and unable to be retrieved. Bummer.

What Does "Cannot Find This User" Mean on Instagram?

You may also see the similar error "Cannot find this user" when trying to view DM‘ed content. While related, this one has some different nuances:

• The account that posted the content was deleted. If the full account is removed, Instagram considers them a non-existent user that can‘t be found.

• The account is temporarily suspended. Suspended accounts appear entirely deleted during the suspension period.

• You are blocked by the account. Blocking makes it so Instagram can‘t find the account for you in order to show their profile or posts.

• The account holder changed their username. Instagram won‘t be able to locate an account under a old, outdated username.

• Rare glitch or bug. In some cases, just a random tech issue results in Instagram not being able to find a proper account.

In summary for this one, "Cannot find this user" means the actual Instagram account associated with the content you are trying to view is now inaccessible or non-existent from your point of view.

Why Do These Error Messages Happen in DMs?

Now that you know the basics of what these messages mean, why do they pop up specifically when someone shares a post or story with you directly in an Instagram DM?

There are a few explainable reasons:

The Original Content Was Deleted

If the user who first posted the photo, video, etc. decides to delete it from their own profile, it will automatically disappear from any DMs it was shared in as well.

So if @cool_dude shares one of their posts in your DMs, but later deletes it from their own profile, it will be gone in your DMs too.

The Original Poster‘s Account Was Deleted

Similarly, if the full account responsible for sharing the content with you is deleted or disabled, either by the user themselves or Instagram, all content from that account will vanish.

For example, if @cool_dude sends you a DM with a post, but then @cool_dude deletes their account, the post will disappear from your DMs.

You Are Blocked by the Original Poster

If the OG account blocks you on Instagram, you‘ll lose the ability to see any of their content, including posts and stories shared directly into your DMs.

So if @cool_dude blocks you, their DMs to you will show "Content Unavailable".

The Original Content Violated Guidelines

If the original post or story broke one of Instagram‘s community rules, the platform will delete it completely, even if it was shared to your DMs already.

So if @cool_dude sent you something in a DM that violated the rules, it can still get removed by Instagram.

The Original Account is Suspended

If Instagram suspends the account responsible for the original content, that account‘s DMs will also show as "Content Unavailable" until the suspension is reversed.

For example, if @cool_dude get suspended, the content they DM‘ed you will temporarily vanish.

Fixing "Content Unavailable" and "Cannot Find User" Errors

Now for the good stuff – how can you actually fix these issues when they pop up and regain access to the content you wanted to view? Try these tips:

Ask the Sharer to Resend the Content

If the person who DM‘ed you the content can still see it on their end, have them simply re-share it to you in a new message. This generates a fresh copy you can view again.

Request a Screenshot of the Post

If they can still view the post themselves, ask the sharer nicely to take a screenshot of the content and send the screenshot image to you instead.

Check If You‘re Blocked by the Original Poster

Try visiting the profile of the account that originally posted the content to see if you are blocked. If so, you‘ll need the block lifted before you can view their content.

Wait It Out if the Original Account is Suspended

If the original posting account is just temporarily suspended, you‘ll just have to wait until Instagram lifts the suspension to access the content again.

See If the Content Violated the Rules

Read Instagram‘s community guidelines to get an idea if the original post may have violated policies and been deleted for that reason. Some content like nudity, violence, hate speech etc gets removed quickly.

Accept that Some Content is Gone Forever

If the original post or the full account was permanently deleted and disabled by the user, that content is likely gone for good unfortunately. Learn and move on.

Pre-Screenshot DMs You Really Want to Keep

Get in the habit of screenshotting or saving any content shared via DM that you definitely want permanent access to in case it later disappears.

Avoiding DMs Disappearing Altogether

Here are some pro tips to avoid running into content errors when sharing posts via Instagram DM in the first place:

• Only share non-rule-breaking content that won‘t get deleted for violating guidelines. Keep it clean and legal!

• Ask permission first before sharing someone else‘s content to your network. Some users don‘t like their stuff reshared without approval.

• Vet content first to make sure the original poster‘s account is active, accessible and not likely to be deleted. Don‘t set people up for failure!

• Spread sharing out over time. Don‘t spam tons of content all at once, which can trigger account restrictions.

• Keep your own account activity kosher to prevent getting blocked by other users or suspended by Instagram.

The Bottom Line

While confusing and annoying, most "Content Unavailable" or "Cannot Find User" errors that appear in Instagram DMs can be explained by things like accounts being deleted, users being blocked, or content being removed for breaking rules.

Luckily, there are ways to get around these issues, like asking the sharer to resend a screenshot of the content or checking if you were blocked. In some cases, the content is permanently gone – which is good motivation to always screenshot DMs that you really want to save for the future.

Hopefully this insider guide gave you a peak under the hood at what causes Instagram DMs to show these vague error messages. Armed with this knowledge, you can troubleshoot things like a pro next time it happens to you or a friend. Stay savvy out there and keep Instagramming like a boss!