Breakdown: How to get verified on Instagram in 2026

Getting started: basic steps

Instagram verification is the workflow of getting a blue checkmark badge that appears next to your username on the channel. The verification badge signals to other users on the network that an profile really belongs to the user, artist, brand, or organization it represents.

If you’re looking to enhance your presence while pursuing verification, consider brainstorming unique Instagram username ideas that reflect your brand identity.

Your favorite celebrity probably has a blue checkmark on their profile:

Brands with a strong social media following typically have a verified badge too:

But there are actually two types of verification: traditional verification and paid.

Originally, verification was only available to “notable and unique” people or brands. The workflow of awarding that coveted blue checkmark was shrouded in mystery, and verification was typically restricted to celebrities and big brand names.

These days, users can also pay for verification through Meta Verified. That means anyone can achieve a verified badge on their Instagram or Facebook accounts.

Whichever route you take, the payoff is the same:

Legitimacy and trust: The verification workflow requires a government-issued ID, so having a verified badge establishes your profile authenticity and helps the community know it’s the real you. People are more likely to follow, inquiry, and perform business with an account they can confirm is genuine.

Impersonation protection: Fake accounts exist for all kinds of reasons, from scams to parodies. A badge sets your profile apart from impersonators, and Meta Verified adds proactive profile monitoring to help protect your account from impersonators or hackers.

Visibility and performance: Verified accounts appear at or near the top of comments and search results when people type in a business name. They also appear as a recommended business to follow in the Feed, which can translate into more followers, website clicks, and conversions.

Extra features: Verified accounts achieve access to perks like exclusive stickers on Instagram Stories and Reels to help their materials stand out.

No matter which approach an profile used to get verified, the blue checkmark looks the same. That means it’s impossible to know whether it was awarded to a user through traditional means or if they’re paying for the Meta Verified offering.

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Anyone can request a verified badge on Instagram. Though the requirements are slightly various for each type of verification.

If you want to go through the traditional verification workflow for your Instagram profile, you can apply for the blue badge if you’re a notable public figure, celebrity, or brand, and you meet the eligibility criteria.

Instagram’s criteria is a bit vague, but here’s what we perform know.

In addition to following Instagram’s Terms of Leverage and Community Guidelines, your profile also needs to be:

Authentic: It must represent a real person, registered business, or entity.

Unique: Only one profile per person or business may be verified, with exceptions for language-specific accounts. Instagram generally doesn’t verify general interest accounts.

Complete: Your profile must be public and complete. That means you must have a bio, profile photo, and active profile when applying.

Notable: Your profile must represent a well-known, highly searched-for person, brand, or entity.

What counts as “notable” to one person may not be notable to another, which is why verification used to be out of impressions for most Instagram users.

But don’t despair. There’s now another option: Subscribing to Meta Verified.

Getting a blue tick through Meta Verified is much more simple.

Be located in a country that offers Meta Verified

Have a public or private profile that’s associated with your full name, aligns with naming standards, and has a profile picture that includes your face

Meet minimum activity requirements, such as prior posting history

A government-issued ID or driver’s license

Two-factor authentication enabled on your profile

Follow Instagram’s Terms of Leverage and Community Guidelines

Meta Verified is also available for businesses globally, and the requirements and pricing differ from individual subscriptions. Business plans are sold in tiers, with higher tiers bundling extras like enhanced support and additional profile features. Pricing varies by country, currency, and whether you subscribe through the app or on the web, so verify the price shown in your own profile before committing.

If you’re relatively confident you meet the eligibility requirements for traditional verification, or you’re ready to splurge on paid Meta Verified, read on.

Traditional verification vs. Meta Verified: Which is right for you?

The right path depends on how well-known your brand or name already is. Traditional verification is free but hard to get, while Meta Verified (the most costly social media subscription) is open to almost anyone willing to pay a monthly fee.

From $11.99/month on the web ($14.99/month on iOS and Android) for individuals, with tiered business plans

Notable public figures, celebrities, brands, and organizations

Anyone 18+ with a valid government-issued ID and a qualifying profile

Submit a form with authenticity and notability documentation

Subscribe, then confirm your identity with an ID

Proactive impersonation tracking, profile support, exclusive stickers

If you’re regularly mentioned in the press or searched for by name, apply for traditional verification first since it costs nothing. If not, Meta Verified is the faster and more realistic route.

How to get verified on Instagram in 5 steps

Want to try for traditional verification? Follow these five steps to request verification for your business profile. Retain in mind you can only request traditional verification using the mobile app, not the desktop version.

First things first, open your Instagram app and make sure you’re logged into the profile you want to verify. Then, tap your profile photo in the bottom right corner of the app to head to your Instagram profile.

From there, tap the hamburger menu icon (three parallel lines) in the top right corner of your profile.

This takes you to all of your Instagram configuration.

Scroll down in the parameters until you see the For professionals section. Then tap Business tools and controls.

Scroll to the bottom of this section to find the blue Request verification link and tap it.

Next, you’ll have to fill out the available form to request verification for your professional profile.

You’ll have to confirm both authenticity and notability with documentation. The information you’ll need to provide include:

1-2 identification documents for your business, like a driver’s license, passport, ID card, tax filing, utility bill, or articles of incorporation.

The category and country of your notability, as well as any names that you or your business is known by.

Additional social media accounts that showcase your notability.

While many of the form fields are listed as “optional,” we recommend filling out as much as you can to increase your chances of receiving verification.

Once you’ve completed the form, tap the Submit button at the bottom.

After submitting, maintain the following in mind:

Just because you request verification doesn’t mean the channel will grant it.

Submitting a verification request multiple times before getting a decision will cancel your application.

Getting verified on Instagram doesn’t mean your Facebook Page will also receive verification, so you’ll have to submit a request on both platforms.

Once verified, certain accounts (public figures, celebrities, and brands that meet specific profile and eligibility requirements) may not change their Instagram username, so make sure you’re happy with the name you’ve chosen.

If you’ve received verification using false or misleading information, Instagram reserves the right to take action, like removing your verified badge and/or disabling your profile.

Step 1: Navigate to verification configuration

If you have a business or creator profile, achieve to the verification screen the same way you would for a traditional application: open your profile, tap the hamburger menu icon, tap Business tools and controls, then tap Request verification. The difference is that you won’t fill out the application form.

At the top of the verification request form, you’ll see a Before you launch header that prompts users to sign up for Meta Verified if they aren’t a notable individual or prominent brand. Tap this to get started.

Some accounts may have a prompt to join the waitlist before they can sign up. This may be the case for users in countries where the capability isn’t yet available, but many users note they’ve had to wait for a few weeks in the waitlist, even in applicable countries before getting access.

Otherwise, you’ll immediately be hit with a prompt to Unlock benefits.

Tap the button to move onto the next page. Here, you’ll see the price in your area along with some of the perks you’ll gain access to.

Tap Maintain to move on. If you’re on iPhone, you’ll be prompted to confirm your subscription.

You can also sign up on the Android app or the desktop version. Retain in mind that each channel is billed separately, so verifying both an Instagram and a Facebook account means two subscriptions.

6 tips to improve your chances of getting verified

Ready to earn that blue verify? Maintain these tips in mind to increase your chances of receiving traditional verification.

There are so many areas to fill out in your Instagram profile that can provide even more context behind who you are. Profile optimization is the fastest win here, since it builds trust and credibility before Instagram ever looks at your application.

Upload a high-quality profile photo (or logo if you’re a business)

Apply your real name or business name as your username

Fill out your bio with exactly who you are and what you perform

Input your location (or the location of your flagship store/headquarters)

If a business profile, pick the appropriate business category

Add a CTA button to help people gain in touch with you

Build Story Highlights that live on your profile

Creating an optimized profile makes people more likely to follow you, giving Instagram even more reason to verify you.

Instagram wants to reward active accounts, so make sure you’ve got a consistent posting timetable.

More than that, though, make sure that you’re posting consistently frequently. Sharing a fresh post once per week may not be enough. Try being active on the network each day. Scheduling a week of materials at once in Hootsuite makes daily posting far easier to sustain.

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According to Sarah Campbell, Instagram Expansion Strategist, you’ll want to leverage Instagram collaborations this year. Not only can this enhance your development on the platform overall, but it can help your chances of getting verified.

By partnering with other credible and notable accounts, you’re further solidifying your position. Campbell shares that collaborations can lead to shared audiences, boosting your Instagram subscriber count, but that they also boost credibility.

While authenticity (being a legitimate person or business) is a prerequisite for verification, that’s not exactly what we mean here. We mean that you should showcase who you really are as a legitimate person or business.

In practice, that looks like posting behind-the-scenes materials from your workspace, introducing real team members instead of leaning on stock photos, using your real name or registered business name, and keeping your bio consistent with how you’re described elsewhere online. Be real with your readers so the network can easily see that you are who you say you are.

5. Build your presence outside Instagram

Traditional verification hinges on notability, and Instagram looks beyond your profile to judge it. The application itself asks for links to articles and other accounts, which tells you how much off-platform signals matter.

A few ways to strengthen that footprint:

Earn coverage in credible news outlets, trade publications, or industry podcasts

Retain active, consistent profiles on your other major social platforms

Make sure your website, press page, and business listings leverage the same name and branding

Effort toward a Google Knowledge Panel, which signals that your name is widely searched

The more searchable your name or brand is off Instagram, the easier it is to prove notability on it.

6. Avoid third-party verification services

Only Meta can grant an Instagram verification badge, so any offering promising to get you verified for a fee is either selling you nothing or putting your profile at risk. Many of these offers are phishing attempts designed to collect your login details or ID documents.

Stick to the two legitimate paths: the in-app verification request form or a Meta Verified subscription purchased through Instagram, Facebook, or your app store. If an agency or DM claims to have an inside connection at Meta, treat it as a scam and report it.