How to Search on Instagram: User Searches, Filters, and More (2024)

Written byKasey Dunn|Edited byNicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: April 16, 2024Fact Checked

Searching Instagram

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   Tap the Search icon at the bottom of Instagram. It's the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen. This takes you to Instagram's Search and Explore page.^[1]

   • The Search and Explore page displays featured content, including Reels and photos you may find interesting based on accounts you follow, content you've liked, and who you're connected to.^[2]
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   Tap the search bar at the top of the screen. This action both opens your keyboard and displays your recent searches (if any).

   • If there's anything in your recent searches that you want to delete, just tap the X next to one of those searches.

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   Type a keyword, hashtag, username, place, or virtually anything else. Once you run the search, you'll be able to filter the results to show just the matches you're most interested in.

   • When searching for hashtags, you don't need to include the pound sign (#) in your search.
   • It's not possible to search for a user's comments on Instagram, but you can find posts and Reels that use certain keywords in their descriptions.
   • Users won't know that you're searching for them, so don't worry about them finding out about you looking them up.
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   Tap Search or press Enter. This searches Instagram for the word(s) you've typed.

   • You can't use the search tool to find comments people leave under other people's posts—there's no way to search for comments on Instagram. However, you might be able to find some comments by searching Google for Instagram content in your web browser.
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   View and filter your search results. By default, you'll see search results from posts and Reels that contain the keyword(s) you entered on the Top page. If you want to see a different type of content, you can choose one of the tabs at the top of the screen to filter the results.

   • Accounts: This shows you Instagram users whose usernames (or the names they use in their bios) contain your search terms.
   • Audio: This displays a list of songs you can use in your Reels. If you tap a song name, you'll see a list of public Reels that use that song—to use the song in your own Reel, just tap Use audio.
   • Tags: This displays hashtags that contain the keyword you've typed. Tapping one of the hashtag results displays posts using that hashtag. Tap a hashtag to see popular and recent posts containing that hashtag.
   • Places: Here you'll find physical locations, such as restaurants, stores, and scenic spots. Tap any of the locations to see a list of Instagram posts and Reels created at that location.

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   Tap the + at the top of Instagram. If you want to search for a particular Story effect (filters) or just browse the gallery, you can do so when creating a new Story. And if you don't want to create the Story now, you can always save the awesome effects you find to your favorites so you can easily access them later.

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   Tap Story. This opens to the Story screen.

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   Tap Camera. Your camera viewfinder will appear. You'll also see a carousel of effects at the bottom of the screen.

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   Swipe left on the effects carousel and tap Browse Effects. This is the last round tile on the carousel—the white circle with a pink and orange magnifying glass and stars inside. The Effect Gallery will expand.

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   Browse by category. If you want to see effects that fit a certain category, such as Funny, Weird & Scary, or Appearance, tap one of the tabs at the top of the gallery to explore.

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   Search for an effect. Tap the magnifying glass at the top-right corner to search effects by name or keyword. When you tap Search or Enter, you'll see a list of effects that match your search term(s).

7. See Also

   FREE Instagram Profile SearchThe 7 Top Tools To Search Users On Instagram | Kicksta BlogHow to View Instagram Without an AccountHow to Find Users, Posts & More using Instagram Search

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   Tap an effect. This displays a preview, and gives you several options:

   • Tap Try it to see how the effect will look in real time. If you want to use the effect to create a story now, just hold down the shutter button and create your story.
   • To save the effect to find easily later, tap the bookmark icon to save it to your favorites.
   • Tap the X if you don't want to use the effect, and then X again to return to the gallery.

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1. 1

   Tap the + at the top of Instagram. If you want to search for the coolest effects for your Instagram Reels, you can easily do so when creating a new Reel. Even if you don't want to create the Reel right now, you can add the best effects to your Favorites so they're easy to find later.

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   Tap Reel on the menu. This takes you to your camera screen.

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   Tap the icon of three stars. You'll see it just above the largest circle at the bottom of the camera screen. This opens the Effects Gallery, where you'll find all of the Reel effects available on Instagram separated into categories.^[3]

   • You can swipe up on the effects to make the menu larger, which might make it easier to browse your search results.
   • If you're not searching for something specific, you can simply browse by category. Tap Trending to see which effects are most popular lately, Reels to see effects designed for Reels (rather than for both Reels and Stories), or Appearance to check out effects that change your face.
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   Tap the magnifying glass to search for an effect. If you want to find a certain type of effect, try searching for words that describe it. For example, type beauty to find all effects that use that keyword in their title.

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   Tap an effect to try it out. You can keep tapping different effects until you find one you like.

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   Save an effect to your favorites. Just tap the bookmark icon to the left of the effect's name to save it to your favorite effects.

   • You can find your favorite effects the next time you create a Reel by tapping the bookmark icon just right of the magnifying glass icon.

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   Use the Instagram search tool in your web browser. If you're using Instagram on your computer, you can use Instagram's search just like you would in the mobile app. Head over to https://www.instagram.com, log in with your account, and type the keyword, hashtag, username, or other details you're looking for into the Search bar. You can then filter results just like you would on your Android, iPhone, or iPad.

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   Use Google to search for Instagram content. Another way to find Instagram content on the web is to use the site:Instagram.com search operator in your Google search. You'll be able to search for keywords, hashtags, and often comments—even if you don't have an account. This will only work for public content—nothing private will appear in a Google search.

   • Open Google and type site:instagram.com into the search field.
   • Type a space, then type the keyword, username, hashtag, or other information you're looking for. For example, if you want to find all public Instagram content containing the word wikiHow, you'd type site:instagram.com wikihow.
   • Try adding more keywords to your search. You can add someone's username and a keyword you're looking for to see if that user left a comment on a public post containing that keyword.
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   Try an Instagram search website to view users and stories. If you don't have an Instagram account, you can use a public Instagram viewer like this to find Instagram users in your web browser.

   • Go to https://imginn.com/ in any web browser.
   • Enter the username of the person you're looking for and click the magnifying glass to search.
   • Clicking a search result displays that user's Instagram content, as long as its publicly available.
   • If the user has a public Instagram Story, you can click Stories to watch it.

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