How to Find Contacts on Instagram: Quickly And Easily

When you master how to find contacts on Instagram, you’ll do a much better job using IG for audience building, networking, and developing engagement strategies.

After all, Instagram has about two billion active monthly users.

With that many users on the platform, the key people your clients can build strategic relationships with are surely out there waiting to be found.

These people can be their future paid clients, business partners, or even crucial hires.

That’s why you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve when finding contacts on Instagram.

The quicker you find the right contacts, the more you can help your clients grow their business.

What you’ll learn:

• Why find contacts on Instagram?
• How to find contacts on Instagram using your phone
• How to find contacts on Instagram using the search function
• How to find contacts on Instagram using Desktop (Mac and Windows)
• Important considerations when finding contacts on Instagram
• Additional resources
• FAQs on finding contacts on Instagram
• Dominate Instagram using Vista Social

Why find contacts on Instagram?

Finding contacts on Instagram offers several perks for your clients, including the following.

• Network expansion. Think of finding contacts on Instagram as expanding your client’s social media family tree. The more branches your clients have, the more opportunities they have to collaborate, grow, and build communities with Instagram users. 
• Relationship building. Finding contacts allows your clients to connect and engage with potential partners, customers, and other Instagram enthusiasts. Reaching out to new Insta contacts and genuinely engaging them can also humanize your clients’ brands, fostering more authentic connections that grow their followers. 
• Stay in the loop. Finding people your clients want to follow and expanding their networks help them know who’s who on Instagram—from popular influencers to potential followers. It can also help them learn about the latest industry trends and hot topics, which they can leverage for their marketing, content, and audience engagement strategies. 
• Uncover hidden gems. Your clients can uncover countless opportunities when they dig for contacts and find new people to follow. For instance, your clients can learn and get inspiration from newly discovered contacts, such as their jaw-dropping photos and videos, innovative campaign ideas, and killer captions.

How to find contacts on Instagram using your phone

Finding contacts on Instagram via your phone is incredibly easy with the steps below.

Step 1: Open the Instagram app

Launch the Instagram mobile app on your smartphone and log into your client’s account.

Go to the profile page by tapping the profile picture icon at the bottom-right corner.

Step 2: Go to the Discover people section

The Discover people should appear below the Edit profile icon on the profile page.

Tap the plus sign beside a person icon if it doesn’t show.

Select See all.

Step 3: Connect contacts

Allow Instagram access to regularly sync with the device’s contacts by tapping Allow access.

You can opt to Connect to Facebook or Connect contacts at the top.

Your client’s contacts should now show in the Discover people section.

Tap Follow to connect with the recommended contacts.

Scroll down and select See all to view the contact list of all the people your clients can connect with on Instagram.

The process is pretty much the same on Android and iOS phones, with slight differences in the Instagram app’s interface.

To go to the Discover people section on an iOS phone, tap the profile icon and select the Menu or hamburger icon at the top-right corner (three horizontal lines stacked on each other).

Tap Discover people and See all. Go through the steps to connect your client’s contacts and follow the people they want to connect with.

[Must read: Instagram Following List Order Algorithm Explained [2024] ]

How to find contacts on Instagram using the search function

Another way to find contacts on Instagram is through the platform’s Search function.

Follow these steps:

• Open the Instagram app and tap the search icon at the bottom of your screen. If you know the name or username of the person your client wants to connect with, enter it into the search bar at the top.

• Select the Accounts tab to find the contact’s Instagram profile, and tap the result that best matches your search.

• Click the Follow button on the Instagram user’s profile to connect your client with them.

Once the Instagram user accepts the Follow request, you can see their profile (if it’s not on Private mode) and their posts and Stories and send them Direct Messages (DMs).

[Must read: How to Change the Background Color on Instagram Story]

How to find contacts on Instagram using Desktop (Mac and Windows)

The Discover people feature isn’t available on the Instagram website, but you can use the search option to find contacts. It works the same way on the mobile app.

Click on the Search option on the left-side menu.

Enter the Instagram name or username of the contact your client wants to connect with on the search bar and select the name in the results.

Click the Follow button on the user’s profile page.

In the Suggested for you section, Instagram also recommends profiles your clients can follow based on mutual followers and content interactions.

Select See All to view more of your client’s recommended Instagram contacts.

You can also delete and manage your clients’ synced contacts on the Instagram site.

Click the Profile option on the left menu, the Settings gear icon (⚙️), and Settings and privacy.

Click See more in Accounts Center in the Meta Accounts Center section.

Select Your information and permissions, then Manage contacts.

You can see and delete all your clients’ uploaded contacts to Instagram on the Manage Contacts page.

You can disconnect contacts syncing to Facebook and your client’s phone contacts on the Instagram app.

Go to Settings and Privacy from the menu > Accounts Center > Your Information and Permissions > Upload Contacts > the Instagram account you want to stop contact syncing.

Toggle off the switch beside Connect contacts to disconnect.

[Must read: How to Unlink Facebook And Instagram: Easy Steps [2024] ]

Important considerations when finding contacts on Instagram

Consider these essential factors when finding contacts on Instagram for your clients. 

• Prioritize quality over quantity. It can be tempting to go on a follow spree to expand your clients’ network fast but don’t just focus on the numbers. Instead, prioritize following contacts who align with your clients’ goals, values, and target audiences. You can think of it like curating your clients’ VIP guest list. 
• Engage, engage, engage. Don’t just rack up contacts for the sake of it. Make the most of your clients’ gained Instagram contacts and friends by interacting with them, such as responding to comments, likes, and DMs. Show your clients’ followers some love and spark conversations, which can start a long and beautiful online relationship. 
• Unfollow when necessary. You can’t always know if a contact is the right fit for your clients from the get-go. If you need to unfollow the contact or Instagram user, then go ahead. But consider how often you hit the unfollow button since bulk unfollowing other users can get your clients’ accounts flagged by Instagram. Plus, it can make your clients seem flaky and suspicious if they keep unfollowing their IG accounts. 
• Aim for authenticity. Your clients’ audiences want one thing: authenticity. The more genuine your clients’ posts and interactions, the more likely their Instagram contacts and followers will stay. TL;DR: Give your clients’ contacts a good reason to stay and become followers. 
• Respect privacy. Not everyone wants to be found or followed on Instagram. So, be mindful when reaching out to your clients’ Instagram contacts. Respect their privacy and boundaries, especially if they don’t want your clients contacting or following them on the platform. 
• Be safe. Instagram is an excellent space for connecting with people and building online communities. However, it can also be a wild, wacky, and even dangerous place if your clients don’t know who to trust. So, protect your clients and their interests. Be cautious of shady users, suspicious accounts, and potential phishing scams, especially when adding Instagram contacts. Do a bit of research and check the user’s Instagram profile to see if their account is legit. You can also check the user’s other social media pages or websites, the people who follow them and who they follow back, and mutual friends with your clients for validation. 

Additional resources

Learn more tried and tested tips to amplify your clients Instagram marketing and audience engagement game from these informative and related articles. 

• How to Make a Collage on Instagram: 3 Easy Ways
• How to Post Longer Videos on Instagram [2024]: Reels, Feed, Stories
• How to Add a Collaborator on Instagram: Complete Guide
• How to Put a Link in Instagram Bio: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Turn On/Off Vanish Mode on Instagram: Quick Tutorial
• How to Change Name on Instagram (And Username)
• How to Monetize Instagram in 2024: Tips, Policies, Timelines
• How to Recover Deleted Messages on Instagram [2024]
• How to Know If Someone Blocked You on Instagram
• 26+ Best, Popular Instagram Filters & Effects that SMM Agencies Use
• 8 Instagram Theme Pages Worth Following: Ultimate Guide
• Instagram Subscription: What Is It? How Does It Work?
• Instagram Username Ideas: Cool, Creative, And Fun Usernames
• Instagram Broadcast Channel: Everything You Need to Know
• Instagram Reels Templates: Everything You Need to Know (2024)

FAQs for finding contacts on Instagram

Below are the commonly asked questions about finding contacts on Instagram.

Can you find contacts on Instagram without their username?

If you don’t know the contact’s Instagram username or name, you can try these tips to find them on Instagram:

• Search for related locations or tags. You can use the filter by Tags or Places option in Instagram’s search feature. 
• Go to a mutual contact (friends that the contacts and your client follow and follow back) and look at their list of followers and the users they follow. 
• Choose a place or tag, filter based on the most recent posts, and look for that person’s post.

How can I troubleshoot if my Instagram contacts won’t work?

Connecting your client’s Facebook and phone contacts should instantly display the connected contacts.

While the contacts are periodically synced, it doesn’t always work well, and the contacts syncing can hit a few speed bumps.

Give it a few minutes, and if it still doesn’t work, turn the contact syncing option off and reconnect it.

You can also go to the Instagram Help Center for further assistance.

Also, you’ll likely need to reconnect contacts for a previously deactivated Instagram account.

[Must read: How to Temporarily Deactivate Instagram (Or Delete It): 2024]

Can you stop your contacts from finding you on Instagram?

You can’t stop someone from finding your client’s Instagram account if they are in the other person’s contacts.

But you can control what other users see in your client’s feed by switching the account to Private.

You can also control the account’s visibility by managing who can:

• Follow your client’s account.
• Limit how other users interact with the Instagram account.
• See and comment on your Instagram posts, Stories, and Notes.

[Must read: How to Get Notes on Instagram [2024]: Easy Fixes & Steps]

What happens when you connect Instagram to your device’s contact list?

Connecting your client’s Instagram account to their device’s contact list means that:

• Instagram will use your contacts to connect you with people you know, recommend content, and give you better service. Instagram will share the recommendations as notifications in your clients’ feeds or phones. 
• Instagram will periodically sync and securely store your clients’ contact lists on its servers, but your clients can delete their synced contacts from a computer at any time. The deletion process can take 90 days after your clients’ request for the deletion, and Instagram can still recommend contacts and content during this period.  
• The device’s contacts will only be visible to your clients and other users who have access to their Instagram accounts. 

Can you find people on Instagram with their phone numbers? 

Yes, by doing an Instagram search by phone number. 

However, this method only works if the person is in your client’s contacts, which happens after syncing your contact list. 

Do your phone contacts get notified when you join Instagram

Yes.

Your clients’ phone contacts who are on Instagram will get notified when your client joins IG if they add their contact number on the platform. 

The contacts will also know that your clients are on Instagram when they search for suggested followers. 

Can other users see my phone number and email address on Instagram?

No. 

Your clients’ phone numbers and email addresses are stored in their Profile settings, but they won’t automatically show up in the account bio. 

The information is not shown publicly, and only your clients and other users with access to their accounts can see the details. 

So unless your clients include their phone numbers and email addresses in their Instagram bio, no one else will see the information.

Dominate Instagram using Vista Social

Finding contacts in IG is pretty easy—but it’s only one part of your client’s overall Instagram marketing strategy.

You need the right social media management platform to amplify your clients’ Instagram marketing efforts.

Enter Vista Social, a modern SMM platform with robust features such as:

• A publishing feature that automates posting Instagram and other social media content based on your preferred optimal schedules.

Link your client’s Instagram profile, upload the video or image for the Reel, Story, in-feed, or carousel post, customize the post with captions, hashtags, and other settings, and set an auto-posting schedule.

[Must read: Instagram Story Viewer Order: How Does It Work?]

• A central content calendar and approval workflow options to streamline content planning, development, and management. Search filters allow you to quickly find all your clients’ drafted, published, and scheduled posts on the calendar.

• A link in bio tool and customizable landing pages within your clients’ social profiles to help drive traffic, generate leads, collect payments, track clicks, and more.

[Must read: How to Put a Link in Instagram Bio: Step-by-Step Guide]

The Vista Page feature is a micro website that makes your client’s content shoppable and clickable. You can customize the page using templates and editing tools. You can even create and schedule content to auto-publish on the microsite.

[Must read: 150+ CLEVER Instagram Bio Ideas for 2024 [Copy & Paste] ]

• Artificial Intelligence or AI-powered features, including hashtag tools, username generators, and an AI assistant that can instantly generate and translate content and text for your clients’ posts.

You can even leverage the AI Assistant to develop catchy descriptions to help optimize your client’s Instagram bio.

[Must read: Instagram Profile Tips: How to Optimize Your Instagram Bio]

Vista Social offers more features, from engagement management tools to robust reporting and analytics.
Start your Vista Social account to get in on the platform’s sophisticated and advanced SMM features.