Symbols Next to an Instagram Username: Checkmarks, the Threads Number, 'Follows You', and the Rest

A handle rarely appears alone on Instagram. Beside it there's usually something: a check, a Threads logo with a number, a grey "Follows you," a small icon in the comments. Each one is a piece of information, some of it paid for, some of it optional, and none of it labeled.

Here's every mark that can sit next to a username, sorted by where you see it.

On Profiles

Blue check — Verification. Two kinds, one look:

• Meta Verified: a monthly subscription. The account confirmed identity with an ID. Includes support access and some impersonation protection.
• Legacy verified: granted by Instagram before subscriptions existed, to accounts it deemed notable. Not for sale, not revoked so far.

Tap the check to see which. For audiences, the distinction matters less every year, and for creators, the credibility it buys is modest and mostly about looking established at a glance.

Threads logo with a number — The account has a Threads profile, and the number is their join order (lower = earlier). Tapping it opens their Threads. It can be hidden: Threads → Settings → Privacy → Show Instagram badge. A missing badge doesn't mean no Threads account; it might mean they turned it off.

"Follows you" — Under the username on a profile you visit, if that account follows you. Only you see it. It's the fastest way to check a mutual without opening lists.

Category label — "Creator," "Musician," "Local business." Set by professional accounts. Optional, and some creators hide it for a cleaner header.

Lock — Private account.

Pronouns — Grey text after the name, set by the user, optionally visible only to followers.

In Comments

Author mark — A small icon or a label ("Author," "Creator") next to the handle of whoever posted the content, so their replies stand out. Automatic.

📌 Pin — A comment the author pinned to the top. Up to three.

♡ with the author's picture — The author liked this comment. Shows as a tiny heart with their avatar under the comment.

Blue check — Same meaning as on profiles.

"Top fan" or similar badges — On some accounts, especially those with subscriptions, subscribers get a badge next to their name in comments. Set by the creator's subscription settings.

Hidden or "Restricted" label — Visible only to you on your own comments if the author restricted you; it's the sign your comment is invisible to others.

In DMs

Blue check — Verification, again.

"Instagram User" as the name — The account is deactivated or deleted. The name and picture are replaced with a placeholder.

Small circle or "Active now" — Presence. Green dot means online; "Active 2h ago" is the last-seen. Both can be turned off in settings, which also hides others' status from you.

Bell with a slash — You muted this thread.

Pin — The thread is pinned to the top of your inbox.

The full DM icon set, including message-status marks, is its own reference.

In Lists (Followers, Likes, Story Viewers)

"Follows you" — Same as on profiles, shown inline.

Check — Verification.

"Suggested" — In follower lists on some builds, accounts Instagram suggests you follow back.

Remove / Restrict buttons — On your own follower list, next to each name. Not badges, but often mistaken for status indicators.

The Ones You Can Control

On your own profile:

• Threads badge: hide it from Threads' settings.
• Category label: toggle it in Edit profile → Profile display.
• Pronouns: set and scope them in Edit profile.
• Blue check: buy Meta Verified, or don't.
• Activity status: turn off in Settings → Messages → Show activity status.

Everything else is either automatic (author marks, "Follows you") or set by the other person (their check, their badge, their subscription labels).

None of these marks changes how your content is distributed. A verified account and an unverified one with the same post get the same reach. The marks are for the humans reading the handle, and the profile as a whole does far more of the convincing than anything beside the name.