Someone typed your @username during their live broadcast, usually in the live comments, and Instagram sent you a notification so you can join. If you know the person, it is an invitation to watch. If you don’t, it is usually a way to pull people into the stream, and often spam.
A mention doesn’t add you to the broadcast and doesn’t share anything from your account. You only join the Live if you open it, and you only appear on screen if the host invites you as a guest and you accept.
What triggers the “mentioned you in their live” notification
A mention on Instagram is your username with the @ sign in front of it. It works the same way in captions, comments, Stories and Lives. When someone mentions you during a live broadcast, Instagram notifies you while the Live is still running, and tapping the notification opens the broadcast.
Whether you get these notifications depends on your mention settings (who is allowed to mention you) and your notification settings.
Why strangers mention you in their Live
Getting mentioned by an account you’ve never seen is common, and there are a few reasons:
- They want viewers. Mentioning many people is a cheap way to get some of them to open the stream.
- Promotion. Some accounts go live to push a giveaway, a product or a “money making” offer and mention strangers to fill the room.
- Spam and scams. Fake accounts use mentions to reach people who would never follow them, then share links or ask viewers to message them.
If the account looks fake or you don’t know it, you don’t need to do anything. Ignoring the notification has no effect on your account. Don’t open links from the live chat and don’t send personal details to someone who found you through a mention.
How to stop unwanted Live mentions
Limit who can mention you. In your Instagram settings, open Tags and mentions and change who can @mention you. You can allow mentions from everyone, only from people you follow, or turn mentions off. Choosing people you follow stops mentions from strangers.
Deal with one account. Open the profile, tap the three dots and choose Block or Restrict, or Report it if the account is spam or impersonating someone.
Mute Live notifications. In your settings, open Notifications, then the section for Live and Reels, and turn off live video notifications. You can still watch Lives, you just won’t be pinged.
Can you watch the Live after it ends?
Only if the host shares it as a replay after the broadcast. If they don’t, the Live disappears for viewers when it ends, and the mention notification leads nowhere.
Mentions vs. tags on Instagram
A tag puts your account on a photo or video, and tagged posts can appear in the Tagged tab of your profile. A mention is your @username written in text: a caption, a comment, a Story or a live chat. Both notify you, and both can be limited in the Tags and mentions settings.
Mentioning someone in your own Live
While you are live, type @ and the person’s username in the comments. They get a notification with a link to your broadcast. To bring someone on screen, invite them as a guest; they have to accept before they appear.
There is no way to mention all your followers at once. When you go live, Instagram already notifies some of your followers, depending on their own settings. If you want a bigger audience in the first minutes of a broadcast, our Instagram Live views service adds viewers to the Live you choose.
FAQ
Does a Live mention mean I’m in someone’s video?
No. A mention is text. You only appear in a Live if the host invites you as a guest and you accept.
Why does it say someone mentioned me in their Live when I don’t know them?
Usually because the account mentions many people to get viewers, or because it is spam. You can ignore it, block the account, or limit mentions to people you follow.
Can the host see that I opened the Live?
Yes. Viewers of a Live are visible to the host while they watch.
How do I see who is live right now?
Accounts you follow that are live appear at the front of your Stories bar with a LIVE label. Our guide on how to see who’s live on Instagram has the details.