Whether you're digging up embarrassing old comments from years ago or racking your brain to remember the joke you made under someone's post last week, searching Instagram comments is a useful way to remember and keep track of your connections with others.
For Instagram creator Nadya Okamoto, who works to destigmatize menstruation, searching for comments can "help build bridges between social media creators and their followers." Because she sees Instagram comment sections as a place for followers to share and embrace their unique experiences, she believes searching them can help users better cultivate online community and friendships. "When I write about mental health and anxiety, I often get a lot of people asking about different coping mechanisms that have worked for me, and I don't want to miss any of them," she said. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to search for Instagram comments, whether they’re on your posts or on other people’s GIFs.
How to find comments on your own Instagram posts
Instagram doesn’t offer a feature that lets you search all the comments on your posts, but you can still find the best ones in a number of ways. The easiest way is to open one of your own posts on your computer, where the comments will automatically appear to the right of the post, and then use the Ctrl+F or command+F keyboard shortcut to search for the text in your browser. Hold down the "Ctrl" key (on a PC) or the "command" key (on a Mac) and then press the "F" key to search the page for a username or other keywords. Anything that directly matches your search will light up.
Instagram can only display a limited number of comments at one time, so if you want to search a wider selection, you'll have to click the plus button to load more comments. With this method, you'll also need to switch between posts if you want to search across multiple comment sections.
If you're not sure which post someone commented on with a hilarious reference to the latest Bachelorette episode, a simple Google search might be enough to do that. If your account is high-profile enough, typing keywords and search terms along with "site:instagram.com" into a search engine can uncover the comments you're looking for. However, this generally does not apply to smaller accounts, especially private accounts.
One way around these pitfalls is to use third-party apps like Picodash or Hootsuite, which allow you to search and track a variety of metrics across different social media platforms. However, many of the features of such apps are often pricey and may be more suitable for businesses than individuals.
How to find comments you've made on Instagram
Many of these methods can also find your previous Instagram comments, but the Instagram app offers an easier solution.
Go to your profile page and click on the three lines in the upper right corner to go to your Instagram settings. If you select the Security tab, you will see a Download Data option near the bottom of the screen. Click this option, enter the email address you want the data to be sent to, and click "Request Download." After entering your password, Instagram will send you a file containing all your account data. Don't worry if you don't receive this email right away - it can take up to 48 hours to be sent, and sometimes goes into your spam folder, as a pop-up will tell you when you request this data.
Once you've received the email and downloaded the .zip file to your computer, open it to view a wealth of information about your Instagram history - likes, messages, past usernames, and more. The Comments folder will point to a file that shows every comment you've left on Instagram, along with the date and user who commented on the post. This list doesn't include deleted comments, however, so if you can't find the subtle hints you're trying to add under your old crush's posts, you may have deleted them.
To find certain keywords or usernames in the list, you can use the Ctrl+F or command+F keyboard shortcuts and dig up everything from embarrassing confessions to old inside jokes.
