- How to get around Instagram age verification with a VPN
- Why does Instagram require age verification in Australia?
- Our recommended VPNs for Instagram age verification
- How to bypass Instagram age verification in Australia: step-by-step guide
- How does Instagram age verification work?
- Which social media apps are banned in Australia from December 10?
- Is it legal to use a VPN to bypass Instagram’s age verification in Australia?
- Key takeaways on bypassing Instagram age verification in Australia
- FAQ
Meta has announced that, starting December 4, 2025, Australians under the age of 16 will no longer have access to their Instagram accounts or be able to create new accounts. Luckily, you can bypass the Australia Instagram age checks with a VPN. The technology encrypts your traffic, masks your IP address, and allows you to access Instagram as if from another country with no age checks.
Australia has introduced new legislation, effective December 10, 2025, that requires social media platforms, such as Instagram, to implement age verification and block users under the age of 16 from creating accounts. However, Meta has just announced that Instagram will start blocking all users under 16 as early as December 4 – six days earlier than the legislation mandates.
Instagram has begun notifying users it believes are under 16 that their accounts will be suspended or deactivated. These users are advised to download their data before they lose access. Once the users turn 16, they can verify their age on Instagram and regain access to their blocked accounts. Those mistakenly flagged as underage can appeal the decision by providing age confirmation through one of the following methods: a video selfie or a government-issued ID. However, uploading your personal documents online, even for a short time, raises huge concerns about data privacy.
Luckily, you can use a VPN to get around the Instagram age verification in Australia. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in another country, such as Ireland, bypassing Instagram’s age checks. Once you are connected, your IP address will match that of the server’s, making it appear as though you are accessing content from a location where sensitive or adult content is unrestricted. Continue reading this guide to learn how to use a VPN service to access Instagram in Australia without age checks.
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How to get around Instagram age verification with a VPN
- Subscribe to a trustworthy VPN. I recommend Proton VPN, now 70% off, as it offers thousands of servers in no age verification countries.
- Download and install the VPN app.
- Connect to a server in a country with no Instagram age verification, like Ireland.
- Head to Instagram and access it without age verification!
Why does Instagram require age verification in Australia?
Instagram requires age verification in Australia to comply with the Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) obligation under the Australian government’s Online Safety Act 2021. This new law bans all children under the age of 16 from holding accounts on designated social media platforms. This is primarily done to protect the mental health and well-being of minors in Australia by preventing online risks. The law, which came into full effect on December 10, 2025, holds social media companies responsible for ensuring that users accessing their sites are at least 16 years old and requires the platforms to take steps to prevent underage access. All social media platforms that fail to comply with this law may face substantial fines.
If you’d rather not submit your personal documents, like a government-issued ID, to access Instagram in Australia, you can bypass the Instagram age verification by using a virtual private network (VPN). Instagram determines whether to show age check prompts based on your location, so connecting through a VPN server in a country with no age verification rules can restore access to blocked content without compromising your privacy.
Our recommended VPNs for Instagram age verification
During my tests, Proton VPN proved to be the best overall Australian VPN for bypassing Instagram age checks in Australia, thanks to its extensive global fleet of servers in areas with no age checks, its no-logs policy for data security, and fast connection speeds that do not interfere with online activities. TotalVPN, on the other hand, is a good-quality budget option, offering low subscription costs, a wide range of servers outside Australia, and secure tunneling protocols to protect your privacy. Lastly, IPVanish proved to be a robust choice for bypassing Instagram’s age verification, offering unlimited device connections and smooth connection speeds.
How to bypass Instagram age verification in Australia: step-by-step guide
Because of the new Australian law, which came into effect on December 10, 2025, anyone under the age of 16 is now prohibited from accessing and holding accounts on Instagram. Luckily, users can rely on VPN services to access prohibited social media platforms as if from outside Australia, bypassing all age verification prompts.
Here’s my step-by-step guide on how to bypass Instagram’s age verification in Australia with a VPN:
Step 1. Get a VPN with servers outside Australia
The easiest and most private way to bypass Instagram age verification is to use a VPN service with fast, secure servers in countries where Instagram does not enforce strict age verification. After testing 17 different VPN services, I found that Proton VPN is the best for bypassing Australia Instagram age checks, as it offers 20300 servers in 148 countries, perfect for masking our Australian IP and accessing social media platforms as if from another country.
Proton VPN is the best VPN for bypassing Australia’s Instagram age checks, as it offers tens of thousands of secure servers worldwide to mask your IP address, fast connection speeds for comfy browsing, a no-logs policy to protect your data, and Stealth mode for ultimate anonymity.
Step 2. Install the VPN app
Once you have chosen your provider, download and install their app. For example, most VPNs offer apps for smartphones, laptops, and tablets, as well as browser extensions. Pick the one that’s most convenient for your use and set it up on your device to access Instagram in Australia.
Step 3. Connect to a server in a country without Instagram age checks
Currently, countries with no Instagram age verification include Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Romania, New Zealand, and a few select others, like Serbia, South Africa, Morocco, Argentina, and Colombia. So, pick one of these countries and connect to a VPN server located there. This will change your virtual location.
Step 4. Clear your cookies and cache
Before heading to Instagram, clear all your browser cookies and cache to remove any possible location identifiers. You can usually access the space to delete cookies by opening your browser settings (represented by three dots in the top right corner if you’re using Chrome), selecting the “Delete Browsing Data” option, and then clearing all cookies. The procedure might vary slightly depending on your browser, but you will definitely easily find it in the settings.
Step 5. Log in to Instagram normally while using the VPN
With your VPN connected and browser cookies cleared, head to Instagram. Now, you should be able to access the site in Australia without age verification. However, if your VPN is still not allowing you into Instagram, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- If you’re still receiving Instagram age verification prompts, try disconnecting from your VPN and reconnecting to a different server. The best choice is usually one that’s geographically close to you but is outside of your country. For example, if Belgium fails, try a server in Switzerland.
- Some sites are known to block VPN services, but they usually do so by identifying a server’s IP address. Changing a server will also solve this particular issue.
How does Instagram age verification work?
In Australia, the Instagram age verification process works by requesting users to confirm their age, either by taking a video selfie or uploading a government-issued ID. All of this age verification process is managed by a third-party app called Yoti. The video selfie is used to confirm identity and age, while photo ID is used to verify age only. Once the age check is completed, Yoti deletes the information immediately. However, even a brief online upload of documents puts your sensitive data at a high risk of leaks and exposure.
The Instagram age verification requirements are a part of Australia’s new law that prevents anyone under the age of 16 from using Instagram. The law also requires social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify user age.
What happens to your Instagram account if you’re under 16?
Meta announced that, from December 4, 2025, Australians under 16 will no longer have access to their Instagram accounts or be able to create new ones. This change is in response to the Australian Government’s social media age restrictions.
Users aged 16 and older who mistakenly receive a notification or lose access to their accounts have the option to confirm their age on Instagram through Meta’s third-party partner, Yoti, by providing a video selfie or government-issued ID. Yoti deletes this information once the age check is complete. However, I still recommend using a VPN service in this case to encrypt your traffic and mask your IP address, ensuring the security of your sensitive data online.
How to verify your age on Instagram
In Australia, Instagram will require age verification to ensure users accessing the platform are at least 16 years old.
- Launch Instagram and log in to your account.
- If Instagram prompts you, click on “Verify Your Age.” If you don’t get this prompt, go to Settings Account > Personal Information.
- Now, you may need to provide a government-issued photo ID or perform a video selfie to confirm your age. Follow the onscreen instructions to perform this action successfully.
- Wait for confirmation – Instagram usually confirms user age in a couple of days. Once that’s done, you can access your account.
If you’d like to bypass the Australian Instagram age checks temporarily, you can use a VPN, like Proton VPN, to change your virtual location and access the platform as if from a country with no age checks.
Which social media apps are banned in Australia from December 10?
Australia’s new social media minimum age (SMMA) law, effective as of December 10, 2025, requires several major platforms to prevent users under the age of 16 from creating and holding accounts.
The list of apps and platforms officially identified by the eSafety Commissioner as age-restricted currently includes:
| Type of social media platform – under-16 ban in Australia | Platforms affected |
|---|---|
| Social Networking | Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter) |
| Short-form video & multimedia | TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat |
| Live streaming & interactive | Kick, Twitch |
| Community & discussion forums |
However, the list is not final as the Australian government has stated that the situation is dynamic and other platforms may be added later if they are found to meet the criteria for an age restrictive service. So, it’s a good idea to stay on top of the news as the Australian age verification law situation unfolds.
The Australian age verification law is not without its own backlash, however, as many users raise privacy concerns regarding the under-16 social media ban. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have warned that stricter age verification could require collecting more personal data, such as government-issued IDs or other identifying documents, which raises risks around data security and misuse.
Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, has expressed that while they support protecting minors online, forcing users to submit sensitive personal information could expose them to privacy risks, phishing, or identity theft. At the same time, companies emphasize that they are developing methods to verify age that are privacy-preserving wherever possible, such as using AI-based checks or third-party verification. But, even with that, critics argue that such measurements are still very privacy-invasive and wholly unnecessary.
Is it legal to use a VPN to bypass Instagram’s age verification in Australia?
Using a secure VPN service to access Instagram is not explicitly illegal under any Australian law. For example, there is no law criminalizing the use of VPNs to access social media platforms. However, there’s a terms of service risk as bypassing a platform’s age gate using a VPN could potentially violate its terms of service.
Currently, platforms are under a legal duty to enforce strict steps to ensure no one under 16 is accessing their content. So, if they detect evasion by reading an IP address or catching suspicious behavior, they can take action, such as permanently restricting your account until you successfully verify your age.
Key takeaways on bypassing Instagram age verification in Australia
Since December 10, 2025, no one under the age of 16 can access their Instagram profiles in Australia. This is due to the new age verification law, which aims to shield minors from harmful content online and requires all social media platforms to take steps to verify user age before allowing them access. So, if you’re under 16 or cannot verify your age, you will lose access to your Instagram account.
Fortunately, users can rely on VPNs to bypass Australia’s Instagram age verification. With a VPN, you can mask your virtual location and access Instagram as if from another country with no age checks. Based on my experience, Proton VPN is the overall best VPN for bypassing Australia’s Instagram age checks, thanks to its extensive server fleet, no-logs policy for data security, and fast connection speeds for seamless browsing.
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FAQ
The legal age for Instagram in Australia is 16 years old. Users under the specified age or those who fail to provide proof of their age are not allowed to access their existing Instagram profiles or create a new account. However, if you want to access Instagram in Australia without having to upload your ID, you can use a reliable VPN, like Proton VPN, to access the platform as if from another country with no age checks.
You can prove you are 16 on Instagram by uploading a government-issued photo ID or performing a video selfie to verify your age and identity. However, if you’d rather stay private or bypass the restrictions only temporarily, you can use a VPN to mask your virtual location and access Instagram as if from a country with no age checks. From my experience, Proton VPN is the best VPN in this case, thanks to its huge secure server fleet.
Instagram will verify user age in Australia through a multi-layered approach that includes AI-powered analysis of user behavior to estimate age and a requirement for users to provide documentation, such as a video selfie or photo ID, if their age is in doubt. If you’d rather bypass this complicated and risky procedure, you can use a VPN, like Proton VPN, to change your virtual location and access the platform as if from a country with no age verification requirements.
No, Instagram is not getting banned in Australia for under-16s, but accounts for users younger than 16 were blocked from December 4, 2025, unless they verify their age. If you do not want to upload your personal document to verify your age on Instagram, you can rely on a VPN, like Proton VPN, to mask your virtual location and access the platform as if from another location, bypassing age checks.
Yes, it is possible to get around Instagram’s age verification in Australia by using a VPN. With a VPN, like Proton VPN, you can connect to a server in a country with no Instagram age checks, like Ireland or Belgium. Once you are connected, Instagram will think you’re accessing it from there, allowing you to access the site with no age checks.
