Short answer: warming up a new model's Instagram means using it the way a real new user would before it starts posting: complete the profile, browse and watch content in the creator's niche, like a little, follow a few relevant accounts, then post a small number of SFW Reels and build up. There is no official warm-up schedule from Instagram, so the plan below is an assumption to adapt, not a rule.
Why warm up at all
A warm-up is not a trick. It is ordinary, human-paced use that gives the account a normal history and gives you time to check that the profile, bio and link are fine before the first post. It does not make an account immune to restrictions, and nobody can promise an account will never be restricted. More background: Instagram account warm-up.
Before day one
- The creator owns the account. The creator's own email and phone number for two-factor, with agency access recorded. See account ownership.
- Professional account (creator), so you get insights and Account Status detail.
- Profile: real photo, clear name, SFW bio, no link yet if you want to see the page settle first.
- A labeled phone you can identify at a glance. See phone setup per model.
An example ramp
All durations and counts below are assumptions. Instagram does not publish warm-up numbers.
| Phase (assumed) | Browsing | Likes and follows | Posting | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Short sessions, Reels and Explore in the niche | A few likes; follow a handful of relevant accounts | None | Profile complete |
| Days 4–7 | Longer sessions, search the niche keyword | A few more likes | None | Add the bio link |
| Week 2 | Normal sessions | Normal | First SFW Reels, spaced out | Account Status |
| Week 3+ | Normal | Normal | Your regular rhythm | Account Status weekly |
What to avoid at any stage: bought followers or likes, like-for-like groups, mass follow and unfollow, comment bots, and fake locations. TikTok, for example, does not allow "buying or selling followers or engagement" or bots that inflate likes (archived guidelines).
First posts
Start with the most clearly SFW formats the creator does well: a talking-head intro, a routine, a behind-the-scenes clip. Content the creator owns. Keep the captions descriptive. After the first few posts, open Account Status and confirm the account can be recommended to non-followers (Instagram, as of 17 September 2026). If it cannot, fix what is flagged before posting more. See Instagram Account Status.
Warming up with Farmero
Farmero has an optional per-account warm-up for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. It scrolls the feed, watches for varying times with jittered scroll paths, and likes at a rate you set. A search mode warms on a keyword's results, so a fitness creator's page browses fitness content. You set a ramp of N days before the account publishes, and choose warm-only, post-only or both. Automating these apps may breach their terms. Details: how warm-ups work.
FAQ
How long should a new model's Instagram warm up?
Instagram does not say. The one-to-two-week ramp above is an assumption to start from; adjust it to what you see in Account Status.
Should the account follow a lot of people during warm-up?
No. A handful of relevant follows looks like a real person. Mass following and unfollowing is inauthentic behavior, not a warm-up.
Can a warm-up fix a restricted account?
No. Warm-up is for new accounts. A restricted account needs its flagged content fixed and, where offered, a review request.
Does the account need a link during warm-up?
Not immediately. Adding it after the profile has settled lets you check that nothing in the bio is flagged first.