How to add, pause, mute and stop contacts in iLS
Add someone by their exact username, then pause, mute or stop them whenever you like. What each Tracker button does, and how contact limits work.
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On the iLS Tracker you add a contact by typing their exact Instagram username and pressing Start tracking. iLS then checks them on its own schedule, and each contact card has Pause, Mute and Stop tracking so you stay in control of who is checked and who can alert you.
This guide covers adding someone, what every button on a contact card does, how many contacts you can have and how to get more, and what the Tracker can't do. It assumes your Instagram account is connected; if it isn't, the Tracker asks you to do that first (how to connect your Instagram account walks through it).
How do you add someone?
- Open Tracker in the sidebar.
- Type their exact username into Instagram username to track. The @ is optional, but the spelling has to match their account.
- Press Start tracking.
The new card says Tracking @username and shows "Waiting for the first check" until iLS has looked. After the first check it shows what Instagram showed: Active now, Last active 25m ago, or Last seen recently, with Last checked underneath.
You can close the page now. iLS keeps checking on its own schedule whether or not the dashboard is open.
Before you add anyone, check the two things in the "Before you add someone" box: both of you need activity status turned on, and you need an existing DM thread with them. If you've never messaged them, iLS answers "We couldn't find that person in your Instagram DMs."
What do Pause, Mute and Stop tracking do?
Each contact card has three controls, and they do different things:
- Pause stops checking that contact for now. The card shows Paused, and the presence below it is from the last check before you paused. Resume starts the checks again.
- Mute stops alerts when they come online, but iLS keeps checking them, so their readings keep building up on the Report. Unmute turns alerts back on. How to get a notification when someone comes online covers setting alerts up.
- Stop tracking removes them from the Tracker. A dialog asks you to confirm first. The checks and alerts stop, and you can add them again any time. Their past readings stay on your Report.
As a rule of thumb: Mute if you still want the history but not the notifications, Pause for a break from checking someone, Stop tracking when you're done.
What does Check again do, and when should you use it?
Check again reads Instagram right away for that one contact, instead of waiting for the next scheduled check. The card shows "Checking their presence…" and then the new reading.
Use it sparingly. Every press is an extra read on your Instagram account on top of the scheduled ones, and more automated activity on your account means more risk; see your Instagram account and the ban risk. If you only want to see the latest saved readings, the Report's Refresh does that without touching Instagram.
How many contacts can you track?
Your plan sets the number, and the top of the list shows it as "2 of 3 tracked", for example.
- Every plan includes at least one contact. The Billing page shows how many yours includes.
- You can add more with a one-time payment. Under Billing, find Need more contacts?, choose how many and check out. They stay on your account if you change or cancel your plan, but they only count while you have an active plan.
- The ceiling is 10 per Instagram account. This isn't a pricing tier. Every contact is another automated check on your account, and going further is what gets accounts flagged.
When you've used them all, adding someone new shows You're out of contacts, with the choice to get more or stop tracking someone to make room.
If your allowance shrinks, for example after moving to a smaller plan, iLS keeps checking as many contacts as you're allowed, oldest first. The rest show Not being checked until you stop tracking some or get more contacts. If your plan ends, checks stop for everyone until you choose a plan again.
What can't the Tracker do?
- It can't add anyone outside your DMs. No existing conversation with them, no reading.
- It can't read anyone with activity status off, or anyone who has blocked you. Their card shows "No presence to show yet."
- It has no history from before you added someone. Readings start with the first check.
- It can't go past 10 contacts, whatever you're willing to pay.
FAQ
Can I track more than one person?
Yes. Your plan includes at least one contact, and you can add more with a one-time payment on the Billing page, up to 10 per Instagram account. Each contact gets its own card on the Tracker with its own Pause, Mute and Stop tracking controls.
Does closing the page stop the checks?
No. iLS checks your contacts on its own schedule whether or not the dashboard is open. Only Pause, Stop tracking, disconnecting your Instagram account, or your plan ending stop the checks.
Do extra contacts disappear if I cancel?
No, they stay on your account. They only count while you have an active plan, though, so once a cancelled plan runs out, checks stop for everyone. When you choose a plan again, your extra contacts count again.