Instagram verified? How to get that coveted blue check mark
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Instagram is now allowing users to apply for verification on the app. (iStock)
Social media users looking to become the envy of their friends may enjoy Instagram's latest update: the ability to apply for verification.
Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched the popular photo-sharing app — which has since been acquired by Facebook — in 2010. For years, followers have competed to establish their personal brands, hoping to gain enough clout to get that coveted blue check mark. Now they can take matters into their own hands.
On Tuesday, Instagram enabled an option that allows users to apply for a badge, rather than waiting on the site to deem them worthy. However, the social media site didn't list any criteria it will consider while reviewing a user's application.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}INSTAGRAM CLAMPS DOWN ON APPS AMID FACEBOOK DATA SCANDAL
"A verified badge is a check that appears next to an Instagram account's name in search and on the profile. It means Instagram has confirmed that an account is the authentic presence of the public figure, celebrity or global brand it represents," Instagram explained in a post online.
Here are three easy steps you can take to apply.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Login, go to your profile and tap
Once you log into your Instagram account, head to your profile and click the three-lined bar at the top right corner.
Go to Settings > Request Verification
Once you click on the bar, you'll see an option to click on Settings, located at the bottom of your screen. After clicking Settings, scroll down to Request Verification.
Enter your full name and submit a form of ID
Instagram users simply have to fill out their full name and attach a photo ID to apply for verification. (Screenshot)
Your Instagram username should automatically be filled in, unless you're logged into a different account. Users who wish to be verified just need to enter their full name and then attach a photo of a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license of passport.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Once you attach the photo, you simply have to hit submit.
"Submitting a request for verification does not guarantee that your account will be verified," however, Instagram notes on the page.
Users will be notified by Instagram if their application was accepted or denied.