Is Instagram not working? If you’re having trouble accessing Instagram on your phone or computer, don’t worry—you’re not alone.
Instagram has been having some issues recently, preventing users from posting pictures and videos to their accounts or logging in entirely.
When this happens, you’ll usually see an error message on the screen saying that there’s a connection issue between your computer and Instagram’s servers or that there was an error loading data from Instagram.
The good news is that many ways to fix Instagram are not working, and you won’t have to wait too long to use the app again.
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Why is Instagram not Working?
Instagram users worldwide have been reporting that the photo-sharing app isn’t working properly on their devices, and some are getting error messages saying Instagram isn’t available now.
According to Instagram’s status page, there are currently no issues, so what’s happening? Can you still use Instagram? Is it just me?
Let’s find out why Instagram isn’t working and how you can fix it!
Common Instagram Issues (Why Instagram is not working)
To solve Instagram issues efficiently, we must first identify what’s causing them. Here are some common Instagram issues to help you diagnose and fix the problem.
1. Your Instagram Account is Limited or Blocked
One of the reasons why is Instagram not working is maybe your Instagram account is limited or blocked.
To be able to use the Instagram app effectively, there are a few limits that you need to respect. Some of them (rules) are pretty straightforward, while others are a bit harder to distinguish.
You can’t follow or un-follow more than 200 accounts per day on Instagram, and the following limits also go for some other apps like Twitter too.
If, however, you are trying to upload photos, videos, stories, or send messages to other users and the “We Limit How Often…” message appears, you should read the Instagram guide, which goes into greater detail about this issue.
2. You can’t log in to your Instagram account
Another reason why is Instagram not working is maybe you can’t log in to your Instagram account, which can be an inconvenience if Instagram works for other users but not for you.
Depending on the error message you see, you can find out the meaning of the issue in Instagram’s Help Center.
The solution to your problem will vary depending on your error message.
3. Instagram Servers Are Down
Another reason why Instagram is not working is that Instagram’s servers are down, and Instagram’s website might not be accessible anywhere, including on web browsers and mobile apps.
It is understandable if you want to restart your device or page refresh your Instagram feed a few times in these circumstances.
The way you should handle that, then, is to go to a website like DownDetector, which will take a look at the submitted problem reports submitted by the users.
DownDetector has a chart on their homepage that indicates if we are talking about a worldwide outage based on the volume of reports by time.
When the Instagram platform is experiencing global downtime, all you can do is wait for the site to come back up.
4. Disappearing Messages
Disappearing messages might be another reason why is Instagram not working.
The Instagram app cache may be to blame if you notice that the messages you send ‘disappear’ or that you cannot see other people’s messages.
To fix this issue, you’ll need to clear your Instagram cache.
If you still see these problems after emptying your Instagram cache, the issue is most likely related to the Instagram servers.
5. Instagram Feed Error
Are you having problems with your Instagram feed? It may be another reason why is Instagram not working.
Truth is, Instagram feed error is the most common problem many users face daily. They can access Instagram, but it appears the feed isn’t working/updating.
The updates to Instagram can sometimes cause the services to fail on some devices when implementing new features.
One of these errors, for example, is “couldn’t refresh the feed,” which may come from an internet connection issue, a problem with your Instagram profile, a broken device, or an Instagram server failing.
9 Best Ways to Fix Instagram not working
The following are the best fix you can try if your Instagram is not working.
1. Close and Relaunch the App
Closing and relaunching your Instagram app is the first thing you should do when your Instagram is not working.
Smartphones keep the apps in memory so we can quickly launch them when needed. If the memory is full of such apps, then there is a chance that apps won’t load.
Some apps may stop working if the phone or other device experiences a corrupted memory problem. Most of the time, closing an app should do the trick.
Closing and relaunching the application is an effective way to clear the corrupt memory caches on your device.
As a result of this (closing and relaunching Instagram), you will be able to free up your phone’s memory, and you can also restart the app.
If Instagram doesn’t seem to be responding, try closing and opening the app.
Occasionally a solution like this is all that’s needed to solve “app not working” problems.
2. Delete & Reinstall the App
If you’re experiencing problems with the app, your best bet is to delete and reinstall it.
Deleting and reinstalling Instagram is the second best thing to do when Instagram is not working.
This way, you can eliminate any bugs that may have been introduced on your device when you updated or downloaded a different app.
Or, instead of just downloading the latest version of the Instagram apps, you might as well uninstall and reinstall them.
Uninstalling the app and reinstalling it will resolve all problems sometimes.
For Android users
To delete or uninstall your Instagram app on Android Smartphones, go to settings on your phone, navigate to apps, select the Instagram app, and click on uninstall.
A long press on the Instagram app icon allows you to uninstall the app immediately.
For iOS users
To uninstall Instagram if you are using iPhone, go to Settings and then navigate to General. Then go to iPhone Storage and click on Instagram. There will be a Delete App button on the bottom. Click on it to uninstall Instagram from your iPhone.
Alternatively, you can tap and hold the Instagram app icon in App Library to get a pop-up menu with the “Delete App” option.
After uninstalling the Instagram app, visit the App Store and Google Play if you are using an iPhone or Android Phone, and then reinstall the Instagram app.
3. Restart your device
Another way to solve Instagram not working is restarting your device.
Restarting your device should be the next troubleshooting step in any app not working situation after you uninstalled it from your device and downloaded it again.
(Restart your device before trying to open up the app once more).
Fixing this issue might seem obvious, but it almost always fixes it. To get your Instagram app up and running, restart your device and open the app again.
This way, you can fix any issues affecting your device and causing Instagram to malfunction.
4. See if the Instagram Server is Down
When your Instagram is not working, you should see if the Instagram server is down.
I’ve noticed that Instagram has become inaccessible to many people on a few occasions.
Check with others (including your online friends) to see if they can use Instagram or if it isn’t working. If they can’t, that means the Instagram server is down.
Another way to check whether Instagram is functioning is to use Down Detector.
Downdetector provides users with real-time information about the status of various websites and services online.
Other websites perform this check for you, letting you know if Instagram is offline or not. If it is, there’s not much you can do other than wait until the situation is solved.
5. Try the Web version of Instagram
Using the web version of Instagram is one of the most effective ways to fix Instagram not working on your device.
Often, issues with the Instagram app prevent you from using your Instagram account properly.
On the other hand, when you use a web browser to access your Instagram account, you’ll likely be able to get rid of this problem.
This solution is worth a try if you’re having problems with your Instagram app.
You can try logging in to Instagram’s website from any web browser to confirm that the problem is with the Instagram App and not the Instagram Service.
If you can log in to the web version of Instagram, chances are there is no problem with Instagram’s servers but with your Smartphone or the Instagram app.
6. Check Internet Connection
If your internet connection is spotty, this could be the culprit. A network error often causes people to have problems with Instagram.
You may not realize that your network is down and mistakenly believe that Instagram is responsible.
You can confirm that this is the case by connecting to Wi-Fi at a different location. If it works there, you know your connectivity is causing the problem.
Other ways to fix a bad/poor Internet connection would be to:
– turn your phone off and on again
– restart your modem/router or switch your mobile data
– find out if there are any network interruptions in your area
You should also see if your Mobile data or Wi-Fi connection still works with other apps on your device, assuming the issue is not Internet-related. If it is, contact your provider.
7. Disable VPN or Proxy
Another way to solve Instagram not working is disabling VPN or proxy before using Instagram.
Virtual Private Network is a terrific way to bypass region-locked content, protect your privacy, and enhance your security.
However, it can also result in Instagram not working or even Instagram connection errors.
You may need to disable your VPN on your Android, iPhone, or iPad and see if Instagram is functioning correctly or not.
To disable your VPN, open your phone Settings, tap General, then VPN and disable it. And if you’re using a computer to log in, you’ll need to disconnect from the VPN server.
Alternatively, you can restrict Instagram from using VPN services in the settings of your VPN service if VPN is the underlying source of the problem.
8. Update Your Device OS (Operating System)
While the company has yet to release a statement on why this is happening, the most likely cause is that your device’s operating system is outdated.
If you have not updated your phone or tablet in some time, chances are it’s due for an update.
If you don’t know how to update your device operating system (OS), check your device’s settings app under ‘About’ and tap on ‘Software Update. It will prompt you to install any updates if there are any available.
During the update process, you can plug the phone into a power source to avoid running out of battery during the download process.
Once the “download updates” is complete, restart your device and try using Instagram again.
9. Contact Instagram Support Team
Reporting issues to the support team must help you and the community have efficient solutions when the time to fix a problem comes.
Nonetheless, you should only do it if any other report fix worked for you.
To contact the support team, follow these three steps:
- Open Instagram and go to your profile
- Tap on the settings button with three horizontal lines at the top right corner;
- Now, tap on settings and scroll down until you find the “Help” option on the screen;
There, you can directly contact Instagram and explain your case.
Alternatively, go to the Instagram webpage and scroll down to the bottom right corner to find the support button, or click here if you please.
Conclusion
If you’ve exhausted all other options, your last resort is to delete the app and reinstall it. As with any software glitch, you can fix the issue by simply updating the app to its most recent version.
Instagram is a great app that helps you connect with friends, brands, celebrities, and other photogenic people worldwide in a creative space while supporting one another’s work.
Regardless of what might have caused your problem, take some time away from trying to fix it and explore photography through accounts that inspire you.
