How to fix Instagram not working

More than a billion people use the Instagram app every month, sharing video images with family, friends, and colleagues. With such a huge user base, there is a high chance that Instagram is inactive at some point of time and for quite a few reasons such as due to the application not being updated, software bugs, and others.

If you encounter this problem, please refer to the following fixes.

1. Check Instagram status

If Instagram has a global shutdown, there’s not much you can do but wait for the site to be fixed.

Can you use third party status checking tools like Down Detector, Is It Down? or Outage Report. Enter the URL and it will tell you if the platform works with notifications like “Possible problems at Instagram” (there may be problems with Instagram) or “Problems at Instagram” (Instagram with issues).

Another place you can check out is Instagram’s Twitter for updates.

2. Test connection

The next step you need to check is to connect your computer before moving on to more advanced fixes.

Depending on the device you are using, you can check the gray Wifi icon on the same screen on your phone and tablet or on your computer’s Taskbar. You will see the feed does not load new news or can not download media files such as photos or videos when disconnected.

To fix this problem, you can move closer to the router, turn Wi-Fi on / off, switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or reset the router. If Wifi is off and Instagram works, the problem is with the router.

3. Try it on another device

If the problem isn’t with the Internet connection, you can try using Instagram on another device like your phone. Also check if the app works on other people’s phones and if they can view the feed and download photos and videos.

4. Activate permissions for Instagram

Instagram requires multiple app permissions to work properly on your iOS or Android phone – Camera, Contacts, Microphone, Photos and Storage. If permissions to even one or two of these apps are disabled, Instagram might not work properly.

On Android, make sure app permissions are enabled by going to Settings> Apps & notifications> Instagram> Permissions. Depending on your Android version, on this screen you will need to tap the toggle switches next to each option so they are green or tap on the entries in the list. “Denied”, then enable them.

On iOS, go to Settings> Instagram and ensure that all related rights are granted there.

5. Restart Instagram

Now, you can rule out server, connectivity and device issues. If Instagram still doesn’t work after trying the above solutions, you can restart your device.

Close Instagram and reopen it, then check if the feed can be loaded or uploaded to the app. If not, try another solution below.

6. Clear data and application cache

If restarting doesn’t solve the problem, try clearing data and app cache. To do this on Android:

Step 1. Open Settings> Apps.

Step 2. Touch Instagram. Depending on the version of Android you use, you need to tap Storage to access settings Clear data and Clear Cache.

Step 3. Touch Clear cache. Similarly, follow the steps above, but this time choose Clear data, and then touch Force stop.

7. Update Instagram

If that still doesn’t work, maybe you haven’t updated Instagram to the latest version. New versions often contain security patches and bug fixes and new features.

To update Instagram:

Step 1. Open the Google Play Store and tap the three horizontal bars in the upper left corner of the screen.

Step 2. Touch My apps and games and then check for that option Update next to Instagram no.

8. Reboot the device

Restarting the device may fix the app or software not working problem. Try restarting your phone to see if that solves the problem.

9. Uninstall and reinstall Instagram

If the problem is caused by an error, you can fix it by uninstalling and reinstalling the Instagram app. To do this, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Open Settings> Apps & Notifications.

Step 2. Touch Instagram.

Step 3. Touch Uninstall and come back Google Play Store to reinstall Instagram.

10. Check for common error messages and known issues

Like other apps, Instagram also has a bunch of known error and problem messages. This list is regularly updated so that the user can find viable solutions to everyday problems with the application.

Most of the problem usually happens with mobile app, so if Instagram doesn’t work on phone check if it works on web version.

You can write down the error and search Google for a solution. Most likely other users have had the same problem and you will find help.

11. Still not working? Report the problem to Instagram

If none of the above measures fix the issue, you can report the bug from within the app to Instagram to check. You should write down as much detail as possible about the problem you were experiencing, what device you used, and what you did before the shutdown occurred. You can also report Instagram when you have trouble logging into your account.

Wish you all success!