Instagram has been a unique photo and video sharing platform with over a billion active users. It excels at giving regular features to its users, making it quite popular among individuals and businesses alike.

fix instagram not working
Image: Claudio Schwarz(Unsplash)

Many users have recently experienced problems with the Instagram app on their devices. These issues include broken share and profile links, as well as messages not being sent or loaded. When an app like Instagram stops working, it cannot be very pleasant for all social media lovers. So, how can you fix the problem of Instagram not working on your device?

Fortunately, you can fix this problem effortlessly with the solutions described in this article. Despite the fact that numerous factors could be causing your Instagram problem, you can fix it by applying one or more of the approaches described here. One or more of them will undoubtedly help you. Now let’s take a look at the solutions.

Fix Instagram Not Working Issue

Looking for the best workarounds to fix Instagram app not working on your devices? Here are the most effective ones you can try:

1. Close and relaunch Instagram app

When a program is used for an extended period of time, it is more likely that the memory or cache is corrupted. Closing and restarting the application, on the other hand, can help clear the corrupted memory caches on your device. This way, your phone’s memory will also be freed up, and the app can be restarted. If your Instagram is not responding, try closing and restarting the app. Sometimes a simple solution like this is all that’s needed to fix any problems.

NOTE:
Before closing the application, you can try logging out of your account and logging back in after restarting the application. This method has also helped some users solve most Instagram issues.

2. Try the Instagram Web version

This is one of the most effective ways to fix the problem of Instagram not working on your device. Often, it is problems with the Instagram app that prevent you from using your Instagram account properly. However, using a web browser to access your Instagram account can quickly fix this problem. Try this solution if you have a problem with your Instagram app and see if it works.

3. Restart your phone

It may seem like a common way to fix device errors, but it almost always works. If you’ve problems with your Instagram app, try restarting your device and opening the app again. This way, you can fix any issues that are affecting your device and causing Instagram to malfunction.

4. Clear Instagram Cache

The functionality of applications on your devices is affected by a corrupted or too-large cache. In most cases, the cache is a collection of temporary data that are stored on your device to improve the functioning of each application you use. However, if there are too many of these caches or one of them is corrupted, you may experience problems when using Instagram. In this case, deleting the cache files on your device is enough to fix Instagram not working, and here’s how to do that:

For Android or Tablets

Step 1: Open Settings on your Android phone and click App & Notifications.

Step 2: Go to the list of apps on your phone and tap Instagram.

Step 3: You’ll be taken to the app info page, where you’ll click on Storage and cache.

Step 4: Afterwards, select Clear cache and close the tab.

This will clear the entire Instagram cache on your device, and you may need to log in to your account in the Instagram app again.

Note: As the steps to reach the Instagram app settings may be different for some Android phones, this is what you can do:

Step 1: Search for Instagram on your Settings page and click on the result

open instagram info page via search
Step 2: On the Instagram info page, click on Storage and cache

fix instagram not opening by clearing cache

Step 3: Afterward, hit the clear cache option.

For iPhone or iPad

Step 1: On your iPhone, go to Settings and select General.

Step 2: Click iPhone Storage/iPad Storage and navigate to the Instagram app option.

fix instagram not working issue with settings

Step 3: Hit the app and select Offload on the Instagram info page.

offload instagram to fix instagram isn't working issue

NOTE:
You might also want to check if the Instagram app has all the required permissions to run properly. Also ensure that Background Data is not restricted for the app.

5. Clear up space in your device

Every app on your phone or tablet requires a certain amount of storage to function correctly. And if your device has limited or no storage capacity, using that app will be difficult. Instagram, for example, consumes a lot of storage and will not work effectively if that storage is not accessible. However, you can delete your phone’s junk files or use external storage to keep some things out of the phone’s memory.

6. Check your Internet connection

It repeatedly happens that people have problems on Instagram just because of a network problem. They may be unaware that their network connection is down and mistakenly believe that Instagram is causing the problem. That’s why it’s important to test the network connection (both mobile data and WiFi) by opening other apps or looking at your subscription package to determine the cause of the problem.

7. Uninstall and reinstall Instagram

The Instagram app, like any other app, is regularly updated to fix issues or bugs that have occurred in previous versions. Therefore, updating the Instagram app to fix any bugs that might cause problems is necessary. However, instead of simply updating to a newer version, you can uninstall and reinstall the software from the App Store or Play Store. This strategy also helps many people fix Instagram when it does not work.

NOTE:
Uninstalling your Instagram app may clear up some of the files related to the app. Just keep that in mind before going on with the fix.

Reinstall Older Version of Instagram

Another possible solution is to reinstall an older version of the app. This can be done by using APK Mirror. First, go to the website and tap on “latest version.” Scroll down to the “All Releases” section and find a release dated before your last update. Tap on the download icon next to it, then select the correct variant for your Android device.

For Android and tablets:

Step 1: Long press the Instagram app on your home screen and select Uninstall.
Step 2: After the app is uninstalled, go to the play store and install a new version on the Instagram app.

For iPhone and iPad

Step 1: Press and hold the Instagram app icon and select Uninstall.

Step 2: Wait till the app is deleted, then go to Apps Store to download the latest version of the application

You can also check 3 Easy Ways to Delete Apps on iPhone and iPad

8. Check if Instagram is down

The Instagram app has a reliable network and rarely experiences any errors. However, if you’re having trouble logging in or posting, it’s always best to check the network status at DownDetector. This website will tell you whether or not other people are experiencing the same issue and how widespread it is. If there’s an issue with Instagram, you’ll likely see a spike in complaints on Down Detector’s live map.

9. Report to Instagram

Another way to fix errors on Instagram is to use the reporting feature. If none of the other options work, you can complain about your problem to Instagram, and maybe they’ll fix it.

Step 1: Open your Instagram app and click your account avatar at the bottom left corner of your screen to open your Profile.

fix instagram app not opening issue by reporting bug
Step 2: Tap the three-line menu at the top of the page and click on Settings.

instagram settings

Step 3: Select Help and follow other prompts to file a report to Instagram about the issue you are facing.

report bug

On submitting the report, you should expect feedback from Instagram on the issue.

10. Turn off VPN

VPN services can also affect the functionality of apps like Instagram. That is why it is sometimes recommended to disable your VPN before trying to open Instagram. Hopefully, this can fix the problem on your devices.

Another solution is to switch to a different VPN provider. By doing so, you will have access to different servers that may work better for you. Additionally, using a different VPN service can also help if Instagram is not working with your current provider.

Why is my Instagram not working? You now know

A variety of factors cause difficulties with Instagram on our phones and tablets. The answers to the problem of Instagram not working have been comprehensively covered in this article, and all you need to do now is execute them. If you can not solve the problem yourself, you’ll have to wait until Instagram fixes the issue, which will be in due time.

FAQs on Fixing Instagram Not Opening Issue

If Instagram's algorithm detects irregularities with your account, you may no longer be able to follow. However, you can unblock it by uninstalling and reinstalling Instagram on your phone. Even better, if you give it some time, Instagram will return your account to normal.

Your Instagram app may not be opening on Android due to low storage. If you have little or no storage space on your Android phone, apps will not work normally. So try to free up the storage space on your phone and open Instagram again.

If you are looking for ways to fix the "try again later" issue on Instagram, try these:

  1. Close and reopen your Instagram.
  2. Clear Instagram cache.
  3. Restart your device.
  4. Log in via Web browser.
  5. Remove unverified links from your Instagram bio.

If the Instagram music sticker isn't working for you, ensure that you have updated the Instagram app to its latest version. You can also try logging out and logging back in to the app. There are instances when Music starts working after switching from business to personal account.

If your Instagram notifications aren't working, it can be due to one of the following 4 reasons.

  1. Check your phone's push notifications settings
  2. Check the notification settings for the Instagram app. it might have gotten disabled after an update.
  3. Clear the cache data from the Instagram app and try again.
  4. Reinstall Instagram as a last resort.

If Insta stories aren't loading, try the following fixes. One of them should resolve the issue

  1. Check your network connection - both mobile data and Wi-Fi.
  2. Force close the app and restart.
  3. Try restarting the phone.
  4. Try clearing the app cache.
  5. Update or reinstall Instagram.

You should now be able to check your Instagram Story.

There can be multiple reasons for Instagram not working today. Although it's rare, Instagram (and Facebook) servers do go down which might have resulted in the outage. The other possible reason can be your phone's network connection (either mobile data or WiFi or both). Finally, it can be a bug on Instagram app, so look for the latest update which might have fixed the issue.

Further Reading:

Was this article helpful?
YesNo