Before you begin troubleshooting, if the problem is solely with images, check whether moving the images to the device’s internal memory or reducing their size resolves the issue.
1. Relaunch Instagram after Clearing its Cache
Stories will not work on Instagram if the app’s core modules are in a malfunctioning loop and need to be reinitialized. To do this, relaunch the Instagram app after force-closing it and clearing its cache. For iOS devices, swipe up the Instagram app from the recent apps and restart the phone. For Android, follow these steps:
2. Toggle the Airplane Mode
If Instagram Stories aren’t working, it could be due to a glitch in your phone’s communication systems that is preventing the application from connecting to its servers. A simple fix for this is to turn your device’s Airplane mode on and then off again. This process can refresh your phone’s communication systems and will help to get Instagram Stories working properly again. If you’re encountering problems while uploading a story, you can try this solution: First, switch your phone to airplane mode and check if a delete icon appears on the problematic stories. If the delete icon is visible, proceed to remove these stories while still in airplane mode. Once you’ve done this, switch off airplane mode and see if the upload problem has been resolved.
3. Perform a Force Restart (iPhone only)
If Instagram Stories aren’t functioning correctly, it could be due to an error with some internal modules that manage these stories. These modules may need to be forcefully refreshed, which can be achieved by force restarting your iPhone.
4. Re-login to Instagram
To log out of the Instagram app: This process can refresh the app’s Stories components and potentially clear up any inconsistencies, helping Instagram Stories to work again.
5. Update the OS of the Problematic Device to the Latest Build
If Instagram Stories aren’t working properly, it could be because your device’s operating system (OS) is out of date. This can lead to compatibility issues when your device tries to fetch stories from Instagram’s servers. To fix this, you should update your device’s OS to the latest version. Before you start, ensure that your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network, the battery is fully charged, and you have backed up all your phone’s data for safety.
6. Clear the Cache Partition of the Phone (Android Only)
Instagram on Android utilizes the phone’s cache partition to store temporary data that is frequently used to enhance the performance of the application. However, if the cached data related to stories becomes invalid or corrupt, it could prevent the app from displaying or uploading stories. One way to fix this issue is by clearing your phone’s cache partition.
7. Adjust the Display’s Zoom
The issue might arise if the display zoom is enabled on your device. When in a zoomed state, the app will fail to properly display stories or related buttons, such as the button to post a story. To fix this, adjust the display zoom of your device to reset it to the default setting. To adjust Display Zoom on an iPad:
9. Edit the Date and Time Settings of Your Device
Instagram Stories is a date and time-based feature, and a story will disappear after a certain amount of time. If the device’s date and time settings are incorrect, Stories will not work because the timestamp on the data packets will be wrong. In such a case, editing the date and time settings of your device will resolve the issue. To do so on an Android phone:
10. Try a VPN or Another Network/Network Type
Stories will not work if your network does not allow the Instagram app to access Stories on servers, or if the network is incompatible with the feature. This is particularly evident in public networks, such as those in corporations or universities. In these cases, trying a VPN or another network type will solve the problem.
11. Reinstall the Instagram App
Stories will not work on Instagram if the modules responsible for the feature were not correctly patched during the latest update of the app. To fix this, reinstall the Instagram app. To reinstall the Instagram app on an Android phone: If the Instagram app is a system app that cannot be uninstalled on your Android phone, head to Instagram in the phone’s Application Manager and uninstall updates to Instagram. Then, open Storage, clear Data, disable Instagram, and restart the phone. After that, enable Instagram and check if the problem is resolved. You may need to update the app afterward.
12. Reset the Problematic Device to the Factory Defaults
You will encounter the problem if the OS modules that manage the application’s stories become invalid and are unable to transmit the necessary data packets. In such a case, resetting the problematic device to its default state will solve the issue. For illustrative purposes, let us discuss the process of resetting an iPhone. Before resetting, remember to fully charge the iPhone battery and back up the phone’s data. Additionally, make sure the problem is not caused by a service outage by visiting Instagram’s social media handles. If none of the above work, contact Instagram support. Until then, check if the Instagram stories function properly on another account or account type (such as a business). You can also use Instagram on another device until the problem is resolved.
Browser-Specific Solutions
he Instagram Stories feature will not work in a web browser due to issues with the browser’s cookies or preferences. If you are having issues with the feature on a browser, you can attempt other solutions discussed above (such as re-logging into the website, adjusting the date/time settings of your device, etc.), but the ones mentioned below are browser-specific. Let’s discuss these in detail:
1. Clear the Instagram Cookies and Data in a Browser
You will fail to use Instagram Stories in a browser if its cookies are invalid or its data does not match your data on the servers. In this case, clearing Instagram’s cookies and data will resolve the issue. To do so on Google Chrome:
2. Reset the Browser Preferences
Instagram Stories will not work in a browser if an adjustment to your browser settings prevents the feature from working. Additionally, if a browser setting becomes invalid, this can also cause problems. In either case, resetting your browser preferences to their default settings will allow you to view stories in the browser. To reset Firefox preferences on a Windows PC:
3. Reinstall the Browser
Instagram Stories will not work in a browser if the essential browser components for the feature are no longer valid or are failing to perform the required operations. A poorly applied update to the browser might have caused the issue. This issue can be resolved by reinstalling the browser. Before uninstalling, back up any essential information in the browser, such as website logins, bookmarks, etc. To reinstall the Chrome browser on a Windows PC:
