Being one of the most popular apps in today’s time is not an easy task. And no matter how big a platform becomes, it can’t be perfect. The same is the case with Instagram and its feature of Instagram Reels.
Launched back in 2019, Instagram Reels quickly became the talk of the town and grew up as one of the fastest features. So much so that it even made its way globally to Facebook Reels.
Instagram Reels lets users make short videos of up to 60 seconds now and then post them on Instagram. But despite being an interactive and engaging feature, there are still some issues with it that users complain about. One of them is ‘Instagram Reels not working’.
In this article, we will talk about the fixes for ‘Instagram Reels not working’ and also explain methods for a similar issue, ‘Instagram stories not working’. So let’s jump right in!
About Instagram Reels
The feature of Instagram Reels has been in the social media game for quite some time now, and there are millions of users using it. With millions of users using it, it is surely an interesting feature that is pretty engaging.
When it first launched, the time limit to make Instagram Reels was 15 seconds but was later extended to 60 seconds. It garnered huge popularity not long after TikTok was banned in India, and millions of users shifted to Instagram Reels.
The users can interact just as they do in the other Instagram posts with likes, comments, shares, and save. However, there are several reasons why the issue of ‘Instagram Reels not working’ may occur. So let’s have a look at them in the next section.
Why are Instagram Reels not Working?
There could be several reasons why Instagram Reels are not working. We are going to list some of them below:
- Issue in internet connection: The first common reason that could cause the issue of ‘Instagram Reels not working’ is a poor internet connection. While many of us usually tend to think that the issue is from Instagram’s side, if the reels are not working, the fault could also lie on our side itself.
- Instagram is not up-to-date: Another possibility leading to ‘Instagram Reels not showing’ can be an outdated app. If you have not updated the Instagram app to the latest version available, it is possible that it can interrupt the smooth functioning of Instagram Reels.
- There is accumulated cache: Many of us often ignore the cache and data that keeps getting stored in our devices. Similarly, it happens in the case of apps too. So if it has been quite some time since you cleared the cache on Instagram, it is about time that you do it using the steps in the article.
- Instagram Reels feature is not available in your country: One important point that you have to keep in mind is to be sure that the feature of Instagram Reels has been launched in your country and made available.
These were some of the possible reasons which can lead to the issue of ‘Instagram Reels not working.’ So now, let’s talk about the different methods to resolve the ‘Reels not working on Instagram’ issue.
Steps to Fix the ‘Instagram Reels not Working’ Issue
Despite being one of the most popular apps in today’s time and used by over 1 billion users worldwide, Instagram is not an error-free platform. The users sometimes complain about issues they often face on the mega-social media platform, one of which is ‘Instagram Reels not working’. And who would want to miss out on such an interesting feature, right?
So if you are also one of the users who are facing the ‘Instagram Reels not showing’ issue, we have gathered some useful methods which can help you in getting it resolved.
The first thing that you should do before trying any other method is to check that you have a stable and working network connection. It is possible that when you are trying to access the Instagram Reels, you might be in a low connectivity area, hence causing the ‘Instagram Reels to not show’ issue. So you must check your device’s internet connection and its range.
As discussed earlier, another possible reason for causing the ‘Instagram Reels not working’ issue can be an old version of the Instagram app. So, you need to make sure that your app is updated and won’t cause issues with the Instagram Reels feature. The steps for the process are as follows:
- Go to the Play Store or App Store.
- Now search for Instagram.
- Once the results appear, see if there is an option to ‘Update’ the app.
- If it shows Open, this means your Instagram app is already up-to-date.
Another way is by logging out of your Instagram account and logging back in. This trick has worked for many, and if you want to try it out, follow the steps given below:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile icon from the bottom right.
- Then tap on the three horizontal lines Menu < Settings.
- Scroll down, and you will find the option to Log Out at the bottom.
Once you have logged out, log back in, and see if the issue of reels not working on Instagram has been resolved or not.
It is possible that the Instagram Reel you are trying to watch has an Instagram Reels glitch or the link to it has been taken down. So you can try going to any other reel and see if it works. Switching to a different Instagram reel or simply refreshing the page can help too.
There is no doubt that anything on social media that contains video content can consume a lot of your internet data. And hence, the same is the case with Instagram Reels. So in case you have the ‘Data Saver’ enabled for Instagram, it can also be why ‘Instagram Reels not working.’
So to turn it off on Instagram, the steps for Android are as given below:
- Open Instagram and click on your profile picture.
- Now go to the Menu icon and tap on Settings.
- Go to Account and select Mobile Data Use/Cellular Data Use.
- After that, disable and turn off the toggle for Data Saver.
To do the same in iOS, follow the steps given below:
- Go to Settings.
- Click on Mobile Data.
- Go to Mobile Data Options.
- Now disable the Low Data Mode.
One of the major reasons that contribute to the issue of ‘Instagram Reels are not working’ is the cache that continues to get stored over time. It can cause the app to glitch and function slowly as well. So in order to clear it, follow the steps given below:
- For Android
Solution Synopsis: Settings < Apps and Notifications < Instagram < Storage and Cache < Clear Cache < Clear Storage
- For iOS
Solution Synopsis: Settings < General < iPhone Storage < Instagram < Offload App
If your device’s storage remains full most of the time, and you think that it is not able to keep up with the Instagram app, you can try switching to Instagram Lite.
Also, it is possible that there is not enough data to run Instagram Reels smoothly on your device. So that problem also gets resolved if you use Instagram Lite.
If you think the methods explained so far won’t work for you, reinstalling the Instagram app might help. Sometimes there are glitches or bugs in the app that remain the same even after updating it. So reinstalling it can remove the issues with the app as you start afresh. The steps for it are as follows:
- Press and hold on the Instagram app.
- Now a list of options will appear to choose from; select Remove App/Uninstall.
- Confirm the action, and now the app will be deleted from your device successfully.
- After this, go to Play Store or App Store and reinstall the app by searching it up.
If you are an Android user, you can also try signing up for the Instagram Beta version, as it is only available for Android. All you have to do is follow the steps given below:
- Open Google Play Store.
- Search for Instagram.
- Now head over to the Join the beta section and tap on Join.
- After that, tap on Join again to confirm and get started with the Update.
Once you are done, check if the Instagram Reels are working fine in the Instagram Beta version. If they aren’t, you can move on to the other methods and try them out.
Before jumping to conclusions, it is important to note that the fault could be from our end too, rather than just Instagram’s. It is possible that the software of your device is out of date or there is a software app available which is pending to get downloaded and installed by you. So now, maybe it is about time that you consider doing so, and the steps for it are as follows:
- For Android
Solution Synopsis: Settings < System < System Update
- For iOS
Solution Synopsis: Settings < General < Software Update < Download and Install
One of the essential points to be noted is whether the Instagram Reels is launched in your country or not and if it has been made available. Even though the feature is available in 150 countries and still rolling out in more, not everyone has access to it. And as it has been globally provided to Facebook, if you are not a Facebook user, and the feature is not available to Instagram for your region either, you may not be able to access it at all.
So before trying to use it, you must check and confirm whether it has been made available in your country or region yet or not.
If none of the methods discussed so far worked for you, there is one last way to go and it might help. Even though reporting directly to Instagram and waiting for a reply can be a time taking process, you can consider giving it a shot. The steps are as follows:
- Open Instagram and tap on your profile picture.
- Now click on the three-line Menu icon.
- Scroll down and tap on Help.
- Now click on Report A Problem and confirm it.
- Then describe the issue in a detailed manner and add screenshots if you want to.
- When you are done with it, click on Submit.
Fixes for ‘Instagram Stories not Working’
Apart from the ‘Instagram Reels not working’ issue, the users have also reported issues related to Instagram stories like can’t share posts to Instagram stories. And one of those issues is ‘Instagram stories not working’. So if you are also facing this issue, you can follow the methods given below.
Related: How to Secretly View Instagram Stories
- Log Out & Log Back in Again.
If updating the app doesn’t help, you can try to log in to your account after logging out. This is a quick way to refresh everything, and now the Instagram stories might start working back just fine.
- Turn Off Data Saver for Instagram
Since Instagram uses a lot of data for loading pictures and videos, many people prefer to keep the data saver on, so there is less use of it. However, this could also be why Instagram Reels aren’t working for you. So turning it off might help you out.
- Clear App Cache
As cache often gets collected in the devices and apps, the same can be in the case of Instagram. If the issue is because of the app, you have to clear the cache, and this may help you in getting rid of the issue of ‘why are stories not showing on Instagram?’
- Try Switching to Instagram Lite
Since using Instagram and watching Instagram Reels or stories requires a good amount of internet data, and in case you don’t have it, there is an alternative. If you think that the issue of ‘Instagram stories not working’ can be due to this, you can install Instagram Lite.
- Sign Up for Instagram Beta
The Instagram Beta version is only for android users and also helps to get access to new features quickly. So if you are missing out on using the Instagram Stories or Instagram Reels features, using the Instagram Beta version might help.
- Update the Device Software
Since many people don’t pay attention to software updates, there is a possibility that it can cause issues in apps. So if the methods so far did not work for you, you can check whether there is any pending update and do the software update.
- Report A Problem
If you think that the problem lies on Instagram’s end, you can try reporting the issue directly to them. Even though addressing ‘Instagram Stories not working’ issue with Instagram can be a time taking process, you can expect a reply from them in 24-48 hours or more.
- Check if Instagram Reels Feature is Available for your Region/Country
As discussed earlier, it is important to check whether the Instagram Reels feature is available in the country or region that you are in or not. If it is not available, this could be the reason for the ‘Instagram Reels not working’ issue.
Notes
To go through the steps in detail, you can refer to the Steps to Fix the ‘Instagram Reels not Working’ Issue section given in the article.
Using the methods explained in the article, you will hopefully be able to resolve the issue of ‘Instagram stories not loading’ and ‘Instagram Reels not working’.
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Conclusion
It has been a while since Instagram Reels was launched, and it had its own number of issues at first. But, even though most of the issues have been solved by Instagram’s end, the users still face some. One of them is ‘Instagram Reels and Stories not Working’ and we have covered it in this article.
Being unable to enjoy such an interesting feature of Instagram can be annoying, so if you are also facing this issue, this article will help you in getting rid of it.
Categories: Technology
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
