Can’t Post on Instagram? Try These 10 Fixes.If you receive one of Instagram’s error messages, such as “Please try again later” or “Action blocked”, you can’t tell exactly what went wrong and why Instagram won’t let you post. Whether it’s a generic image that won’t load, or an unresponsive publish button, fixing this particular issue can be difficult and time consuming. So, let’s take a closer look at 10 potential fixes for those who can’t post on Instagram for whatever reason.
Most Common Reasons Why You Can’t Post on Instagram
Your internet connection plays the most important role when it comes to downloading Instagram posts. Poor internet connection is the main reason why users are unable to post their photos or stories. But this is not the only reason. Here’s what might be causing the problem:
- Your post is against the Instagram Community Guidelines.
- Your Instagram account has been disabled, suspended, or temporarily suspended.
- Your Instagram app is out of date.
- The Instagram cache is full.
- You are posting too much from your new account.
- The file you are trying to share is too large.
- Data saving mode is activated on your phone.
- Battery saver mode is enabled on your device.
- You are using incompatible third-party apps to post to Instagram.
- You are using a VPN or a proxy server.
- Instagram is not available.
Now let’s see what you can do if you can’t post on Instagram.
1. Check Your Internet Connection
A stable connection is a must if you want to post photos and videos, especially if they are high quality.If you suspect that your network connection might be the reason you can’t post to Instagram, try resetting your Wi-Fi router. Especially if you’ve never reset it before. Continued use of routers sometimes results in a delayed response and loss of connection. Turn off the router by pressing the power button. Wait at least five seconds before turning it back on. If you are able to post to Instagram after resetting your router, you will know that this was the problem.If you’re using mobile data to post to Instagram, you can use Airplane Mode or Airplane Mode to reset your network connection. Go to your device’s notification panel and turn on Airplane Mode. Turn it off after a few seconds. Your mobile data should automatically turn on, but if you just do not touch it in the menu.
2. Restart Your Device
Smartphones tend to glitch if they run continuously without rebooting. A simple restart can solve most of the problems you may encounter. Among them is the “Can’t post to Instagram” issue.Rebooting your phone is easy. However, this will depend on the model you are using. Whether it’s an Android phone or an iPhone, most modern models reboot by pressing and holding the power button. Or it could be a combination of pressing the side button and the volume down button. In either case, you will be presented with several options on the screen. Select “Restart” and your smartphone will reboot.
3. Clear Your Instagram Cache
Whenever you use Instagram, its cache memory accumulates in the background. Cache files are stored on your phone to help it quickly launch and display the app the next time you use it. But a full cache folder can affect how the app works. It may also contain corrupted files that will prevent you from posting on Instagram.You should clear the Instagram cache from time to time, no matter what device you use:
- Go to Settings.
- Press Applications.
- Search for Instagram and select it.
- Go to Storage.
- Click Clear Cache in the lower right corner of the screen.
And that’s it, you managed to clear the cache. Check if you can post on Instagram after that.
4. Reduce the Size of a Photo or a Video
If you’re trying to post a photo or video to your Instagram story and it’s too big, Instagram won’t let you post it. This is because Instagram has some file size limits. This is how the application conserves its bandwidth and storage.Photos taken with phone cameras tend to be small and you shouldn’t have any trouble posting them. But you should still pay attention to the recommended Instagram photo sizes measured in pixels:
- Square photos: 1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio.
- Landscape photography: 1080 x 566 pixels, 1.91:1 aspect ratio.
- Vertical image: 1080 x 1350 pixels, 4:5 aspect ratio.
Video is a little more difficult. You cannot post high definition videos and they cannot be longer than 60 seconds. If you just need to share a longer video, use the IGTV app. This is the Insta app dedicated to such videos. Here are the recommended Instagram video sizes and resolutions:
- The aspect ratio should be 1.91:1. I won’t post anything beyond that. Horizontally recorded videos must be 16:9.
- Videos must be no larger than 4 GB. Before downloading such large files, make sure you have a good internet connection; otherwise, the download may take some time.
- Do not exceed the recommended video length of 60 seconds.
5. Update the Instagram App
You may be using an older version of the Instagram app without even knowing it. This may be the reason why it behaves strangely and doesn’t allow you to post anything. Updates bring new features, but they also clean up the app of all known bugs. Go to the Play Store or App Store and see if the Update option is there. Touch it and let your phone update the app. Once you have the latest version of Instagram, try posting again and see if that fixes your issue.
6. Reinstall the Instagram App
If updating the Instagram app didn’t solve the problem and you’re still unable to post, try reinstalling it. To do this, you first need to remove it from your phone. How you do this depends on your device model.Typically, you can press and hold an app on the screen and wait until the uninstall option appears. Please note that choosing “Remove” instead of “Remove” will simply remove it from the home screen. Another way to remove it is to go to Settings, select Applications, click Instagram and click Delete.
Before reinstalling the Instagram app, you need to restart your phone. Follow the steps in the Restart your device section of this article.To install the IG app again, go to the App Store or Play Store and search for Instagram. Click Install.
If this does not resolve the issue, continue to the next troubleshooting step.
7. Change Instagram Data Settings
Many users turn on data savings on Instagram when they use mobile data to access the Internet from their mobile devices. It might be preventing you from posting photos and videos on Instagram. Data Saver limits downloads and uploads when using mobile data. Try turning it off:
- Go to InstagramSettings & Privacy by tapping the three-line menu at the top right of your Instagram profile page. .
- Press Data usage and media quality. You will be taken to the Mobile Data Settings page.
- Disable Traffic Saver.
8. Cross-Check the Permissions
When you first launch Instagram, it will ask you to grant it certain permissions. You may have missed this step somehow and Instagram doesn’t have these permissions. Without them, you won’t be able to post photos or videos.To check if this is the case:
- Go to Settings.
- Press Applications.
- Select Instagram.
- Press Permissions.
- First you need to click Camera and make sure Allow Only when using the app is flagged.
- Go back and select Photos & Videos and make sure Allow checked.
9. Check if the Instagram Server is Down
The Instagram server rarely goes down, but it can happen. Server security updates, for example, require it to be rebooted, which means it will be disabled for some time. The server may also be overloaded or in need of maintenance, in which case it will be disabled.You can check the Instagram server status by going to a website like downdetector.com and typing Instagram in the search bar. You should get results very quickly. If there is server downtime, you will be able to see it.
10. Make Sure the Content You Are Posting is Not Against Instagram’s Policy
Instagram has bots that automatically check if the content you’re trying to post contains sensitive material. In this case, Instagram will not allow you to post such photos or videos. The most common sensitive content banned is nudity and violence. Make sure you don’t try to post anything that might even resemble these topics.As you can see, there are several possible solutions to Instagram posting issues. These include logging out and back in, troubleshooting connectivity issues, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, or simply waiting for it to exit to see if the problem goes away on its own. So follow each step and let us know in the comments below what fixed your Instagram issue.
Can’t Post on Instagram? Try These 10 Fixes
Can’t Post on Instagram? Try These 10 Fixes