- What an Instagram app that won't open looks like
- Updating the Instagram app first
- Restarting your phone when Instagram won't open
- Checking Wi-Fi and mobile data for Instagram
- Deleting and reinstalling Instagram
- When Instagram opens but you can't log in
- Using Instagram in a browser while the app won't open
- If a feature isn't working rather than the whole app
- Reporting an Instagram problem that won't go away
- A quick Instagram not opening checklist
- Frequently asked questions
If Instagram is not opening, update the app from your app store, restart your phone, then try Wi-Fi and mobile data to rule out a weak connection. If it still won't open, delete and reinstall it, and use instagram.com in a browser in the meantime. Instagram says your photos and profile info are kept.
You tap the Instagram icon and the app flashes, freezes or does nothing at all. If Instagram is where you talk to customers or post for your business, that's more than an annoyance. It's a locked shop door.
Instagram's Help Centre doesn't have a page called app not opening, and it doesn't name one cause. It does have a short run of steps for when something isn't working, and I've put them in the order the help pages give them, quickest first.
What an Instagram app that won't open looks like
People describe this in different ways: the app closes the moment it opens, it sits on a blank screen, or it opens but won't load anything. Instagram's help pages cover these under the heading of something not working with the app. The steps below are the ones Instagram gives, and none of them need any special tools.
Updating the Instagram app first
For anything that isn't working in the app on iPhone or Android, Instagram's first recommendation is to update to the latest version. Open the App Store or Google Play, search for Instagram and look for an update button. If the update won't download, Instagram says to check your internet connection, and for best results connect to Wi-Fi before downloading.
Instagram's troubleshooting page adds that you should be running the latest version of your phone or tablet's operating system too, so check your phone's settings for a system update.
Restarting your phone when Instagram won't open
Instagram's own advice is to always try restarting your phone or tablet first if you're having trouble. It sounds too simple to matter, but a restart clears out whatever else is running, and it's the quickest thing you can do. Once the phone is back on, open Instagram before any other app, so you can tell whether it worked.
Checking Wi-Fi and mobile data for Instagram
If restarting doesn't help, Instagram says to try the app on both Wi-Fi and your mobile data connection, to see whether a weak Wi-Fi or data connection is the cause. Switch one off, open the app, then try the other. If it opens on one and not the other, you've learned something useful. The problem is the connection, not the app, and it's worth testing a different network.
Deleting and reinstalling Instagram
The next step in Instagram's list is to delete and reinstall. Its help page says your photos and profile info will be saved by Instagram, so reinstalling doesn't wipe your account. You will need to log in again, so have your login details to hand first. If you aren't sure of them, read the next section before you delete anything.
On iPhone and iPad:
- From the Home screen, tap and hold the Instagram app icon.
- Tap Remove App.
- Go to the App Store, reinstall Instagram, then log in with your username and password.
On Android:
- Go to your phone or tablet's Settings and tap Apps.
- Tap Instagram.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Go to the Google Play Store, reinstall Instagram, then log in with your username and password.
When Instagram opens but you can't log in
Some people say Instagram isn't opening when it opens fine but then bounces them back to the login screen. That's a different problem with its own help. Instagram has a hub for login trouble that covers forgotten passwords, password reset emails that don't work, lost access to an email or phone, hacked accounts and identity checks. I've covered those in a separate guide, and the official route starts in Instagram's login help. If you're not sure which address you signed up with, this walkthrough on checking whether you already have an Instagram account may help.
Using Instagram in a browser while the app won't open
This is what I'd do straight away if you've got a post to publish or a customer to answer. Instagram's help page reminds you that you can always go to instagram.com on the web from a mobile browser or a computer. It's not the same as the app, and a few features may look different, but you can keep working while you fix the app.
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If a feature isn't working rather than the whole app
Instagram's troubleshooting page has an honest note for this case. Something might not be loading as it should because of settings you or someone else set up, and you might also be seeing an issue because a feature isn't available to everyone yet. Try searching the Help Centre for the specific feature. If a button or tab has vanished while the rest of the app opens, it may simply not have reached your account.
Reporting an Instagram problem that won't go away
If you've tried everything and the app still won't open, Instagram says it could be a bug or a broken feature, and it asks you to report it. There are two ways, both of which need the app to open at least briefly.
- Shake your phone to see the reporting menu, then tap Report a problem and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Go to your profile, tap Menu, tap Help under More info and support, then tap Report a Problem.
Reports about content take a while to be looked at, as I explain in how long Instagram takes to review a report, so give a technical report the best chance by including as much detail as you can, such as the kind of phone or tablet you were using, what you were doing when the problem happened, and a screenshot. Your device and account information is included in the report automatically. If the app can't open at all, you can try the report option from instagram.com on a computer, which Instagram's help page lists as a place to report from.
A quick Instagram not opening checklist
- Update the Instagram app and your phone's software.
- Restart your phone.
- Try Wi-Fi, then mobile data.
- Delete and reinstall the app, then log in again.
- Use instagram.com while you wait.
- Report the problem from the app if it keeps happening.
Related guides live in the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Instagram not opening?
Instagram's help pages don't name a single cause. They suggest updating the app, restarting your phone, checking your Wi-Fi and mobile data, and deleting and reinstalling the app.
Will I lose my photos if I reinstall Instagram?
Instagram says your photos and profile info will be saved when you remove the app. You'll just need to log in again with your username and password.
Can I use Instagram if the app won't open?
Yes. Instagram's help page says you can always go to instagram.com on the web from a mobile browser or a computer.
How do I report that Instagram isn't working?
Shake your phone in the app and tap Report a problem, or go to your profile, Menu, Help, then Report a Problem. Include details of your phone and what you were doing.
Does an old phone stop Instagram opening?
Instagram's troubleshooting page says to run the latest version of the app and of your phone's operating system, so it's worth checking for a system update.
What if Instagram only works on mobile data?
That points to your Wi-Fi connection rather than the app. Try another Wi-Fi network if you can, and keep using mobile data in the meantime.
