How To Fix Instagram Reels Not Working on iOS & Android
Instagram is widely recognized as one of the most popular social media platforms, attracting millions of users who engage with its diverse features. Among these features, Instagram’s reels stand out as the most renowned. This feature was introduced shortly after TikTok’s ban in India, as Instagram seized the opportunity to launch a similar concept.
Reels on Instagram adopt a comparable approach to TikTok, enabling users to create short videos using a plethora of effects, music, transitions, and more. In order to stay competitive with Instagram’s content creators, the app constantly introduces new features and upgrades.
Nevertheless, recent developments and the novelty of reels have given rise to certain issues on Instagram. Consequently, numerous users have experienced malfunctions with their Instagram reels. This article aims to provide assistance in resolving such problems and restoring proper functionality to your Instagram reels.
Contents
- 1 Fix Instagram Reels Not Working iOS & Android 2023
- 2 Instagram App Needs to be Updated
- 3 Logout and Re-Login
- 4 Look for Reels in Different Sections of Instagram
- 5 Clear App Cache
- 6 Wait for Instagram Reels to become available in Your Country
- 7 Sign up for Instagram Beta
- 8 Contact Instagram Support
- 9 Check Your Internet Connection
- 10 Reinstall Instagram App
- 11 Updating System Firmware
- 12 Final Words
Fix Instagram Reels Not Working iOS & Android 2023
Instagram boasts an impressive user base of approximately one billion active monthly users, solidifying its position as one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. Seizing the opportunity presented by the TikTok ban, Instagram introduced Reels as an alternative. This feature allows users to create captivating short video clips using the app’s expansive music library and a range of creative tools. Notably, Instagram Reel videos enjoy an extended viewing duration compared to regular Instagram Story content.
Despite its popularity and diverse set of features, many users have encountered issues with Instagram Reels, such as malfunctions or the absence of the feature. Such limitations can be frustrating, hindering your ability to stay up-to-date with trends and access the latest features.
The reasons behind the absence of Reels on Instagram can vary, but here are a few common fixes that may address the issue, considering the multitude of potential causes.
Instagram App Needs to be Updated
If you’re unable to see Reels on Instagram, it is recommended to start by updating your Instagram app. This is particularly crucial if you have recently updated your device’s operating system.
To update your Instagram app, you can visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Simply search for the Instagram app and look for the Update button if an update is available. Download the update and then check if the issue of Instagram Reels not working is resolved.
Logout and Re-Login
If updating the Instagram app on your phone does not resolve the issue with Reels, you can try signing out of your Instagram account and then signing back in. Here’s how you can do it:
- Click on the bottom right corner of your profile picture to log out of Instagram.
- Once your profile appears, tap on the menu located in the top right corner.
- From the menu options, select “Settings” at the bottom of the sidebar that appears on the right.
- Scroll down on the “Settings” screen until you reach the bottom where you will find the option to log out.
- Tap on the log out option to successfully log out of your Instagram account.
- After logging out, sign back in to your Instagram account using your username and password.
- Once you’re signed in, check if Reels is now available within the app.
By following these steps, you can ensure a fresh login to your Instagram account and verify if Reels are accessible.
Look for Reels in Different Sections of Instagram
Instagram offers multiple locations where Reels can be found. To explore and engage with Reels on Instagram, you can refer to the following sections:
- Reels Tab: By tapping the Reels tab located at the bottom center of the Instagram app, you can discover Reels from users worldwide. The square icon in the middle with a play button represents the Reels tab. When you access the Reels tab, you can find public Reels videos created by Instagram users.
- Profile Reels: You can also find Reels on someone’s profile. Visit a user’s profile and check if they have enabled Reels. You can search for someone’s Reels video specifically on their profile to see if they have posted any Reels content.
- Reels Gallery: Inside the profile page of popular brands or celebrities on Instagram, you may find a dedicated Reels gallery. This gallery displays all of their Reels videos in one section, allowing you to conveniently view their Reels content.
- New Post: If you want to create Reels videos right away, open the Instagram app and click on the plus sign in the upper left-hand corner to access the “New Post” screen. If Reels is enabled for your account, you will see a “Reels” tab at the bottom of the page. From there, you can start capturing a Reels video directly using the camera module of the app.
- Camera Screen: Instead of going to the “New Post” screen, you can directly access the camera screen for creating Reels videos. Open the Instagram app and swipe left then right on the main screen to reach the camera screen. Scroll down and select the Reels option.
- Explore Screen: Instagram’s Explore section also showcases Reels videos alongside other publicly shared photos and videos. To check if any popular Reels videos are featured in the Explore screen, open the Instagram app and click on the search icon at the bottom. Look for the Reels icon, which represents portrait videos, and scroll through the screen to discover Reels content.
These sections provide various avenues to discover, interact with, and follow Reels on Instagram.
Clear App Cache
As you use an app more frequently, it tends to store additional data in its cache. The accumulation of cache data can consume device memory, resulting in reduced available space. This can potentially lead to application errors, including issues with Instagram Reels functionality. To address these potential bugs, it is recommended to clear the cache. Clearing the Instagram app cache can be done using any of the following three methods.
From Settings
- Go to the Settings page on your device.
- Click on “Apps & Notifications”.
- From the list of apps, select “Instagram”.
- Tap on “Storage & cache”.
- Finally, click on “Clear Cache”. Next, click on “Clear Storage”.
- By following these steps, you can clear the cache and storage of the Instagram app on your device.
Third-party applications
- You can download a cleaner app from the Play Store to help with clearing your app caches. Once you have installed a cleaner app, open it and locate the option labeled “Clean App Caches”. By selecting this option, you will be able to clean the cache specifically for your Instagram app, effectively clearing the accumulated data.
Installing Instagram again
The data, including the cache, will be deleted after uninstalling the Instagram app.
You can then reinstall it from the PlayStore.
Wait for Instagram Reels to become available in Your Country
Certain Instagram features are restricted to specific countries. As of 2020, Instagram Reels was only accessible in 50 countries. If Reels are not available in your country, you may need to wait for Instagram to launch the feature there. Nevertheless, there are two alternative ways to watch Reels:
- Access Instagram via VPN: You can utilize a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access Instagram as if you were in a different country where Reels are available. By connecting to a VPN server in a supported country, you can potentially unlock Reels and enjoy the feature.
- Change your app store location: Another option is to change the location setting of your app store. By adjusting the location to a country where Reels are supported, you may be able to download the Instagram app version that includes the Reels feature.
Please note that the effectiveness of these methods cannot be guaranteed. However, you can still give them a try to potentially access Instagram Reels in your country.
Sign up for Instagram Beta
If you’re unable to see Reels within the regular Instagram app, you can try installing the Beta version of Instagram. Here’s how you can proceed:
- Download the Instagram Beta version: Look for the Instagram Beta app and download it from the Google Play Store on your Android device. This version may bring back Reels when updated to its beta version.
- Join the beta program: Scroll down the Instagram page within the Play Store app. Locate the “Join the beta” section and tap on the “Join” button. A confirmation screen will appear, and you may need to tap on “Join” within the pop-up dialog box to proceed.
- Enroll in Instagram’s beta program: Google will now enroll you in Instagram’s beta program. It may take a few minutes to be able to update to the latest beta version of Instagram.
- Install the latest Instagram Beta: Once you’re enrolled, go to the Instagram page within the Play Store app and tap on the “Update” button to install the latest Instagram Beta version on your device.
- Open the Instagram app: After installing the update, open the Instagram app. Check whether Reels are now available to you within the app.
By following these steps, you can opt for the Instagram Beta version, which allows you to try out new features before their official release. Please note that the Instagram beta program is currently only available for Android devices.
Contact Instagram Support
If you have exhausted all the solutions mentioned in this post and are still facing issues with Instagram Reels, reporting the problem directly to Instagram is your final option. This will help them understand the specific problem you are experiencing. Follow these steps to report the issue:
- Open the Instagram app and go to the Settings section.
- Tap on “Help” in the Settings menu.
- Select “Report a problem” from the available options.
- On the following screen, describe the issue you are facing in the provided error message box.
- If applicable, you can upload a screenshot of the problem using the “Gallery” or “Take Screenshot” options.
- Once you have entered all the necessary details, tap the “Submit” button to register your complaint.
By reporting the issue to Instagram through these steps, you can provide feedback and make them aware of the problem you are encountering with Instagram Reels.
Check Your Internet Connection
If you are encountering problems with Instagram Reels on the app, it could be related to a slow internet connection. If your internet is not functioning properly, it is likely to affect the performance of Reels. In such cases, you can try the following steps:
- Check your internet connection: Ensure that your internet connection is stable and working properly. If you are experiencing issues, try turning on and off Airplane mode on your device. Additionally, make sure you are in an area with a stronger network coverage to improve your connection.
- Switch to a different Wi-Fi network: If the issue persists, try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network to see if it resolves the problem. This can help determine if the issue is specific to your current network.
If neither of these steps resolves the issue, you can proceed to the next step in this article for further troubleshooting.
Reinstall Instagram App
If clearing the app cache did not resolve the issue, the next step you should try is reinstalling the Instagram app. Follow the steps below to reinstall the Instagram app:
- Tap and hold the Instagram app icon on your device’s home screen.
- Tap on the delete icon (usually an “X” or a trash bin) to uninstall the app.
- Now, open the Play Store (for Android devices) or the App Store (for iOS devices).
- Search for “Instagram” in the respective app store and locate the official Instagram app.
- Download and install the Instagram app on your device.
- Once the installation is complete, open the Instagram app.
- Sign in to your Instagram account using your username and password.
- Check if Instagram Reels are now working properly on your device.
By reinstalling the Instagram app, you can ensure that any potential software issues or corrupted files are resolved, allowing you to access and use Instagram Reels without any problems.
Updating System Firmware
Sometimes, the issue you are facing may be due to outdated system software. To resolve this, you should try updating the system firmware. Follow the steps below based on your device’s operating system:
On Android:
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Look for the “Software Update” or “System Update” option and tap on it.
- Check for any available updates. If updates are found, download and install them.
- Once the updates are installed, restart your device.
- After the restart, check if you still encounter issues with Instagram Reels.
On iOS:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on “General” and then select “Software Update”.
- If a new update is available, tap on “Download and Install” to start the update process.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation of the latest update.
- After the update is installed, restart your device.
- Launch the Instagram app and check if the issues with Instagram Reels have been resolved.
By updating the system firmware on your device, you can ensure that you have the latest software enhancements and bug fixes, which may help resolve any compatibility issues with Instagram Reels.
Final Words
That concludes the steps to resolve the “Instagram Reels not working” error. Instagram Reels has been available for some time now, and the developers have addressed many of its issues. However, there may still be instances where you encounter errors with Instagram Reels on certain devices. To address these errors, simply follow the steps mentioned above, and you should be able to resolve the issue and enjoy using Instagram Reels without any problems.