“Instagram stands as one of the most widely used social media platforms, attracting millions of users with its diverse engagement features. Among these features, Instagram’s reels have gained particular popularity. Notably, Instagram introduced reels shortly after TikTok was banned in India.
Reels adopts a concept similar to TikTok, allowing users to employ a range of effects, music, transitions, and more to create short videos. To stay competitive with other platforms, Instagram continuously introduces new features and enhancements for its creators.
However, recent updates on Instagram, coupled with reels being a relatively new feature, have led to some issues. Consequently, many users are experiencing malfunctions in their Instagram reels. This article aims to guide users in resolving issues and restoring the proper functionality of their Instagram reels.”
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Fix Instagram Reels Not Working iOS & Android 2024
“Instagram boasts an estimated one billion active users monthly, positioning itself as one of the swiftly expanding social media platforms. Leveraging the ban on TikTok, Instagram introduced Reels as an alternative, allowing users to craft enhanced short video clips using the app’s music library and various creative features. Notably, Instagram Reel videos offer extended viewing time compared to regular Instagram Story content.
Despite being a widely used app with numerous features, many users have reported issues with Instagram Reels, including malfunctions and unavailability. This can be frustrating, especially when trying to stay updated with trends and access the latest features.
The non-appearance or improper functioning of Reels on Instagram can be attributed to various reasons. Given the multitude of potential causes, here are a few common troubleshooting solutions that may address the issue.”
Instagram App Needs to be Updated
“If you are unable to view Reels on Instagram, your first step should be to update the Instagram app. This is particularly crucial if you have recently updated your device’s operating system.
To update the Instagram app, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Search for the Instagram app, and if an update is required, an ‘Update’ button will be visible. 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, try signing out of your Instagram account and then signing back in. To log out, click on the bottom right corner of your profile picture.”
“Tap on the menu located in the top right corner when your profile is visible.”
“Select the ‘Settings’ option at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar.”
“Scroll down on the ‘Settings’ screen. At the bottom, you will find the option to log out.”
“Your Instagram account has been successfully logged off. After completing this step, sign back into your Instagram account using your username and password. Confirm that Reels is now accessible within the app.
Explore Reels in Different Instagram
Sections Instagram offers various sections where Reels can be found. Explore the different ways to interact with and follow Reels on Instagram by checking the sections outlined below.
Navigate to the Reels tab. Tapping the Reels tab at the bottom center of the Instagram app allows you to discover Reels from users worldwide. Look for the play button in the middle of the square icon. By selecting the Reels tab, you can find public Reels videos shared by Instagram users.”
“You can locate Reels on an individual’s profile. Search for someone’s Reels video directly on their profile to check if Reels is enabled on their account. Explore the Reels gallery within the profile page of popular brands or celebrities on Instagram. When you access their Reels gallery, you can conveniently view all of their Reels videos in one section.”
“Click on ‘New Post’ to start creating Reels videos instantly. Open the Instagram app and tap the plus sign in the upper left-hand corner. The ‘New Post’ screen will appear within Instagram. If Reels is enabled for your account, you’ll find a ‘Reels’ tab at the bottom of the page. From there, you can begin recording a Reels video directly using the app’s camera module.”
“Access the camera screen by swiping. Instead of navigating to the ‘New Post’ screen, open the Instagram app to check if you can create Reels videos. Swipe left then right on the main screen of the app. Scroll down and choose the Reels option.”
“On Instagram’s Explore screen, Reels videos are featured. Within the Instagram app, you may come across popular Reels videos in the Explore section, similar to other publicly shared photos and videos. Check the Instagram app to confirm. Tap the search icon located towards the bottom. Look for the Reels icon, denoting portrait videos, on this screen. Scroll through the content to locate it.”
Clear App Cache
“As you use an app more frequently, it tends to store additional data in the cache, which, over time, can occupy a significant amount of your device’s memory. This accumulation of cache may result in application errors, potentially causing issues with Instagram Reels functionality. To address this, it is advisable to clear your cache. The Instagram app cache can be cleared in three different ways.”
From Settings
“Navigate to the Settings page. Click on ‘Apps & Notifications.’ Choose Instagram from the list of apps. Tap on ‘Storage & Cache.’ Next, click ‘Clear Cache,’ followed by ‘Clear Storage.’
Using Third-Party Applications
Download a cleaner app from the PlayStore. Select ‘Clean App Caches.’ You’ll be able to clear your Instagram cache. Reinstalling Instagram
Uninstalling the Instagram
app will remove data, including the cache. Subsequently, reinstall it from the PlayStore.”
Wait for Instagram Reels to become available in Your Country
“Some Instagram features are limited to specific countries, and as of 2020, Instagram Reels was accessible in only 50 countries. If Reels is not available in your country, you might need to wait for its launch. Nevertheless, there are two potential ways to watch Reels:
Access Instagram using a VPN. Alternatively, change the location setting of your app store. It’s important to note that the effectiveness of these methods cannot be guaranteed, but you can give them a try.”
Sign up for Instagram Beta
“If you are unable to see Reels in the Instagram app, consider installing the Beta version of Instagram as an alternative solution. Follow these steps:
Download the Instagram Beta version, which may reintroduce Reels upon updating to its beta version. By joining an app’s beta program, you can access new features before their official release.
Note that Instagram’s beta program is currently available only on Android. To download the Instagram Beta app, open the Google Play Store on your Android device and locate the Instagram app.
Scroll down the Instagram page in the Play Store, and within the ‘Join the beta’ section, tap the ‘Join’ button. Confirm your enrollment when prompted, and you may need to tap ‘Join’ in the pop-up dialog box.
Once enrolled in Instagram’s beta program by Google, wait a few minutes before you can update to the latest beta version.
To install the latest Instagram Beta, tap the ‘Update’ button on the Instagram screen within the Play Store app.
After installing the update, open the Instagram app and check if Reels are now available to you.”
Contact Instagram Support
“After attempting all the solutions provided in this post and still encountering issues with Instagram Reels, your final recourse is to directly report the problem to Instagram. Here’s how:
- Open the Instagram app and go to the Settings section.
- Tap on ‘Help.’
- Choose ‘Report a Problem’ from the screen.
- In the subsequent screen, provide an error message detailing the issue with the app.
- You can use the ‘Gallery’ or ‘Take Screenshot’ options to upload a screenshot of the problem.
- Once you’ve entered the necessary information, submit your complaint by tapping the ‘Submit’ button.”
Check Your Internet Connection
“If you encounter issues with Instagram Reels on the app, it might be attributed to a slow internet connection. If there are problems with your internet, you’re likely to experience issues. In such cases, try toggling Airplane mode on and off. Additionally, ensure you are in an area with better network coverage.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue, attempt connecting to another Wi-Fi network. If the problem persists, proceed to the next step outlined in this article.”
Reinstall Instagram App
“The next step to try is reinstalling the Instagram app. If clearing the app cache didn’t resolve the issue, follow the steps below to reinstall the Instagram app:
- Tap and hold the Instagram app icon, then tap the Delete icon to uninstall it.
- Open the Play Store (if using an Android device) or App Store (if using an iOS device).
- Search for and download the Instagram app.
- Open the Instagram app on your device and sign in to your account.
- Check if Instagram Reels are working properly.
Updating System Firmware:
In many instances, issues may arise due to outdated system software. You should try updating the system firmware to see if that resolves the problem. Follow the steps below:
On Android:
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Search for “Software Update” and open it.
- Check for updates and download/install any available updates to fix the issue.
On iOS:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on “General” and then select “Software Update.”
- Install the latest update available and check if the Instagram Reels issue persists.
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Final Words
“This concludes the steps to resolve Instagram Reels errors. Despite being launched a while ago, Instagram Reels has seen numerous bug fixes by developers. However, there are still instances where users may encounter errors with Instagram Reels on certain devices. To address this, simply follow the steps mentioned above, and your issue should be resolved.”