Instagram may be the world’s largest photo-sharing platform but it isn’t entirely immune to bugs and other issues. Oftentimes, users report that new images do not show up on their Instagram feed, and even when they do, they simply won’t load. There can be multiple reasons behind this problem. In this article, we bring you the top 12 ways to fix the ‘Instagram pictures not showing up’ issue on your smartphone.
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In This Article
Check your internet connection
The most likely reason why Instagram won’t load pictures is a faulty internet connection. Make sure that mobile data on your device is turned on or you are connected to an active WiFi network. Check your network provider’s app to see if you have ample data left. Open a web page or another app to see if it is loading. This will help you get an idea of whether the issue lies with Instagram or your network.
Clear app cache to fix ‘Instagram pictures not showing up’
Temporary files in the cache are always at risk of getting corrupted and impeding the basic functioning of the app. Here’s how you can clear Instagram’s app cache.
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Instagram.
Step 3: Tap on Storage.
Step 4: Select Clear Cache from the bottom of the screen.
Turn off Instagram’s data saver to fix ‘pictures not showing up’ issue
Instagram has a native data-saving feature that disables the preloading of videos on the platform to consume less mobile data. While this works fine for the most part, it can often lead to pictures and videos not loading at all. Here’s how you can disable the data saver.
Step 1: Go to your Instagram profile and tap the hamburger menu at the top right corner of the screen.
Step 2: Select Settings.
Step 3: Tap on Account.
Step 4: Scroll down and select Mobile Data Use.
Step 5: Turn the toggle bar off for Data Saver.
Disable your smartphone’s data saver
Like Instagram, your smartphone has a data saver tool as well. You can set a maximum data usage limit on your device. After the limit has been reached, mobile data will be turned off on your phone. Here’s how you can disable data saver on your smartphone.
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Connections.
Step 2: Tap on Data Usage.
Step 3: Tap on Mobile Data usage.
Step 4: Click on the gear icon for additional settings.
Step 5: Turn the toggle bar off for Set data limit.
Allow unrestricted data usage to Instagram
Step 1: Go to Settings and select Apps.
Step 2: Select Instagram.
Step 3: Tap on Mobile data and WiFi.
Step 4: Turn on the toggle switch for Unrestricted data usage.
Log out and log back in to fix ‘Instagram pictures not showing up’
Any account-related issues can be fixed by logging out of the Instagram app and logging back in. Go to your profile, open the hamburger menu, and select the Log Out option from Settings. Log back into Instagram using your email, phone number, or Instagram handle.
Uninstall and Reinstall the app
Uninstalling the app gets rid of the app data on your device. If you suspect the app data is the reason behind Instagram not functioning properly, uninstall and then reinstall the app on your phone. To delete Instagram, long-press its icon in the app drawer and hit the delete button. This will fix the ‘Instagram pictures not showing up’ issue.
Use Instagram Lite
Instagram Lite is a faster, stripped-down version of Instagram that covers all the essential features of the app. If the main Instagram app isn’t able to load images due to network and connectivity issues, switch to Instagram Lite for smooth and fast browsing. Instagram Lite occupies less space on your phone on top of using minimal data. The app is available on the Google Play Store.
Update the Instagram app
Older versions of the Instagram app may contain bugs that cause glitches and unwanted errors. These bugs are quickly resolved in the following updates. If you haven’t updated the Instagram app in a long time, go to Google Play Store, search for Instagram, and hit Update.
Disable VPN
If the VPN server you are currently connected to is experiencing an outage, Instagram won’t load pictures on your device. To fix this, connect to a different server or disable the VPN service entirely. Go to Settings>Connection>More Connection Settings>VPN or disconnect from the connected server after launching the VPN app from your phone’s home page.
Use Instagram’s Web Portal
If the above-mentioned fixes don’t work, maybe the problem lies with your device. Try using Instagram’s web portal for PC. Although it started out as a pretty basic webpage, Instagram for Web now supports almost all the features of its mobile apps.
Check if Instagram’s servers are down
It is not uncommon for Instagram to experience a server outage. When the servers are down, all app activity is ceased until the servers are back up and running. You have no other option than to wait it out. To check if Instagram’s servers are down, visit the DownDetector website and search for Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why won’t Instagram load any pictures?
If Instagram isn’t loading any pictures on your device, check your network connection. Additionally, make sure that Instagram’s and your device’s data savers are turned off.
How do I turn off the data saver on Instagram?
To turn off Instagram’s data saver, go to Profile>Menu>Account>Mobile data use and turn off the toggle bar for Data Saver.
How do I turn off my smartphone’s data saver?
Go to Settings>Connections>Data usage>Mobile data usage, hit the gear icon, and turn off the toggle bar for Set data limit.
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Conclusion
These are the top 12 ways to fix the ‘Instagram pictures not showing up’ issue on your smartphone. If the issue still persists after trying the fixes mentioned above, it is possible that you may have been handed an account ban. For more details, contact Instagram support. If you found this article helpful, let us know in the comments!
