Instagram is a popular social media platform; however, it doesn’t come without issues. If you’re reading this, then you’re probably finding that your Instagram keeps crashing, which can be super frustrating!
If you’re struggling with this issue, you’ll shortly learn why the app could crash. And even better, we look at quick fixes to get your Instagram up and running again so you can post your content and engage with your followers.
Why Does Instagram Keep Crashing?
Your Instagram app could be crashing when you:
- Open the Instagram app
- Use your camera with the app open
- Open direct messages
- Post a Story
- Upload a video
- And more
So why does Instagram keep crashing?
There are several reasons why the Instagram app crashes:
- You recently upgraded your phone but the Instagram app hasn’t been updated yet.
- Wi-Fi is unstable or the internet signal/connection is weak.
- There are too many apps running in the background.
- Your phone is low on memory.
- The Instagram app is corrupted.
- Your app version needs to be updated.
- And more.
What To Do When Instagram Crashes (9 Quick Fixes)
No matter the issue with the Instagram app that keeps crashing, follow these tips to get the app back up:
Restart Your Phone
If your Instagram crashes, then the first step is to restart your phone. This clears out glitches or errors that are temporary in nature, and the app can start anew.
Once your phone has restarted, open the Instagram app. If it responds, yay! If not, try the other quick fixes.
Update The App
Sometimes, apps have glitches or a bug. The best way to resolve this is to update the app to the newest version since those issues are usually dealt with very quickly.
For the newest version of Instagram, go to the App Store on your iPhone or the Google Play Store on your Android device. Go to your available app updates, and tap Update.
Check The Free Storage On Your Device
If you don’t have a lot of free space left on your smartphone, Instagram (and other apps) may keep crashing. You need a minimum of 10-15% free storage for apps to continue running smoothly.
On your Android device, follow these steps to check how much free storage you have left:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Storage.
- You’ll see how much free storage you have left and which apps are eating up your storage.
To check how much free storage there is on your iPhone:
- Tap on Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Select iPhone Storage.
- You’ll see what the remaining storage is on your device. (It can take a while to load, so be patient.)
If you don’t have enough free storage, delete some unused apps or files. Then open Instagram and see how it runs.
Don’t Use Beta
A beta version of any app is generally not the most stable, and these may have bugs that cause the app to randomly crash.
If you use a beta version of Instagram and it keeps crashing, then leave it and use the “original” version that everyone else uses.
On Android:
- Tap on Google Play Store.
- Go to the Instagram page.
- Scroll until you see “You’re a beta tester.”
- Tap Leave.
- Wait a bit.
- Uninstall Instagram, and then reinstall the stable version.
On an iPhone:
- Open FlightTest.
- Unenroll from the beta version of Instagram.
If you don’t have FlightTest, then you don’t have beta Insta.
See If The App Is Down
One thing to check if Instagram keeps crashing is whether the app is down for everyone.
Simply Google and ask “is Instagram down?” or visit Down Detector, which will show you outage issues with the social platform.
Clear Instagram Cache
If you’ve updated the Instagram app a few days ago, then clear the cache. This prevents the app from crashing.
On your Android device:
- Press on the Instagram app icon for a few seconds.
- Tap on App Info.
- Tap Storage, then Clear Cache.
- Reopen Instagram.
Alternatively, you can also go to Settings > Apps > Instagram, and from here, open App Info.
On your iPhone, you will need to delete the app and reinstall it since you can’t clear an app’s cache like on an Android device. Deleting the app clears the cache.
To delete the Instagram app:
- Tap the Instagram app icon for a few seconds.
- Tap Remove App.
- Select Delete App.
- Open the App Store.
- Reinstall Instagram.
- Log into your account and see if the app works as usual.
Delete Instagram And Reinstall It
Uninstalling Instagram may remove the issues the app has with loading or doing whatever you’re trying to do.
On your Android phone:
- Long-press the Instagram app icon on your home screen.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Confirm if there’s a prompt asking if you want to remove the app.
- Go to the Google Play Store and download Instagram again.
- Log into your account and see how the app is working.
For your iPhone, follow the deleting app steps listed above.
Convert Your Video Or Image
What if Instagram keeps crashing while you try to post a video, Story, or photo? Then there could be a problem with the video or image file.
The solution would be to convert the video or image to a more compatible file format.
For HEIC or HEIF images, convert them to JPEG or PNG formats. With a video, tone down the frame rate and resolution.
For image conversion, try something like Media Converter on the App Store or Google Play Store. For video conversion, try Video Converter on the App Store or Google Play Store.
If you have an iPhone, you can also go to Settings > Camera > change High Efficiency to High Compatibility.
Update Your Phone’s OS
If your phone’s OS is due for an update and you haven’t tapped Install yet, Instagram could be crashing for this reason. Update your phone so you can keep using the app.
On Android (these are general steps; the steps for your phone model could vary):
- Open Settings.
- Tap on System & Updates.
- Tap on Software Updates.
- See if there are any pending updates. If so, tap Install.
On an iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Software Update.
- See if there are any pending updates. If so, tap Install.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why Instagram keeps crashing, ranging from app issues to phone issues. Troubleshooting is made easy with these quick fixes, so you can continue to post your valuable content and engage with your audience.
Good luck!