Instagram Won't Let Me Post: 10 Ways To Fix It

Last update: 04/10/2024
Photo Policy

Many users have said “Instagram It won't let me publish”, this is actually one of the most common drawbacks that have been occurring lately. Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing images and videos. It is a tradition nowadays that almost everyone has an Instagram app on their smartphone.

Being such a popular social media app, developers are keen to update the app frequently. However, it is not really the perfect platform that you can seamlessly use all day long. There.

Despite all the updates that the developers have made, sometimes you may face problems with posting images and videos on the account. It is always important to debug the real cause. It is difficult to solve this problem if you cannot identify the reasonIf you succeed, you can use the appropriate solution and continue posting on Instagram.

Facing this problem can be panic-inducing, but this post was created to help find the right solution to the users’ concern. Once you know how to solve the problem of Instagram not letting you post, the work will be easier in the future.

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Why won't Instagram let me post photos and videos?

A common reason why people suddenly can't upload photos to Instagram is that something might have gone wrong with the Instagram app cache. If Instagram won't let you post an image, you can try refreshing Instagram, clearing the app cache, or taking a screenshot of the image to re-upload it.

Apart from the cache issue, there could be some other reasons that are common when it comes to loading issues on Instagram:

  1. A poor internet connection can prevent you from posting photos and videos on Instagram.
  2. Instagram may not identify the video or image format you are trying to upload.
  3. The content of your video or photo may be violating Instagram's terms or you have not given credit to the creator of the video/image.
  4. Your Instagram account may be blocked, disabled, or temporarily banned from posting activity.
  5. If you are unable to post images or videos from your gallery, you need to make sure that Instagram can access the storage from your device
  6. You included more than 30 #hashtags in a single post.
  7. You may be trying to upload a photo that exceeds the file size limit set by Instagram.
    • This can be the maximum aspect ratio spanned by the image you are uploading.
  8. If you can't post long videos, here's the limit Instagram has set: 60-second video for posts, 15-minute video for IGTV uploads on the mobile app, 60-minute video for IGTV uploads on the computer, and 15-second video for Instagram Story.

Why won't Instagram let me post multiple photos/videos?

In this case, the first thing you need to do is look at the settings of Background app updateIf by any chance background refresh is disabled for Instagram, the upload process may pause or end automatically if you switch to another app when the upload is taking place.

By the way, the next problem might be that Instagram may block your account temporarily due to the spam issue if you are uploading multiple photos and videos frequently.

This ban lasts for a couple of minutes or an hour, but you will soon be able to upload photos and videos again. Also, make sure that the format of your photos and videos is aligned with the formats supported by Instagram to avoid errors during upload.

Why won't Instagram let me post stories?

There are two ways to look at this. If you're sharing stories or posts from other people's accounts, make sure the third-party account is public. Instagram doesn't allow sharing stories from content coming from a private account. To share stories of your own from a public account, you'd also need to have tagged yourself in the story.

You may encounter errors when posting stories if you have a slow internet connection. Stuck stories also don't allow you to edit/delete, so if you're in an area with poor network reach, try connecting to a faster WiFi network or switch to your second network provider, if there is one.

Why won't Instagram let me post music on stories?

If you are unable to post music on Instagram stories, it may be because you have not updated your Instagram app or your country does not have access to Instagram music features. You can take help from a VPN in this case.

Why won't Instagram let me edit posts?

Older versions of the app had a bug that prevented users from editing their posts. This has been fixed in recent versions, so if you encounter such an issue, be sure to update your app to the latest version. Also, keep an eye on your internet connection if that could be the reason why your edits aren't updating.

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Why won't Instagram let me post comments?

A couple of key reasons why Instagram prevents you from posting comments are:

  1. Bad/No Internet connection.
  2. Instagram is down, it's weird but not impossible.
  3. You have mentioned more than 5 people in a single comment.
  4. You have posted multiple and duplicate comments (this includes emojis).
  5. You're too invested in likes and comments.
  6. You are blocked by the person who owns the account you are trying to post a comment on.
  7. You are trying to spam comments on numerous important accounts.
  8. You have included a word that is banned by Instagram.

Point of interest: If you see this message «Instagram will automatically post when possible«This is an indication that your device is having internet connection issues that are preventing Instagram from uploading media to their server. Make sure you are connected to a stable network and then try uploading the photo/video again.

Now you know the reasons and you might have figured out which one is causing problems when posting photos/videos on Instagram. Below, to solve the problem, we will show you the solutions you should try with the given hierarchy.

If you can't see the post, you are tagged in

Most likely this is a manual approval tag feature enabled in your Instagram app. You have to turn it off by going to Configuration (found on your profile page). Look under settings for “label«. Touch «Tagged posts« Then, disable the option «Approve labels manually«.

If you want to see old tags that have not been approved, click Pending tags and approve them. If your case is when you are tagged in the comment of the post but you cannot see the post, the solution is to update the Instagram application.

Instagram Won't Let Me Post: Solutions

These are the solutions I should apply if Instagram won't let me post:

1. Reboot your device

The first and easiest solution would be to restart your phone. A simple restart can resolve temporary software issues and could fix the issue. Instagram loading problem. In Android, press and hold the power button until you get the restart option. Press reboot the phone. Depending on your phone model, the procedure may be different.

En iOS, press the power button and the home button at the same time and hold until the Apple logo appears on the screen. To iPhone 11 and 12, press and hold either of the volume keys and the power buttons for about 3 seconds until it turns black and the Apple logo appears.

2. Reduce your file size

If you are trying to upload images or videos that are imported directly from your high-quality camera, you may encounter an upload issue. We rarely pay attention to Instagram's file size limit, but you need to know what the critical size and aspect ratio is before uploading a high-quality image and video.

Uploading a 4K or UHD quality file would take longer to upload, and occasionally they will fail to post due to being too large or not being able to keep the upload stream active for some reason. To fix this “Instagram won’t let me post” issue, make sure to reduce the file size before uploading. We’ve added information on ideal file sizes.

#1. Instagram Post Size

Posts can be horizontal, vertical or square

  • The ideal size for square posts is 1080px x 1080px with 1:1 aspect ratio.
  • For landscape posts, the ideal size is 1080px by 566px, with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1.
  • Vertical images are required to be 1080px by 1350px in size with a 4:5 aspect ratio.

#2. Instagram Video Post Size.

  • The video aspect ratio can range from 1,91:1 to 4:5.
  • The ideal horizontal video aspect ratio is 16:9.
  • Make sure your video files do not exceed 4GB.
  • The maximum video length can be up to 60 seconds.

3. Reset the network connection

As we have discussed, one of the most common reasons why Instagram does not allow you to post photos and videos can be an unstable or poor network. If this is the case, you should try to refresh your network connection. Put your device in airplane mode or change your network status to off y on and then check if this solves the problem.

If you are using a router, make sure that it is active. Check that your device can receive internet connectivity from the router. If you are using Instagram on your PC while getting internet from a router, make sure that the connection between your PC and the router is stable.

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One of the common problems with routers could be an incorrect PSK error for the SSID from the network. If you are talking on the phone, follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Check the status of your phone's Internet connection. If it is disabled, enable it.
  • Step 2: If the connection is already enabled, press the flight mode, wait a few seconds and deactivate the flight mode. A new connection will be downloaded and restarted.
  • Step 3: If you are using Wi-Fi, try reconnecting to Wi-Fi.
  • Step 4: you can simply turn your data off and on again.
  • Step 5: Once everything is done, try uploading photos/videos to Instagram again.

4. Clear Instagram cache

Mostly, when a user clears the cache of the Instagram app, the issues seem to be resolved. During runtime, the Instagram app generates and stores cache on your phone.

The cache contains metadata related to your account from previous posts. Often, the cache leads to apps not performing the current activity. This can be one of the main reasons why it prevents you from posting photos/videos on Instagram.

To clear Instagram cache, you need to open the application manager or go directly to the storage settings of the Instagram app. The steps to clear cache on Android and iOS devices are different but simple. Follow the steps to clear cache on each type of device.

How to clear Instagram cache on Android?

If you want to clear Instagram cache on Android, follow the procedure below:

  • Step 1: go to the Phone settings > Select application settings.
  • Step 2: Find Instagram in the list of applications and tap there.
  • Step 3: click on «Storage»And then select«Clear cache«.

Instagram won't let me post

How to Clear Instagram Cache on iOS?

If you have an iOS and want to clear the cache, the steps are as follows:

  • Step 1: go to «Configuration»And click«General admission«.
  • Step 2: Choose "iPhone storage» inside the window General admission.
  • Step 3: Find Instagram in the list and tap there.
  • Step 4: click on «Download application» to clear the Instagram cache.
  • Step 5: You can also tap the “remove app» to permanently delete all data related to Instagram and then reinstall the app with fresh data.

Instagram won't let me post

  • Step 6: After clearing the app cache, check if you can post photos or videos on Instagram. If you can't, continue to the next step.

You may want to know: Instagram Security and Privacy Settings Update

5. Check Instagram's Photo/Video Policy

Instagram has strict terms about what kind of images you can upload. It has powerful bots that can quickly identify any image or video that violates its policy. If your photo or video violates their policy, Instagram will not allow you to post that photo/video.

Another circumstance, if you are sharing something that is not your property, then you must give credit to the creator of the post, otherwise copyright issues may prevent you from posting such photographs or images. So, make sure that your videos are policy compliant and do not have any copyright issues.

Photo Policy

6. Change Instagram data settings

Instagram has data saving settings that prevent you from sharing too many posts at once. To save your internet data, the app disables some of the bulk upload features.

If you are unable to post on Instagram, there is a chance that your privacy settings are enabled. While this has nothing to do with uploading a single file, you should still consider its possibility.

You can Disable data saver Instagram. Go to the mobile data settings within your account. Follow the steps below to increase your data usage limit:

  • Step 1: Go to your Instagram profile and then select “setting«.
  • Step 2: click on «Accounts» within the settings.
  • Step 3: look for the setting «Use of mobile data«.
  • Step 4: disable the option «Data saving«.

7. Free up some storage space on your phone

If your phone storage space is full, you may encounter this issue. Instagram tries to save uploaded videos/images to your local storage (depending on your uploaded photo saving settings).

If the app keeps the original media, saves the posted videos, and saves the posted photos on your device, then it is necessary to free up space to save these images and videos. In case your device memory is full, you may not be able to post a new image because the app will not be able to complete the saving process.

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You can disable the option “save published media» or clean up some spaces on your phone. These options can be found within the account settings of the application > Original Post. Follow the procedure below:

  • Step 1: go to the Instagram app settings.
  • Step 2: click the option account.
  • Step 3: then press Original Post Settings.
  • Step 4: check the status of all three options there.
  • Step 5: Make sure to disable save published videos y save posted photos.

Free up some storage space

The alternative way is to resolve this issue by deleting some content from your phone memory. Delete unnecessary apps and data from your phone, then Instagram will be able to save the posted videos/images. Once done, you should not see the loading error issue.

8. Uninstall apps that have access to your Instagram account

Some apps on your phone may have access to your Instagram account. If you are currently using Instagram and the app at the same time (even running in the background), they may conflict and can lead to this problem: you cannot post on Instagram. To uninstall the app on Android, simply drag the app and drop it onto the trash icon. For iPhone, long press and choose the option Remove application.

9. Try updating and reinstalling Instagram

Updating the Instagram app can fix most of the bugs you may experience, as well as improve the app's security measures. It's possible to update the app from either the Play Store or the App Store, depending on the type of device.

We prefer to reinstall the app, sometimes it is better than updating. It shows all the data on your phone and thus reduces the chance of problems like Instagram not letting you post.

10. There is a problem with your account

Instagram doesn't hesitate to block an account permanently or temporarily if the user is violating its policies. If nothing helps you resolve the posting issue, it could be that you have violated its policy in some way and you could be banned from posting new content. Here are the possible reasons for being banned:

1. Using third-party applications to increase followers, likes, among others.

The influencers Instagram followers need a lot of work to build a real fan base. There are no shortcuts to success on Instagram. Many new Instagrammers make mistakes by using third-party tools to get fake followers and likes. This does not go unnoticed by Instagram, and as a result of such malicious practice, Instagram blocks the user.

2. Liking or commenting on posts too quickly

Instagram bots can comment on various related posts as they are set up and try to gain more exposure. They can like and post comments frequently without human intervention. However, these frequent activities can be detected by Instagram and as a result, may prevent the user from benefiting from the available features.

3. Follow or unfollow en masse

Many people do that. They massively follow users on Instagram and after a few days they unfollow them all once or twice more. They think that this is a strategy to gain more followers, but Instagram policy doesn’t accept that and marks such activity as a vulnerable act. The user can be suspended or an issue can occur where the user says “Instagram won’t let me post.”

Final thoughts

You will never again say “Instagram won’t let me post” because you have learned the possible causes and different ways to fix the problem. These methods have been proven to fix the posting issue, as many Instagram users have managed to post an image after using one of them.

Take a look at: 6 Best Apps To Get Likes On Instagram

These are the easy-to-follow solutions to get out of the mess. You just need to experiment and see which solution works best for you. Follow the steps mentioned above and you should be able to post pictures or videos on Instagram again.

However, if you are still unable to post an image or other things on Instagram after trying these methods, the last solution is to wait – it could be that the platform is experiencing temporary issues. Usually, you will be able to post again after waiting for a while. We hope this post helps you find the solution to this problem.

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