Presently Instagram stands among the most favorite social media platforms for users to share snippets of their daily life or content through posts and stories. It’s just frustrating when you are all set with a perfect caption and ideal filter, only to receive prompts such as Unable to post or Can’t post now when you hit the Share button. So, why can’t you post on Instagram and how to fix it? Let’s find out.
Why Can’t I Post on Instagram?
If you are unable to post on Instagram from your computer or phone, troubleshoot internet connectivity to boost speed on the device as poor internet connection can cause failures, especially when you’re trying to post multiple photos, a Reel, or a video. Also, Instagram servers may experience outages in case of heavy traffic or when under maintenance. So, wait for a few hours until the issue is resolved, and then post.
Quick Answer
Avoid posting content that contains complete or partial nudity, explicit content, violence, harassment, terrorism, or any inappropriate behavior as they are prohibited. Take necessary steps to remove community guidelines strike on Instagram if you have received any.
- Outdated Instagram App: Outdated apps are prone to bugs and glitches, which in turn could affect their basic functions.
- Cache Overload: Corrupt Instagram cache data can cause issues within the app and also affect the device’s performance, which may be why you can’t post.
- Account is Blocked or Banned: Instagram may perceive you as a bot and temporarily block or restrict actions from your account if there is repetitive spammy behavior such as excessive following and unfollowing, sending frequent message requests to multiple users, or constantly liking or commenting on posts within a short duration.
- Unsupported Video Format or Size: On Instagram, the maximum supported size of a video 10 minutes long is 650 MB, and for 60 minutes longer video is 3.6GB. If the video you’re trying to post exceeds the size limit, you’ll find the discussed error. If possible, compress the video file to reduce size and then try to post it.
- Interference by Browser Extensions: If you can’t post on Instagram from your computer, this could be because of third-party browser extensions causing interference. Remove extensions from the browser and try posting again.
How to Fix Unable to Post on Instagram
Now that you have understood the common reasons behind the inability to post, you can follow the below-mentioned methods to fix the error.
Tip: Do not close the app right after you’ve hit the post option. We suggest you wait and keep Instagram open to finish posting on your feed to avoid such errors. You can also try using the Instagram web version to post.
Note: Since smartphones don’t have the same Settings options, they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Hence, ensure the correct settings before changing any on your device. The steps were performed on the Samsung S20 FE 5G, as shown in the illustrations below.
Method 1: Clear Instagram Cache Data
Corrupt, damaged, or missing files might be the reason why you are unable to post on Instagram. When you clear the app cache, all such files get removed, which can help.
1. Open Settings, tap on Apps, and select Instagram.
2. Tap on Storage, followed by Clear cache.
Method 2: Update Instagram App
If you haven’t updated your Instagram in a while, then maybe there are bugs present in the current version that are not allowing you to post. Update Instagram from the Google Play Store and check if that fixed the error. Similarly, iPhone users can update Instagram from the App Store.
Method 3: Relogin to Your Account
Occasionally authentication issues can restrict you from posting content on the platform. Signing out and signing back into your IG account can help.
1. Open Instagram and go to your Profile.
2. Tap on the three-line menu icon and select Settings and privacy from the menu.
3. Scroll down and tap on the Log out <user name>.
4. Now, type in your credentials, Log in, and see if you can post.
Method 4: Uninstall Suspicious Third-Party Apps
If you have installed any third-party app to get free followers on Instagram or increase engagement on your posts, let us tell you that the use of such apps poses the risk of your account being shadowbanned or permanently disabled. Uninstall all such apps to resolve the issue.
Method 5: Reduce the Number of Hashtags Used
Presently, you can use up to 30 hashtags on a single post. If you’re trying to use more than that, Instagram may not be allowing you to upload your post. So, make sure to reduce the number or distribute them between the caption and comments. Also do remember that only numbers are allowed in hashtags and not special characters such as $ or %.
Method 6: Check Account Status and Remove Flagged Posts
You need to verify your account status to see if any posts have been removed or features disabled by Instagram for your account. Based on the warnings, you can carry out your further steps.
1. Navigate to the Settings and privacy menu, scroll down, and tap on Account Status.
2. Check if the Removed content and Features you can’t use options are marked green with a tick inside it. If not, tap on them and check which content has been flagged or which feature has been disabled.
You need to remove such posts to be able to post fresh content again.
Method 7: Disable VPN
While VPNs secure the data transmitted between a user’s device and the VPN server, occasionally, they may cause issues when trying to post on Instagram. If the device is connected to any such service, disable it and see if the issue resolves by doing so.
Method 8: Report the Problem
If the error persists, we suggest you report the problem to Instagram for more help.
1. Navigate to the Settings and privacy menu, scroll down, and tap on Help.
2. Tap on Report a problem, followed by Report problem.
3. Tap on Include and continue.
4. Add the screenshots, explain the issue in brief, and tap on Send.
Method 9: Wait Until the Account Ban is Lifted
If you’ve reported the problem to the customer support team, they might provide you with the necessary solutions. You may have to wait until the ban on your account is lifted to resume posting. If you want to get the ban removed faster, check our guide on How to Get Unbanned from Instagram.
Method 10: Reinstall Instagram
As a last resort, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling Instagram which can potentially fix the not able to post issue by replacing old, damaged, and corrupt files with fresh ones.
1. In the app drawer, tap and hold on the Instagram icon.
2. Select Uninstall from the pop-up.
3. Once uninstalled, reinstall it again from the Google Play Store.
Similarly, iPhone users also reinstall Instagram and see if that resolves the issue.
That’s the wrap of our article on Why Can’t I Post on Instagram and we hope you were able to fix the trouble and get back to uploading content once again. If you have any queries or suggestions for us, feel free to drop them in the comment section. Stay tuned to TechCult for more such informative blogs.
worked like a charm!
Tried everything, still not able to post…