Instagram’s Notes feature allows you to leave notes for your friends to read and reply to. If you don’t see this feature in Instagram on your iOS or Android device, your app may be faulty, or you may be using an old app version on your phone. A few other reasons you can’t access the Notes feature are that you’ve turned off Activity Status, you’re using a VPN on your phone, your recent app update was faulty, and more.

We’ll show you how to fix those issues and access the Notes feature.

Update Instagram to the Latest Version on Your Phone

When you can’t access a feature in your app, the first action to take is to update your app. Doing so allows you to get access to newer features in your app. This can fix your Notes not showing in the Instagram app.

On Android

1. Open Google Play Store on your phone.
   
2. Search for Instagram.
   
3. Select Update next to the app to update your version of Instagram.

On iPhone

1. Launch App Store on your phone.
   
2. Select Updates in the bottom bar.
   
3. Tap Update next to Instagram.

Clear Instagram’s App Cache on Android

If your Instagram app’s cache files are corrupted, that may be why you can’t access the Notes feature and create new notes. One way to fix your app’s bad cache is to remove the cache. Doing so doesn’t delete your account data, and your app will rebuild this cache as you use the app features.

Note that you can’t clear an app’s cache on an iPhone. You must remove and reinstall the app to delete the app’s cache.

1. Locate Instagram in your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on the app, and select App info.
   
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.
   
3. Select Clear cache to delete the app’s cached files.

4. Launch the app.
   

Enable Activity Status to Fix Instagram Notes Not Appearing

Activity Status in Instagram allows your friends to see when you’re online and also lets you see when your friends are online. User reports suggest that enabling this feature can help restore the Notes option in the app.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
   
2. Select your profile icon in the bottom bar.
   
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
   
4. Select Messages and story replies on the following screen.
   
5. Tap Show activity status.
   
6. Turn on Show Activity Status.

Turn Off the VPN on Your Phone

If you’re using a VPN on your smartphone, turn that feature off and see if Instagram’s Notes feature works. This is because the app may have restricted your access to the feature due to the VPN usage.

You can turn off your VPN service by launching your VPN app and toggling off the main toggle. Then, launch Instagram and see if you can access the feature.

Sign Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

If your Instagram login session has a problem, that can cause certain app features not to work. In this case, log out and back into your account in the app to possibly fix your issue.

You’ll need your Instagram logins to log back in, so keep those details handy.

1. Open Instagram on your phone.
   
2. Select your profile picture in the bottom bar.
   
3. Choose the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
   
4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Log out [Username].

5. Sign back into your account.
   

Uninstall Instagram’s App Updates on Android

If you had access to the Notes feature, but you lost access after updating the app, your recent app update was faulty. In this case, roll back the update, and your issue should be resolved.

Note that you can only remove app updates on Android; the iPhone doesn’t allow you to do that.

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and select App info.
   
2. Select the three dots in the top-right corner and choose Uninstall updates.

3. Select OK in the prompt.
   
4. Launch the app.
   

Remove and Reinstall Instagram on Your Phone

If you still can’t use the Notes feature, your app may be faulty. This can make various app features unavailable to users. In this case, uninstall and reinstall the app to fix your issue.

Note that you don’t lose your account data when you reinstall the app.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer and select Uninstall.
   
2. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.

3. Open Google Play Store, find Instagram, and select Install.
   

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram on your home screen.
   
2. Select Remove App > Delete App in the menu.
   
3. Open App Store, find Instagram, and tap the download icon.
   

Wait Until Instagram Rolls Out the Feature in Your Region

If you can’t access the Notes feature despite following all the above troubleshooting tips, Instagram may have yet to roll out the feature in your region. The platform states on its website that Notes isn’t available to everyone.

In this case, wait until the platform makes the feature available in your region.

Use Instagram Notes Feature on Your iPhone or Android Phone

If you see your friends sharing notes on Instagram but you don’t have access to that feature, use the methods outlined above to gain access to the feature. Tweaking a few options here and there should make the feature available to you.

We hope the guide helps you access the feature so you can start sharing your thoughts with your friends on this social media network.

The post How to Fix Instagram Notes Not Showing first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Don’t waste your time looking for a magic button that will hide followers on Instagram—it doesn’t exist. Instead, we’ll show you all the workarounds you can use to hide your followers and the following list from other people, depending on whether you have a public or private account on Instagram.

Can You Hide Your Followers on Instagram?

Currently, Instagram does not provide an official “hide followers” feature for general Instagram users. However, there have been reports and indications that Instagram might be in the early stages of testing a new feature, particularly for verified Instagram profiles with blue checkmarks. Some users report that they’ve seen a message stating, “Only (username) can see all of their followers” when viewing certain celebrity and video game company profiles.

Note that this testing phase seems limited and is not universally applicable. The majority of Instagram accounts, even those with verification status, don’t have the option to hide their followers. Additionally, many users can still access the follower lists of those accounts participating in this test.

How to Hide Followers & Following List on Instagram

For those who care about their account privacy – aside from your list of followers, you can hide likes & views from your Instagram posts and your activity status from others even if you don’t have a private Instagram account.

If “hide my followers” is your only goal, here are a few ways you can try to hide them from specific users.

1. Make Your Account Private

The easiest way to limit the visibility of the list of people who follow you on Instagram is to set your account to private. This ensures that these followers lists are accessible only to those who follow you, enhancing your privacy on the social media platform.

Follow this step-by-step guide to making your Instagram account private. The instructions are the same for iOS and Android users.

1. Open Instagram on your smartphone.
2. Tap the profile icon located at the bottom-right corner of the Instagram app to open your profile page.
3. Open the Settings menu by tapping the three horizontal lines at the top-right corner of the screen.

4. In the Settings menu, tap Privacy or select Settings and privacy (depending on the app version you have).
5. Scroll through the privacy settings and select Account privacy.

6. Toggle the switch next to Private Account to activate it and make your profile private.

By setting your account to private, you create a more closed network where only your approved followers can see your followers and those you follow. One downside is that you’ll need to manually approve every new follower request after you set your account to private, which can be time-consuming.

2. Remove People From Your Instagram

After making your Instagram account private, you have the ability to control who sees your followers. If there’s a particular user in your followers list whom you’d prefer not to have access to this information, you can easily remove them.

To remove followers from your Instagram, follow the steps below.

1. Open Instagram and tap your profile photo at the bottom right of the Instagram app.
2. Navigate to the Followers section at the top.
3. Scroll through the list and locate the specific person you want to remove.
4. Select Remove next to the username of the person you wish to remove.

5. Confirm your action by tapping Remove again.

By following these steps, you effectively remove the selected person from your followers list. This restricts their access to your follower and following lists, Instagram Stories, and posts. However, they can see the follower count on your Instagram profile (the number of followers you have). This method provides a level of control over who has insight into your account activities while maintaining your privacy preferences.

This is an effective solution for maintaining a level of privacy, but it works best with private personal accounts. If you’re a content creator, an influencer or a brand aiming for broader exposure, it may be more beneficial to have a public account. If that’s your case, try another solution to hide your followers on Instagram.

3. Block People on Instagram

If you have a business account or if you’re working on increasing your reach on Instagram, turning your account private might not be a great option.

In this case, the only way to hide followers on a public Instagram account is by blocking specific people.

This is an alternative approach for those looking to control who can view their followers and following lists without going completely private on the app. The obvious downside here is that you cannot hide your followers from everyone at once. Instead, you’ll have to go to each individual profile and block them.

Here’s how you can block a user on Instagram.

1. Open Instagram and navigate to the profile of the user you want to block.
2. On their profile page, tap the three dots icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.

3. From the options, select Block. Instagram will provide you with the option to block only this specific account or all accounts that may be created by the user. Choose the appropriate option and tap Block again.

Once blocked, the user won’t be able to find your page, and consequently, your followers, following lists, and content on Instagram will be hidden from them. It’s important to note that blocking one account also extends to all accounts linked to the same email or number.

While this method effectively hides your followers, keep in mind that a determined user can create a new account using a different email or phone number. Blocking someone on Instagram not only conceals your followers but also prevents them from accessing your posts, stories, or reels, and the ability to contact you. This is a practical solution for selectively restricting access without making your entire account private.

If you later change your mind, you can simply go to their page and unblock them.

Keep Your Instagram Followers Private

Even though Instagram doesn’t offer a direct way to hide followers and following lists on Instagram from other users, several workarounds will help you do just that.

Whether you opt to make your account private, remove specific followers, or use the blocking feature, the goal is to maintain your Instagram privacy according to your preferences. Each method has its advantages and considerations, so choose the approach that aligns best with your online presence and social media objectives.

The post How to Hide Followers on Instagram and Protect Your Privacy first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Do you find the content Instagram shows you on the Explore page annoying or boring? Like the app never actually shows you anything you’d find interesting? The good news is that you can control what you see on this page and trick the Instagram algorithms into showing you more of what you like.

Follow our guide to find out how to reset your Instagram Explore Feed and get more interesting content shown to you on the app.

How to Reset Your Instagram Explore Feed

Instagram creates your Explore page based on your activities. Consistently liking, commenting, following, searching, or sharing similar content shapes what you see, creating a personalized experience.

Yet, sometimes, you might encounter content that is not aligned with your preferences. This could be influenced by interactions with users who have different preferences or region-specific viral content. Instagram’s intricate algorithms also play a role, suggesting content based on what you do and what type of content you view when you use the app.

See too many posts you dislike on your Explore page? No worries – we’ve got your back with a complete guide on resetting your Instagram Explore page. Use the following methods to completely reset your Explore page and get fresh content on Instagram.

Regularly Refresh the Explore Page

If you keep getting the same posts and Reels on the Explore page and want to check out something new, you can use the following quick method to refresh your Explore content.

To refresh the Explore page on Instagram, follow the steps below. The instructions are the same for both Android and iOS users.

1. Open Instagram on your smartphone and select the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen to open the Explore page.

2. Pull down from the top of the page. This simple action clears out your Explore page, creating a fresh batch of new posts and Reels.

Remember, though, that while this method refreshes your content, it might not change the type of content Instagram suggests to you.

So, you might still come across content similar to what you’ve seen before. For a more tailored approach, check out the following methods to improve your Explore page for a more tailored approach.

Personalize Instagram’s Algorithm

If your Explore page is cluttered with unwanted content, you can let Instagram know what you don’t want to see. While it may take a while for the algorithm to catch on, marking posts as Not Interested is an effective method for refining your recommendations.

Here’s a quick guide on how to use the Not Interested option to reset your Explore page on Instagram.

1. Launch Instagram on your smartphone and select the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the page.
2. Choose the post you want to remove, select it, and tap the three dots icon above it.
3. Then select Not interested.

Instagram will immediately hide this particular post and try not to show you similar posts in the future. You’ll also see a box with suggestions, from which you can choose: Don’t suggest posts with certain words, Manage suggested content (more about this option in a bit), and This post made me uncomfortable. Feel free to choose any of these options to tailor your Explore page content even further.

By doing this, Instagram learns your preferences gradually, improving your content suggestions. If similar content keeps appearing, repeat the process for those posts. Consistently marking posts as Not interested sends a clear signal to Instagram’s algorithm that you’re not a fan.

While the change may not be instant, this method proves to be the most effective for resetting your Explore page. The more you continue marking posts as Not Interested, the more tailored and enjoyable your Explore experience becomes.

Clear App Data & Cash

The next method you can try to reset your Instagram Explore feed is to clear the data and cache on your smartphone. Before you do it, keep in mind that clearing data will most likely change the type of posts that you see on your Explore page. However, this action will also wipe all your saved data and log you out of the Instagram app, so you’ll need to sign in again.

If you don’t want to clear all your saved data, you can only clear the cache. This will not remove your account’s data but might improve your Explore page content.

Clear Data & Cache on Android

Follow the steps below to clear your Instagram data and cache on an Android.

1. On your Android smartphone, open Settings, scroll down and locate Apps.
2. Find Instagram in the app list or use the search bar to find the app and select it.
3. Select Storage usage.

4. Then select Clear data and/or Clear cache.

These instructions differ slightly for various Android devices, but the options should be similar.

After you finish, restart the Instagram app and check the Explore feed for fresh content.

Clear Data & Cache on iPhone

Unfortunately, iOS lacks a direct data/cache clearing option. Instead, you’ll need to delete and reinstall the app to clear Instagram data and cache. To do that, follow the steps below.

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings and select General.

2. Scroll down and select iPhone Storage. Here, you’ll see a list of apps using up storage on your device.

3. Find Instagram in the list of apps and select it.
4. Select Delete App and follow the on-screen instructions to confirm.

After you’re finished, reinstall the app from the App Store and sign in again to check if the content on your Explore page changed.

Clear Your Instagram Search History

Another method you can use is erasing your Instagram search records. Clearing your Instagram search history will also give you a fresh start regarding the content you see on your Explore page.

To clear your Instagram search history, follow the steps below.

1. Open Instagram on your device and select your profile icon at the bottom to open your profile page.
2. Select the hamburger menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and select Settings and privacy.
3. Select Accounts Center from the menu.

4. Next, under Account settings, select Your information and permissions from the options.

5. Select Search history.

6. Finally, select Clear all searches at the bottom of the page.

For a more selective approach, you can manually delete searches by tapping your account under Your accounts & profiles. After you choose an account, it’ll open your Search history and you can manually delete individual search entries from the list that you don’t want to have effect on your Instagram suggestions.

Additionally, you can select the Keep searches for option and pick a duration: 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, or Default which stores your Facebook searches for a year and your Instagram searches for 30 days.

Clearing your search history is the ultimate way to ensure a fresh Explore page based on your evolving interests.

Control Your Suggested Content

If your Instagram is up to date, you can use the newly added functionality that allows you to control what type of content Instagram suggests for you.

1. Open the Instagram app on your device and go to your profile page.
2. Open the hamburger menu and find the What you see section. Select Suggested content.

3. There you’ll find five different options to control your Suggested content. Here’s what all five of them represent.

Interested

This section has all the posts you’ve marked as Interested in the past 30 days. If you remove a certain post from this list, Instagram will take a note and show you less of similar content.

To remove a post from the Interested section, tap Select in the upper-right corner of the screen, choose one or multiple posts you don’t want to see and select Remove.

Sensitive Content

Sensitive content is not something that goes against Instagram Community Guidelines, but instead it’s the content that some people don’t want to see.

Here, you can choose between the three options: More, Standard, or Less. If you find the posts on your Instagram Explore feed inappropriate, select Less to see less sensitive content.

Snooze Suggested Posts In Feed

Aside from the Explore page, Instagram also shows you suggested content from accounts you don’t follow on your Home feed. This option temporarily hides these suggested posts from your feed for 30 days.

If you never want to see this content, you can return to this setting every 30 days and switch on the toggle to hide the suggested posts.

Not Interested

This section contains the posts that you’ve previously marked as Not interested. If you decide to remove a post from this list, Instagram will take a hint and start suggesting more similar content to you.

1. Tap Select in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Choose posts that you want to restore in your Explore feed.
3. Select Remove at the bottom of the screen.

Specific Words And Phrases

In the last section, you can input words, phrases, and even emojis you don’t want to encounter on Instagram. As a result, Instagram will filter out the content containing these specific words and phrases, and you won’t see them displayed in your feed anymore.

These controls provide a unique opportunity to shape your Instagram experience. By using these options, you can actively control content that resonates with your preferences, ensuring your Explore page aligns with your interests.

Make the Instagram Explore Feed Great Again!

Turning your Instagram Explore into a personal haven is about tweaking and tuning. From clearing the app’s cache, to marking interests, to handling sensitive stuff – you’ve got the power to mold your Explore feed the way you like.

The post How to Reset Your Instagram Explore Feed first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

While Instagram encourages swift responses, you don’t always want people to know whether you’ve read their messages already or not.

Until recently, Instagram didn’t have a direct way to turn off read receipts. Now they’ve implemented this feature, but not in the most convenient way – you have to go through all of your chats to turn off read receipts for them individually. In this article, you’ll find out how to turn off read receipts using the new feature as well as how to use different workarounds to read direct messages on Instagram without alerting the sender.

Related: Learn how to hide followers on Instagram to better protect your (and their) privacy.

How to Turn Off Read Receipts on Instagram

Instagram finally came up with a feature that allows you to read messages on Instagram without the app sending the read receipt to the sender.

For now, this function is only available on the Instagram mobile app for Android and iOS users, and not on the Instagram web. You also have to make sure your Instagram app is up to date before you go searching for the new function.

To update your Instagram app on Android, open the Play Store, search for Instagram in the search bar, and select Update next to Instagram.

To update the Instagram app on iPhone, open the App Store, search for Instagram, and select the Update option next to it. Then wait for a few minutes for the app to update and launch it again.

If you have the latest updates already installed, you won’t find the Update option next to the app’s name, but see an option to Open it instead.

After making sure the app is up to date, follow the steps below to turn this feature on in your Instagram chats.

1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone.
2. Open the list with your chats and select the chat where you want to turn off read receipts.

3. Inside the chat, select the username on top of the screen. This will open the chat menu.

4. Select Privacy & safety.

5. On the Privacy & safety page, toggle the switch next to the Read receipts to turn them off.

That’s it, as long as this setting is off, the person in this particular chat won’t see the Seen notification when you read the messages they send you. This is a handy way to avoid people getting upset when you read their messages and don’t reply straight away.

Other Ways to Turn Off Read Receipts on Instagram

The only problem with this new feature is that you can only turn it on for each individual chat. This means that if you want to turn off Read Receipts on Instagram completely, you’ll have to go through each of your chats and toggle this option off. If you’re an active Instagram user, this process can get pretty tedious after you do it for the first few conversations.

If you want to avoid Instagram sending that Seen notification to more than one person on the app, here are a few other ways you can use to disable those Read Receipts.

Read Instagram Messages From Notification Panel

One of the easiest ways to read Instagram messages without the app sending the read receipt to the sender is via your smartphone’s notification panel. This is the only method that doesn’t require any other manipulations with the app at all.

Reading Instagram messages without triggering read receipts is a simple trick, and here’s how to do it using your notification panel.

1. When you receive an Instagram message notification, resist the urge to click on it immediately. Opening the message directly activates the Seen receipt. If this is the only new notification you have, you may be able to read the whole message from the notification. If not, proceed to the next step.

2. Open the Instagram app and select the chat icon in the upper-right corner of the Home page.
3. Refresh your Inbox. After you see the new messages appear on top of the screen, swipe down from the top of your phone screen to access the notification panel.
4. Disconnect from the internet. You can do it by switching off Wi-Fi or your mobile data (or both).
5. While the internet connection’s off, you can click on the Instagram message you want to read from the notification panel. This way the sender won’t receive the Seen notification (yet).

This method is simple but comes with one downside – it’s a temporary solution. Once you reconnect to the internet, the sender will receive the Seen notification and know that you’ve read their message.

Disable Instagram Notifications to Avoid Triggering Read Receipts

As we mentioned before, when you click on the Instagram message from the notifications panel with your internet connection on, the sender receives the Seen notification showing them you’ve read the message. One way to avoid doing that by accident is to turn off the Instagram message notifications completely.

To disable message notifications on your Instagram app, follow the steps below. The instructions are the same for both Android and iOS mobile apps.

1. Open the Instagram app and select your profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. On your profile page, open the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner.

3. From this menu, select Settings.
4. In the Settings menu, scroll down and select Notifications.

5. In the Notifications section, select Messages and calls.

6. Find the Messages from individual and group chats section and select Off to turn off the notifications. You can also turn off the Message requests if you want to avoid sending read receipts to new followers as well.

Now, message and message request notifications won’t interrupt your phone, reducing the risk of accidentally opening messages and triggering read receipts. You can keep your read status under control on Instagram with this straightforward method, or try one of the following techniques as well.

Use Airplane Mode to Read Instagram Messages Without Read Receipts

The next solution is to use Airplane Mode on your smartphone. You can temporarily dodge Instagram read receipts by using the Airplane Mode trick.

Before toggling the Airplane Mode on your phone, open the Instagram app to load messages but refrain from opening them. This method allows you to read messages discreetly, as read receipts won’t be triggered until you reconnect to the internet. This simple trick allows you to keep your Instagram reads incognito.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide for iPhone and Android on how to turn on Airplane mode.

On iPhone:

• Swipe down from the top of your screen to access the Control Center.
• Select the Airplane Mode button to disconnect from the internet.
• Alternatively, you can go to Settings, toggle on Airplane Mode, and disable Wi-Fi.

On Android:

• Swipe down to open the notifications area.
• Select the Airplane mode icon to activate it.
• Ensure Wi-Fi is off by selecting the Wi-Fi button.

Disable Your Activity Status on Instagram

Another way to get rid of the read receipts for all chats is to turn off your Activity Status on Instagram. The app has a Show Activity Status option, and when this setting is on people you follow and anyone you message on the app will see when you were last active or if you’re currently active on Instagram.

You can turn your Activity status off at any time. In that case, people won’t be able to see whether you’re active on Instagram or not. Accidentally, this also turns off read receipts, but only for you. Meaning, that if the other person has their Activity Status on, they’ll still see read receipts and get the Seen notification when you read their messages.

However, if you know for sure that the person you’re messaging has their activity status off, then you can actively disable read receipts for both of you by turning your Activity Status off as well.

Here’s how you can disable your Activity Status on Instagram in a few easy steps.

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile page.
2. Open the hamburger menu in the top right corner, then select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the How others can interact with you section. Select Messages and story replies.

4. Under Who can see you’re online, select Show activity status.
5. Switch the toggle next to Show Activity Status off to disable the feature.

Now, your activity status won’t be visible, and other users won’t be notified when you’re active on Instagram. This ensures discreet messaging without revealing your online presence.

Restrict the Sender

One drastic measure you can take to keep your read receipts hidden is restricting the sender (temporarily) on Instagram.

Here’s how to keep the read receipts on Instagram off by restricting the sender.

1. Open the Instagram app and navigate to the profile of the message sender.
2. Select the three dots icon in the top right corner of the screen.

3. From the options menu, select Restrict.

Once the person’s restricted, check your Inbox. You’ll find the message you’re looking for in the Message Requests folder. Restricted users need your permission to send a DM. This way, you can read their messages without triggering read receipts.

If you want to reply to the message, go back to the sender’s profile and select Unrestrict from the options. This little manipulation ensures you control when read receipts are activated.

Keep Your Reads Under Wraps

These handy methods allow you to navigate your Instagram messages discreetly. Whether toggling airplane mode or managing notification settings, you can read messages at your convenience.

Think of it as maintaining your privacy and controlling the timing of your responses. Give these techniques a spin, and revel in a more relaxed Instagram experience without the worry of instant-read receipts.

The post How to Turn Off Instagram Read Receipts first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Are you trying to post a comment, but Instagram doesn’t let you do that? There are various reasons this issue occurs, from your app being outdated to your comment going against the platform’s guidelines. We’ll show you how to fix those and a few other items to resolve your problem and post your comment successfully. Let’s get started.

Check Your Phone’s Internet Connection

When you can’t post a comment, check and ensure your phone’s internet connection is working. Instagram requires an active internet connection to allow users to add comments.

You can check your phone’s internet connection status by opening a web browser and launching a site. If your site doesn’t open, your connection is faulty. In this case, toggle off and back on your cellular data, disconnect and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network, or restart your router. If your issue isn’t fixed, reach out to your internet service provider.

Check if Instagram Is Down

After checking your internet connection, ensure Instagram isn’t down. The platform’s servers being down can cause your comment not to go live.

You can check if the platform is down by visiting the Instagram page on Downdetector. This site tells you if an online service is facing an outage. If you find that Instagram is down, wait until the company fixes the issue and brings the service back up.

Update the Instagram App on Your Android or Apple iPhone (iOS)

Instagram recommends updating the app version if you can’t add a comment on the platform. This is because the app’s bugs might be preventing your action, which a newer version of Instagram can fix.

On Android

1. Launch Google Play Store on your phone.
   
2. Find Instagram.

3. Tap Update next to Instagram to update the app to the latest version.
   

On iPhone

1. Open the App Store on your phone.
   
2. Tap Updates in the bottom bar.
   
3. Find Instagram on the app list and choose Update next to the app.

Make Sure Your Comment Adheres to Instagram’s Community Guidelines

Instagram has specific community guidelines that each comment must follow. If your comment goes against these rules, the platform will prevent you from adding that comment.

The guidelines say that your comment must not have more than five mentions. The comment must not contain more than 30 hashtags. You can’t post the same comment multiple times (including emoji). In addition, your comment must not contain words blocked by the platform.

You can tweak your comment if it doesn’t meet the guidelines to fix your posting issues.

Clear Instagram’s Cache on Your Android Device

Instagram’s cache files allow the app to improve your experience by preloading certain content. It’s possible this cache has become corrupted, causing you to be unable to post comments. In this case, clear the app cache to resolve your issue. Note that you don’t lose your account data when you do this.

You can only clear an app’s cache on Android; the iPhone doesn’t allow you to do that.

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and choose App info to open the app settings.
   
2. Select Storage usage on the following screen.

3. Choose Clear cache to delete the app’s cached content.

4. Relaunch the app on your phone.
   

Log Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

If your issue is unresolved, sign out and back into your account in the app to fix your issue. This is because the Instagram app might have a login-session problem, which you can resolve by signing out and back in.

Keep your Instagram logins handy, as you’ll need those credentials to log back into your account.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
   
2. Select your profile icon in the bottom bar.
   
3. Choose the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
   
4. Scroll to the bottom and select Log out [Username].

5. Sign back into your account.
   

Fix Instagram Comment Issue by Using a VPN

One reason Instagram restricts your comment is that the platform has banned your IP address. This usually happens when the platform detects malicious activity from your IP. To verify this, toggle your phone’s VPN on or off.

If you’re already using a VPN, your VPN’s IP might be banned. In this case, turn off your VPN service and see if you can post your comment.

If you aren’t using a VPN, get a VPN app and turn on the service. Then, see if Instagram allows you to add your comment. Enabling a VPN service hides your IP address from Instagram, lifting the platform’s restrictions on your IP, if any.

Note that Instagram doesn’t keep an IP address blocked forever. So, if your IP is banned, the platform should unblock it in a few days.

Remove and Reinstall Instagram on Your Phone

If Instagram still doesn’t let you post a comment, your app itself might be faulty. In this case, remove and reinstall the app to resolve your issue. Uninstalling the app deletes all the app files, some of which might be faulty and causing your problem.

Note that you don’t lose your account data when you remove the app. The app syncs back your data when you sign into the app.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your phone’s app drawer.
   
2. Select Uninstall in the menu.

3. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
   
4. Open Google Play Store, find Instagram, and tap Install.
   

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer.
   
2. Select Remove App > Delete App in the menu.
   
3. Launch the App Store, find Instagram, and tap the download icon.
   

Wait for 48 Hours Before Trying to Post a Comment

If the above methods fail to fix your issue, Instagram might have restricted your account. In this case, you have no option but to wait about 48 hours until the company lifts the restrictions from your account.

There are various reasons Instagram restricts an account. You might have posted content that Instagram deems spammy, resulting in a temporary ban.

Troubleshooting Instagram’s Comment Issue

Not being able to post comments means not being able to share your thoughts about specific posts on the platform. If Instagram restricts your comments and you don’t know why, the guide above lists the possible reasons and offers ways to get around the problem.

Once you’ve followed the methods in the guide, your issue should be resolved. You can then post your comments without problems on this social media network.

The post Can’t Post an Instagram Comment? Here’s How to Fix It first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Can’t add captions to Instagram posts? Either your captions don’t meet the platform’s guidelines, or your app has a problem. You’ll have to fix the underlying faulty item to resolve your issue, and we’ll show you how to do just that on your iPhone (iOS) or Android phone.

Some reasons you can’t post captions on Instagram are that your app’s cache is corrupted, your app is outdated, your login session in the app is faulty, and more.

Ensure Your Captions Meet Instagram’s Guidelines

Before applying fixes, ensure your caption text meets Instagram’s rules for posting content. Your caption may not be meeting these rules, causing the platform to reject your captions.

The first rule is that your caption must not have more than 2,200 characters. You must also not use more than 30 hashtags in your post, which is the hashtag limit. In addition, the caption must follow the platform’s community guidelines.

If your caption doesn’t meet the above rules, tweak the caption.

Refresh Your Instagram Feed

It’s possible you’ve successfully added your caption to your post, but Instagram’s feed isn’t correctly refreshed. This causes the app to display an older version of your post. In this case, refresh your feed to fix your issue.

You can do that by accessing your home screen or profile screen in Instagram and pulling down from the top of the feed. You’ll then see your post with your captions.

Related: Learn how to troubleshoot why you can’t post a comment on Instagram.

Edit the Post and Re-Add the Caption

If the caption is still missing, edit your post and add the caption again. It’s possible Instagram failed to save your text the previous time, leading to a published post without captions.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone and tap your profile icon in the bottom bar.
2. Choose your post on your profile page, select the three dots in the top-right corner, and choose Edit.
3. Tap the caption field and type your text.

4. Save your added caption by tapping the checkmark icon in the top-right corner.
5. Pull down from the top of your profile feed to see the updated post.

Fix Instagram’s Caption Problem by Closing and Relaunching the App

Closing and relaunching Instagram helps fix many minor app glitches, which can help resolve issues with the captions feature.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and select App info.
2. Choose Force stop on the following page.

3. Select Force stop in the prompt.
4. Tap Instagram on your home screen or app drawer to relaunch the app.

On iPhone

1. Swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen and pause in the middle.
2. Find and swipe up on Instagram in the app switcher to close the app.

3. Relaunch the app by tapping the app’s icon on your home screen.

Clear Instagram’s Cache on Android

Instagram caches various files to optimize your app experience. Sometimes, these cached files become corrupted, leading to multiple functionality problems in the app. In this case, you can clear the app cache to resolve your issue.

Clearing your Instagram cache doesn’t delete your account data or log you out of your account. Your phone will rebuild this cache as you use the app. Note that you can’t clear an app’s cache on an iPhone.

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and select App info.
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.
3. Select Clear cache to remove the app’s cached data.

4. Relaunch the app.

Update Instagram on Your Phone

If your Instagram version is outdated, that might be the reason you can’t add captions to your posts. Older app versions are known to have bugs, and you can patch those bugs by updating your app. Updating the app also possibly adds new features.

On Android

1. Launch Google Play Store on your phone.
2. Find Instagram.

3. Tap the Update button to update the app.

On iPhone

1. Open App Store on your phone.
2. Select the Updates tab in the bottom bar.
3. Choose Update next to Instagram.

Sign Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

A login session problem in your Instagram app can cause various issues. This is rare, but it happens. In this case, log out and back into your account in the app to fix your problem.

Keep your Instagram username and password handy to sign back in quickly.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
2. Select your profile icon in the bottom bar.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
4. Scroll to the bottom and choose Log out [Username].

5. Log back into your account.

Remove and Reinstall Instagram

If your Instagram app itself is faulty, that might be why you can’t add captions. In this case, the only solution you can use is to uninstall and reinstall the app on your phone. Doing so deletes all the app’s problematic files and brings new working files.

You don’t lose your account data when you do that.

On Android

1. Open your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on Instagram, and select Uninstall.

2. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
3. Open Google Play Store, find Instagram, and tap Install.

On iPhone

1. Locate Instagram on your phone’s home screen.
2. Tap and hold on the app and choose Remove App > Delete App.
3. Launch App Store, find Instagram, and tap the download icon.

Use Instagram on the Web

If Instagram’s mobile app doesn’t let you add captions no matter what, use Instagram’s web version to create or edit posts and add captions. You’ll need a Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chromebook computer to do this.

1. Launch your preferred web browser on your computer and open Instagram.com.
2. Log in to your account on the site.
3. Select Create in the left sidebar to create a new post with your content. Or edit an existing post on your profile page.

4. Select Next twice to reach the caption screen.
5. Select the Write a caption box, type your caption, and choose Share.

Resolve Your Instagram Caption Issue With Ease

If you think your Instagram posts are incomplete without captions and the app doesn’t let you add text, the methods above will help you fix the problem. Various items can cause the social media app not to save your captions, but you have ways to solve the problem. Enjoy!

The post Can’t Add Captions to Instagram Posts? Here’s How to Fix It first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

If you use Instagram to keep in touch with friends and family and share funny reels, recipes, or other content, it can be pretty frustrating to discover you can’t reply to Instagram messages. Below, we’ll help answer the question, “Why can’t I reply to messages on Instagram?” as there could be several factors causing the problem. We’ll also talk you through eight fixes to try so you can get back to messaging.

Why Can’t I Reply to Messages on Instagram?

You might have been blocked, you could be logged into the wrong account, or perhaps something else is happening. Here are some fixes to try if you find you can’t reply to messages on Instagram.

1. Check You Haven’t Been Blocked

If you’ve recently disagreed with somebody, chances are they might have blocked you if they no longer want to communicate with you. One surefire way to find out if this is the case is if your messages sent aren’t marked as delivered. Don’t jump to conclusions though — if you’re also unable to tag them in a post, they may have blocked you. If it’s somebody you’re close to, you could always reach out to them via a phone call or message to see if that’s the case.

2. Check Instagram’s Server Status

Before assuming somebody has blocked you, make sure that Instagram isn’t at fault. It could be that Meta’s servers are down due to connection problems, maintenance, or bugs. The easiest way to check if Instagram’s servers are down is to use a site like Downdetector.

3. Check You’re Logged Into the Right Account

If you use multiple Instagram accounts and often switch between accounts, make sure you’re logged into the right one! It may sound obvious, but it’s incredibly easy to be logged into the wrong account and try to message somebody who has a private profile, that you don’t follow with your other account.

Related: Learn how to troubleshoot why you can’t post a comment on Instagram and how to turn off Instagram read receipts.

4. Sign Out and in Again

Sometimes Instagram just… glitches, like any other app. If the glitch is related to your account, signing out of your account and back in again might just solve the issue. Plus, you’ll ensure you’re signed into the right account. Here’s how to sign out of your account:

1. Tap your profile picture at the bottom right to go to your profile.
2. Tap the More Info icon (three stacked lines), then tap Settings and Privacy.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and under Login, choose Log Out (Account Name) or Log Out of All Accounts.
4. To log back in, just enter your account credentials.

5. Update Instagram

On that note, have you tried updating the app? Perhaps the being unable to reply to messages issue is the result of an app bug. Ensuring you’re running the latest version of Instagram could resolve this. You can update your app manually in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, though if you’ve got automatic updates turned on, this should happen without you needing to worry about it.

6. Restart Instagram/Clear the Cache

Restarting the app by force-quitting it could help fix the problem, or you could try clearing the app cache, the data stored by the app on your device. On Android devices, you can do this manually, and here’s how:

1. Go to Settings > Storage > Apps and select Instagram (on some devices such as Samsung phones, you just need to go to Settings > Apps).
2. Tap Storage (or Storage & Cache) > Clear Cache.

Depending on the phone you’re using, these options might vary slightly, but you’ll usually find what you’re after in the App Storage Info section.

7. Restart Your Phone

It might be that the issue isn’t with Instagram but with your phone, particularly if you’ve noticed other apps behaving strangely. Restarting your phone can often help with any issues you’re experiencing, so if you restart it and then open Instagram, you might find you’re now able to reply to messages as usual.

8. Get Some Support

If none of the above fixes are working for you, it’s probably time to reach out to Instagram support, who should hopefully be able to help you resolve the problem. You might find the advice you’re looking for in the Help Center, or you can contact Instagram for help through the app or web version. To report a problem via the app, just follow the below steps:

1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right.
2. Then, tap more options (the three stacked lines) in the top right.
3. Choose Settings and Privacy.
4. Scroll down to More Info and Support, then tap Help.
5. Select Report a Problem.
6. You can either go back to where the problem occurred and then shake your phone to report the issue, or (and this might be easier), tap Report Problem Without Shaking.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to report your issue to Instagram.

Hopefully, one of these fixes will work to resolve your issue. If all else fails, you can get in touch with Instagram support. They’re sure to get back to you soon and fix the issue, so you won’t be left wondering, “Why can’t I reply to messages on Instagram?”

The post Can’t Reply to Messages on Instagram? 8 Fixes to Try Right Now first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Finding new ways to safeguard your online privacy has become crucial in today’s digital era. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, recently introduced a major update to its Accounts Center.

Now, you have the power to halt Instagram’s tracking practices on various websites beyond the app itself. This new ability to change settings in the Account Center allows users to foil third-party tracking methods typically employed for personalized ad targeting on the platform.

If you’re not a fan of Instagram and Facebook monitoring your activities across social media apps and websites, you need to learn how to use this update. Follow this article to find out how to stop Instagram and Facebook from tracking your online activity.

New Meta Feature in a Nutshell

Meta recently introduced a fresh privacy tool known as Activity Off-Meta Technologies. It aims to give users control over shared data with the company through apps and websites.

Meta changed how Accounts Center works. Allegations of invasive data tracking practices, where user online activities were tracked and utilized for targeted advertising, have plagued the platform’s reputation.

Now, you can control tracking from both Facebook and Instagram. Before, you could only manage it for Facebook. But now, by using a new feature called Activity Off-Meta Technologies, you can stop tracking your online activity on both platforms.

With this tool, you can check which businesses share your info with Meta. You decide what activity they can track, and you can stop certain businesses from sharing your data.

You can also stop all businesses from sending your info. This stops Instagram from using your activity to show you ads. For instance, if you check out a product online on Amazon, you won’t see ads for it on the Instagram app.

Stopping Instagram tracking on other apps is quick, but finding the settings might take a while. Here’s a quick guide to help you find them faster.

How to Stop Instagram from Tracking Your Online Activity

Before you can tweak your off-Meta technologies settings, you need to access your Accounts Center in the Instagram app.

Here’s how to find the Accounts Center in your Instagram account. The instructions are the same for both iOS and Android users, so both Android and Apple iPhone users can follow the steps below to find the Accounts Center on Instagram.

1. Launch the Instagram app and select your profile icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Then, select the three-line settings icon at the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings and privacy.

4. Under Your account select Accounts Center.

Once you’ve found the Accounts Center, you can access the off Meta technologies settings by following the path Your information and permissions > Your activity off Meta technologies.

From the Your activity off Meta technologies page, you can stop Instagram from tracking your activity online, as well as other apps and sites. To do that, follow the steps below.

1. On the Your activity off Meta technologies page, select Manage future activity.

2. Select Disconnect future activity.

3. Read the information provided on the What you should know page, then select Disconnect future activity.

Meta is obligated by law to disclose how it uses your personal information, including the impact of adjusting your settings.

Here are a few things you need to keep in mind about what’s going to happen when you disconnect future activity via the Accounts Center:

• Disconnecting future activity will affect all linked accounts in the Accounts Center.
• Complete disconnection of tracking may take up to 48 hours.
• Logging out of apps and websites linked to Facebook might occur.
• Disconnecting future activity can also detach your Instagram from other apps.
• Although Meta will still collect data from various apps and sites, it won’t be linked to your account.
• You’ll see the same number of ads on Instagram, but they won’t be personalized anymore.

It’s important to note that Instagram will continue to receive activity data from apps and websites, but whether it’s the entire dataset remains unclear. Meta’s wording suggests the data it receives is anonymous.

If you prefer to alter the types of ads displayed, you can adjust your Instagram ad preferences instead in your account settings. To do that, follow the path Instagram profile page > Settings > Ads > Ad Interests. There you can change your ad interests and choose which types of ads you’d like to see more (and less) on Instagram.

How to Stop Facebook from Tracking Your Online Activity

If your Facebook account is linked to your Instagram account, then disconnecting future activity will apply to it as well and you don’t have to do anything else to stop Facebook from tracking you.

However, if you didn’t link your Facebook account with your Instagram account, you need to disconnect it separately. To do that, follow the steps below.

1. Open Facebook on your device.
2. Go to your Facebook profile and select the three dots icon in the top right corner to open Menu.
3. Select Settings & Privacy, then select Settings.

4. In the left column menu, select Meta Accounts Center.

5. On the left side of the screen, under Account settings, select Your information and permissions.

6. Select Your activity off Meta technologies on the right.

7. Here you can choose to disconnect a specific activity to prevent a specific app or website from tracking you online. To do that, select Disconnect specific activity or Recent Activity.
8. To prevent Facebook from tracking your activity on other apps and websites, select Manage future activity.

9. In the new window, select Disconnect future activity. Then select Continue to confirm.
10. Read the information on the What you should know page and select Disconnect future activity at the bottom of the screen.

That’s it. Now both Facebook and Instagram apps shouldn’t be able to track you via their in-app browsers and other tools.

Tips to Improve Your Online Privacy on Facebook & Instagram

Meta Accounts Center is fairly new, and there’s no telling how well these tools will work in terms of helping you maintain your online privacy. We recommend taking the following extra steps to protect your online activity and stay safe while browsing the web.

Adjust Ad Preferences

On Facebook, navigate to the Settings menu, select Ads, and then select Ad Settings. Here, you can review and modify your ad preferences, including the information used to show you ads.

Similarly, on Instagram, access the Settings menu, tap on Security, then Access Data, and finally Ads. Adjust the preferences related to ad targeting based on your preferences.

Limit Data Collection

Both platforms have tools that allow you to control the data collected about your online behavior. In Facebook’s settings, explore the Your Facebook Information section, and review what data the platform collects and accesses. You can adjust these settings as per your comfort level.

On Instagram, within the Privacy and Security settings, you’ll find options to manage data collection. Review and limit the information Instagram collects to enhance your privacy.

Use Private Browsing Modes

Consider using private browsing or Incognito modes on your web browser when accessing these platforms. This prevents them from tracking your activity outside their applications.

Review Third-Party App Permissions

Both Instagram and Facebook allow third-party apps to access certain information from your profile. Regularly review and revoke access for apps that you no longer use or don’t need to access your social media data.

Opt-Out of Personalized Ads

You can opt out of personalized ads served by Facebook and Instagram. It’s best to adjust your ad settings in your account preferences to limit targeted ads.

Avoid Clicking on Advertisements

Refrain from engaging with advertisements that you believe might be used for tracking purposes. Interacting with certain ads can result in increased tracking activities.

Keep Your Apps Updated

Ensure that both your Instagram and Facebook apps are regularly updated. Developers often release updates that include enhanced privacy features and security fixes.

Use Privacy-Focused Browsers or Extensions

Consider using privacy-focused web browsers or browser extensions that help block tracking scripts and protect your online activity.

By taking these steps, you can significantly reduce the extent to which Instagram and Facebook track your online behavior. However, it’s important to note that complete avoidance of tracking may not be possible even with the new features in place, as these platforms heavily rely on user data for their functionality and services.

Remember, maintaining a balance between privacy and convenience is crucial in today’s interconnected digital landscape.

Take Control Over Instagram and Facebook Tracking

The new disconnect features allow you to control how Facebook and Instagram exchange your data with businesses. You can finally use it as a way to get rid of off-site tracking and prevent further personalization of the advertising you’re seeing online.

The post How to Stop Instagram and Facebook Tracking Online Activity first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Some other reasons you can’t use reaction emojis are that Instagram is down, your app’s cache files are corrupted, your app’s core files are damaged, and more.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

When you can’t use a feature in a web-enabled app like Instagram, ensure your phone’s internet connection is working. Your connection may be inactive or unstable, causing the emoji reaction feature not to work as expected.

You can check if your connection is faulty by opening a web browser and launching a site. If your site fails to load, you have connection issues. You can try to resolve your internet problems by disconnecting and reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network, restarting your router, turning your mobile data off and back on, or contacting your internet service provider.

2. Check If Instagram Is Down

If your internet connection is working, check if Instagram’s servers are down. This is because your app features will be unavailable if the platform’s servers are facing an outage.

You can check if Instagram is down using the Downdetector site. If this site tells you the platform is experiencing issues, wait until the company fixes the problems and brings all services back up.

3. Force Close and Relaunch Instagram on Your Phone

One possible reason you can’t use emoji reactions is that your Instagram app has minor glitches. In this case, force-quit and re-open the app to resolve your issue. Doing this turns off and back on all your app features, resolving many minor app problems.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and select App info.
2. Choose Force stop on the following page.

3. Select Force stop in the prompt.
4. Re-open the app from your app drawer or home screen.

On iPhone

1. Swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen and pause in the middle.
2. Swipe up on Instagram to close the app.

3. Relaunch the app by tapping the app icon on your home screen.

4. Update Instagram on Your Phone

Instagram’s old app version can cause many issues, and this may be the case with you. You can resolve your app’s many bugs by updating your app to the latest version.

On Android

1. Open Play Store on your phone.
2. Find Instagram.
3. Select Update next to the app.

On iPhone

1. Launch App Store on your phone.
2. Choose Updates in the bottom bar.
3. Select Update next to Instagram.

5. Clear Instagram’s Cache Files on Android

One way to fix a broken emoji reaction feature in Instagram’s Direct Messages is to clear your app’s cache files. This is because your app’s cached data may be corrupted, breaking your feature. Deleting this faulty data should resolve your problem.

Note that you don’t lose your account data when you clear your app cache. Also, you can only perform this procedure on Android; the iPhone doesn’t allow you to delete an app’s cache.

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or home screen and select App info.
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.
3. Select Clear cache to delete the app’s cached files.

4. Relaunch your Instagram app.

6. Restart Your iPhone or Android Phone to Fix the Instagram DM Issue

If your issue isn’t fixed, your iPhone or Android phone’s system may have a problem. Such system-level issues can cause your installed apps to malfunction. In this case, give your phone a reboot to see if that fixes your issue.

On Android

1. Press and hold down the Power button on your device.
2. Choose Restart in the menu.

On iPhone

1. Press and hold down either Volume button and Side button.
2. Drag the slider to turn off your phone.

3. Turn on your phone by pressing and holding down the Side button.

7. Log Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

Sometimes, you can’t access certain app features because your login session has problems. You can resolve such login-related issues by signing out and back into your account in the app.

Keep your Instagram login credentials handy, as you’ll need those details to log back in.

1. Open Instagram on your phone.
2. Select your Instagram profile icon in the bottom bar.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
4. Scroll down to the bottom and choose Log out [Username].

5. Log back into your account in the app.

8. Uninstall and Reinstall Instagram on Your Phone

If the above methods fail to fix your issue, your Instagram app itself may be faulty. You can fix such app-level corruption by removing and reinstalling the app on your phone. Note that you don’t lose your account data when you reinstall the app.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer.
2. Select Uninstall in the menu.

3. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
4. Launch Play Store, find Instagram, and tap Install.

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram on your home screen.
2. Select Remove App > Delete App in the menu.
3. Open App Store, find Instagram, and select the download icon.

9. Use Instagram’s Desktop Site to React to Messages With Emojis

If nothing fixes your issue, your last option is to use Instagram’s desktop version to react to your specific messages with emojis. Instagram’s desktop website offers pretty much the same features as the Instagram mobile app.

1. Launch a web browser on your desktop and access Instagram.com.
2. Sign in to your account and select Messages in the left sidebar.
3. Find the message to react to and double-click the message to add a heart emoji reaction.

4. Select the emoji icon next to your message if you want to use different emojis for the reaction. You’ll see a list of emojis.

Get Started Reacting to Instagram Messages With Emojis on Your Phone

Instagram’s emoji reaction feature allows you to express your feelings about your messages with emojis. If this feature isn’t working on your device, the guide above will help you fix and restore the function. You can then react to any received message on this social media network with your chosen emoji. Enjoy!

The post Can’t React to Messages With Emojis on Instagram? 9 Ways to Fix It first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Some reasons your Instagram link doesn’t work are that your link is invalid or spammy, your app has a bug, your app’s cached files are corrupted, your app is outdated, and more.

Check and Ensure Your Link Is Valid

When your Instagram link doesn’t work, check and make sure your link is valid. You may have mistyped the link that takes users nowhere, causing your link problem.

In this case, you can ensure your link is correct by copying the link from its source and pasting it on Instagram. This avoids typos and other issues with your link and ensures Instagram accepts your link.

Check if Your Link Is Spammy

Not all valid links are supported by Instagram. This means you can’t use a valid, spammy link in your Instagram bio. Your current link may have too many redirects or leads to a spammy website, causing Instagram to reject the link.

In this case, make sure your link doesn’t have many redirects and points to a legitimate site. You can use a web-based link checker like ScanURL or Norton Safe Web to check whether a link is safe to use or not.

Force Close and Re-Open Instagram on Your Phone

One reason your link isn’t working is that your Instagram app is experiencing issues. Such app problems are common, and these issues occur in most apps you use on your phone. One way to deal with these minor problems is by force-closing and re-opening your app.

Doing that turns off and back on all app features, possibly fixing your issue. Note that you can only force close apps on Android. You’ll have to use the standard close-and-open method on your iPhone.

On Android

1. Find Instagram on your home screen or in your app drawer, tap and hold on the app, and select App info.
2. Choose Force stop on the following page.

3. Select Force stop in the prompt.
4. Relaunch your app.

On iPhone

1. Swipe up from the bottom of your phone’s screen and pause in the middle.
2. Find and swipe up on Instagram to close the app.
3. Relaunch the app from your home screen.

Clear Instagram Cache on Your Android Phone

Like many other apps, Instagram creates and uses cache files to quickly serve your content. Sometimes, these cached files become broken, being unable to serve various app features. You may experience issues with your app when this happens.

In this case, luckily, you can resolve the issue with ease by deleting your app’s cache files. You don’t lose your account files when you do this, and your app will rebuild the cache files as you use the app.

Note that you can only clear an app’s cache files on Android. You’ll have to delete the app on an iPhone to remove the app’s cached data.

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer or on your home screen and select App info.
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.
3. Select Clear cache to delete your app’s cached files.

4. Launch your Instagram app.

Clear Instagram’s In-App Web Browser Data

If you’ve noticed, Instagram uses an in-app web browser to load the links you tap inside the app. The app does that so you don’t have to leave your app to access a link. Sometimes, this in-app web browser’s data becomes corrupted, causing your in-app links not to work.

One way to possibly fix this browser’s issues is by clearing the browser’s saved data. You can do this within Instagram, and we’ll show you how.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
2. Select a link in the app so your in-app browser opens.
3. Choose the three dots in the browser’s top-right corner and select Browser settings.
4. Select Clear next to Browsing data to delete your browser’s saved data.

5. Close and relaunch Instagram, then see if your link works.

Update Your Instagram for iOS or Android App

It goes without saying that you should keep all your apps updated all the time on your phone. If you haven’t updated your Instagram app in a long time, that may be why your links aren’t working. Old app versions often have many bugs, which you can resolve by updating the app version.

You can possibly fix your link issue as well as add new features to your Instagram app by updating your app to the latest version.

On Android

1. Launch Play Store on your phone.
2. Find the Instagram app in the store.
3. Select Update next to the app to update the application.

On iPhone

1. Access App Store on your iPhone.
2. Select Updates in the bottom bar.
3. Choose Update next to Instagram to update the app.

Fix Instagram Links Not Working by Deleting and Reinstalling the App

If your link issue persists even after updating your app, your Instagram app itself may be faulty. This isn’t too uncommon, as mobile apps do get broken for various reasons. Your app’s core files might be corrupted, or your app might have come from an untrusted source.

Either way, you can resolve the issue by removing and reinstalling the app on your phone. Doing so deletes all the app files and brings official and working app files on your phone.

You don’t lose your account data when you reinstall the app, but you’ll have to sign back into your account.

On Android

1. Launch your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on Instagram, and select Uninstall.

2. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
3. Open Play Store, find Instagram, and tap Install.

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram on your iPhone’s home screen.
2. Select Remove App > Delete App in the menu.
3. Open App Store, find Instagram, and tap the download icon.

Report Your Instagram Links Issue

If your reinstalled Instagram app has the same link problem, something may be off on Instagram’s end. In this case, you can report your issue to the company so the company can review and fix the problem.

You can use an option within your Instagram app to submit the report.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
2. Select your profile icon in the bottom bar.
3. Choose the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and select Settings and privacy.
4. Scroll down the page and choose Help.
5. Select Report a Problem and choose Report problem without shaking.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish submitting your report.

Troubleshoot Instagram Bio Links Not Working

There are various reasons your Instagram bio links stop working. You may have added an invalid link, or Instagram’s own problems may be causing your issue. Either way, you can follow the methods outlined above to resolve your issue and get your links working in your profile.

The post Instagram Links Not Working: How to Fix the Issue first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status Off in the App

Your activity status shows anyone you message and people you follow when you’re currently active on Instagram. They’ll also be able to see when you were last active, which is something many people want to keep private. You can easily turn your activity status off so nobody will know when you’re online and when you were last active. Here’s how to appear offline on Instagram in the app:

1. Log into Instagram.
2. Tap your Profile Picture.
3. Tap the three horizontal stacked lines at the top right.
4. Choose Settings and Privacy.
5. Under How Others can Interact with you select Messages and Story Replies.
6. Select Show Activity Status.
7. Tap to turn off the toggle.

Note: Turning off your activity status also means you won’t be able to see when anyone you direct message or accounts that follow you are active. It’s a two-way street. If you change your mind, you can always turn your activity status back on.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status Off via the Web

Here’s how to appear offline on Instagram if you’re using the web version:

1. Log into your Instagram account.
2. In the bottom left, click the three horizontal stacked lines icon next to More.
3. Click Settings.
4. Scroll down and click on How Others Can Interact with You.
5. Ensure the Show Activity Status toggle is off.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status On in the App

If you’ve decided you want to turn your Instagram activity status back on, here’s how to do that in the app:

8. Log into Instagram.
9. Tap your Profile Picture.
10. Tap the three horizontal stacked lines at the top right.
11. Choose Settings and Privacy.
12. Under How Others can Interact with you, select Messages and Story Replies.
13. Select Show Activity Status.
14. Tap to turn the toggle back on.

Related: Learn how to hide followers on Instagram to better protect your (and their) privacy.

How to Turn Instagram Activity Status On via the Web

Here’s how to turn your activity status back on via the web:

1. Log into Instagram via the app or the website.
2. Select More next to the three horizontal stacked lines in the bottom left.
3. Choose Settings.
4. Choose How Others can Interact with you.
5. Ensure the Show Activity Status toggle is on.

People who follow you or have direct conversations with you will now be able to see when you’re active on Instagram. They’ll be able to see your most recent activity status in their direct inbox, as well as a green dot or timestamp next to your profile picture.

Now, you no longer need to worry about how to appear offline on Instagram. By turning your activity status off, you can spend as much time on Instagram as you want, without anyone knowing you’re online or being able to see your last active status. Just remember, if your followers can’t see when you’re online or when you were last active, you won’t be able to see this information about them either. Of course, if you don’t want to turn your activity status off to prevent people from seeing when you’re online, you could always just unfollow or block them!

The post How to Appear Offline on Instagram first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

What Are Instagram Notes?

Notes are text updates above your profile photo in the Instagram app. Each note is a maximum of 60 characters, consists of text or emojis, and lasts up to 24 hours (or less if you manually remove it before that time). Notes are a great way to express yourself and connect with your friends on Instagram.

You can use notes on Instagram to share your mood, plans, opinions, or anything else that comes to your mind with your Instagram friends and followers. You can also see what your friends post and respond to their notes through direct messages (DMs).

How to Create a Note on Instagram

Creating a note on Instagram via the Instagram app is simple. Before proceeding, ensure you’ve updated your Instagram app to the latest version.

To create a note on Instagram, follow these steps. The screenshots below are from Instagram’s Android app.

1. Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap the messages icon in the app’s top-right corner. The iOS icon is a lightning bolt inside a speech bubble.

2. At the top of your messages, you’ll see your profile picture icon with a plus sign above it—tap on it to create a new note.

3. You’ll see a pop-up window where you can type your note. You can use text and emojis, but keep your note within the 60 character limit.

4. If you want to add music to back the message for users to hear when they open the note, tap the Music icon and select the audio you want to use.

5. Below your text, you’ll see a Share with option—tap this to choose who you want to share your note with.

6. You’ll have two options in the pop-up menu: Followers that you follow back or Close friends. You can choose who you want to share your notes with by tapping on the circle next to the option. If you select Close friends, you can also tap on the arrow below to edit your close friends list. Only those followers will be able to see your note. Notes are meant to be shared with groups of contacts and not individually.
7. Press Done to save your choice.

8. When finished, tap the Share button in the top-right.

Your note will appear above your profile photo in the messages list. It’ll remain visible to the people you selected for 24 hours.

How to See and Respond to Notes on Instagram

You (and other users) can interact with and respond to notes created on Instagram. For instance, if you view a note from one of your Instagram friends, you can reply with your message. The user will receive the message in their direct messages.

To view and respond to Instagram notes, follow these steps.

1. Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap the messages icon in the top-right.

2. If your friends have shared notes with you, they’ll appear at the top of the menu as chat bubbles over their profile picture. To read any shared note, tap on the note preview bubble to view it.

3. The note will pop up from the bottom, allowing you to view it fully. You’ll also see your keyboard pop up so you can send a message in response.

4. Type your message into the box and press Send to reply to a note. Your reply will appear as a normal unread chat in your direct messages inbox. You can also send photos, videos, stickers, GIFs, or voice messages as replies.

5. To close the note preview, swipe down or tap anywhere outside it to return to your messages.

How to Use Notes on Instagram Effectively

The steps above will help you to create a note, but you’ll need to know how to use the Instagram notes feature effectively. Here are some tips you can use to help create notes for your Instagram followers that work for your audience.

1. Use notes to share something interesting or exciting in your life. If you want a reaction from your friends, you’ll need to make sure your note is interesting enough to gain it!
2. Use notes to ask questions or kick start a conversation with your friends. For example, “What are you reading these days?” or “Have you seen the latest episode of That TV Show?”.
3. Consider using notes to plan or invite your friends to do something. For example, “Anyone up for a movie night?” or “Let’s go hiking this weekend—who’s in?”.
4. One thing to remember—use notes sparingly and selectively. Don’t spam your friends with too many notes or share them with everyone you follow. Choose who to share them with and ensure they remain relevant and interesting.

Share Your Thoughts on Instagram

Thanks to the steps above, you can quickly use the notes feature on Instagram to share your thoughts, feelings, or important news with your closest friends and followers.

Do you want to spice up your Instagram profile? Consider creating your own Instagram avatar. If you’re having trouble with Instagram messages not sending, don’t forget to troubleshoot the problem by updating your Instagram app and restarting your phone.

The post How to Use Notes on Instagram first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

1. Turn Off Your Phone’s Silent Mode

When you have trouble playing sounds on your smartphone, the first thing to check is if your phone is in silent mode. You or someone else may have enabled this mode, causing your phone not to play any sounds.

In this case, turn off the mode and bring your phone back to Ring mode to fix your issue.

On Android

1. Slide the Ring/Silent toggle on your phone to disable Silent mode and enable Ring mode.
2. Play your Instagram Story.

On iPhone

1. Flip the Ring/Silent switch so you don’t see the orange color behind the switch. This indicates your phone is in Ring mode.
2. Open and play your Instagram Story.

2. Turn Up Your Phone’s Volume to Fix a No Sound Issue

If you still don’t get audio in your Instagram Stories, increase your phone’s volume to see if that fixes your problem. Your phone’s current volume might be too low, making the Story sound inaudible.

You can use your phone’s physical Volume Up key to increase the volume. Keep pressing this key until your phone has reached at least 50% volume level. Then, play your Instagram Story and see if you can hear the audio.

3. Turn Off Bluetooth on Your Phone

One reason you can’t hear the audio in Instagram Stories is that you’ve connected a Bluetooth audio accessory to your phone, and your phone is routing all the audio to that device. You can disconnect your accessory from your phone to resolve your issue.

A quick way to verify and fix that is to turn off Bluetooth on your device.

On Android

1. Pull down twice from the top of your phone’s screen.
2. Select Bluetooth in the menu to turn off the feature.

3. Play your Instagram Story.

On iPhone

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone’s screen.
2. Tap the Bluetooth icon to turn off the feature.

3. Access your Instagram Story.

4. Clear Instagram’s Cache Files on Your Android Phone

If you still don’t hear the audio for Stories in your Instagram feed, your app’s cache files might be corrupted. Like many other apps, Instagram creates and utilizes cache files to improve your overall app experience. When these files become corrupted, you experience various issues in the app, including the one you’re currently facing.

You can fix that issue by clearing your app’s cache files. You don’t lose your account data when you do this, and Instagram will rebuild these files as you use the app.

Note that you can only perform this procedure on an Android phone. The iPhone doesn’t allow you to clear an app’s cache files.

1. Open your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on Instagram, and select App info.
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.

3. Select Clear cache to delete your app’s cached files.

4. Open the Instagram app and play your Story.

5. Install Pending Instagram Updates on Your iPhone or Android Phone

Instagram’s outdated app version can cause many random issues, and this may be the reason you have trouble playing the audio for your Instagram Stories. You can fix version-related issues like this by updating your app on your phone.

Updating Instagram on your phone fixes many app bugs and possibly adds new features.

On Android

1. Launch Play Store on your phone.
2. Find Instagram in the store.
3. Select Update next to the app to bring the app to the latest version.

On iPhone

1. Open App Store on your iPhone.
2. Select Updates in the bottom bar.
3. Choose Update next to Instagram on the list.

6. Use a VPN to Unmute Instagram Stories

If you don’t hear the audio only in certain Stories on Instagram, those Stories’ soundtracks might be unavailable in your region. Instagram may not have the rights to play those soundtracks in your current region, causing your Stories to remain muted.

In this case, you can bypass that restriction by using a VPN on your phone. A VPN allows you to change your phone’s online location, letting you bypass many limits on various apps and sites.

There are many VPN apps you can choose from, and nearly all of them work on both iOS and Android devices. After installing such an app, launch the app, turn on the service, and play your Instagram Story.

7. Sign Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

If your phone still fails to play the audio for your Instagram Story, your login session in the app might have a problem. You can resolve these login-related issues by signing out and back into your account in the app.

You don’t lose your account data when you do this, but you’ll have to enter your account’s username and password to log back in.

1. Open Instagram on your phone.
2. Select your profile icon in the bottom bar.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
4. Choose Settings and privacy in the menu.
5. Scroll to the bottom and choose Log out [Username].

6. Log back into your account in the app.

8. Remove and Reinstall Instagram on Your Phone

If your Instagram Stories remain muted even after following the above methods, your app itself may be faulty. It isn’t too uncommon for apps to go corrupt and malfunction, and this may be the case with your Instagram app.

In this case, you can resolve the issue by removing and reinstalling the app on your phone. This deletes all app files from your phone and installs new files, fixing all file-related issues.

You don’t lose any data when you do this. However, you’ll have to log back into your account when you reinstall the app on your phone.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer and select Uninstall.

2. Choose Uninstall in the prompt.
3. Re-download the app by opening Play Store, finding Instagram, and tapping Install.

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram on your phone’s home screen.
2. Select Remove App > Delete App in the menu.
3. Reinstall the app by launching App Store, finding Instagram, and selecting the download icon.

9. The Instagram Story Doesn’t Have Any Audio

If reinstalling the app didn’t fix your issue, it’s possible your Instagram Story itself is muted. The creator may not have added any music tracks to the Story, keeping the Story soundless.

In this case, you can’t do anything as the original Story is without audio.

Many Ways to Resolve an Instagram Story Sound Issue on Your Phone

If your phone doesn’t play any music when you access an Instagram Story, there’s a good chance something is wrong on your phone. You can tweak a few options here and there on your phone as well as in the Instagram app to possibly resolve your issue.

Once you’ve done that, you can find that all your Instagram Stories play the audio. Happy using this social media platform!

The post Instagram Stories Sound Muted: 9 Ways to Unmute It first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Some reasons you can’t send or receive messages on Instagram are that Instagram is down, your app’s cache is faulty, your phone’s operating system has a minor problem, your login session in the app isn’t working correctly, and more.

1. Check Your Apple iPhone or Android Phone’s Internet Connection

Instagram relies on your phone’s internet connection to send and receive messages. It’s possible your phone’s internet has stopped working, causing your DMs not to function.

In this case, check and ensure your internet connection is active. You can do this by launching an internet-enabled app on your phone and accessing some web content. If your content doesn’t load, your connection is faulty.

You can follow a few basic troubleshooting tips, like rejoining your Wi-Fi network and rebooting your router, to potentially fix your internet problems. If these methods don’t work, contact your internet service provider (ISP) for further help.

2. Check if Instagram Is Down

If your phone’s internet connection is active, check if Instagram’s servers are facing an outage. The platform’s servers may be experiencing issues, causing your DM issue.

You can check if Instagram is down by visiting the Downdetector site. This site collects downtime reports from users and lets you know if an online service is down.

If that site says Instagram is down, you can’t do anything but wait until the company restores the service. In the meantime, you can use other instant messaging apps to stay in touch with your friends and family.

3. Force Close and Reopen the Instagram App

One reason your DMs aren’t working is that your Instagram app has glitches. These minor app problems can prevent you from accessing various app features.

In this case, you can try to resolve those minor issues by force closing and reopening your Instagram app. Note that you can only force close an app on Android devices.

1. Launch your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on Instagram, and select App info.
2. Choose Force stop on the open screen.

3. Select Force stop in the prompt.
4. Launch your Instagram app.

4. Clear Instagram Cache on Your Android Phone

If your Instagram DMs still aren’t working, your app’s saved cache might be corrupted. A corrupt app cache prevents the app from functioning normally, causing many issues. Luckily, fixing a bad cache is easy, as you can clear the faulty cache and relaunch your app.

Clearing your app’s cache doesn’t delete your account data in the app. Your app will rebuild this cache as you use the app features. Note that you can only clear an app’s cache on Android. You’ll have to uninstall and reinstall the app on an iPhone to remove the app’s cached data.

1. Open your phone’s app drawer, tap and hold on Instagram, and select App info.
2. Choose Storage usage on the following screen.
3. Select Clear cache to remove the app’s cached files.

4. Launch your Instagram app.

5. Update Instagram for iOS or Android

If you’re using an outdated version of Instagram on your phone, that may be why you can’t send and receive messages. Old app versions are often buggy, and one way to resolve those bugs is to update your app.

Updating Instagram resolves your app bugs and possibly brings new features.

On Android

1. Open Play Store on your phone.
2. Find Instagram.
3. Select Update next to the app to update the app to the latest version.

On iPhone

1. Launch App Store on your iOS device.
2. Select Updates in the bottom bar.
3. Choose Update next to Instagram on the list.

Launch your updated Instagram app, and your DM issue should be resolved.

6. Fix Instagram DMs Not Working by Restarting Your iPhone or Android Phone

If your Instagram DM problem still isn’t fixed, your iPhone or Android phone may be experiencing an issue. Your phone’s system issues can affect your installed apps, which may be the case with you.

You can try to fix your phone’s minor issues by rebooting your phone. Doing so turns off and back on all your phone features, possibly fixing many minor glitches.

Ensure you’ve saved your unsaved work before powering off your phone.

On Android

1. Press and hold down the Power button on your phone.
2. Select Restart in the menu.

3. Open Instagram when your phone boots up.

On iPhone

1. Press and hold down Volume Up + Side or Volume Down + Side on your phone.
2. Drag the slider to the right to turn off your phone.

3. Turn on your phone by pressing and holding down the Side button.
4. Launch the Instagram app.

7. Sign Out and Back Into Your Instagram Account

If you continue to face issues sending or receiving messages with Instagram’s DM feature, your login session in the app may be problematic. Such issues can prevent your app from fetching new messages from Instagram’s servers.

One way to fix this issue is to log out and back into your account in the app. Doing so refreshes your login session, fixing the current login problems.

1. Launch Instagram on your phone.
2. Select your profile picture in the bottom bar.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and choose Settings and privacy.
4. Scroll down the page and choose Log out [Your Username].

5. Close and relaunch Instagram, then log back into your account.

8. Fix Instagram Direct Messages Issues by Reinstalling the App

If your Instagram DMs haven’t started working even after following the above methods, your app itself may be faulty. Such app issues are common, and you can resolve these problems by removing and reinstalling your app.

Uninstalling the app removes all the app’s bad files, and redownloading the app brings working new app files. You don’t lose your account data when you do this; however, you’ll have to log back into your account.

On Android

1. Tap and hold on Instagram in your app drawer and choose Uninstall.

2. Select Uninstall in the prompt.
3. Launch Google Play Store, find Instagram, and tap Install.

On iPhone

1. Tap and hold on Instagram on your home screen and choose Remove App > Delete App.
2. Open App Store, find Instagram, and tap the download icon.

Restore Instagram’s DM Functionality on Your iPhone or Android Phone

Instagram’s Direct Messages feature stops working for various reasons. Your app may be faulty, or there may be an issue with your phone. Either way, you can follow the above-mentioned methods to resolve your problem and resume your chat sessions.

We hope the guide helps you out.

The post Instagram DMs Not Working: 8 Ways to Fix first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Why Mute Someone’s Story on Instagram?

Perhaps your Instagram friend posts too many Stories and you’re fed up seeing them at the top of your feed. Or maybe you don’t want to see an ex’s Stories constantly popping up, even though you still want to follow them. You might even just want to take a break from somebody’s Instagram Stories for a while. Luckily, muting an Instagram Story is easy to do, and if you change your mind later, unmuting it is also a breeze.

How to Mute an Instagram Story

Muting an Instagram Story is simple, and here’s how to do it next time you don’t want music or loud voices disturbing your peace and quiet.

1. Open the Instagram app on your device.
2. At the top of your feed, tap and hold the profile picture of the person whose story you want to mute.
3. Select Mute > Mute Story.
4. You can also choose Mute Story and Posts if you no longer want to see their posts in your feed either.
5. You’ll no longer see this person’s Stories at the top of your Instagram feed.

How to Unmute Story on Instagram

If you were just taking a break from somebody else’s Instagram Stories for a while and you muted them, how do you start viewing their Stories again? It’s easy to unmute them, and here’s how to unmute someone’s Story on Instagram:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. In the Search bar, type in the Instagram username of the person you’d like to unmute.
3. Click on their name to go to their profile.
4. Tap the Story icon at the top left of their profile, then tap the three vertical dots menu at the top right of their Story and select Unmute Story.
5. You’ll now see their Stories at the top of your Instagram feed as usual.

Note that muting someone else’s Story only stops their Stories from appearing at the top of your Instagram feed. You’ll still follow them and see their regular posts in your feed, unless you also opt to mute their posts.

As you can see, it’s easy to mute someone’s Story on Instagram in just a few taps. If you accidentally mute someone or change your mind about muting them, you can easily unmute them so you’ll continue seeing their Stories at the top of your feed.

The post How to Mute and Unmute Someone’s Story on Instagram first appeared on Online Tech Tips.