Are the Instagram Reels not working for you? Here’s what you can do to fix them:
- Check to see if the Reels are available in your region or country
- Log out and relog
- Switch from WiFi to Mobile Data
- Clear the Instagram Cache
- Uninstall and reinstall Instagram
- Report the issue to Instagram support
There’s no single cause for the reels not working on Instagram. Similarly, there’s no single solution for it. You’ll have to try every solution until you find the right one.
Read below for a detailed guide on how to fix the Instagram Reels!
See if the Reels Are Available in Your Country
Your first course of action should ensure that the Reels feature is available in your country. Go here or search for “Instagram reels country” on Google and access the first link.
The Reels feature is not new, so it’s available in most countries worldwide. It’s still better to check the list and make sure, though.
You might live in one of the fewest countries where the feature is unavailable.
If it should be available and it’s still not working, move on to other solutions on this list!
Log Out and Relog
Logging out and logging back into Instagram might fix the Reels. Follow the steps below to do just that:
1. Tap on your profile picture
Open Instagram and look in the bottom-right corner for your Profile picture. Tap on it to open your profile page!
2. Tap the Hamburger icon
Once you tap on your profile picture, you’ll be taken to your profile page. Once you’re here, look for the Hamburger icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and select it.
3. Select “Settings“
Selecting the Hamburger icon will open a menu at the bottom of the page, where you’ll see several options. Select “Settings” from the menu and continue with the guide!
4. Select “Log out“
Once you open the Instagram settings, scroll down to the bottom and select “Log out“. When asked to confirm, select “Log out” again.
5. Log back in
After you log out, you’ll be redirected to the log-in screen. Select “Log in” next to your username, and Instagram should log you in automatically.
Are the Reels working now? If not, continue with the guide!
Switch from WiFi to Data
Perhaps your internet connection is too slow, or the bad signal is causing the Reels not to work properly. Switching from Wifi to Mobile Data or vice-versa may solve it.
Follow the steps below:
1. Swipe down from the top of the screen
To switch between WiFi and Mobile Data, you need to open the Shortcut menu, and to do that, you must swipe down from the top of the screen.
3. Switch between WiFi and Mobile Data
Once you swipe down from the screen (two times if necessary), you’ll open a menu with all of your shortcuts. Search for the Mobile Data and WiFi options and switch between them.
If you were using WiFi, close it and enable Mobile Data. Toggle it off and go with WiFi if you are using Mobile Data.
Is Instagram working correctly now? If not, try another solution!
Clear the Instagram Cache
I can’t tell you how many times a full cache has ruined my Instagram experience. Clearing the cache will save you a lot of trouble and fix many issues, including broken Reels.
Follow the steps below to see how to do that:
1. Open your phone settings
To clear the Instagram cache, you first need to open your settings, so tap on the Gear icon in the bottom-right corner of your phone home screen.
2. Select “Apps“
Once you open the phone settings, scroll down until you see the “Apps” option. Then, select it to continue with the guide.
3. Go to “App Management“
Selecting the “Apps” option will redirect you to another window with several options. Select the first option on the list – “App management” to open the app list.
4. Search for Instagram
Once you get to the app list, scroll down until you find Instagram, or use the search bar at the top of the page to find Instagram faster.
Select it to open the app settings.
5. Go to “Storage usage“
Selecting Instagram in the app list will take you to its App Info page, where you can set its permissions, data usage, storage usage, and so on.
To clear the cache, go to “Storage usage“. If you don’t have this option on your phone, look for “Cache” and clear it!
6. Select “Clear cache“
You’ll find the “Clear cache” option on the Storage Usage page at the bottom. Tap on the button and confirm if necessary.
After clearing the cache, force-close Instagram from the Overview menu, and reopening it, this time, the Reels should be working fine.
If they’re not, proceed with the guide!
Uninstall and Reinstall Instagram
Often, uninstalling and reinstalling an app can solve most of its issues. You can uninstall and reinstall the app to fix the broken Instagram reels. Follow the steps below to do that:
1. Tap the Gear icon
Tap the gear icon on your home screen to open your phone settings, and then continue with the guide!
2. Select “Apps“
After selecting the Gear icon, you’ll arrive on the Settings page. Scroll down until you find the “Apps” option, then select it.
3. Go to “App Management“
After selecting the “Apps” option, you need to go to “App management” to open the app list and find Instagram.
4. Find Instagram
Once you open the app list, you should find Instagram by scrolling through the list or using the search box.
Select it to open its settings!
5. Select “Uninstall“
After you open the App Info page by selecting Instagram in the app list, you should find the “Uninstall” icon and select it.
6. Confirm the uninstall
Instagram will ask you to confirm that you want to uninstall the app. Do that by selecting “Ok“. Then, wait for the app to uninstall and go to the Play Store or the Apple Store to install it again.
You’ll find it by searching for “Instagram” and going to its official page. Then, select “Install” and wait for it to finish installing.
If not even this fixes the broken Reels, then there’s only one solution left.
Contact Instagram Support
Your last option is to contact Instagram support and tell them about your problem. Tell them the Reels feature is broken and doesn’t work, no matter what you do.
Follow the steps below to see how to contact Instagram support and report a problem:
1. Tap the Hamburger icon
Select the Hamburger icon from the Instagram profile page in the top-right corner to open the menu.
2. Select “Settings“
Tapping on the Hamburger icon will open a menu with several options. Select the “Settings” option and continue with the guide!
3. Go to “Help“
Selecting “Settings” will take you to this page. Scroll down to the bottom and select “Help“. That’s where you’ll be able to report a problem to Instagram support.
4. Select “Report a problem“
After you select “Help“, you’ll be redirected to another page. On this page, you’ll have 5 options:
- Report a Problem
- Account Status
- Help Center
- Privacy and Security Help
- Support Requests
Select “Report a Problem” to contact Instagram support about the broken Reels.
5. Select “Report a problem” again
Instagram will ask you what type of problem you want to report. Since this is a technical issue, you’ll want to select “Report a problem” again.
6. Explain your issue and submit the report
On this page, you’ll have the option of explaining your problem and adding a screenshot. I recommend taking a screenshot of the broken Reels and uploading it.
When you’re done, tap “Submit” to send the report to Instagram. It’ll take 1-3 business days for them to reply, or less, depending on their workload.
Conclusion
In short, there are several ways you can fix the broken Reels on Instagram:
- Check to see if the Reels are available in your region or country
- Log out and relog
- Switch from WiFi to Mobile Data
- Clear the Instagram Cache
- Uninstall and reinstall Instagram
- Report the issue to Instagram support
Try these solutions in order from easiest to most time-consuming. One of them should do the trick. If nothing works, contacting Instagram support is your last choice.
Let me know if you know another solution to the broken Reels features in the comments section below!
