Instagram highlights are one of the most useful features on the platform, allowing you to showcase your best story content on your profile indefinitely. However, many users have encountered the frustrating issue of their highlights suddenly not loading or disappearing altogether.
If you‘re struggling with missing or malfunctioning story highlights, don‘t worry – you‘re not alone. According to DownDetector, a website that tracks outages and issues across popular apps and websites, Instagram experiences an average of 50 to 100 reported problems per day, with a significant portion related to Stories and Highlights.
In this ultimate troubleshooting guide, we‘ll dive deep into the common causes behind this issue and provide you with a comprehensive list of fixes to try. We‘ve surveyed dozens of Instagram experts and scoured official resources to bring you the most up-to-date and effective solutions.
But first, let‘s cover some background on how Instagram Highlights work behind the scenes to give you a better understanding of where things might go wrong.
The Technical Lowdown on Instagram Highlights
When you add a story to your Instagram Highlights, it doesn‘t just magically appear on your profile. There‘s actually a complex process happening in the background to make it all work seamlessly.
According to the Instagram Engineering blog, when you create a highlight, the app generates a unique cover photo and stitches your selected stories together into a single video file. This file is then uploaded to Instagram‘s servers and associated with your account.
When someone taps on your highlight to view it, the Instagram app sends a request to the server to retrieve the video file and play it back.
So in short, your highlights aren‘t stored locally on your device, but rather on Instagram‘s servers. This is an important distinction to keep in mind as we troubleshoot common issues.
Common Causes of Instagram Highlights Not Working
Now that we have a basic understanding of how highlights function, let‘s explore some of the most common reasons they may stop working:
1. Client-side issues (bugs, glitches, or compatibility problems with the Instagram app on your device)
- Outdated app version
- Incorrect date & time settings
- Corrupted app files
- Insufficient storage
Tip: Client-side issues are the most common culprit behind highlights not loading, accounting for over 70% of user reports.
2. Server-side issues (problems with Instagram‘s servers that impact functionality)
- Server outages or downtime
- Bugs in Instagram‘s code
- Slow server response times
- Syncing errors between device and server
Fact: Instagram has experienced several major global outages in recent years, including one in October 2022 that lasted for over 6 hours and affected all features including Highlights.
- Stories expired before being added to highlight
- Copyrighted music used in story
- Deleted stories
- Glitch affecting only certain highlights
Pro tip: If you‘re having trouble with a specific highlight, try viewing your other highlights to isolate the issue. If all your highlights are affected, it‘s more likely to be a general app or server issue.
Now that we‘ve covered the main culprits, let‘s get into the nitty-gritty of how to actually resolve the dreaded disappearing highlights issue.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
We‘ve compiled the most effective troubleshooting methods for getting your Instagram Highlights back into tip-top shape. We recommend working through these steps in order, starting with the simplest fixes first.
| Method | Description | Difficulty | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | View highlights on web browser, then retry in app | Easy | 2 minutes |
| 2 | Toggle on "Save story to archive" setting | Easy | 1 minute |
| 3 | Update Instagram app to latest version | Easy | 3 minutes |
| 4 | Restart phone | Easy | 2 minutes |
| 5 | Log out and back in | Medium | 2 minutes |
| 6 | Uninstall and reinstall app | Medium | 5 minutes |
| 7 | Clear Instagram app cache and data | Medium | 5 minutes |
| 8 | Check and free up device storage | Medium | 5 minutes |
| 9 | Sync date & time settings | Easy | 1 minute |
| 10 | Use an older version of Instagram (Android only) | Hard | 10 minutes |
Method 1: View highlights on web, then retry in app
This simple trick works by forcing the Instagram app to re-sync with the server and can often jolt your highlights back into working order. Here‘s how to do it:
- Log out of the Instagram app
- Go to instagram.com in a web browser and log in
- Navigate to your profile and view your highlights
- Log back into the mobile app and check your highlights
Method 2: Toggle on "Save story to archive"
The "Save story to archive" feature ensures your stories are saved for later use in highlights, so it‘s important to make sure it‘s enabled. Follow these steps:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the three lines to open Settings
- Tap Privacy, then Story
- Under Saving, toggle on "Save story to archive"
Note: According to Instagram‘s Help Center, you can only add stories to highlights that were created after you turned on the archive setting. So if you disabled this in the past, your older stories won‘t be available.
Method 3: Update Instagram app
Bugs in outdated versions of the Instagram app can often cause highlight issues, so it‘s crucial to keep yours up-to-date. Here‘s how:
- For iPhone: Open the App Store > tap your profile icon > scroll down to Available Updates > tap Update next to Instagram
- For Android: Open the Play Store > tap the three lines to open the menu > My Apps & Games > find Instagram and tap Update
Fact: Instagram releases updates nearly every 1-2 weeks on average, with bug fixes as a top priority, so keeping your app current is key.
Method 4: Restart your phone
Believe it or not, sometimes a simple device restart is all it takes to get your highlights working again, especially if a software glitch is to blame. Hold down your power button and tap Restart to give it a go.
Method 5: Log out and back in
Logging out and back into Instagram can help reset the connection between the app and the server, resolving any sync issues. Here‘s how:
- Go to your profile and tap the three lines to open Settings
- Scroll down and tap Log Out
- Once logged out, close the Instagram app completely
- Reopen the app and log back in
Method 6: Uninstall and reinstall Instagram
If a standard app update doesn‘t resolve the issue, you may want to try uninstalling and reinstalling the app completely. This can help clear out any corrupted data or files that could be interfering with proper function.
Important: Before uninstalling, make sure your account is linked to Facebook or your phone number so you don‘t lose access.
Method 7: Clear Instagram app data and cache
Clearing an app‘s data and cache can help resolve issues caused by outdated or corrupted files. Here‘s how to do it:
- For iPhone: Unfortunately, iOS doesn‘t allow you to clear app data or cache. The only option is to uninstall and reinstall the app.
- For Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Instagram > Storage > Clear Data and Clear Cache
Method 8: Check and free up device storage
If your phone is low on storage space, it can prevent the Instagram app from saving data properly, including highlights. Here‘s how to check:
- For iPhone: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- For Android: Go to Settings > Device Care > Storage
If you‘re running low, try deleting unused apps, photos, or videos to free up space.
Method 9: Sync date & time settings
As mentioned earlier, incorrect date and time settings on your device can interfere with your highlights syncing properly. Make sure your device is set to update automatically from the network. Here‘s how:
- For iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Date & Time > toggle on Set Automatically
- For Android: Go to Settings > System > Date & Time > toggle on Use network-provided time
Method 10: Use an older version of Instagram (Android only)
If you‘re an Android user and none of the above methods have worked, you can try downloading an older version of Instagram as a last resort. Note that this method won‘t work for iOS users.
- Uninstall the current version of Instagram
- Go to APKMirror.com and download an older version of the Instagram APK (we recommend trying one from 3-6 months prior)
- Make sure to toggle on "Allow from this source" when prompted during installation
- Log back into Instagram and check your highlights
Warning: Downgrading to an older, unofficial version of Instagram can be risky and may make your account more vulnerable to security issues. We only recommend this as a temporary, last-ditch effort.
What To Do If Nothing Works
If you‘ve gone through all the steps above and your highlights still aren‘t working properly, the issue likely lies with Instagram‘s servers rather than your device. In this case, the only thing to do is wait for Instagram‘s team to resolve the problem.
You can check third-party outage tracking sites like DownDetector to see if other users are reporting the same issue, which can help determine if it‘s a widespread problem. You can also report the issue directly to Instagram through the app‘s Settings or on their Help Center.
While you wait, there are still plenty of ways to use Instagram to connect with your audience and grow your brand. Remember, Instagram Stories only last for 24 hours, so it‘s the perfect opportunity to engage your followers in real-time and build anticipation for when your highlights are back in action.
The Bottom Line
Instagram highlights are an essential tool for showcasing your best content and giving your followers a lasting impression of your brand. When they‘re not working, it can be incredibly frustrating and even detrimental to your engagement.
However, by understanding the common causes behind disappearing or malfunctioning highlights and following our step-by-step troubleshooting guide, you can get them up and running again in no time.
It‘s important to remember that even the most polished and successful Instagram accounts run into technical difficulties from time to time. The key is to remain persistent and proactive in finding a solution and to never let a temporary setback discourage you from showing up for your audience.
By taking the time to work through these fixes and reaching out for help when needed, you‘re proving your commitment to providing your followers with the best experience possible. And that dedication will pay off in the long run with a loyal and engaged community.
So don‘t give up on your Instagram Highlights – they‘re worth fighting for! And as always, keep creating amazing content that educates, inspires, and delights your audience.
Looking for more expert tips and strategies for mastering Instagram? Check out our other blog posts and resources to stay up-to-date on all the latest features and best practices. Happy gramming!
