Instagram Stories Aren’t loading, and the Circle is Spinning – What To Do [September 2022]

Instagram Stories are bitesize insights into the lives of different people around the globe. They are simple to access, easy to digest, and there are millions of them. However, when it doesn’t load, it is incredibly frustrating. Stories are the best thing to happen to Instagram in a long time, and you can’t access them?!

Instagram Stories Aren’t loading, and the Circle is Spinning - What To Do [September 2022]

The spinning circle is the loading screen. When Instagram or your phone is working correctly, you should either never see that screen or see it for less than a second. Occasionally Stories may take a little while to load, and in that case, you will see the circle for a longer time.

Instagram Stories

Instagram stories have become one of the most well-received. Essentially they are small chunks of social media that you can spend a couple of minutes looking at and then move on. Occasionally a Story sticks with you in an emotional sense, but after 24 hours, it’s gone, and you move on to the next. Stories let us enjoy Snapshots of people’s lives, then move on to the next thing quickly.

What to do if Instagram Stories aren’t loading

Usually, Instagram Stories load immediately. You select it from the bar at the top of the app, and it loads. No drama and no waiting. There can occasionally be delays at peak times, either at the Instagram end or your network end, but thankfully this is rare. When this happens, you’ll need to troubleshoot and implement solutions to get back up and running.

Let’s review everything you can do to fix your Instagram Stories.

Check your network

One of the more common causes of Instagram Stories’ issues is a poor internet connection. This could be due to a weakened WiFi signal, something going on with your device or the network area. Let’s see if we can narrow this down as the root cause.

First, close out Instagram and open another application on your phone. Whether it’s Facebook, YouTube, or another app, try to play a video or scroll through your newsfeed. If you have issues loading content, the issue is likely with your device, not just Instagram. Checking other applications is the fastest way to check for internet connectivity problems.

Next, you can use the SpeedTest app by Ookla to test your internet speeds. Open the application to see how fast your internet connection is. Running a speed test is more accurate than checking other applications because you can watch the speedometer. If your internet problems are intermittent, the SpeedTest app will show you.

If either one of these methods indicates a connection issue, there are some things you can do to fix it quickly. First, if you’re on cellular data, try switching to WiFi (and vice versa). Then, reload Instagram and tap on the Story you’re trying to enjoy.

If WiFi isn’t available, try turning your phone off and turning it back on. Turning your phone off and back on forces your device to disconnect and reconnect to the internet.

Lastly, you may need to reset your network connection. The instructions vary depending on whether you use an Android or iOS device.

Note: This will not erase any important information on your phone.

How to Reset Network Settings on Android

To reset the Network Settings on an Android device, do this:

  1. Open the Settings on your Android device and tap on Connections.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of this menu and tap on More Connection Settings.
  3. Tap on Reset Network Settings.

After performing these steps, your device will restart. Now you can reopen Instagram and see if the spinning circle is gone.

How to Reset the Network Settings on iOS

iOS users can follow these steps to reset their network settings:

  1. Open the Settings on your iPhone and tap on General.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
  3. Tap on Reset Network Settings.

You will need to input your screen unlock code. Then, the phone will restart. After you’ve reset your network settings, launch Instagram and see if your Stories are working.

Restart the app

Assuming you aren’t having any connection issues, it’s time to focus on the Instagram app. The first logical step is to restart the app. This goes beyond switching to another application because you’ll need to completely close the app so that all processes cease to run.

You’ll have to follow a different set of instructions depending on which operating system you’re using.

To perform a normal restart of the Instagram app, both Android and iOS users can access the multi-task function on their phones and swipe up to close the app. After you’ve closed it, reopen Instagram to see if the problem persists.

Android users can force close the application, whereas iOS users can complete the same task by closing the app normally.

If you’re using an Android device, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings and Apps on your phone.
  2. Select Instagram and Force Stop if the option is available.

Now, you can restart the Instagram app and test the Stories feature.

Restart Your Phone

Perform a full reboot of your phone and then retest the Story. While it’s unlikely your phone is causing issues with Instagram Stories and nothing else, power cycling your phone kills all background processes which could interfere with app behavior.

Clear the app cache

Again, clearing the Instagram app cache shouldn’t make any difference in loading Stories; It is a non-destructive test, so it is worth trying. iPhones don’t have a “Clear Cache” option, but it does have the ‘Offload App’ function that dumps any unnecessary data from the app. Here’s how you can do it on each model:

On Android:

  1. Open Settings and Apps.
  2. Select Instagram.
  3. Select Storage.
  4. Select Clear Cache.
    Note: If you tap Clear Data you will need to log back in to Instagram and will lose any drafts you have saved.

On iPhone

  1. Open Settings and tap on General.
  2. Tap on iPhone Storage.
  3. Locate and tap Instagram.
  4. Tap Offload App.

Update or reinstall Instagram

Before uninstalling Instagram, try updating the app in the play store or Apple store. You can always uninstall and reinstall the app if this doesn’t work.

Note: Deleting and reinstalling Instagram will delete any saved drafts and you’ll need to log in again.

On Android:

  1. Open Settings and Apps.
  2. Select Instagram on your device.
  3. Select Uninstall.
  4. Open Google Play and install a fresh copy of Instagram.

On iPhone:

  1. Open Settings and General.
  2. Select iPhone Storage.
  3. Select Instagram.
  4. Select Delete App and confirm your choice.

  5. Load the App Store and download and install a fresh copy.

Check Your Phone’s Date & Time

This solution may seem a little odd, but it can be why you’re having issues. Your Date & Time should automatically update, but sometimes we change it, or a system glitch causes the function to display the wrong time.

Whether you’re using an iPhone or Android device, check your Date & Time settings to fix the issue.

On Android:

  1. Open Settings and tap on General Management – These instructions may vary depending on the manufacturer, so you can use the search icon and type in Date and Time to go directly to the setting.
  2. Tap on Date & Time, then reset to Automatic or update your Time Zone.

On iPhone:

  1. Open Settings and tap on General.
  2. Tap on Date & Time.
  3. Set to Automatic or update a Timezone you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some more answers to your most frequently asked questions about Instagram.

Does Instagram have technical support?

Perhaps you’ve followed the troubleshooting steps above, and you still have issues with Instagram Stories, or you have a user-specific issue. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t have a customer support team to call when you have a problem.

But, you can use the in-app ‘Help’ function to report a problem. All you need to do is open the app and head over to Settings. From here, tap on Help, then tap on Report a Problem. Follow the on-screen prompts to fill out a report, and Instagram will send you an email with additional troubleshooting steps or a resolution.

I’ve tried everything, and my Stories still won’t upload. What’s happening?

The Instagram Stories spinning circle issue is a well-known glitch for many Instagram aficionados. If you’ve reported the problem and followed all of our techniques above, there’s only one last option: wait it out. Unfortunately, this isn’t the most reassuring advice, but Instagram could have a system-wide glitch preventing you from moving forward.

The steps above have covered just about everything you can control; now, it’s time for Instagram’s developers to fix the problem. Fortunately, there’s one last resource you can use to see if anyone else is having the same problem. Use the DownDetector website to search for any known issues with Instagram.

Do you know of any other methods to fix it? Tell us below if you do!

25 thoughts on “Instagram Stories Aren’t loading, and the Circle is Spinning – What To Do [September 2022]”

Furkan says:
I closed save story to gallery
And save to archieve was already open
My past stories, especially videos couldn’t load but new stories videos works properly now
hussein chokre says:
so many complain about this issue!!! why Ig isn’t looking into it? I’ve had this problem for a few months now
Frank says:
None of these “solutions” work: the issue happens even on PC by using the browser, stories won’t show.
mk says:
struggling with this issue and have tried everything suggested. anyone find another solution?
Ng Vee Kei says:
My Instagram story always came out with the something went wrong when I want to post something
Jennifer Pruitt says:
Mine still not working. Anyone figure this out by now?
Mohit says:
I am facing the same issue, did anyone got a way to resolve this?
Ray says:
My stories isn’t working at all. Cant post anything. I upload and when click next, the app closes and that’s it.
I have reported the hug but nothing happens and I tried rebooting the phone,uninstalling the app, force close, clean cache
missminchin says:
Same problem with mine, does anyone already fix their stories? I did all whats written above but nothing’s working.
Nafisa Cementwala says:
My Instagram is facing the same problem. No story archives or highlights are loading. Plus other people’s stories aren’t loading. I tried everything. It’s not a phone problem, it’s an account issue. Because all other accounts in my phone are working perfectly fine
Nin says:
The problem I’m having is that all the filters I have saved don’t load when I’m on insta stories. I’ve tried all the troubleshoot options posted but still isn’t resolved. If anyone has any other ideas, I’m all ears.
Jordan says:
Omg finally I found a post where others are having the same problem as me! I’ve literally tried everything! Don’t know what else to do!
Kathleen Sher Campomanes says:
We have the same problem too. I can’t see my stories in Archived and Higlights since yesterday all I can see is the grey screen with loading or retry icon, but when I log in to the other account and search my account there is no problem I can see my stories and other stories too.
Rinke says:
I have the exact same problem for almost a week now. Cant see my archived story’s and also cant see my friends story’s.
Tiara says:
I’ve just had the same problem. How’s your instagram? How do you fix it?
Jenn says:
hi, I got the same problem. it all happened suddenly that I no longer see any content of all the stories I have archieved, nor can I see those in my highlights and others’ highlights. I do see my friends’ posting new stories but I can only see some of them, while some remained grey screen with a loading icon. does anyone know any way to solve it? reported the problem but not heard anything yet.
Eklavya Kaushal says:
Same problem started last night. It’s been 24 hours. No response from Instagram. I tried logging in different devices. Same issue there. So it’s definitely not my phone’s problem. It’s my account’s. Plus other accounts work fine on my phone. I can’t see anyone’s story, highlights, my story archives, my own highlights.
Kathleen Sher Campomanes says:
We have the same problem too. I can’t see my stories in Archived and Higlights since yesterday all I can see is the grey screen with loading or retry icon, but when I log in to the other account and search my account there is no problem I can see my stories and other stories too.
Ilyana says:
Yes it happens to me too. I’ve been trying all methods but it only allows me to see few insta stories. I can’t even see my archive
Rinke says:
I have the same problem for over a week now
linda says:
same here :”( it’s even worse today where i got temporarily blocked for viewing stories too fast but the point is that I DID NOT DO THAT AT ALL reported for more than 100 times oof but still hear nothing for ig :/
Anisa says:
I’m getting new stories and post it’s just that they are not loading and all I can see is a grey screen with loading/ retry icon. I can’t even see my archieved stories or highlights and it’s only problem with my account.
Neil says:
Same goes to me. It happen since yesterday till now. How bout you?
Henna says:
I have the same problem too.. =(
Jenn says:
hi, same for me, it all happened suddenly that I no longer see all the stories I have archieved, nor can I see those in my highlights and others’ highlights. do u know any way to solve it? reported the problem but not heard anything yet.
Charmaine says:
Hi there!

I am having the exact same issue as you. Not able to see my archived stories and highlights. Now I can’t see other people’s stories too. Is yours solved already?

elb6 says:
I have same problem guys, since yesterday. Any solution that works? I tryed every single one I could find and it’s still the same.
Alex says:
I was having the issue. I did what this article said to do- uninstall app and then reinstall and now it works perfectly.
Amy Connolly says:
I have done all the above 3 plus times now and still won’t work, has anyone got this fixed?
Diaha says:
My Instagram highlights and stories are also not showing. Neither I can see others highlights. Updated the app, cleared cache and data but nothing has worked. Reported on Instagram twice but still they didn’t fixed anything.
Lauren says:
Mine are like that too. Just 20mins ago it just stopped loading.
R.k. samarth kumar says:
My Instagram stories are not getting loaded .I get new stories and posts but all I can see is the grey screen with the reload icon. I even can’t see my archieved stories and highlights.
Evgeniha says:
Same hereeee i don’t what to doooo:(
R.k.samarth kumar says:
I’m getting new stories and post it’s just that they are not loading and all I can see is a grey screen with loading/ retry icon. I can’t even see my archieved stories or highlights and it’s only problem with my account.
Araf says:
Same here… Is the error for you fixed yet? I have no idea how to fix it. I have tried all the method online but none of them work… I believe it’s instagram’s server error.
Gracie says:
I am getting new stories and posts it’s just that they are not loading when I go on them it is just a grey screen with the loading/retry icon
duarte says:
same here…i have tried everything…is yours back yet?
Evgeniha says:
Same hereeee i don’t what to doooo:(
Nat says:
My instagram story doesn’t have a new updates even though I deleted and reinstall it for a couple of times. What should I do?

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