Unless you’re a small business owner (using this liberally), embroiled in drama, or have become addicted to TikTok knock-off known as Reels, you probably don’t spend more than a few minutes on Instagram at a time. But when we want to access it, it can be stressful to see it’s not working. Is all of Instagram down or is it just you?? So, let’s get into ways we can troubleshoot when this happens (a.k.a right now.)
Before glancing at the servers’ status, we first need to check if this is an Instagram issue or a device on which you’re accessing Instagram issue. Reading this webpage is a good sign it’s not your device, but lets triple check. Are you on Wi-Fi or using a VPN? Turn those off if possible because Instagram may be blocked. Also, try streaming a video on Disney+ or YouTube to see if there are any hiccups there.
Last but not least, try restarting the app, signing back in (if possible), and restarting your device. If this all fails, it’s time to check Instagram and other Meta properties.
Server surfing
Meta (a.k.a. the Facebook company’s new name to distance themselves from their most infamous product) consists of Instagram, Facebook, Giphy, Whatsapp, and more. If none of these apps are up, that means it’s most likely Instagram that is down. However, if all the other apps are up, that doesn’t necessarily mean Instagram is in the clear.
To check the Instagram server, there are several sites to find out if others are running into this issue. Some of the most common websites include Is It Down Right Now?, Down Detector, and Down For Everyone or Just Me. The last one mentioned is the cleanest site as far as the user interface goes. After an up to five-second check, it comes back with a green yes or a red no. It’s important to have a few options to check the server status in case your browser of choice is particular, or the server of the server checking the website goes down. (Which is alarming—is this the apocalypse?—and all the more reason you’d want to see what’s up on social media.)
Whether this is a DDOS attack or planned maintenance, there is nothing you can do if the servers are down. Just open another app or do whatever quick phone call you’ve been avoiding because calling people gives us all anxiety now.
(image: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)
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