Instagram doesn’t let me post; What do I do?

Are you unable to post videos and photos on your Instagram account? Here are the working fixes that will help you resolve this issue. A lot of Instagram users have reported being unable to post anything on their profiles. While in many cases, it is a temporary issue and lasts for some time, several users have complained that they just can’t post even after multiple tries and a long time.

Here are some potential causes that might be triggering the issue at hand:

• Your internet connection is too slow or unstable to post high-quality photos and videos.
• Instagram is down at the moment.
• Your post violates Instagram Community Guidelines.
• Your account is banned from posting content.
• The size of the post (videos and images) is too big.
• Your Instagram app is not up-to-date.

Now, if you are one of the affected users who can’t post on Instagram from your PC, we got you covered. Here, will discuss working fixes using which you can resolve the issue at hand. So, let’s get started.

Instagram doesn’t let me post

Here are the solutions that you can use if you are unable to post photos or videos on Instagram even after multiple tries:

1. Restart your device.
2. Test your internet connection.
3. Perform a power cycle on your router.
4. Make sure Instagram is not down.
5. Ensure that your post meets Instagram Community Guidelines.
6. Delete Instagram or web browser cache.
7. Decrease the size of your photo or video.
8. Make sure you are not banned from posting content on Instagram.
9. Use Instagram on a different platform.
10. Update or reinstall the Instagram app.

1] Restart your device

First, you should try restarting your app or web browser that you are using for Instagram. It might be some minor glitch that is causing the issue at hand. Hence, you should close the Instagram app or web browser, and then relaunch it to check if the problem is fixed. If that doesn’t work, you should reboot your computer or phone and on the next startup, check if you are able to post on Instagram or not.

If the problem remains the same even on restarting your app or device, move on to the next potential fix to resolve the issue at hand.

2] Test your internet connection

It could be your internet connection that might be at fault. You need an active and stable internet connection to post videos and photos on Instagram. If your posts fail to upload, it is possible that your internet connection is weak and unstable. Hence, check your internet connection and make sure your internet is optimized for posting raw or edited images and videos.

You can also test the speed of your internet connection and see if it is slow or not. You need fast internet if you are trying to post high-quality photos and videos that are large in size. If your internet is slow, contact your ISP and upgrade your internet plan. Besides that, try troubleshooting all the internet problems on your PC if there are any.

If the issue persists, go ahead and use the next potential fix to resolve the Instagram Doesn’t Let Me Post issue.

3] Perform a power cycle on your router

You can also try performing a power cycle on your router to reset your router. It might be the case that the old and bulked-up router cache is causing an internet connectivity issue. And thus, you can’t post on Instagram. So, if the scenario is applicable, power cycle your router and then check if the problem is fixed. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Firstly, power off your router and then remove its power cord from the main switch.
2. Now, wait for about 30-45 seconds to let it switch off completely.
3. After that, plug in your router and switch it on.
4. Next, connect to the internet and open Instagram to check if you are able to post your images and videos or not.

If you are sure that your internet is not the issue, you can move on to the next potential fix to resolve the issue at hand.

See: How do you search messages on Instagram?

4] Make sure Instagram is not down

It might also be the case that Instagram is down which is why you can’t post on Instagram. Like any other app and service, Instagram or the whole Meta Platform faces server issues like server overload, server security updates, server maintenance, etc. The issue normally lasts for a small period of time, but can also take hours in rare cases. Hence, you must ensure that the current server status of Instagram is up and running.

There are multiple free online tools using which you can check whether Instagram is down or not. You can use a free web service like IsItDownRightNow.com or DownOrIsItJustMe.com and see if there is an ongoing server issue at the end of Instagram. You can also check social media pages like Twitter, Facebook, etc., to get updates on the same.

If there is indeed a server issue, wait for some time and try again later. However, if Instagram is not down, you can use some other fix to resolve the issue.

5] Ensure that your post meets Instagram Community Guidelines

If the above solutions didn’t work for you, there is a possibility that your post doesn’t meet the Instagram Community Guidelines. And thus, it is not letting you post photos and videos. Instagram has strict policies on what content including photos, reels, videos, etc., you can upload on the platform. For example, you can only share photos and videos that you have captured or you have the right to post them. There are several other policies that you need to keep in mind while sharing posts on Instagram.

If your photo or video violates Instagram’s policy, you won’t be able to share your posts. Hence, make sure your post meets Instagram Community Guidelines. In case you are trying to post something that is owned by someone else, give credit to the original creator. Else, you will face copyright issues that will not let you share the post.

In case you are sure that you are not violating Instagram policy, there must be some other underlying cause of the issue at hand. So, there are a few more fixes that you can try to resolve the problem at hand, so move on to the next potential fix.

Read: How to download Instagram Reels and Videos to PC?

6] Delete Instagram or web browser cache

This issue could be caused by a corrupted cache. If you are using Instagram in a web browser, clear the web browser cache and then reopen Instagram to check if the problem is gone. In this post, we are going to share steps to clear browser cache in three major web browsers including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.

Microsoft Edge:

1. First, open Microsoft Edge and click on the Settings and more > Settings option.
2. After that, simply navigate to the Privacy and services section and locate the Clear browsing data panel present in the right pane.
3. Now, tap on the Choose what to clear button and set the Time range as All time.
4. Next, tick the Cached images and files checkbox, and other checkboxes as per the browsing data you want to clear.
5. Finally, click on the Clear now button, and once done, relaunch Edge and open Instagram to check if you are able to post or not.

Google Chrome:

1. Firstly, open your Google Chrome browser, and from the top-right corner, click on the three-dot menu option.
2. Now, press the More tools > Clear browsing data option from the appeared menu options.
3. After that, choose the Time range as All time and tick the Cached images and files checkbox. You can also delete other browsing data if you want.
4. Next, press the Clear data button, and Chrome will clear the browser cache.
5. When the process is finished, relaunch Chrome and check if you are able to post on Instagram or not.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. First, open Firefox and tap on the three-bar menu button available in the top-right corner.
2. After that, press the History option and then click on the Clear recent history option.
3. Now, choose Everything as the Time range and checkmark the Cache checkbox.
4. Next, click on the OK button to clear the browser cache.
5. Once completed, you can reopen Firefox and check if you can post on Instagram or not.

Similarly, Opera users can clear the cache and then check if the problem is resolved or not. If the problem occurs on Android, you can easily clear the Instagram cache on your phone and then check if you can post or not.

Read: How to Unlink or Disconnect Facebook and Instagram accounts?

7] Decrease the size of your photo or video

If you are posting high-quality raw images and videos, it will take a long time to upload. If you are trying to post a 4K or UHD quality file, it might not get uploaded because of a large size or a network issue. Hence, it is recommended to reduce the size of the file.

To upload photos, try the below resolution and aspect ratio:

• For Square photos, try size 1080px by 1080px with an aspect ratio of 1:1.
• To post Landscape photos, use a size of 1080px by 566px with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1.
• You can resize Vertical images to 1080px by 1350px with a 4:5 aspect ratio.

For posting videos, you can use the below size and aspect ratio:

• Square and Carousel – 1080px x 1080px, 1:1 aspect ratio.
• Portrait – 1080px x 1350px, 4:5 aspect ratio.
• Landscape – 1080px x 608px, 16:9 aspect ratio.
• The video size must not be greater than 4GB.
• Try posting a video that is less than 60 seconds.

If this method doesn’t work, move on to the next solution.

Read: Instagram error We restrict certain activity

8] Make sure you are not banned from posting content on Instagram

In some cases, users are unable to post anything on Instagram when they are temporarily or permanently banned from posting content. It happens when they violate Instagram policies. You might be banned in many scenarios like:

• If you use tools to increase your followers, likes, etc.
• If you mass follow and unfollow users on Instagram.
• In case you commented something derogatory against another user, community, race, etc.
• If someone has reported your post or comment for violating Instagram policy.
• If Instagram detects you as a bot.

So, you need to ensure that you are not banned from posting content on Instagram. To check that, you can open Instagram and go to Settings > Account > Account Status. In this section, you will be able to see violations if any. Else, it will say “You haven’t posted anything that is affecting your Account Status.”

See: Instagram not working properly today on PC.

9] Use Instagram on a different platform

Instagram is available on multiple platforms. It can be used on Windows via a web browser or Microsoft Store app. So, if you trying to use it on the app, switch to a web browser or vice-versa. You can also switch your iPhone or smartphone and see if you are able to share your posts or not.

10] Update or reinstall the Instagram app

If you are using the Instagram app from Microsoft Store on your PC, make sure it is up-to-date. You can update the app on Microsoft Store. If that doesn’t work, try reinstalling the app to fix the issue. To reinstall, first, uninstall the app using the Settings app. Open Settings using Win+I and go to Apps > Installed apps. Now, select Instagram, tap on the three-dot menu button, and select Uninstall. Follow the prompted instructions to complete the process. Once done, visit the official page of Instagram on Microsoft Store and install it again. Hopefully, you will now be able to post on Instagram.

Read: Can’t log in to Instagram app or account.

What are the other reasons for Instagram not to let you post?

If you violate any of the Instagram policies, it won’t let you post photos or videos on your account. Apart from that, it might also be the case that Instagram is down or your internet is too slow to post anything on Instagram.

Can Instagram decide not to let you post?

Yes, Instagram can prevent you from posting an image or video. This happens in the case when your post doesn’t meet the community guidelines and violates Instagram policies. Hence, make sure that your posts are original and there is no copyright issue, and you don’t break any other Instagram policy.

Why can I not post on Instagram?

The problem might be with your internet. If it is too slow to post videos or high-quality photos, the post might get stuck and ultimately, fails to upload. Or, if there is a widespread server issue, you won’t be able to post on Instagram. Additionally, make sure you don’t break Instagram rules that you need to take care of before posting images and videos.