Instagram DMs Not Working? (Fix This Right Now)

Instagram is one of the most downloaded apps worldwide. 

With 2.2 Billion monthly active users, most communications happen via Instagram DMs (Direct Messages).

Instagram DMs are one of the most popular ways of social communication today. 

But just like any other internet thing, Instagram DMs sometimes face severe glitches.

If you’re also facing this issue, you’re in the right place.

In this post, we’ll figure out why Instagram DMs not working and how you can fix this issue.

So without wasting any further time, let’s dive right in.

Why Are Instagram DMs Not Working?

There might be many reasons why Instagram DMs not working for you. 

The most common one is a server outage.

Instagram has a huge number of active users, and the servers are not generally immune to downtime. While it’s not that common, sometimes servers face downtime for maintenance, upgrade, or technical issues. 

In such a case, your Instagram app might show many inconsistencies. Instagram DMs not working can be due to a server outage.

Then there are some other reasons as well. 

A sloppy internet connection or network outage can also cause this issue.

And if you’re using an outdated version of the app, this can also cause your Instagram DMs to not work properly.

Why Does Instagram DMs Not Working Issue Often Occur?

Instagram DMs not working is not a common issue. 

It happens rarely. 

As mentioned above, most cases are due to a server outage. However, if your internet connection is unstable, you can face issues in exchanging messages over Instagram.

These are the two most common reasons why this issue often occurs.

9 Ways to Fix Instagram Direct Messages Not Working Issue

While there is not a lot you can do if the Instagram servers are down, here are a few things to try to fix the issue:

1. Check Your Internet Connection

First and foremost, you have to check your Internet connection. In most cases, Instagram DMs don’t work properly because the internet connection is faulty.

Well, first things first, you need to run a Speed Test on your phone.

If you are getting good speed and a stable connection on your speed test, you can be assured that it’s not an internet connection issue. 

You can also try using other apps that require the internet, like YouTube or Telegram. 

If those apps are also working fine, there is nothing wrong with your internet connection. You can now move to the next solution.

2. Check If The Instagram Servers Are Down

The most common reason for Instagram DMs not working is server outages. 

It can be due to overload, maintenance, upgrade, or technical faults. Whatever the reason might be, if the servers are down, Instagram DMs won’t work.

You can follow Instagram on Twitter to get any server outage updates.

Alternatively, you can also head over to Is It Down Right Now? to find out if Instagram is going through downtime.

If Instagram is facing downtime, you can’t do anything about it. Just wait for some time as Instagram quickly resolves this issue. Then you will be good to go.

3. Close And Restart The App

Sometimes the app might be sitting in the memory for a while. If it remains unused for a long time, some glitches can occur. 

So you can just close the app and restart it. The method works pretty much the same for both Android and iOS.

• Press the home button or swipe up to close the app.
• Then Swipe up and hold to open all recent apps.
• Swipe up and erase Instagram from recent apps.
• Open the Instagram app again and see if it is working or not.

4. Logout And Sign In Again

You can also try logging out of the current Instagram session and then signing back in. 

Some users say that doing so resolves the “Instagram DMs not working” issue for them.

Step 1. Open the Instagram app.

Step 2. Go to your profile by tapping on the bottom-right corner.

Step 3. Tap on the hamburger icon in the top-right corner.

Step 4. Now tap on Settings.

Step 5. Scroll down and tap on Log Out.

Step 6. And then sign back in with the same credentials.

5. Clear Instagram Cache

You can also try clearing the app cache if you are on an Android device. 

Here is how to do it:

Step 1. Go to Settings.

Step 2. Scroll down and tap on Apps.

Step 3. From the list, select Instagram.

Step 4. Tap on Storage.

Step 5. From here, tap on Clear Cache.

Step 6. Repeat the above step for Clear data.

Now you can open the Instagram app again and see if the DMs are working. 

6. Update The Instagram App

Using an outdated version of the Instagram app can also cause this issue. Make sure to keep your Instagram apps updated to avoid such glitches. Here’s how you can update the Instagram app:

On Android

• Open the Google Play Store.
• Search for Instagram and tap on it.
• Now tap on the Update button.

On iOS

• Open the App Store.
• Search for the Instagram app and tap on it.
• Now tap on the Update button.

7. Uninstall And Reinstall The App Again

If the above-mentioned methods don’t work for you, you can also try reinstalling Instagram on your phone. For that, first, you have to uninstall it. 

Here is how to do it on an Android phone:

• Tap and hold the Instagram icon on your smartphone.
• Now tap on Uninstall.

If there is some warning, press OK and proceed with the uninstallation process.

After that, you can download Instagram from the Google Play Store again.

The method is pretty much the same for iOS users:

• Tap and hold the Instagram icon on the home screen.
• Now tap on Remove App.

• From the list of options, tap on Delete App.

Once you delete the app, you can download Instagram from the App Store again.

8. Try Instagram’s Web Version

If you cannot use Instagram DMs on the app, you can try using the web version. It is not as seamless as the mobile app, but it works completely fine.

To use the Instagram web version, follow the steps:

• Open a web browser on your device. 
• Go to Instagram.com. 
• Sign in with your credentials. 

Now you can use the web version and see you can exchange texts with other users. 

9. Contact Instagram Support

If nothing is working for you, Instagram support is your last hope. 

To contact Instagram support, follow the instructions below:

• Open the Instagram app.
• Go to your profile by tapping on the bottom-right corner.
• Tap on the hamburger icon in the top-right corner.
• Now tap on Settings.
• From here, tap on Help.
• Tap on Report a Problem.
• You will see an option to provide logs and diagnostics; tap on Include and Continue.
• Now type your issue and attach a relevant screenshot.
• And finally, tap on Send.

Instagram is pretty good at handling reports and issues. So you should get a resolution pretty soon.

Why Are My Instagram Direct Messages Not Showing Up on My iPhone?

If you are on an iPhone and unable to see Instagram DMs, it can be due to several reasons. 

If you do not see DMs from a particular user, chances are they have blocked you.

On the other hand, if you cannot see any messages on your profile, there might be a bug or glitch within the app, and you should report the problem to Instagram.

Then there are some other reasons, like server outages, network outages, internet connection issues, or outdated apps that might trigger the issue.

Conclusion

We hope now you clearly know why Instagram DMs not working properly on your devices.

It mostly happens due to server outages or network issues. 

You can try all the fixes that we’ve mentioned above and see if they work. If any of the methods don’t work, the option you’ll have is Instagram support.

Contact Instagram support, and they’ll surely fix the issues for you in a very short period of time.