Instagram Story Not Uploading? 9 Fixes

iGram Team 14 min read

An Instagram story not uploading is usually caused by a weak connection, an app glitch, a problem with the file or a sticker, an Instagram outage, or a restriction on your account. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data and restart the app first. If it still fails, work through the fixes below in order.

Instagram doesn't say why an upload failed, so the symptom is your best clue. Save the story to your camera roll before deleting or reinstalling anything.

Why is my Instagram story not uploading?

An Instagram story not posting usually comes down to one of eight causes, each with a symptom you can spot. Start with the fix in the row that matches what you see.

Common reasons an Instagram story won't upload
Symptom Likely cause Fix to try
A spinner on every story, and the feed loads slowly Weak or blocked connection Fix 1
Many people report problems at the same time Instagram outage Fix 2
The story froze after editing and the app lags App glitch Fixes 3 and 4
Only stories with music, GIFs or stickers fail A sticker element Fix 5
One long or unusual video fails, photos post fine File length or format Fix 6
The app is out of date or keeps crashing Outdated app Fix 7
Phone storage is almost full No room to process the upload Fix 8
Every story fails and other features are limited Account restriction Fix 9
Flowchart for a story that won't upload: first save it to the camera roll, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data and restart the app; then match the symptom: no story posts and the feed is slow leads to fixes 1-2, a story that froze after editing leads to fixes 3-4, one failing story leads to fixes 4-6, and nothing posted for days leads to fixes 7-9. If none of the 9 fixes works, report the problem to Instagram.
Which fixes to try for each symptom.

If none of the nine fixes works, report the problem to Instagram.

How to fix Instagram story not uploading

The fixes go from quickest to most disruptive, and nothing is deleted before fix 8.

1. Check your internet connection

When this is the cause: nothing posts, the feed loads slowly, or the story shows "Waiting for connection".

Illustration of a phone screen with network toggles: Wi-Fi off, Mobile data on, Airplane mode and VPN off, and a story card showing Waiting for connection with the hint to switch networks and tap Retry; Data Saver and Low Power Mode should also be off.
Illustration: switch networks, then tap Retry.

Just fixed it, here are the steps I followed in order: Clear Cache, force close app, turn off low power mode. And it worked.

u/Tiversus2828, r/Instagram on Reddit,
  1. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the other way round, and tap Retry on the story.
  2. Turn Airplane mode on for a few seconds, then off, to reconnect.
  3. Turn off any VPN, Data Saver or Low Power Mode while the story uploads.
  4. On iPhone: open Settings > Cellular > Instagram and make sure mobile data access is on.
  5. On Android: open Settings > Apps > Instagram > Mobile data and allow background data. Names can differ by app version and phone maker.
  6. If the story still fails, go to fix 2.

2. Check if Instagram is down

When this is the cause: your connection is fine, but lots of people have trouble posting at the same time.

Downdetector collects user reports of outages in real time, and a sudden spike for Instagram points to a problem on Instagram's side. Meta Status (metastatus.com) tracks Meta's business products, so a green page there doesn't prove the app works. Instagram tested in-app outage alerts in 2021; don't count on one.

Illustration of an outage tracker chart for Instagram with a sudden spike in recent user reports, and three rules: save the story, don't reinstall or clear anything, post once reports drop.
Illustration: a spike in reports points to an outage.
  1. Open the Instagram page on Downdetector and look for a recent spike in reports.
  2. Save the story to your camera roll (fix 4 shows how) and leave it for now.
  3. During an outage, don't reinstall or clear anything; post the saved file once reports drop.
  4. If Instagram isn't down, go to fix 3.

3. Force-close Instagram and restart your phone

When this is the cause: the story froze right after editing, or the Instagram app feels slow and unresponsive. Instagram's own Help Center suggests restarting your device before you report a problem.

Illustration of the phone app switcher with the Instagram card being swiped up and away; on iPhone swipe up and pause, on Android open recent apps, and restart the phone if the story is still stuck.
Illustration: swipe Instagram away, then restart if needed.
  1. On iPhone: swipe up from the bottom edge and pause (or double-press the Home button on older models), then swipe Instagram away.
  2. On Android: open recent apps with the button or gesture and swipe Instagram away, or go to Settings > Apps > Instagram > Force stop.
  3. Reopen Instagram and check whether the story finished posting.
  4. If it's still stuck, restart the phone and try once more.
  5. If it still fails, go to fix 4.

4. Delete the stuck story and post it again

When this is the cause: one story sits on "Uploading" or shows "Upload failed", while new stories post normally.

Save it first. Instagram's Help Center confirms you can save a story photo or video to your camera roll before or after you share it. Instagram may also offer a draft when you leave the editor, but Social Media Today reported in July 2021 that drafts were kept for 7 days, so a draft is a short-term backup at best.

Illustration of a story showing Upload failed and a menu with numbered steps: 1 Save to camera roll, 2 Delete or Discard, 3 Share the saved copy; menu names can differ by app version.
Illustration: save, delete, then share the saved copy.
  1. Open the stuck story and save it to your camera roll.
  2. Tap the upload bar or the three-dot menu and choose Delete or Discard.
  3. Create a new story from the saved file and share it.
  4. If the new copy fails too, go to fix 5.

5. Remove music, GIFs and stickers

When this is the cause: stories with music, GIFs, polls or other stickers fail, while a plain photo or video goes through.

This is a glitch, not a rule: Instagram doesn't ban these elements, but one broken sticker can stall an upload.

Illustration of a story frame with Music, GIF and Poll stickers crossed out, and two steps: post a bare story, then add elements back one at a time.
Illustration: post a bare story, then add elements back.
  1. Post the story with no stickers, music or GIFs.
  2. If the bare version goes through, add the elements back one at a time in your next stories.
  3. Leave out the element that breaks the upload and try it again after updating the app (fix 7).
  4. If even the bare story fails, go to fix 6.

6. Check the video length, format and file size

When this is the cause: one long or unusual video fails, while photos post fine.

Length alone doesn't block a story. According to Instagram's Help Center, a video up to 60 seconds long appears as one clip, and longer videos are broken up into multiple clips.

Instagram doesn't publish a file-size limit for regular stories. MP4 or MOV video and JPG or PNG photos are the safest choice. For frame sizes, see Instagram story size and dimensions.

Illustration: a story video up to 60 seconds plays as 1 clip, a longer video is split into several clips; MP4, MOV, JPG and PNG are the safest formats in a vertical 9:16 frame, and Instagram publishes no file-size limit for regular stories.
Illustration: how story length and formats work.
  1. Export the video again as MP4 in a vertical 9:16 frame.
  2. If an iPhone photo is HEIC or a video is HEVC, save a copy as JPG or MP4 to rule out the format.
  3. Upload the new file as a fresh story.
  4. If it still fails, go to fix 7.

7. Update the Instagram app

When this is the cause: the app is outdated, crashes, or is missing features your friends already have. The Instagram Help Center also recommends updating the app before you report a problem.

Illustration of two store listings for Instagram with an Update button: the App Store on iPhone and the Google Play Store on Android, then post the saved story again.
Illustration: updating Instagram on iPhone and Android.
  1. On iPhone: open the App Store, search for Instagram and tap Update.
  2. On Android: open the Google Play Store, search for Instagram and tap Update.
  3. Open Instagram and post the saved story again.
  4. If it still fails, go to fix 8.

8. Clear the cache and free up storage

When this is the cause: phone storage is almost full, or Instagram has grown slower over time.

Illustration of Android settings under Apps, Instagram, Storage: Clear cache is the right choice and keeps you signed in, Clear storage signs you out; iPhone has no clear-cache button, so use Offload App and reinstall from the App Store after saving drafts.
Illustration: Clear cache, not Clear storage, on Android.
  1. Save any unposted story or draft to your camera roll first (fix 4).
  2. On Android: go to Settings > Apps > Instagram > Storage > Clear cache. Don't tap Clear data or Clear storage: that signs you out and may remove drafts.
  3. On iPhone: there's no clear-cache button. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Instagram > Offload App, which removes the app but keeps its documents and data, then reinstall Instagram from the App Store.
  4. If storage is almost full, delete large videos or unused apps and try again.
  5. If it still fails, go to fix 9.

9. Log out and check your Account Status

When this is the cause: posting used to work, now every story fails, and other features seem limited too.

A story restriction shown in Account Status isn't a glitch, so fixes 1-8 won't change it. Request a review is the only route Instagram offers there.

Illustration of the Account Status screen opened from Settings under More info and support, with Removed content, Features you can't use and a Request a review button; names can differ by app version.
Illustration: the Account Status screen. Names can differ.

I am having the same problem but only from one of my several accounts. And clearly all my friends are fine because I'm seeing their stories.

u/ResponsiblePhoto7, r/Instagram on Reddit,
  1. Log out of Instagram, log back in and try the story again.
  2. Open Settings and find Account Status under More info and support.
  3. Check the Removed content and Features you can't use sections.

Common Instagram story upload errors

Illustration of a story stuck on Uploading with the progress bar stopped near the end; what to try: fix 1 switch networks, fix 3 force-close the app, fix 4 save, then delete.
Illustration: a story stuck on Uploading.
Illustration of a story showing Upload failed with a Retry button; if Retry fails twice, save the story, force-close the app and share the saved copy.
Illustration: Upload failed with a Retry button.
Illustration of a story showing Waiting for connection with nothing uploading; what to try: fix 1 switch Wi-Fi and mobile data, fix 2 check for an outage.
Illustration: a story waiting for connection.

Instagram story stuck uploading

A story stuck uploading near the end of the bar usually lost its connection at the last moment. Switch networks (fix 1), then force-close the app (fix 3). If the bar still doesn't move, save the story and delete the stuck copy (fix 4).

Instagram story upload failed and Retry doesn't work

The "Upload failed" message with a Retry button means the upload didn't finish. If Retry fails twice, stop tapping it. Save the story (fix 4), force-close Instagram (fix 3), then share the saved copy. If every new story fails the same way, check your connection (fix 1) and your Account Status (fix 9).

Story won't upload or delete

When "why won't my Instagram story post" turns into a story you can't cancel either, go in this order: force-close the app (fix 3), log out and back in (fix 9), then offload or reinstall Instagram (fix 8). Save the story file first: offloading or reinstalling may remove anything not yet posted. If even a reinstall doesn't help, check for an outage (fix 2).

Mine keeps getting stuff at 95% and won't let me cancel the upload. I've cleared the cache and deleted and reinstalled the app

u/Apprehensive-Fee-967, r/Instagram on Reddit,

iPhone vs Android: where the steps differ

Most fixes work the same on both systems; the table lists only where iOS and Android differ.

Story upload fixes on iPhone and Android
Step iPhone (iOS) Android
Force-close Instagram Swipe up from the bottom, then swipe Instagram away Recent apps and swipe away, or Settings > Apps > Instagram > Force stop
Mobile data for Instagram Settings > Cellular > Instagram Settings > Apps > Instagram > Mobile data
Clear the cache No button: Offload App or reinstall Settings > Apps > Instagram > Storage > Clear cache
Update the app App Store Google Play Store
Trim a long story video Built-in trimmer for story clips No trimmer; longer videos are split into clips
Power saving to turn off Low Power Mode Battery Saver

When to report the problem to Instagram

Report the problem once all nine fixes have failed, your Account Status shows no story restriction and Downdetector shows no outage. The Instagram Help Center describes this flow:

  • Go to your profile, tap the menu, then under More info and support tap Help > Report a problem.
  • Shake your phone on the screen with the error, or choose Report problem without shaking.
  • Describe your phone model, what the story contained and the error you saw. Attach a screenshot and, if offered, turn on Include complete logs and diagnostics.

The Help Center doesn't promise a reply to every report or list a phone line for user support. Keep the saved story so you can post it once the bug is fixed.

What not to do when a story won't upload

These reactions can cost you the story or your login and fix nothing.

  • Don't delete the app before saving the story: drafts may not survive a reinstall.
  • Don't tap Clear data or Clear storage on Android when you mean Clear cache. Clearing data signs you out of Instagram; clearing the cache doesn't.
  • Don't install booster or repair apps: they can't fix an Instagram outage or an account restriction.
  • Don't assume a shadowban. A real restriction shows up in Account Status (fix 9), so check there instead of guessing.
  • Don't trust size limits like 8 MB, 15 seconds or 4 GB: they don't come from Instagram's Help Center. Re-export the file instead (fix 6).

Instagram story not uploading FAQ

  • Repeated failures are rarely a connection problem, because a weak signal comes and goes. They point to the file, a sticker, an outdated app or an account restriction. Try a bare story without stickers (fix 5), re-export the video (fix 6), update the app (fix 7), then check Account Status (fix 9).

  • On iPhone, Instagram may have mobile data turned off in Settings > Cellular > Instagram. On Android, check Settings > Apps > Instagram > Mobile data. A data saver option in Instagram's own settings can also hold back uploads on mobile data. Names can differ by app version.

  • Usually not: one failed upload is most often a glitch. To be sure, open Account Status and look at Features you can't use. If stories aren't listed there, Instagram hasn't limited them, and the connection, app and file fixes in this guide apply.

  • A story video up to 60 seconds long appears as one clip. Longer videos are split into multiple clips, and the trimmer for them is currently iOS-only. Reels work differently, with clips that add up to 20 minutes. See Instagram Reels vs Stories for the full comparison.

  • You might. Closing the app mid-upload can leave the story stuck, and Instagram doesn't promise to keep your edits. Save the story to your camera roll first; the Help Center confirms this works before or after posting. A draft is a short-term fallback, not a backup.

  • Then the difference is on your side: your account, your app version or your phone. Compare app versions and update if yours is older (fix 7), then check Account Status (fix 9). If both look fine, clear the cache or offload the app (fix 8).

  • Yes. Save it to your camera roll from the story editor, or keep it in your Stories Archive, which may mute music or freeze videos and GIFs. For a story already live on a public account, iGram Story Saver saves it with stickers, and a video story with its music. Private accounts aren't supported.

Sources

Instagram facts in this guide come from these sources.