Instagram is a social media platform to share photos and videos. So, it is mostly used to view photos and videos shared by people. But sometimes you receive an error message “Couldn’t load the image. Tap to retry” while seeing a photo or video on Instagram. So, here is a guide to solve images could not load on Instagram problem.
When you are exploring an Instagram suddenly the message appears that the image could not load. Then you wonder what could be the reason and how could you solve it. This is a very common issue for Instagram users and usually, it can be solved with a fast internet connection. But sometimes the reason could be different. So, below is the guide on how to solve image could not load on Instagram
Reasons Behind Image Could Not Load On Instagram
Here are a list of reasons why your image may not be loading on Instagram.
Slow Internet Connection
Slow or without internet connection it makes it difficult for Instagram users. Because Instagram could not load any images or videos without a good connection to the internet. If the photos or videos are not pre-loaded on Instagram it automatically shows the message “Couldn’t load the image. Tap to retry”. So, you need a stable internet connection for images to load properly on Instagram.
You may even encounter problems regarding your Instagram application not loading when the internet connection is not stable. This in turn affects the photos and videos that you are trying to access on the app.
Image Isn’t Available In Your Country or Location
Some images may not be available in your country or location for valid reasons. So, if you try to load that image then it will not happen. You should be aware of this case and better not try loading it.
Instagram Server Is Down
If the Instagram server is down, a fast internet connection cannot resolve the issue. This is because the problem is not from your side so you have to wait until the server issue is resolved.
Too Many Cache
When there are too many caches on your device it might affect the functioning of the app. So, you have to clear the cache of the Instagram app on a regular basis.
Poor Device Performance
When you are using the same device for a long period of time then your device performance might be poor. The updates might not work properly on old devices. So, you have to change your device if the performance is very low.
What Are The Solutions To Image Could Not Load On Instagram
It is common to occur the message “Couldn’t Load Image” but you have to be alert if it appears again and again. Using fast internet always does not solve this issue because the problems could be others too. So here are the possible solutions to images that could not load on Instagram.
Collect Information Regarding Instagram
To collect the information regarding Instagram you can follow Instagram handle on Twitter. It will help to get the information if there are any issues on Instagram. If there are any issues in the app, they will publish an official notice on their Twitter account so that you can check. But if the issue is from your side then you can check the following solutions.
Check Internet Connection
Internet is the main key to running an online application. If you do not have a good or stable internet connection then it will have a direct impact on the functioning of the app. The images could not load on time as there will be no connection with the database.
So, you will have to wait until you get the response from the database. If you are connected to Wi-Fi and the response is not good then you can switch your connection to data.
Reload The Image Or Video
Instagram is all about experiencing photos and videos. So, without stable internet, it is not worth it to use. It shows a blank post if it is unable to load any photos or videos. You can tap on the circle arrow icon in the middle of the image or video until it loads. If it loads then your internet is working fine otherwise there is an issue.
Reopen Instagram
When you turn on the Wi-Fi connection and immediately open Instagram then it might not load properly. So, you can reload the app to load the images and videos. It refreshes the server of the Instagram app on your device so that the images or media files load properly.
But you have to remove the Instagram app from the recent window or tab instead of closing it only. If you close and open again it will show the pre-loaded content. So, you have to restart the app completely and check if you can load the images from your gallery.
Clear Instagram Cache
When you use the Instagram app it will record all the data on the cache folder. So, after a long time, the volume of cache increases, and the app starts to malfunction. Therefore, you have to completely clear out all the cache from your device. It will help to load the Instagram app faster. Also, it will delete all the pre-loaded images of Instagram and store a new cache.
But before deleting all the cache remember your login credentials as they will not be saved. The following are the steps to clear the cache on your device.
For Android Device
Step 1: Go To Settings
Go to the settings of your Android device.
Step 2: Tap on Apps
Tap on the Apps and then the Manage Apps option.
Step 3: Locate Instagram App
Scroll down and tap on Instagram
Step 4: Select Storage
Select the ‘Storage’ option
Step 5: Clear Data/Cache
Tap on ‘Clear data/cache’. It will delete all the cache of an Instagram app.
For iOS Device
There is no option to clear the cache on iOS devices. So, you have to delete the app and reinstall it again. To delete the app, you can follow these steps.
Step 1: Tap on Instagram App
Long tap on the Instagram app from your home screen
Step 2: Delete The App
Tap the ‘X’ icon on the top right of the app.
Step 3: Open App Store
Open the ‘App Store’ from the menu.
Step 4: Download Instagram
Download the Instagram app again.
Restart The Device
If you are having a problem with the Instagram app while using you can restart your device. It will refresh your device system and fix the bug if it is preventing running Instagram.
For Android Device
Step 1: Tap On The Power Button
Tap on the ‘power’ button on the side of your device until it shows the ‘power off’ option.
Step 2: Restart The Device
Then tap on the ‘Restart’ icon to restart the device.
For iOS Device
Step 1: Long Press The Power Button
Press the power button for a while until you see the Apple logo. It will turn off the device.
Step 2: Again, Press The Power Button
After 10 seconds, again press the power button to restart the device.
Check Instagram Server
If you are facing a problem with the app, be sure that Instagram is not down. Because when the Instagram server goes down for some reason you can’t load any image. Also, you cannot use any of the features of Instagram.
The Instagram server does not go down very often but sometimes it happens. The last time it went down was on July 4, 2019, and people were having problems. So, you have to be updated about this also.
Update Instagram
If you are using the older version of Instagram then you might be facing a lot of problems. Instagram rolls out updates to fix bugs or errors and bring new features at regular intervals of time. So, if Instagram images are not loading then you might need to update your app. You can update your Instagram app and check whether the problem is solved or not.
For Android Device
Step 1: Open Play Store
Open the Play Store from your app menu.
Step 2: Tap On Profile Icon
Tap on the ‘Profile’ icon or ‘three horizontal lines’ from the upper left menu.
Step 3: Tap On ‘My Apps’
Tap on ‘My Apps’ from the menu.
Step 4: Locate Instagram App
Locate the Instagram app from the list.
Step 5: Check For Updates
If there are any updates you will see the ‘Update’ button next to the app. Click on it to update.
For iOS Device
Step 1: Open App Store
Open the ‘App Store’ from the menu.
Step 2: Tap On Today
Tap on the ‘Today’ from the bottom.
Step 3: Tap On ‘Profile’ Icon
Tap on the ‘Profile’ icon from the upper section.
Step 4: Check Updates
Check if there are any Instagram updates under ‘Available Updates’. Tap on ‘Update’.
Step 5: Update All
You can also tap on the ‘Update All’ option above to update the entire apps installed on your device.
Use VPN
You can use VPN if you could not load images on Instagram. VPN is the Virtual Private Network that is used to switch your device network to somewhere else. It can help to load images on Instagram easily. If the network that you are connecting is not working properly then using VPN might solve the issue. The following are the steps to use a VPN on your device.
Step 1: Go To Play Store Or Apple Store
You can go to the Play Store or Apple Store on your device.
Step 2: Search Lightsail VPN
Search for ‘Lightsail VPN’ and install it.
Step 3: Tap On Start Button
Tap on the ‘Start button and use it.
You can also use other VPNs like ‘Nord VPN’ but you may have to pay charges.
Switch To Instagram Web
You can also use the Instagram web if you are having issues loading images on the Instagram app. The Instagram web is the official web version of Instagram where you can log in with your credential and access your account. It has features except for uploading stories, media files, and calls which you can find on the Instagram app. But you can see the posts, others’ stories and receive messages.
The Instagram web uses a different server than an Instagram app. So, if you are having trouble using the Instagram app then you can switch to the Instagram web.
Reinstall Instagram App
If you have used all the solutions and still if the image could not load on Instagram. Then the last option is to reinstall the Instagram app. There could be some serious issues which cannot be solved easily. So, deleting the app from your device and installing it again can resolve it. You can follow the steps below to reinstall the Instagram app.
For Android Device
Step 1: Go To Settings
Go to the settings of your Android device.
Step 2: Tap on Application Manager
Tap on ‘Application Manager’ under ‘Device’.
Step 3: Find Instagram App
Scroll down and tap on the ‘Instagram’ app.
Step 4: Tap on Uninstall
Tap on the ‘Uninstall’ option below.
Step 5: Download Instagram
Open Play Store and download the ‘Instagram’ app.
Also, you can long-tap the Instagram app from the ‘Home’ screen and select uninstall.
For iOS Device
Step 1: Go To Settings
Go to the ‘Settings’ of your iOS device.
Step 2: Tap On General
Tap on the ‘General’ and ‘Storage’ options.
Step 3: Delete Instagram App
Search for the ‘Instagram’ app and tap on the ‘Delete’ option.
Step 4: Tap On Confirm
Tap on the ‘Confirm’ option when prompted.
Step 5: Download Instagram App
Then open App Store and download the Instagram app again.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may have some queries related to how to solve images that could not load on Instagram. Then here are some topics related to this.
Why Can’t You Upload Image From Gallery?
If you can’t upload images from the gallery then there might be some problem in the internet connection. Repeat the above process or check the image format before uploading. Also, you can switch to mobile data.
Can You Add Photo On Instagram Comment or Existing Post?
No, you cannot add photos on Instagram comments or existing posts, unlike Facebook.
Conclusion
Thus, you can find the reasons behind images could not load on Instagram and how to solve it. There are various reasons and solutions to it so you can try one after another to resolve the issue.
