Photo cant be posted instagram android

If you’ve been wondering why Instagram is showing you a ‘photo can’t be posted’ error, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we discuss why you can’t post on Instagram, and how to resolve the error.

Instagram is the go-to photo and video-sharing platform. However, at times, while trying to post a photo, Instagram won’t post it and will instead display an error. Now, if you’ve worked hard on capturing the perfect moment, or spent a lot of effort editing a photo to perfection, this error can be frustrating.

Hence, in this article, we’ll give you a step-by-step walkthrough so that you can first identify why your photo can’t be posted on Instagram, and then fix it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Why can’t I post on Instagram - Reasons
2. What to do if Instagram photo can’t be posted - Fixes

Why can’t I post on Instagram - Reasons

There are many reasons why you might be being prevented from posting your photo or video on Instagram. Here are the most common reasons:

1. Your photo is in violation of Instagram policies

• To protect users, Instagram has implemented stringent policies that govern the content of the photos or videos posted and shared on its platform.
• Instagram has an army of moderation bots that can detect prohibited content like nudity, violence, or gore in photos or videos, and disable the user from uploading them.
• If you’re trying to post a photo on Instagram but aren’t able to, make sure that the contents of the photo aren’t banned, or even resemble banned content. Further, Instagram flags your account or suspends it if you try to post any objectionable material.

2. Your actions have been blocked by Instagram

• Instagram rolled out new updates in 2018 aimed at preventing user accounts from spamming other users with promotions. The update looked to crack down on the use of 3rd-party bots and services aimed at gaining followers.

• Therefore, if Instagram detects you engaging in non-authentic behaviour - like posting too many pictures, or liking and commenting on too many posts within a short period, it will temporarily block you from doing that action.
• Hence, if you’ve been posting too many photos at once in quick succession, and if your account is fairly new, you might be prevented from posting new photos temporarily.

3. Your device’s storage has run out

• If Instagram won't post a certain photo of yours, it may be that your device storage is full, or doesn’t have enough capacity to post that photo.

4. Instagram cache is full

• Another reason why you can’t post photos on Instagram might be because the app’s cache files on your device are full.
• Note that cache files are the temporary files that are stored by an app on your device, to speed up the page load timings for a smoother experience.

5. Instagram servers are down

• Although highly unlikely, you may be unable to post photos on Instagram due to Instagram servers being down or under maintenance. Make sure you check Instagram’s other social media accounts to see if their servers are down temporarily.

What to do if Instagram photo can’t be posted - Fixes

These are some fixes that you can try out if you can’t post on Instagram:

1. Check your internet connection

• The first step is to make sure that your internet connection isn’t the reason why you can’t post photos on Instagram. Ensure you have adequate signal if you’re using Wifi/ mobile data.
• You can also go to Speedtest and check your connection’s speed, to ensure you have a working and fast internet connection.

2. Restart your device

• Next, you can try restarting your device, as more often than not, rebooting the system fixes errors. So, if you can’t post on Instagram, try restarting your phone.
• Note that on an Android device, you’ll have to hold down the power button until you see the reboot option, and select it. On an iPhone, you’ll have to hold down both the power and home buttons together for ~3 seconds until the screen goes black and the Apple logo appears.

3. Clear Instagram’s cache on your device

• Go to your device’s settings menu, tap on ‘Apps’ and select Instagram. Next, find the ‘Clear Cache’ option, and select it. Your phone/ tablet will now delete the cache files for Instagram.
• Note that you’ll have to log in again when you open Instagram, after clearing your cache. Hence, ensure that you know your credentials before clearing cache for Instagram.
• After you’ve cleared Instagram’s cache, open the app, log in, and check if you are able to post photos or any content again.

4. Reduce the image size

• Instagram only supports the uploading of photos if they are under 1936 x 1936 pixels, and for videos, under 1920 x 1080 pixels and within 3 to 60 seconds in length.
• Hence, if your phone camera supports 4K or UHD recording, and you’ve shot the image in this resolution, you can’t post it on Instagram.
• To fix it, you’ll have to first reduce the size of the image in your phone, or via a 3rd-party application like Reduce Images.

5. Free up your device’s storage

• Make sure you’ve got adequate storage space in your phone. Just go to your phone’s settings menu, and select the ‘Apps’ section to view all the apps you’ve got installed on your phone and their corresponding storage.
• Delete any apps that are not important and you don’t use. You can also delete any documents, videos, or photos from your storage.

6. Update or re-install Instagram

• Go to the Play Store (if you use an Android phone) or the App Store (iPhones) and search for Instagram. Make sure the app is up-to-date. If it isn’t, click on ‘Update’ to download and install the latest version. You can also try re-installing the Instagram app on your phone.

7. Ensure your photos are complaint of Instagram policies

• As mentioned earlier, Instagram has bots in place that recognise if your photo contains sensitive material, like nudity, violence, or gore. Hence, make sure you aren’t posting photos related to these topics, or even bare resemblance to them.

8. Check if your actions are blocked

• If your account is new, and you’ve been hyper-active on the platform in initial use - like liking/ following/ posting too many posts, Instagram might flag your account as engaging in ‘inauthentic’ behaviour.
• This might also happen if you’re using 3rd-party bots and services to speed up your engagement on the platform. Hence, make sure your account hasn’t been blocked temporarily from carrying out certain actions.
• If it is, follow the steps detailed in this guide to overcome the ban. Some fixes that you can try include completing your profile info and logging in from another device.

9. Change Instagram’s data limits

• Instagram has a feature wherein users can set the maximum data usage by the app over a certain period of time. The app restricts you from uploading or viewing photos and videos after the set data limit has been exceeded.
• However, you can increase the data limits for Instagram from within the app. Go to ‘Profile’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Account. Next, scroll down and tap on ‘Mobile/Cellular Data Usage’, and increase the limit.

Why does my Instagram keep saying photo can't be posted?

Why can I not post on Instagram Android?