Instagram started as a social photo-sharing platform and eventually added support for videos, posts, stories, direct messages, and more. While Instagram uploads photos and stories on the go, the same is not true for videos. Sometimes Instagram fails to download videos. If you encounter the same frequently, read the troubleshooting tips to fix Instagram videos not downloading issue.
Are you trying in vain to upload the video of last week’s music concert or some excerpts from the last holidays? Several factors can affect the process of uploading videos to Instagram. You cannot choose a specific reason for the problem. Let’s start with the basics and move on to the advanced tips to fix Instagram not uploading videos.
1. Check network connection
If you are having network issues on your Android or iPhone, Instagram won’t refresh the feed and send errors when uploading photos and videos. You can temporarily turn Airplane mode on and off on your phone and reset the network connection.
iPhone users can swipe down from the top right corner to access Airplane Mode in Control Center. Android users can use the Airplane mode option in the quick toggle menu in the notification bar.
2. Check video length and size
Instagram requires specific criteria to upload videos to the platform. If your video doesn’t meet any of the requirements, Instagram won’t upload it.
- The video must have an aspect ratio between 1.91:1 and 9:16.
- It must have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second) and a minimum resolution of 720 pixels.
- The maximum file size for videos 10 minutes or less is 650 MB. The maximum file size for videos up to 60 minutes is 3.6 GB.
Follow the steps below to check the video size on your iPhone.
Step 1: Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2nd step: Select a video and press the “i” button at the bottom.
Step 3: Check the video size.
Android users can check video size from Google Photos app. Open any video in Google Photos and swipe up to check details like resolution, size, date and time.
If your video is over 650MB, you need to compress it before uploading to Instagram.
3. Restart Instagram and try again
You can close Instagram on your iPhone or Android and try downloading the video again. Open the recent apps menu on your phone and swipe up on Instagram to close it.
4. Check Instagram Status
If the Instagram servers are down, none of the tricks will fix the video not downloading issue. You can visit downdetector.com and search Instagram. You may notice high crashing spikes and user feedback if others are facing the same issue. You will have to wait for Instagram to fix server side issues.
5. Clear Instagram Cache (Android)
Instagram collects cache to improve load times and overall user experience. When the app collects a corrupted cache, you may encounter issues with the video download process. You need to clear your Instagram cache and try again.
Step 1: Long press the Instagram app icon and open the info menu.
2nd step: Select “Storage & Cache” and tap “Clear Cache” from the next menu.
You can read our dedicated article to find out what happens when you clear your Instagram cache.
6. Disable Instagram Data Saver Mode
An active data saver mode in Instagram may affect your experience of uploading or downloading videos and photos. Follow the steps below to turn it off.
Step 1: Launch Instagram on your phone.
2nd step: Select your profile in the upper right corner. Tap the hamburger menu at the top.
Step 3: Open Settings.
Step 4: Select ‘Account’.
Step 5: Tap “Data usage”.
Step 6: Disable the “Use less mobile data” toggle. Android users will see “Data saver” mode in the same menu.
7. Disable Downloading High Quality Videos
When you enable Instagram high quality download, the app downloads the highest quality photos and videos. It takes longer to download and on slow internet connection Instagram may not download video. Here is how you can turn off high quality download on Instagram.
Step 1: Open the “Data Usage” menu in Instagram settings (refer to the steps above).
2nd step: Disable the “Download in high quality” toggle.
8. Give unlimited data usage (Android)
If you have enabled data saving mode on Android, Instagram may not download videos. You can either disable it or make an exception for Instagram.
Step 1: Open the Instagram information menu (check the steps above).
2nd step: Select “Mobile data and Wi-Fi”.
Step 3: Activate the “Unlimited data usage” button.
9. Update Instagram
An outdated Instagram app on your phone can lead to issues like videos not downloading, stories not loading, etc. You can go to Google Play Store or Apple App Store and update Instagram to the latest version.
Share your videos with your subscribers
Your Instagram follower count can take a hit when you don’t upload videos for a long time. Follow the above steps and share beautiful memories with your social media followers.