You want to see a friend's Instagram story, but you get a message saying " This story is no longer available ." What does this mean? How can you fix it? That's what we'll explain in this article.
Why are some stories unavailable?
There are several reasons why a story might not be available to view. Here are the main ones:
- The story was deleted by the author or by Instagram.
- Violation of Instagram rules by the story
- Story author's privacy settings
- Instagram technical problems
How do I fix an unavailable story?
If a story is unavailable , we can try these solutions:
Solution 1: Refresh the Instagram feed
The first thing to do is check if your Instagram feed is up to date . The story you want to see may have been deleted by the user, or you may still be seeing posts from your previous session. To refresh the feed , simply swipe down and release. Wait a few seconds for new posts to appear. If the story is still unavailable, proceed to the next method.
Solution 2: Check the internet connection
If your internet connection is too slow or interrupted, you won't be able to see Instagram Stories. To check your internet connection , you can:
- Switching Wi-Fi networks : Wi-Fi is a way to connect to the internet wirelessly. You can connect to another Wi-Fi network that works better.
- Using mobile data : Mobile data is another way to connect to the internet using your mobile operator's network. You can activate mobile data in your phone's settings.
- Restart the router: The router is the device that sends the Wi-Fi signal to your home. You can restart it by unplugging it and plugging it back in.
Solution 3: Update the Instagram app
Sometimes, new versions of the app are released that fix problems or add features . To update the Instagram app, you can:
- Go to the Play Store or the App Store : these are the app stores on your phone. There you'll find all the apps you can download or update.
- To search for Instagram : type " Instagram " in the search bar of the Play Store or the App Store.
- Install the update : If you see a button that says " update ," tap it to install the new version of the Instagram app. If you don't see this button, your app is already up to date.
- Restart the application : close and reopen the Instagram application for the update to take effect.
Solution 4: Clear the application cache and data
The cache and app data are pieces of information that the Instagram app stores on your phone. They help speed up story loading and remember your login credentials. But sometimes, they can take up too much space or cause bugs. To clear the cache and app data, you can:
- Go to phone settings
- Go to applications
- Select Instagram
- Press " clear cache " and " clear data "
Solution 5: Log out and log back into your Instagram account
Logging out and logging back into your Instagram account means leaving and returning to your Instagram profile. This can help refresh your session and resolve authentication issues. To log out and log back into your Instagram account, you can:
- Go to profile
- Go to settings
- Click on " log out "
- Reconnect using your credentials or with Facebook
Solution 6: Turn off airplane mode or power saving mode
mode and power saving mode are modes you can activate on your phone to save battery or avoid interference with electronic devices. However, these modes can also block access to mobile data or Wi-Fi, which may prevent you from seeing Instagram stories. To turn off airplane mode or power saving mode , you can:
- Go to phone settings
- Swipe down the notification bar
- Tap the airplane mode or power saving mode icon
Solution 7: Reset network settings
Network settings can be misconfigured or corrupted, which can cause connection problems. To reset network settings, you can:
- Go to phone settings
- Go into the system
- Press "reset options"
- Press " reset network settings "
Solution 8: Report the problem to Instagram
If you think the unavailable story issue is with your account, you can report it to Instagram. They can then check if your account is restricted or blocked and help you resolve the problem. To report a problem to Instagram, follow these steps:
- Open the Instagram and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- On your profile screen, tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Tap Settings , then tap Help .
- Tap Report a problem , then tap Something is not working .
- Briefly describe your problem and attach a screenshot of the message “ This story is no longer available ”. Then press Send to send the report.
There you go! The Instagram team will review your issue and contact you as soon as possible.
See also: Unable to upload image to Instagram! What to do?
How to avoid the problem of unavailable stories?
To avoid the "story unavailable" problem, you must:
- Respect Instagram's policies : do not post illegal, violent, hateful, sexual, or copyright-infringing content.
- Do not post offensive or inappropriate content : be respectful, tolerant, and kind to the Instagram community. Be mindful of cultural and linguistic differences.
- Don't restrict or block your followers without reason : if you want to share your stories with only certain followers, use the " close friends "
- Don't delete your stories before 24 hours : if you want to keep a record of your stories, save them to your archive or highlights.
- Do not use bots or third-party applications for Instagram : they can endanger your account, violate Instagram's rules, or cause bugs.
Another article on Instagram:
How to resolve the Instagram error: “This song is currently unavailable”
