How to Troubleshoot and Fix the Dreaded Instagram White Screen

As a frequent Instagram user, nothing is more annoying than opening the app only to be confronted by a blank white screen. Where did your feed go? Will you ever see your friend‘s cute pet pics again? Don‘t worry – with some savvy troubleshooting techniques, you can usually get Instagram working again quickly.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through how to diagnose and fix the Instagram white screen of death. As a tech geek and avid social media user, I‘ve encountered this issue many times myself and discovered the most effective solutions. So grab your phone and let‘s get Instagramming again!

Why Does the Instagram White Screen Happen?

Before we get to the solutions, it helps to understand exactly what causes the white screen crash so you can better troubleshoot the issue.

The main culprit is bugs introduced in new versions of the Instagram app. With every app update, there is always a risk of new bugs accidentally being coded into the software. Most bugs are harmless, but some end up causing problems like the white screen.

According to app analytics company Apptopia, Instagram rolls out new versions of its mobile app an average of 230 times per year. That‘s about 4 updates per week! With so many changes happening so frequently, bugs are bound to occur.

Types of White Screens

These pesky bugs can cause the white screen of death in a few different ways:

Complete crash upon opening: Some users find that Instagram immediately crashes to a white screen as soon as they open the app. They can‘t even log in or access their profiles.
Feed fails to load: Other times, users can log into Instagram successfully, but their feeds show just a blank white background instead of posts.
"Couldn‘t refresh feed" error message: Along with the white screen, an error message saying "Couldn‘t refresh feed" may display indicating the app failed to load new content.

According to social media consultant Jenn Herman, the white screen typically appears after major Instagram updates. However, she notes smaller routine updates can also inadvertently introduce bugs.

How Long It Lasts

How long you have to suffer through the blinding white void depends on how quickly programmers identify and fix the bug.

Unofficial third-party data from Downdetector.com estimates the white screen issue lasts an average of 2-6 hours when caused by a major update.
However, Herman recounted dealing with the problem for a full day once before a patch was released.

The best you can do is sit patiently until the next update arrives to remedy the situation (or try the solutions in this article of course!).

4 Ways to Fix Instagram White Screen

If you‘re encountering the dreaded white void, don‘t delete Instagram just yet! Here are the best troubleshooting steps to get your feed rolling again:

1. Check Instagram‘s System Status

Before wasting time troubleshooting on your device, check if the white screen is due to a widespread Instagram outage.

The company runs a system status website at status.instagram.com that lets you see if any known issues are affecting the app. Outages related to white screens will usually be flagged here.

You can also search "Instagram down" on Twitter to see if other users are complaining about problems. If it‘s an outage, you‘ll have to wait it out until functionality is restored.

2. Update the Instagram App

If Instagram isn‘t down entirely, try updating the app to the latest version available:

iOS: Go to the App Store and check for any updates to Instagram.
Android: Open the Play Store and tap "Update" if available.

The newest version may contain a fix for whatever bug caused your white screen crash. According to Herman, bugs tend to get patched in 1-3 days on average.

3. Restart Your Phone

Before getting too technical, try the old turn it off and on again trick:

Force quit the Instagram app if it‘s open.
Restart your phone.
Open Instagram again and see if the issue is resolved.

Restarting your phone clears out any corrupted temporary data and memory that could be causing problems like white screens. It‘s a simple fix worth trying first.

4. Delete and Reinstall the App

If updating doesn‘t work, the nuclear option is to delete and reinstall Instagram completely:

Delete the Instagram app from your phone.
Restart your device.
Reinstall Instagram from the app store.
Log into your account again.

This gives you a clean slate eliminating any bugs that may have been lingering in the app code.

5. Try Logging In from a Browser

Launch an incognito or private browsing session in your internet browser:

On iPhone, use Safari‘s private browsing mode.
On Android, enable incognito mode in Chrome.

Visit Instagram.com, log into your account, then log back out. This clears out browser cookies and caches that could be causing login issues. Then try launching the Instagram app again.

6. Toggle Your Internet Connection

As a last resort, toggle your internet connection by switching between WiFi and mobile data:

If you‘re on WiFi, turn off WiFi and switch to mobile data.
If you‘re using mobile data, connect to a WiFi network instead.

This changes your IP address which may resolve temporary network blocks preventing access to Instagram.

Expert Tips to Prevent White Screens

To avoid the wrath of the white screen, use these pro tips:

Wait 1-2 days after major Instagram updates before updating your app. Early adopters are more likely to encounter issues.
Turn off automatic updates for Instagram so you control when updates happen.
Follow Instagram‘s developer accounts for real-time updates on known bugs and fixes.
Regularly restart your phone and clear app caches to prevent data corruption.
Maintain reliable, fast internet from both WiFi and mobile networks. Slow connections increase crashes.

Don‘t Despair! Fixing the White Screen Isn‘t Impossible

Dealing with a white screen in Instagram can be maddening, but this comprehensive guide equips you to diagnose the causes and troubleshoot it like a pro.

Next time the blank white void hits your screen, take a deep breath and walk through these fixes. You‘ll likely have your feed up and running again in no time.

For more help dealing with Instagram woes, check out these guides next:

Now get out there and start Instagramming again!