Top 7 Ways to Fix Instagram Links Not Working on Android and iPhone

While using Instagram, you might stumble upon webpage links in various places, such as stories, profile bios, direct messages, and more. You can tap these links to open them in either Instagram’s in-app browser or your phone’s default browser. But what if these Instagram links suddenly stop working on your Android or iPhone?

Encountering an error message every time you click a link can be annoying, particularly if you need to access the content urgently. Below, we have listed some useful tips for getting the Instagram links to work on your Android or iPhone.

1. Try Another Link

A common reason why you may be unable to click a link on Instagram is if it’s broken or incorrect. Try opening a few links on Instagram to ensure the issue is not limited to a specific one.

Also, it’s important to note that Instagram links posted in specific sections may appear as regular text. For example, Instagram doesn’t allow you to click and open links posted in the comments section. So, you will need to use an app like Google Lens to copy the link and open it in your browser.

2. Configure Instagram to Open Supported Links (Android)

Typically, when you tap a link to an Instagram profile, post, reel, or story, your Android opens it in the Instagram app instead of your web browser. However, that may not happen if you have previously restricted the Instagram app from opening supported links on your phone. Here’s how you can change that.

Step 1: Long-press on the Instagram app icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Tap on Set as default and enable the toggle next to Open supported links.

3. Clear In-App Browser Data

Instagram’s in-app browser collects cache and cookies as you open links within the app. While this can help enhance your browsing experience, it can become outdated or corrupted over time and cause problems. You can try clearing Instagram’s in-app browser data to see if that fixes the issue.

Step 1: In the Instagram app, tap any link to access the in-app browser.

Step 2: Tap the three vertical dots menu icon at the top-right corner and select Browser settings.

Step 3: Tap the Clear button next to Browsing data. Then, select Clear Browsing Data to confirm.

4. Open Links in an External Browser

If Instagram links are not loading even after you clear the browsing data, you can try opening links in an external browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Tap on any Instagram link to access the in-app browser. Tap the three vertical dots menu icon in the top right corner and select Open in Chrome.

5. Turn Off VPN

At times, using a VPN connection may prevent Instagram links from opening since it routes your traffic through various servers. To avoid this, you can try disabling your VPN momentarily and see if it works.

6. Force-Close and Reopen the Instagram App

Temporary glitches with the Instagram app can also cause it to become unresponsive on your phone. Consequently, when you tap a link in an Instagram story or bio, the app may fail to open it. If it’s nothing major, restarting the app will get it to work normally.

To force stop Instagram on your Android, long-press on its app icon and tap the ‘i’ info icon from the menu that appears. Then, tap the Force stop option at the bottom.

If you are using an iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or press the Home Screen button twice to bring up the app switcher. Swipe up on the Instagram card to close the app.

Reopen the Instagram app after this and try to open a few links.

7. Sign Out and Sign Back In

At times, issues with your Instagram account can cause the app to malfunction and prevent links from opening in the app. You can try signing out of your account and signing back in to see if that helps.

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and navigate to the profile tab. Tap the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner and select Settings.

Step 2: Scroll down to tap on Log out.

Restart the Instagram app and sign back into your account. Then, check if the issue is still there.

8. Clear Instagram App Cache (Android)

Like any other app, Instagram stores temporary files on Android to load content quickly and run smoothly. However, if there is an issue with this data, Instagram may fail to function properly. You can try clearing the Instagram app cache to see if that helps.

Step 1: Long-press on the Instagram app icon and tap the ‘i’ info icon from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Storage and tap the Clear cache option.

9. Update or Reinstall the Instagram App

A buggy Instagram app could also give you such problems. You can check if a newer version of the Instagram app is available by heading over to the Play Store or App Store.

Instagram for Android

Instagram for iPhone

If Instagram links are not working even after you update the app, there may be an issue with the app’s core files. In that case, your only option is to uninstall the Instagram app and install it again.

To uninstall Instagram from your Android, long-press on its app icon and tap Uninstall. Select OK to confirm.

For iPhone users, long-press on the Instagram app icon and select Delete App. Select Delete again to confirm.

After you remove it, head over to the Play Store or App Store to install the Instagram app again. Following that, links should open as usual.

Time to Open Some Links

It can be annoying if Instagram links stop working all of a sudden. Rather than copying links manually and opening them in your phone’s browser, try the above fixes to resolve the underlying issue.