6 Ways to Fix Delayed Instagram Notifications

Quick Tips

• Open the Notification settings on your phone and enable Instagram notifications.
• Open Instagram > profile icon > hamburger menu > Settings > Notifications > turn Pause All toggle off.
• Go to Settings on your iPhone > Instagram > enable the Mobile Data and Background App Refresh toggles.

Basic Fixes:

• Check Instagram status: When Instagram servers face an outage, you face delays in receiving real-time notifications. You can visit Downdetector and search for Instagram to confirm the problem. You’ll need to wait for Instagram to fix the issue from their end.
• Update Instagram app: An outdated Instagram build may leave you with delayed notification problems in the app. You can head to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and install the latest Instagram update on your phone.

Fix 1: Check Notification Settings for Instagram

You must first check notification settings for Instagram on iPhone and Android. If you have turned it off or set it on silent, you won’t receive alerts until you open the app. Here’s how to enable it on your phone.

iPhone

Step 1: Open Settings and tap on Instagram. Tap Notifications and enable app notifications.

Android

Step 1: Long-press on the Instagram app icon and tap the i button. Select Notifications.

Step 2: Enable Notifications and tap on all notification types. Ensure they’re all enabled.

Fix 2: Disable Pause Notifications

Instagram allows users to pause notifications for a specific timeframe on the platform. If you are in a meeting or on a weekend vacation, you may have paused notifications to prevent distractions. You must disable the option to avoid any delay in alerts. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open Instagram and tap your profile icon. Select the hamburger menu and open Settings.

Step 2: Select Notifications and disable the Pause All toggle.

Fix 3: Enable Background App Refresh (iPhone)

If you disable background app refresh for Instagram, the system delays notifications when the app isn’t active in the foreground or background (recent apps menu). Here’s how to enable it so this does not happen.

Step 1: Open Settings → Instagram. Enable the Background App Refresh toggle.

Fix 4: Remove Instagram From Scheduled Summary (iPhone)

When you add Instagram to Scheduled Summary on your iPhone, you will receive notifications at a set time only. You must remove Instagram from Scheduled Summary on iPhone. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open Settings → Notifications. Select Scheduled Summary and disable the Instagram toggle.

Also Read: How to fix Instagram notifications not working unless you open the app issue

Fix 5: Give Unrestricted Data Usage to Instagram (Android)

Instagram may delay notifications when data saver mode is on. You can give unrestricted data usage to Instagram and let it function normally. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Long-press the Instagram app icon → i button.

Step 2: Select Mobile data & Wi-Fi and enable the Unrestricted data usage toggle.

Fix 6: Enable Mobile Data for Instagram (iPhone)

Did you disable mobile data access for Instagram? You will only receive notifications when you connect to a Wi-Fi network. To enable mobile data access for Instagram, follow the below steps.

Step 1: Open Settings → Instagram. Enable the Mobile Data toggle.

Once done, try using Instagram for a while to check if Instagram notifications are working as expected on your phone.