When you have a network with a billion users every month, and at least half use it every day, it’s difficult to keep everything running smoothly. While offering users a wide range of options to show their life online, Instagram is not immune to bugs.
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The Instagram “unknown error” presents itself completely randomly and prevents you from accessing your account. Also, you may see it as you try to update your feed. Let’s explore this problem and see what you can do to solve it.
WHY IS THE ERROR APPEARING?
As the message states, this error appears because Instagram’s servers are unable to communicate with your device. Logically, the first thing you need to do is check if you have a stable Internet connection.
Check if your device is connected to Wi-Fi data or mobile data. If it is on Wi-Fi, check if you are close enough to the router. In some cases, Instagram will not respond because your connection is too weak. If this is not the problem, try restarting the router. The old “plug it out and back in” method should help you solve it.
If you use your mobile data, the easiest way to resolve any network problem, including this one, is to enable and disable Airplane mode. On most Android phones, you will be able to do this by lowering the notification bar and tapping the Airplane icon. You can find the same icon on the iPhone by pulling Control Center from the bottom of the screen.
The above methods should solve the problem, in most cases. But if they haven’t helped you, there’s no need to worry, as there are some other options available to you.
CANCEL CACHE AND INSTAGRAM DATA
While using it, Instagram stores temporary files and data to make everything more fluid. The problem arises when data is damaged, which can cause several bugs. Furthermore, it takes up your storage space and can become much larger than the app itself.
If you are an Android user, you can delete cache and data by following these steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap All apps, then find Instagram.
- Tap Clear cache and Clear data
- Force Stop
If you have an iPhone, things are a little different. There is no option to delete cache and data, so you’ll have to delete Instagram altogether.
That’s how:
- Go to Settings > General.
- Tap iPhone Storage and scroll down until you see Instagram.
- Tap the Delete app button below and confirm.
When you download Instagram again, you’ll have a new app, so no problems. This should resolve any internal bugs and allow you to log in again.
UPDATE INSTAGRAM
If you are using an outdated version of Instagram, you can expect any kind of bug. Like any other app, it receives regular updates with bug fixes, security patches and many other features that the app must have to function normally.
Furthermore, both iOS and Android receive frequent updates. If your version of Instagram is not the most recent, it could be the reason why you get the message “Unknown network error”.
Fortunately, this is a quick solution. All you have to do is start the App Store or Google Play Store, go to the updates section and check for updates available for Instagram. You will receive the latest version available and the bug should be fixed.
CHANGE THE DATE AND TIME
Strangely, some users have found that changing the date on the phone seems to correct the Instagram network error. While the connection to the problem here is not clear, it is worth trying if nothing else works.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Go to Settings > Date and time and set it to Automatic if it is not already.
- Go back and try to access Instagram.
- If it doesn’t work, go back to the Date and time menu and set it to Manual.
- Change the date in four years in the future, then try running Instagram again.
Whether it works or not, remember to go back and set the date and time to the default values.
A QUICK SOLUTION
As you can see, there are some ways to fix the “unknown error” bug and they are all fairly simple. You should be able to access your account again in no time. However, the bug is likely to return after a while. Some users have complained about seeing this error very often, so it is useful to learn these tips.
Until Instagram resolves this problem definitively, they can serve you. Have you encountered this problem before? If you have other suggestions to solve it, go ahead and leave them in the comments below.
