Instagram Is Down or Not Working: Here's How to Use the App After a Crash

Is Instagram down? Is Instagram not working? Did Instagram crash? Are you panicking? You're not alone: On July 26, Instagram was broken for many users, crashing as soon as they opened the app. Is it possible to troubleshoot or fix this problem? Not really, but you can use the app again. Read on.

There are three ways you can use Instagram during an outage, and they won't take longer than a minute each.

1. Instagram down or not working? Re-download Instagram

In an email to Mic, Instagram said it was aware of the issue. A representative recommended deleting the app, re-downloading it from the App Store and logging in again. This worked for Mic tech editor Alexis Kleinman after her app kept crashing. After the Tuesday crash, some users on Reddit said this method worked, but others said crashes persisted.

2. Instagram down or not working? Use the mobile browser

Here's an easier trick: Open Chrome or Safari or whatever web browser you prefer, then open Instagram.com and log in from there. You'll get a prompt to open Instagram in the app, but just ignore it — your web browser will work fine.

3. Instagram down or not working? Use the desktop Instagram app

If you're on a laptop and want to browse Instagram, the easiest way to open the app is in your web browser. We recommend the desktop Instagram because the large photos make for a nice browsing experience, and it's easy to explore new hashtags. It's how we sourced this list of the secret Instagram hashtags hiding all the porn (go ahead, the link is safe for work).

July 26, 2016, 4:00 p.m. Eastern: This story has been updated.

Read more: