Are you getting a “Failed to send” error on Instagram?
The error happens when you try sending a DM to someone on the app.
The error will appear in your chat and chat list.
If you try to send the message again, you’ll get the same error.
Is it just a bug/glitch on the app or is there a global outage for Instagram?
In this guide, you’ll learn why Instagram says “Failed to send” and how to fix it so that you can send DMs again.
Why does Instagram say failed to send?
Instagram says “Failed to send” either because of a bug on the app or Instagram is down.
If there’s a bug on the app, you need to wait for Instagram to release a new update to fix it.
If Instagram is down, you need to wait for 24 to 48 hours for it to be back up.
In some cases, you might have a slow internet speed or you don’t have an internet connection.
Many Instagram users went to Twitter to complain about the “Failed to send” error.
Here’s what @kureel_rohit tweeted, “I’m facing an issue with sending messages on Instagram. It loads slowly then it says that it failed to send”.
Here’s a tweet by @julieh27, “I’m not able to send DMs to anyone. I’ve already tried logging out and in of the app and updating it”.
Apparently, Instagram is down which caused the messaging feature to not work as intended.
How to fix “Failed to send” on Instagram
To fix “Failed to send” on Instagram, you first need to check if Instagram is down.
If it is, you need to wait for 24 to 48 hours or update Instagram to the latest version.
In some cases, your internet speed is too slow or you don’t have an active internet connection.
To fix this, you can try switching your network from mobile data to Wi-Fi (and vice-versa).
If you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can try connecting to a different one.
1. Check if Instagram is down
Before you try to fix the “Failed to send” error, you need to check if Instagram is down.
There’s a high chance that DMs are down for everyone and not just you.
To check if Instagram is down, you can go to downdetector.com and search for “Instagram”.
Check if there’s a spike in the graph or an increase in the number of reports.
If there’s a spike in the graph, it means that Instagram is probably down.
You can also check if Instagram is down on Twitter by searching for “Instagram down” or the issue that you’re facing.
Check the top and latest tweets to see if anyone is tweeting about it.
If there are a lot of people tweeting that Instagram is down, it means that it’s probably down.
You can also go to Instagram’s Twitter account, check their tweets, and view the latest replies.
2. Wait for 24 to 48 hours
If you send too many messages on Instagram, you may be temporarily blocked from doing so.
Hence, you’ll get the “Failed to send” error message.
The block is to mitigate bots, spammers, and automation on the app.
If you send too many messages in one go, Instagram may think that you’re a bot and temporarily block you from sending DMs.
The temporary block typically lasts for 24 to 48 hours.
3. Update Instagram
Instagram regularly releases updates containing bug fixes, improvements, or new features.
However, some updates might come with bugs or glitches.
A known bug on Instagram is the messaging issue.
Users will either fail to send or receive messages and they’ll get the “Failed to send” error.
If there’s an update that has a bug, Instagram will release a follow-up update to fix it.
Firstly, open the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “Instagram”.
Below “What’s New”, check if the update contains bug fixes and performance improvements.
If so, you need to update the app, open it, and check if the “Failed to send” error still happens.
If you’re still getting the error, you need to wait for another update.
4. Switch your network
The final method is to switch your network.
If your messages fail to send on Instagram, it can be caused by your internet connection,
You either don’t have an internet connection or your internet speed is too slow.
You can check your internet speed here: https://www.speedtest.net/.
If your download speed is under 30Mbps, it means that it’s below average.
To fix this, you can try switching your network.
If you’re connected to mobile, try switching to a Wi-Fi network
On the other hand, if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, try using your mobile data instead.
Lastly, force close Instagram, open it, and try sending the message again.
