Are you getting a “This song is currently unavailable” error on Instagram?
The error message happens on Instagram Reels.
When you watch a Reel, the song won’t be played.
Some users claimed that the song worked in the past.
However, when they try to listen to the song in the present, it fails to play.
In this guide, you’ll learn what it means when Instagram Reels says “This song is currently unavailable” and how to fix it.
- What does it mean when Instagram says this song is currently unavailable?
- How to fix “This song is currently unavailable” on Instagram
What does it mean when Instagram says this song is currently unavailable?
Instagram says this song is currently unavailable because of a bug on the app.
The bug is caused by Instagram’s end, so there’s nothing you can do to fix it except wait.
There are a couple of things that will happen.
Firstly, the songs you’ve added to your Reels will be muted.
Secondly, any song that you add to a new Reel will be muted too.
In other words, you’ll only be able to use your video’s original sound.
Many users went to Twitter to complain about the bug.
Here’s what @CoachGlamour said, “This song is currently unavailable, is showing up on every Reel. What’s going on?”.
A lot of people replied to the tweet saying that they were experiencing the problem.
Here’s a reply by @JamWong, “Same. I hope it’s fixed soon because it’s really frustrating and annoying”.
How to fix “This song is currently unavailable” on Instagram
To fix “This song is currently unavailable” on Instagram, you need to update Instagram to the latest version.
If Instagram does not have a new update, you need to wait patiently for one.
The error message is a bug on Instagram that is similar to the stories bug.
The stories bug repeats old stories when you try to view a new one.
Basically, it does not remember the last story that you’ve viewed.
If you’re getting a “This song is currently unavailable” error on Instagram, you won’t be able to add songs to your Reels.
You can only use your video’s original sound.
Instagram constantly releases updates to fix bugs and glitches on the app.
To check if Instagram has an update, open the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “Instagram”.
If you see “Bug fixes and performance improvements” under “Version History”, it means that the update is meant to fix bugs and glitches on the app.
1. Update Instagram to the latest version
The first step is to check if there’s an update for Instagram.
To do so, open the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “Instagram”.
If you see an “Update” button, it means that Instagram has a new update.
Tap on “Update” to update Instagram to the latest version.
You can also check the version history of Instagram.
If the latest version contains “Bug fixes and performance improvements”, you need to update the app as soon as possible.
This is because the update is meant to fix bugs and glitches.
If you don’t see an “Update” button, it means that you’ve already updated Instagram to the latest version.
If that’s the case, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling Instagram.
This will clear the app’s cache, which can fix certain app issues.
2. Wait for a few days
Did you update Instagram to the latest version but you’re still getting the “This song is currently unavailable” error on Instagram Reels?
If so, you need to wait until Instagram fixes the issue on their end.
Certain errors on the app will eventually disappear after some time.
For example, if you’re unable to message someone on Instagram, you just need to wait for up to 24 hours before you can do so again.
There’s a discussion on Reddit about the “This song is currently unavailable” error on Instagram Reels.
The original poster mentioned that the songs started to work again after 3 weeks.
Another Reddit user mentioned that they waited for about 3 weeks too.
Here’s a comment by @marcat_, “I was having this problem today, and I just checked again and it seems like it’s fixed?”.
And another comment by @More_Ice6, “Had the same issue here in Canada. After reading the thread I went back onto IG and my music is back! I think it was just an IG issue”.
Conclusion
The “This song is currently unavailable” error affected a ton of Instagram users.
It’s odd because the error might never have happened to you before.
In some cases, the song that you’re trying to use might work for other users’ Reels but not on yours.
Your friends will not be able to hear the song from the Reel too.
Reporting the problem on the app will not fix the issue.
If you’re using licensed audio from Instagram, it will still be muted.
It’s common practice to check if Instagram is down whenever you’re experiencing an issue on the app.
To do so, you can either visit Downdetector, Twitter, or Reddit.
If you’re on Twitter, search for the error message that you’re experiencing and see if anyone tweeted about it recently.
If there are a lot of tweets about it, Instagram is most likely down.
