Instagram is down for many across the web, but it is back for some

Instagram Logo (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

Instagram is down for many people at the moment.
Reports of issues began just before 6 AM EST.
It's not clear at this time how widespread the outages are.

Update, September 2, 2021 (8:20 am ET) Instagram appears to be up and running again for some people, but is still down for a large portion of users.

Instagram is down to start the day on the east coast of the United States. People attempting to share images of their morning coffee will have to resort to Twitter, Facebook, or other platforms. According to Downdetector, the outages started just before 6 AM ET, which is prime time for posts to start the day.

The outage affects viewing content on Instagram as well as posting it. If you open the app right now, you'll see a message that says "couldn't refresh feed." Attempting to post photos, videos, or other content fails as well. When trying to post anything, you'll see an error message that reads, "Not posted yet. Please try again."

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A Facebook spokesperson shared the following statement regarding the outage:

We're aware that some people are having trouble accessing their Instagram. We're working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Meanwhile, people have rushed to the web to get their best jokes in about the Instagram outage. The hashtag "#Instagramdown" is already trending on Twitter.

With #instagramdown, there's nothing better to do... You can only keep three iPhone designs, which are you saving? Bonus points for color. pic.twitter.com/7lwkvZN3vhWith #instagramdown, there's nothing better to do... You can only keep three iPhone designs, which are you saving? Bonus points for color. pic.twitter.com/7lwkvZN3vh— iMore (@iMore) September 2, 2021 September 2, 2021

Everybody migrating to twitter after Instagram "couldn't refresh feed" #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/bcagNTjABMEverybody migrating to twitter after Instagram "couldn't refresh feed" #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/bcagNTjABM— 900sosa⛤ (@KillThatNiggaTy) September 2, 2021 September 2, 2021

Everyone running to Twitter to see if it's not only their Instagram bugging #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/HbIt4gZg85Everyone running to Twitter to see if it's not only their Instagram bugging #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/HbIt4gZg85— 🐻 (@NoContextWaIker) September 2, 2021 September 2, 2021

This is a developing story. We'll update it as more information becomes available.

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.