Instagram or Facebook freezes, crashes or cannot refresh the feed. What should I do?
The short answer
First check where the error happens: throughout the app, only in the feed or during one action. Save unfinished work, then restart your device and check the connection. “Couldn’t refresh feed” alone does not mean your account is banned. If the screen asks you to sign in, verify your identity or appeal a restriction, use the relevant guide.
Source partly reviewed — details
What this answer is based onWhat to do
Before signing out, uninstalling or clearing app data, make sure you can sign back in and complete any extra sign-in verification. Save the original files and text you need outside the app. Reel drafts are stored on your device and are lost if Instagram is uninstalled.
- Note the exact error and the action before it. Check whether your profile and other sections open. If you were editing a post, first save available original files and the caption separately.
- After saving your work, restart the device and check the connection. If Wi-Fi and mobile data are both available, try each and note where the error occurs.
- If you are signed in through a browser or another device you own, try the same action there and keep that session open. Before reinstalling or clearing data, check access to your email, phone number and any extra sign-in verification you need. Save the content of your drafts separately.
- If the error remains and Help opens, use Report a problem. Include the device, app version, action and error text. A screenshot should not expose passwords, sign-in codes or private conversations. For an explicit restriction notice, open the account-restriction guide.
The situation
You are editing a café Reel when Instagram freezes. Someone suggests reinstalling immediately. First save any available original clips and caption separately. A draft inside Instagram is not a backup that survives uninstalling the app.
More examples
“It works in the browser, but not the app”
Facebook loads the feed on your computer, but freezes on your phone.
What to do
Keep the computer session open. Check your phone’s connection and restart the phone. In the bug report, explain that the issue occurs only in the app.
“The feed will not refresh, but my profile opens”
Instagram shows a feed error. There is no account-suspension notice.
What to do
Note the error and check the connection and other sections. Do not delete posts to fix this error. If a specific restriction decision appears, handle that notice separately.
What this answer is based on
Instagram Help Center — Troubleshootinghelp.instagram.comFacebook Help Center — Troubleshoot something that is not workingInstagram Help Center — Report a technical problemFacebook Help Center — Report that something is not workingInstagram Help Center — Save and edit Reel draftsOnly a source excerpt was availableReview details
Source reviewed:
We could read only an excerpt of the official page in search results. The full conditions and exceptions have not yet been checked.
Official Meta search excerpts about restarting, connections, technical reports and Reel drafts were reviewed. Full pages were unavailable. Comparing app and browser, saving original files and checking how to sign back in are our precautions, not a diagnosis of the fault. No account interface was tested.
Include the guide link, language and wording that needs checking. Add an official source link if you have one. Do not send passwords, login codes or photos of identity documents.
Examples are made up to explain the guidance. Meta decides individual account and content cases.
Sources and related topicsPolicy Graph · Demo in development