How to Fix "Instagram Closed Because This App Has a Bug"

Getting the error message "Instagram closed because this app has a bug" when trying to open Instagram is certainly frustrating. But don‘t worry – in most cases, it‘s possible to resolve this issue with a few troubleshooting steps.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover what causes this error, the troubleshooting steps you can try yourself, and when you may need to wait for Instagram to release an app update.

What Does "Instagram Closed Because This App Has a Bug" Mean?

This error message means there is currently a bug within the Instagram app on your device causing it to unexpectedly quit or crash when launched.

Bugs that cause crashes typically occur after an Instagram app update. With over 1 billion monthly active users, occasionally bugs slip through that cause problems on some users‘ devices.

When Instagram has an app bug severe enough to cause widespread crashing, you’ll usually see spikes in outage reports on sites like Downdetector. So if the error is affecting many, it means engineers are likely racing to get an update out.

Potential Causes of "Instagram Closed Because This App Has a Bug"

A few key reasons could be behind Instagram crashing right after you tap the icon to open it:

• A bug in the latest Instagram app update
• An issue with the Instagram server infrastructure
• Incompatibilities caused by Android OS or device firmware updates
• Resource contention from too many background apps running
• Corrupted Instagram app data/cache

Identifying the trigger can help guide the troubleshooting approach.

How to Fix "Instagram Closed Because This App Has a Bug"

Here are the top troubleshooting steps to resolve the “Instagram closed because this app has a bug” error on Android.

1. Update Instagram

As the error itself indicates, a bug causing the app to crash could have been introduced in a recent Instagram update.

Open the Play Store app and check if any Instagram updates are available. If you see one, install it and then try launching Instagram again. Occasionally server-side fixes get pushed via updates that rectify crash-causing bugs.

2. Try Instagram Lite

The official Instagram Lite app from the Play Store delivers the core Instagram experience in a much smaller app size. As it lacks some extra features, it may not trigger the same bug.

Install Instagram Lite and attempt running Instagram through this streamlined variant instead. If it works fine, you know the standard Instagram app has an isolated crashing issue.

3. Download an Older Instagram APK

If neither the latest Instagram version nor Instagram Lite work, try grabbing an APK file (Android app package) for an older Instagram release before the error appeared:

1. Uninstall updates for Instagram through the Play Store
2. Visit a site like Uptodown.com and browse previous Instagram versions
3. Select an Instagram APK that predates when you first got the crashing error
4. Download and install the older APK file

Launch this Instagram version and check if it runs without issues. This narrows down whether something in newer updates specifically is causing problems. You can then either stick with the older version for now or wait for Instagram to push another update.

4. Force Quit and Restart Instagram

Sometimes simply force quitting the app and reopening it can resolve temporary glitches:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of your Android screen to reveal recent apps
2. Locate the Instagram app card and swipe up to force stop the app
3. Open Instagram again to see if the crash persists

If it doesn’t help, move onto other steps involving clearing stored data.

5. Clear Instagram‘s Cache and Data

Corrupted Instagram cache or data could also lead to the app behaving erratically and shutting down:

1. Go to Android Settings > Apps > Instagram
2. Tap Storage > Clear Cache and Clear Data
3. Reopen Instagram – this wipes any corrupted files that could be crashing it

6. Uninstall and Reinstall Instagram

If less drastic measures don’t get Instagram running again, uninstall and do a clean reinstallation of the app from the Play Store.

Keep in mind you‘ll remain logged in when you reinstall Instagram. But other app data will get erased, eliminating anything that might be contributing to crashes.

7. Log Out and Log Back Into Instagram

Sometimes there may be a problem with your specific Instagram account that‘s triggering the app to malfunction each time it launches.

As a last resort troubleshooting step before contacting Instagram support, try fully logging out then logging back in:

1. Open Instagram and tap your profile picture
2. Go to the menu > Settings > Tap Log Out
3. Close and reopen Instagram, then log in with your username and password

How to Prevent "Instagram Closed Because This App Has a Bug"

While occasional Instagram bugs can‘t always be avoided, here are some tips to help prevent and minimize occurrences of this error:

• Keep Instagram updated to the latest version
• Don‘t overload Instagram with too many quick actions at once
• Free up storage space if your device lacks memory
• Clear Instagram‘s cache about once a month
• Turn off battery/memory optimizer apps that force close Instagram

Proactively following these best practices helps avoid conditions that tend to surface app issues.

Is Instagram Down?

Before spending too much time troubleshooting, check if an Instagram outage is preventing access for everyone.

Visit Downdetector‘s Instagram status page to check for spikes in global outage reports around the time issues appeared for you.

Additionally, search Twitter for "Instagram down" filtered to Latest tweets. Widespread complaints of general problems accessing Instagram indicate broader service disruptions. Such outages typically resolve within hours after engineers implement fixes.

Contact Instagram Support

If the crash persists after trying all troubleshooting methods, reach out directly to the Instagram support team:

• Open Instagram and visit Settings > Help > Contact > Something‘s Broken
• Explain you keep getting the “Instagram closed because this app has a bug” crash
• Provide details on troubleshooting attempted and where still experiencing issues

Direct contact with Instagram support can help escalate resolving pesky crashing problems tied specifically to your account.

The Bottom Line

Debugging Instagram crashes ultimately requires some trial and error given the app‘s vast user base and potential points of failure.

Hopefully the comprehensive troubleshooting guidance provided here gets your Instagram humming again smoothly. As a last resort, hold tight until Instagram deploys an update that rectifies underlying bugs triggering the "Instagram closed because this app has a bug" error plagueing users.