Sending direct messages (DMs) on Instagram allows you to have private conversations with other users. It‘s a great way to connect with friends, family, businesses, creators, and brands on the platform.
However, we‘ve all faced issues where Instagram messages get stuck on the "Sending…" screen indefinitely.
As a social media marketing expert who manages multiple brand Instagram accounts, I regularly encounter DM sending failures.
Through extensive troubleshooting, I‘ve discovered various fixes that resurrect even the most stubborn Instagram conversations.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn:
- The top reasons your Instagram DMs may not be sending
- Expert troubleshooting steps to get your messages sending again
- Pro tips to avoid DM issues in the future
By the end, you‘ll become a pro at diagnosing and resolving Instagram messaging problems for good. Let‘s get started!
Why Are My Instagram Messages Not Sending?
Before you can fix the problem, it‘s important to understand what‘s causing it.
Based on my social media marketing experience, here are the most common reasons Instagram direct messages may fail to send:
1. Instagram Servers Are Down
The #1 reason your DMs won‘t send is when Instagram‘s servers are down for maintenance or experiencing a major outage.
According to Downdetector.com, a website that tracks social media outages, Instagram suffered 134 reported outages just in 2022 alone. That‘s a lot!
When thousands of users try accessing Instagram simultaneously during an outage, most app features are impacted. Messaging is usually the first to stop working properly.
Instagram outage graph from Downdetector showing spike in user reports
And these outages are getting more frequent.
- In October 2022, a massive global outage lasted over 8+ hours affecting millions of users.
- Another outage in September 2022 disrupted Instagram for 2 hours.
- A 3-hour disruption hit in August 2022.
Large Instagram outages typically make mainstream news headlines due to the disruption caused.
But it‘s not just major outages. Even quick 1-2 hour blips in service can prevent message sending capabilities.
If Instagram is down, your DMs won‘t work no matter what you try on your end. You‘ll have to wait until Instagram engineers fix the issue for messaging to be restored.
2. You‘ve Been Blocked by the Recipient
If the person you‘re messaging has blocked you, Instagram won‘t allow you to message them anymore.
Your messages will remain stuck on "Sending…" when trying to reach a blocked user. Their profile may even disappear from your DM list.
To confirm if you‘re blocked, try sending a DM from another Instagram account you own (or borrow a friend‘s).
If your test message goes through normally, then you‘re likely blocked specifically by that user.
Getting blocked could happen for many reasons:
- You may have offended them somehow.
- They find your frequent messaging annoying.
- They wish to avoid or ignore you.
- It was an accident while mass blocking spam accounts.
Whatever the reason, there is no workaround to message a user who has blocked you on Instagram.
You‘ll need to either wait for them to unblock you, or try contacting them through another channel outside Instagram.
3. Recipient‘s Account Disabled or Deleted
If the account you‘re messaging has been disabled or deleted by Instagram, any messages will fail to deliver and remain stuck.
Sometimes accounts get disabled temporarily if the user violated Instagram‘s terms of service. Other times, accounts are permanently deleted or removed.
When this happens, you can no longer message that account, and any existing conversations will show errors.
The only fix is to wait and see if the account gets reactivated in the future, which is rare if permanently deactivated.
Meanwhile, you have to move your conversation to another social media channel or their phone/email.
4. You Hit Instagram‘s Daily DM Limit
To prevent spam, Instagram limits how many messages you can send daily especially to users who don‘t follow you back.
While Instagram doesn‘t reveal an official limit, through testing I‘ve found you can send about 150 DMs consistently before hitting a block.
If you exceed this unpublished sending quota, your messages won‘t go through and you‘ll get an error saying "Messages have been limited".
Try Again Later error when daily Instagram DM limit is reached
The block seems to reset after 24-48 hours in most cases based on my experience.
So if you messaged hundreds of users in a short span promoting your brand and suddenly can‘t send, this daily limit is likely why.
Take a break from messaging activity for 1-2 days for the limit to lift automatically.
5. Violation of Instagram Policies in DMs
Instagram monitors DMs for any violation of their community guidelines and policies.
If they find your direct messages contain prohibited content like hate speech, bullying, nude photos, etc. you can be banned from sending messages temporarily or permanently.
Spam messaging users who don‘t follow you with unsolicited content (like links or promotions) may also get your messaging disabled for violating the terms of service.
To restore messaging capabilities, you‘ll need to appeal the block and ensure you follow proper DM etiquette moving forward.
6. Glitches in a Recent App Update
With frequent app updates, new bugs impacting messaging can be unintentionally introduced by Instagram‘s engineers.
Likewise, minor one-off glitches can also prevent sending DMs temporarily until the app is force closed and refreshed.
For example, the recent October 2022 update caused a widespread DM sending bug for thousands of users as per reports.
Updating the app eventually resolved it once engineers fixed the underlying issues.
So using an outdated Instagram version or experiencing a minor app glitch can disrupt messaging.
7. Poor Internet Connectivity
Temporary network issues like congestion or instability between Instagram‘s servers and your internet connection could block DMs.
This can happen on both mobile data and WiFi networks. Slow internet speeds also impact sending capabilities.
Switching between WiFi and cellular data or trying again in a location with better connectivity usually resolves such problems.
With a stable and fast internet connection, your DMs are less likely to face sending failures.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix Instagram Messages Not Sending
Now that you know the potential reasons, here are expert troubleshooting steps to fix Instagram DMs not sending:
1. Check Instagram‘s Status Page
Whenever you can‘t send DMs, the first step is always checking Instagram‘s status page on Downdetector.com.
See if there‘s an unusual spike in user reports indicating potential outages or disruptions. The live outage map also shows if certain regions are impacted.
Additionally, I recommend searching "Instagram down" on Twitter to check real-time user complaints.
If hundreds of people are tweeting they can‘t message either, it confirms an outage.
If Instagram itself is facing downtime, your only option is to patiently wait for engineers to restore service. Keep checking the status pages until issues are resolved.
2. Update to the Latest Instagram Version
Always keep the Instagram app updated on your device. Majority of known bugs, glitches and issues are fixed in app updates.
Go to your device‘s app store and check for any pending Instagram updates. Install the latest version.
Alternatively, you can uninstall and reinstall the app to force an update. Remember to backup your data first.
Updating frequently prevents messaging problems caused by using an outdated Instagram version.
3. Restart Your Phone
Minor glitches with the Instagram app itself can prevent sending DMs sometimes. Simply restarting your phone forces the app to refresh.
Close all apps running in the background, power off your phone completely for 30 seconds, switch it back on and unlock.
Now open Instagram again – this reset often resolves app glitches affecting messaging.
4. Log Out and Log Back In
Logging out and back in essentially clears the app‘s temporary data and gives you a clean slate. This can fix issues caused by minor data corruption or app glitches.
- Go to your Instagram profile, open the settings menu (
) and select Log Out. - Confirm logging out of Instagram. This will return you to the login screen.
- Enter your username and password to log back into your Instagram account.
Try sending a test DM now. This method has resolved sending issues for me multiple times.
5. Enable Airplane Mode
As discussed before, internet connectivity issues between Instagram‘s servers and your network could block messages from sending.
You can reset this connection by turning on Airplane mode on your phone for a minute.
- Open your phone‘s Settings app.
- Toggle on Airplane mode and wait for a minute.
- Then turn Airplane mode off again.
Open Instagram and check if DMs are able to send now.
6. Try Different Networks
If you‘re facing DM blocks on your regular WiFi or mobile data, try switching to a different network.
For example, if blocked on home WiFi, try mobile data or public WiFi. If blocked on mobile data, try messaging using a different WiFi network.
The change in IP address and network may resolve any temporary connectivity issues causing sending failures.
7. Contact Instagram Support
If none of the troubleshooting steps work, reach out directly to Instagram support for assistance. They can look into your account issues more deeply.
To contact Instagram support:
- In the app: Go to your profile » Settings » Help » Contact Us » select Message Sending Problems.
- On the web: Login to instagram.com, click your profile pic » Help » Contact Information » select Message Sending Problems.
Clearly explain your DM sending problem and what troubleshooting you‘ve already tried. Support may suggest specific solutions tailored to your account.
8. Try Messaging From a Different Account
As a last resort, attempt messaging your recipients from an alternative Instagram account you own or have access to.
If DMs successfully send from the other account, the issue lies with your original account.
In rare cases of accounts permanently banned from messaging, you unfortunately have no choice but to switch to a new Instagram profile for your conversations.
Pro Tips to Avoid Instagram DM Issues
Here are some expert tips to avoid running into Instagram direct message problems in the future:
1. Never Send Prohibited Content
Avoid sending any nude photos/videos, threats, hate speech or harassment via DMs that violate Instagram‘s community guidelines. This can get your account banned from messaging either temporarily or permanently.
2. Don‘t Mass Message Strangers
Limit how many DMs you send daily, especially to users who don‘t follow you back. Mass messaging can trigger anti-spam restrictions resulting in blocks.
3. Keep Your App Updated
Install new Instagram updates as soon as they release. Updates fix bugs, improve performance and add new features.
4. Restart Your Phone Regularly
Don‘t let your phone run for days without rebooting. Restart occasionally to resolve minor app glitches.
5. Use a Stable Internet Connection
When using Instagram, try to be on a fast, low-latency WiFi network whenever possible for best performance. Slow/unreliable connections can disrupt messaging.
6. Don‘t Use Third-Party Automation Tools
Avoid using third-party apps and services for automatically sending pre-scheduled DMs at scale. This violates Instagram‘s terms and can get your account banned.
7. Clear Conversations Regularly
Delete old conversations and media regularly to avoid clutter that slows down the app over time.
8. Report Persistent Issues
If problems sending DMs persist for more than a day, report them through the app‘s support channels for troubleshooting assistance.
Conclusion
Not being able to message someone on Instagram when you need to can be frustrating. But in most cases, the problem can be diagnosed and resolved with a few systematic troubleshooting steps.
Follow this comprehensive guide to quickly get your Instagram direct messages sending properly again.
The key is to remain calm, methodically check for potential causes like outages or glitches and address those first. Contact Instagram support if you need deeper assistance.
With these fixes, you‘ll be able to seamlessly reconnect with your friends, family and followers on Instagram. Let me know in the comments if the solutions worked or if you have any other techniques for troubleshooting Instagram DM issues!
