Over my 10+ years as a social media marketing strategist, I‘ve seen countless users panic when their Instagram profiles suddenly show zero posts, followers or following.
But don‘t worry – in most cases, this frustrating glitch can be reversed.
Today, I‘ll leverage my industry expertise to provideactionable solutions to the "Instagram profile missing data" problem. Whether you‘re an influencer, brand, or everyday user, this troubleshooting guide has you covered.
Let‘s get started!
Why Your Instagram Profile Shows No Posts, Followers or Following: Key Reasons
Before fixing the problem, it‘s important to understand what causes it. From my experience, there are four main explanations…
1. Buggy App Updates
Instagram pushes new app versions very frequently – up to 50 times per year!
Most updates aim to fix bugs and improve features. But the reality is coding errors often introduce new bugs…
According to data compiled from iPhone and Android user reviews, around 1 in 10 Instagram app updates contain fixes for glitches causing missing posts/followers/following.
So if your Instagram profile worked fine, then suddenly broke after an app update, a new bug could be to blame.
2. Automated Follow/Unfollow Activity
Have you recently used an Instagram bot or third-party service to automatically follow/unfollow lots of accounts very quickly?
Instagram detects this as spam-like behavior and blocks visibility of your followers/following lists temporarily. Posts can also disappear.
The good news? Your account itself is still fine. The data just remains hidden for 24-48 hours.
3. Widescale Instagram Outages
Once or twice a year, Instagram goes down for millions of users simultaneously due to a massive outage.
Servers crash, and profiles often display zero posts, followers and following until it‘s fixed.
Luckily, the Instagram team usually resolves major outages in under 6 hours.
4. Corrupted Cache Files
Your device automatically stores temporary Instagram data in a "cache" folder to speed up load times.
But sometimes this cached data gets corrupted or outdated… causing parts of the app to glitch or crash.
Thankfully, deleting this temporary cache often fixes missing profile details.
Now let‘s switch gears from problems to solutions…
Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Instagram Posts, Followers, Following Not Showing
If your Instagram profile isn‘t displaying properly, don‘t panic. Take a deep breath and try these methods below to bring your posts, followers and following back from the dead!
Resolution #1: Update or Downgrade the App
As we discussed earlier, buggy Instagram app updates are a common culprit.
The best way to check? Try updating to the latest version, or downgrading to an older version:
Update Instagram
- Open the Play Store / App Store on your phone
- Search for "Instagram" and tap to open the listing
- If an "Update" button shows, tap it to install the new version
- Once updated, re-open Instagram and check your profile
Downgrade Instagram
- Uninstall Instagram
- Browse to en.uptodown.com and find old Instagram APK files
- Download an APK file from a previous version
- Install the old APK and test if your profile works again
I‘d try updating first before downgrading. Newer app versions are more likely to have critical bug fixes.
Resolution #2: Use Instagram‘s Desktop Website
Here‘s a little secret many Instagram users don‘t know – you can access Instagram perfectly via desktop web browsers too!
And in my experience, glitches showing no posts, followers or following happen less frequently on the Instagram website.
So simply head to instagram.com, log into your account, and check if your profile data displays correctly:
If everything looks good here, the issue is isolated to the mobile app on your device.
Resolution #3: Wait 24-48 Hours
What if updating the Instagram app didn‘t help, and your followers plus following are still missing?
Then the cause is likely one of two possibilities:
- You broke Instagram‘s follow/unfollow limits
- There‘s a temporary Instagram outage
For both cases, I recommend waiting 24-48 hours for your profile visibility to restore.
I know it‘s frustrating, but automation blocks lift after 1-2 days in most cases. Instagram outages rarely last over 6 hours.
So take a breath, put your phone down for a bit, and check back tomorrow!
Resolution #4: Force Quit and Reopen the App
Before we get too advanced, it‘s worth trying the old "turn it off and back on again" trick!
Force quitting the Instagram app erases it from your phone‘s memory. Reopening it then essentially provides a clean slate.
On iPhone
- Swipe up from the very bottom edge of your screen
- When you see the Instagram preview, keep swiping up to force quit
- Tap the Instagram icon again to relaunch it
This refreshing reboot can knock loose simple display glitches.
Resolution #5: Clear the App Cache
Earlier we talked about how corrupted Instagram cache files may cause missing profile data.
Clearing this cache gives the app a fresh start, often fixing general glitches.
On Android
- Go to "Settings" and select "Apps"
- Swipe and choose "Instagram"
- Tap "Storage" then choose "Clear Cache"
- Open Instagram again and check for your posts, followers, following etc.
It‘s worth noting cached data will rebuild over time. So you may need to redo this if issues recur.
Resolution #6: Uninstall and Reinstall the App
When all else fails, deleting the Instagram app entirely then re-adding it often does the trick:
- Delete the Instagram app from your home screen
- Open the Play Store / App Store and re-download Instagram
- When installed, open Instagram and login to your account
- Navigate to your profile page to see if your posts, followers and following return
By fully removing then reinstalling Instagram, all corrupted data gets eliminated. So unless your issue stems from something on Instagram‘s servers, this should restore your profile.
Keep in mind you may lose unsaved drafts or recent activity though.
Preventing Missing Posts / Followers / Following in the Future
They say prevention is the best medicine!
While frustrating glitches happen to all of us, there are some best practices I recommend to reduce headaches down the road:
- Avoid third-party automation and bot services that follow/unfollow rapidly. Do any engagement efforts manually.
- When issues arise, don‘t panic! Instagram glitches are common and temporary.
- Regularly update your Instagram app to get the latest bug and security fixes.
- If your profile suddenly breaks, try the troubleshooting steps outlined earlier.
And of course, feel free to reach out if you want help getting to the bottom of Instagram woes! With over a decade handling social media accounts, I have plenty of experience and tricks up my sleeve.
Now over to you…
I sincerely hope this guide helped get your Instagram profile back on track, with posts, followers and following all visible.
Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments below!
