As an influencer marketing professional, I often rely on Instagram Stories to keep up with trending topics, connect with my community and track authentic engagement. So when the app starts glitching, it can severely impact my social media strategy and analytics.
Recently, I, like scores of other users came across the extremely annoying issue of Instagram Stories repeating themselves. I would view a friend‘s story, swipe to the next account and be served the same story again! Thiswent on until I manually scrolled through potentially hundreds of old stories before being able to view the latest one shared.
Understandably, it was immensely frustrating. Through this article, I aim to dig deeper into:
- Reasons why Instagram Stories repeat
- Solutions to fix repeating Instagram Stories
- How to safeguard your Instagram experience against such glitches
Let‘s get straight to it!
Why Are My Instagram Stories Repeating?
As multiple viral tweets and lakhs of exasperated Instagrammers show, the repeating Instagram Stories issue stems from a pesky bug that snuck its way into the app sometime in June 2022.
Essentially, this glitch prevents Instagram from remembering the last Story you viewed from an account. So it always takes you back to the first Story – making you view potentially hundreds of old Stories before reaching new ones.
TechCrunch reported that this appears to largely affect iOS users rather than Android. Various tests reveal the issue persists even if you update the Instagram app or reboot your iPhone.
This suggests a deeper software issue from Instagram’s side. Thankfully, Meta has acknowledged they are aware of the concern.
How Can You Stop Instagram Stories From Repeating?
Since the repeating Story fiasco arose from an Instagram app bug, updating the app itself often helps squash it.
Here are the top troubleshooting tips I recommend:
Update The Instagram App
Open the App Store on your iPhone → Search for Instagram → Tap Update.
The latest version 239.1 specifically addresses bug fixes. Make sure you have this.
Reinstall Instagram
If updating fails, a clean reinstall often irons out glitches.
- Delete Instagram from your iPhone
- Redownload it through the App Store
- Log back into your Instagram account
This essentially forces an app update too during the reinstallation process.
Clear Cache and Data
Wipe out the outdated Instagram cache where the bug could be lingering.
- Go to iPhone Settings → Instagram → Storage & Data
- Tap ‘Clear Cache‘ then ‘Clear Storage‘
Give Instagram a minute to refresh its data based on the latest fixes.
In most cases, either updating, reinstalling the app or clearing its cache and data should stop Instagram Stories repeating. Do try all 3 if one doesn‘t work.
Why Are Instagram Stories Glitching Out?
As Meta engineers have confirmed, the repeating Instagram Stories fiasco comes down to an actual bug in the app code. Bugs arise when system errors crop up unexpectedly in the software workings. If the code isn’t robust enough, these errors can multiply into annoying glitches.
In this case, my guess is bad coding connected to how Instagram indexes and displays Stories stopped the app from advancing beyond an account‘s first Story. So you got stuck viewing the same set of old Stories on loop.
Code bugs can happen frequently with mammoth, complex platforms like Instagram. While Meta usually irons out issues with app updates, some bugs tend slip through quality testing.
How To Safeguard Your Instagram Experience
While bugs are largely inevitable with an app used by billions, you can take precautions to safeguard your Instagram experience:
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Always keep Instagram updated to benefit from the latest bug and security fixes.
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Pay attention to App Store update descriptions – if they mention ‘bug fixes’, install them.
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Periodically clear cache/reinstall Instagram to wipe out any lingering glitches.
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Track @Instagram on Twitter for updates from engineers on known app issues.
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Report persistent bugs and glitches directly to Instagram’s feedback channels.
Following these steps will help you avoid and resolve a chunk of problems you may face while using Instagram. Combining savvy troubleshooting with prompt app updates is key to a smooth Instagram experience.
The repeating Instagram Stories bug reminds us that even mighty social networks can falter with flaws in their code. While the issue has now been patched, I hope my tips here will help you swiftly deal with any glitches that come up on Instagram. Stay smart, stay updated and keep that influencer content flowing!
