How to Fix Comments Not Showing on Instagram

Posted a great new Reel or image on Instagram, only to find the conversation is mysteriously silent? When comments don’t show up, it can feel like you're talking into a void. Fortunately, the problem is almost always solvable, ranging from a simple connection issue to a hidden setting within the Instagram app. This guide will walk you through all the common reasons why your comments might be missing and provide clear, step-by-step instructions to get them back where they belong.

Start With the Quick Fixes

Before you dive into the deep end of Instagram's settings, start with the most common culprits. These simple steps solve the problem more often than you'd think and only take a minute or two to run through.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

It sounds obvious, but a shaky Wi-Fi or cellular connection is the number one reason content doesn't load properly on Instagram. If your connection is weak or dropping, the app might fail to fetch new comments, making it look like none exist.

• On Wi-Fi: Try loading another website on your phone’s browser. If it’s slow or fails to load, restart your router.
• On Cellular Data: Check your signal strength. Try toggling Airplane Mode on for 10 seconds, then off again. This forces your phone to find a new, stronger connection to a nearby cell tower.

2. Relaunch the App

Sometimes an app just needs a fresh start. A minor glitch or temporary bug can cause parts of the interface, like the comments section, to freeze or fail to load. Force-quitting and reopening the app is a quick way to clear out these temporary errors.

• On iPhone: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-press the Home button on older models), find the Instagram app preview, and swipe it up and off the screen.
• On Android: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, hold, and then release. Find the Instagram app and swipe it up to close it. (The exact steps can vary slightly depending on your Android version.)

After closing it, tap the Instagram icon on your home screen to launch a fresh session and check your post again.

3. Update Your Instagram App

Running an outdated version of the app can lead to all sorts of compatibility problems. Instagram constantly pushes updates to patch bugs, add features, and improve performance. If you're several versions behind, the app might struggle to communicate properly with Instagram's servers.

• Head to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
• Search for "Instagram."
• If you see a button that says "Update," tap it. If it says "Open," you’re already on the latest version.

4. Restart Your Entire Device

If restarting the app didn't work, a full phone restart is the next logical step. Turning your phone off and on again clears its temporary memory (RAM) and shuts down background processes that could be interfering with apps. It's the classic "have you tried turning it off and on again?" trick for a reason - it works.

Investigate Common Instagram-Specific Issues

If the quick fixes didn't bring your comments back, the issue might be related to an Instagram server outage or a specific setting on your account. Here's how to diagnose and solve the most common Instagram-related culprits.

Is Instagram Experiencing an Outage?

Sometimes, the problem isn't on your end at all. Instagram's servers can experience downtime or technical glitches that affect millions of users. During an outage, features like comments, DMs, or even the main feed might stop working.

How to Check for an Outage:

• Check DownDetector: Websites like DownDetector track user-reported outages for major services. A sudden spike in reports for Instagram is a clear sign that there’s a widespread issue.
• Search on X (formerly Twitter): Pop over to X and search for terms like "#instagramdown" or "Instagram comments." If there's a problem, you'll see a chorus of other users discussing the same issue in real-time.

If Instagram is down, there’s nothing to do but wait it out. These outages are usually resolved within a few hours.

Have You Been Temporarily Blocked?

Instagram has automated systems to prevent spam and bot-like behavior. If you perform too many actions in a short period - like commenting on dozens of posts, following hundreds of accounts, or liking pictures too rapidly - the platform may temporarily block you from taking certain actions, including viewing and posting comments.

This "action block" is usually temporary, lasting anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours. You'll typically see a pop-up message letting you know that you've been blocked. The best course of action is to reduce your activity on the app and wait for the block to expire.

Are Your Comment Filters Too Strong?

Instagram gives creators powerful tools to manage who can comment on their posts and what kind of language is used. It's possible your settings are hiding comments without you realizing it. This is a very common reason for "missing" comments - they exist, but Instagram has automatically filtered them for you.

How to Check Your Comment Filtering Settings:

1. Go to your Instagram profile and tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu.
2. Tap on Settings and Privacy.
3. Scroll down to the "How others can interact with you" section and select Hidden Words.

Here, you'll find a few important toggles:

• Hide Comments: This setting automatically hides comments that Instagram detects as potentially offensive or spam-like. While useful, the filter can sometimes be overzealous and hide legitimate comments. These comments aren't deleted, they're moved to a separate "hidden" section which you can review.
• Advanced Comment Filtering: This is an even more aggressive version of the "Hide Comments" feature. Turning this on will hide even more comments that could be deemed inappropriate. If this is on, respectful but borderline comments might get hidden.
• Custom Words and Phrases: You can create your own list of words, phrases, and emojis you want hidden from your posts. Check this list to make sure you haven't accidentally added a common word that might be causing innocent comments to disappear.

Try turning off "Advanced Comment Filtering" or temporarily disabling "Hide Comments" to see if your missing comments reappear. You can always review hidden comment requests at the top of your comments section on any given post.

Could You Have "Limited Interactions" Turned On?

To combat waves of harassment and unwanted spam, Instagram introduced the "Limits" feature. When enabled, it automatically hides comments and DM requests from people who don't follow you or who started following you very recently.

This is a valuable protective tool, but if you forgot to turn it off after a viral moment, it could be quietly blocking new people from engaging with you.

How to Turn Off Limits:

1. Go to Settings and Privacy >, Limited Interactions.
2. Check to see if the feature is active. If it is, you'll see an option to Turn off. You can also adjust how long you want it to be active for in the future.

Solving Issues on the Instagram Desktop Website

If you primarily use Instagram on a laptop or desktop computer and are facing comment issues, the problem might be your browser.

1. Clear Your Browser's Cache and Cookies

Your browser stores data (cache and cookies) from websites to help them load faster on future visits. Over time, this data can become corrupted and cause display issues, including failing to load new comments. Clearing your cache forces your browser to pull fresh data from Instagram’s servers.

Nearly all browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, have this option in their Settings or History menu under a section like "Clear Browsing Data."

2. Disable Browser Extensions

Browser extensions - especially ad blockers or privacy tools - can sometimes interfere with how JavaScript runs on a webpage. Since dynamic content like Instagram's comment section relies heavily on scripts, an extension could be accidentally blocking them.

An easy way to test this theory is to open Instagram in an Incognito (Chrome) or Private (Firefox/Safari) window. Extensions are usually disabled by default in these modes. If your comments load properly in an Incognito window, one of your extensions is the likely cause. Disable them one by one until you find the culprit.

Final Steps: When Nothing Else Works

If you've worked through every step above and the comments are still nowhere to be found, it’s time for the last-resort options.

• Log Out and Log Back In: Simply signing out of your Instagram account and then signing back in can sometimes resolve authentication token issues that may prevent parts of the app from working correctly.
• Reinstall the Instagram App: Deleting the app from your phone and reinstalling it from the app store is the most drastic troubleshooting step. This clears out all local data related to the app and ensures you have a completely fresh, uncorrupted installation. Just make sure you know your password before you delete it!
• Report the Problem to Instagram: If all else fails, the issue could be a serious bug affecting your specific account. You can report it directly to Instagram. In the app, go to Settings and Privacy >, Help >, Report a Problem. Be as detailed as you can, and include a screenshot of the post where the comments are not showing.

Final Thoughts

Feeling like your engagement has vanished because comments aren't showing up is incredibly frustrating, but most of the time, the fix is straightforward. By working through your connection, app settings, and Instagram's own internal filtering tools, you can usually diagnose and resolve the issue quickly and get the conversation flowing again.

At Postbase, we understand that managing engagement is just as important as scheduling content. Missing a comment feels like a missed opportunity to connect with your community, and it's even more chaotic when you're managing multiple social profiles. That's why we built our unified inbox to bring all your comments and DMs from platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Threads into one clean, manageable view. You can reply, assign conversations, and stay on top of everything without constantly switching between apps, making sure no important interaction slips through the cracks.

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