Instagram is one of the most widely used apps in the world, with billions of users, and one of the app’s key features is “Stories,” where people can share anything that’ll stay for 24 hours.
However, many people have come across “this story is unavailable” on Instagram and don’t know the exact reason for that. If you face the same issue, I will share practical ways to solve the problem.
Just stick with me for a few minutes, and you’ll get to everything about how to get rid of this error and why this is even happening to you. Let’s get started.
Why Does The “This Story Is Unavailable” Error Occurs?
If you don’t know what the meaning of “This Story is is Unavailable” and why it is happening to you, then here are a few possible reasons for that:
1. User Deleted The Story:
One of the most common reasons someone’s story is unavailable on Instagram is that it may have been deleted by the user just when you noticed the story on your timeline. The story may appear on your timeline for a few seconds, even after the user deletes it. However, you won’t be able to see it after a few moments.
2. You May Be Blocked:
If a particular user has blocked you from viewing his/ her story on Instagram, you may be unable to see it no matter what you do. You may have seen the story preview on your timeline, and just a few minutes ago, the user may have blocked you from viewing the story, and that’s why you aren’t able to view it.
3. Account May Be Private:
Another reason for getting the “This Story is Unavailable” error could be the private account. Some people don’t like to share the story with everyone, and they want to share only with a specific set of people, and you may not be included in that list.
4. Network Issues:
Without having a strong internet connection, you can’t do anything on the internet, and for the same reason, you are getting the “This Story is Unavailable” error on Instagram. Just check whether you can run any other application without any issues.
If you face similar issues on other apps, it is highly because of the weak internet connection. Try websites like Speedtest.net or Fast.com to check your internet connection speed.
5. Inactive Account:
Many users deactivate their Instagram accounts for a while for personal reasons. If you are trying to look at someone’s Instagram story who has recently deactivated their account, you’ll surely get the “This Story is Unavailable” error. You can’t view their stories unless they reactivate their Instagram account.
6. Instagram Is Down:
Like any other app or website, Instagram goes down for a few minutes and up to a few hours due to server-related issues.
If you continuously get the “This Story is Unavailable” error, chances are Instagram might be currently down, and you’ll have to wait until their team fixes their core issue and it is up again. You can use websites like downdetector.com to check whether Instagram is down or not.
7. Story May Have Expired:
If you are a new user on Instagram, tell me that a story will last only for “24 hours”; after that, the story will vanish completely, and no one can see it. For example, If a user has posted a story at noon, it’ll be shown to others only until 11.59 the next day. You might be trying to view someone’s story at noon the next, so you can’t view it.
How To Fix The “This Story Is Unavailable” Instagram Error?
If you want to know how to see unavailable stories on Instagram, then are a few effective ways for you:
Method #1. Check The Basic Things:
The easiest way to clear the “This Story is Unavailable” error and see the stories on Instagram is by checking the basic things such as:
- Refresh the app’s timeline.
- Restart the app.
- Clearing the app cache and data.
The first thing you should do when you get the “This Story is Unavailable” error is, refresh the app feed. Even though auto-refresh on Instagram is pretty good, it doesn’t always work. When you refresh the timeline, the app will load everything properly, and you’ll be able to see the story of anyone without any issues.
If refreshing the app feed didn’t help you watch the story on Instagram, you should restart the app, and you may be able to view the story. Restarting any app will refresh the data and automatically fix some minor bugs, and it’ll be the same for Instagram too.
If this story is unavailable for highlight, it could be related to a temporary bug which can be easily fixed by restarting the app. If both didn’t clear the “This Story is Unavailable” error, you should clear the app’s cache and data.
Here’s how you can do it:
1. Clearing The Cache Of Instagram On Android:
Here’s how you can clear the cache of Instagram on your Android device:
- Launch the “home screen” of your Android device.
- Tap on “Settings.”
- Select “Apps & Notifications.”
- Now, tap “Instagram” and click “Storage”.
- Finally, click “Clear Cache” and then “Clear Data,” you are done.
If you own an iOS device, you can clear the cache and data.
2. Clearing The Cache Of Instagram On iOS:
Follow these steps to clear the cache of Instagram on an iOS device:
- Open the “Settings” app and click on “General.”
- Go to “iPhone Storage” and select “Instagram.”
- Tap on “Delete app,” and that’s it.
Unfortunately, there is no way to clear the cache of any app on iOS devices without deleting them. If you want to clear the Instagram cache, you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall the app. After that, sign in with your account details, and hopefully, you can now view the stories of anyone without getting any errors.
Let’s move on to the next few methods If you can’t solve the problem you are facing now.
Method #2: Update The App:
As you may already know, an outdated app may have a few bugs, whether it is Instagram, WhatsApp, or any other app. Using an outdated app isn’t only user-friendly. Still, it may be vulnerable to getting hacked, so experts recommend updating the app as soon as it gets released.
You might see the “This Story is Unavailable” error because you may not have updated your Instagram for a while, and due to some bugs, you have to face this problem.
To update Instagram, you have to:
- Launch the Play Store on Android or App Store on iOS devices.
- Search for “Instagram” and click on “Update.”
- Wait for a couple of minutes until the process is completed and you are done.
I hope you may have solved the problem of viewing the stories on Instagram by updating the app. If you are still facing the same issue, don’t worry; I have given you a few other ways to overcome this issue.
Method #3: Check From An Alternate Account:
Due to some server-related issue, your specific account may not be able to view the stories of someone, and the best way to find out that is by viewing the stories from another account.
It is no secret that everyone has a secondary Instagram account to chat with their crush secretly or do other private activities. Now, you need to log in with that account on Instagram and see If you can view the stories.
If you don’t have a secondary account on Instagram, don’t worry. You can easily create a new account in just a couple of minutes.
If you can watch the stories of someone on Instagram with a secondary account, then most probably, your primary account is going through some difficulties, and you need to wait for some time to let Instagram fix the issue.
Method #4: Log Out And Log In Again:
If you couldn’t eliminate the “This Story is Unavailable” error with the above method by checking the story from another account, this method might work for you. What you should do right now is, log out from your main account on the app and then log in with your account details again.
This may seem like a basic thing. However, it is pretty effective, and you can solve the issue in just a few minutes without much effort.
Your Instagram account might be currently going through some server-related issues, and doing this simple process may overcome the issue. Don’t complicate the process and follow the above process, and you’ll soon be able to view anyone’s story on Instagram as usual.
Pro Tip: Logging out, restarting the app, and logging in again will give you even better results.
Method #5: Re-install The App:
Another effective way to overcome the “This Story is Unavailable” error on Instagram is, reinstalling the app. Sometimes due to some complicated bugs, an app may not behave as usual, and it might be the same with Instagram.
What you can do now is, uninstall the app from your device, whether it is Android or iOS, and then install it from the respective stores of your device. Now, log in again with your account details, and hopefully, you can now view the stories of someone on Instagram without any errors.
If the problem is still there, you can try another one more method I’m above to show you.
Method #6: Report to Instagram
The last step you can take to fix the “This Story is Unavailable” error on Instagram is, to report it to Instagram. Like any other social media platform, Instagram might be currently having a bug that is causing this error, and the Instagram team may not be aware of the issue. You can tell them about the issue, and they’ll handle it.
You can report this issue on the Instagram app and their website. Try to include as many details so they can understand the issue properly and take the necessary steps to solve your problem.
Frequently Asked Questions:
There is no official way to tell if someone has blocked you from their Instagram. However, you can try unofficial methods such as looking for the profile in stories and someone’s story from an alternate account.
Currently, Instagram doesn’t have a feature that lets you know that you have been blocked from viewing someone’s story, but you can try these two methods to give you some idea about that.
If someone has deactivated their Instagram account, there will be no profile picture, and instead of their user name, you’ll see “Instagram User”.
These two major signs indicate a person has deactivated their Instagram account.
Yes, you can hide your Instagram story from anyone who has blocked you.
Absolutely, Yes. You can hide your posts from anyone on Instagram by removing them as a follower and making your account private. Apart from that, you can also block them so that they don’t see your posts.
Conclusion:
Instagram stories are pretty cool. You can share your special moments with your friends on social media or see what your friends are up to today. But it is pretty annoying when you get the “This Story is Unavailable” error while watching some of your friend’s stories. Hopefully, you may have overcome this issue with the help of this detailed post I have written for you.
If you have any other questions on Instagram stories, let me know in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you very soon. Thanks.
Since 2014 I have been writing about tech and helping others to fix tech issues related to Android, Windows, iOS, Chromebook, and more.
I love to help others to fix any technical issues they might be facing.
