11 Fixes for Instagram Voice Messages Not Playing or Sending
Are you having trouble playing or sending voicemessages on Instagram? That could happen due to several reasons, including a lack of relevant app permissions, corrupt cache data, and a buggy app build. Thankfully, there’s no need to switch to an alternative. This guide has a few tips that should get Instagram voice messages working again on your Android or iPhone.
Table of Contents
1. Check the Volume Level and Turn Off Bluetooth
You might have already done this, but it’s worth a double-check. If your phone’s volume is low or muted, it can make it seem like Instagram voice messages are not playing.
Press the Volume Up button on the side of your phone to increase the volume level. Additionally, ensure no Bluetooth audio devices are connected to your phone.
2. Allow Instagram to Use the Microphone
Next, you need to check if Instagram has permission to use your phone’s microphone. Otherwise, the app may fail to record any of your voice messages.
1.Tap and hold theInstagramapp icon and tap theinfoicon from the menu that pops up. Then, go toPermissions.
2.Tap onMicrophoneand selectAllow only while using the appfrom the following menu.
1.Open theSettingsapp on your iPhone.
2.Scroll down to tap onInstagramand enable theMicrophonetoggle.
3. Check Microphone Access From Privacy Settings (Android)
With Android 12 and above, you may control microphone permissions for all apps from the Privacy menu. If you’ve accidentally disabled microphone access on your phone, apps like Instagram won’t be able to use your microphone despite having the necessary permissions. Here’s what you can do to fix it.
1.Open theSettingsapp on your phone and navigate toPrivacy.
2.UnderControls and alerts, enable the switch next toMicrophone access.
4. Enable Mobile Data for Instagram (iPhone)
On an iPhone, you can turn off mobile data access for each app individually. If you have inadvertently disabled mobile data for the Instagram app, you won’t be able to record or play voice messages.
To fix this, open theSettingsapp and scroll down to tap onInstagram. Then, enable the toggle next toMobile Data.
5. Close and Reopen the App
At times, the Instagram app may have issues playing or recording voice messages due to temporary app glitches. In most cases, you’re able to fix such issues by restarting the app on your phone.
To force-close Instagram on Android, long-press on its app icon and tap theinfoicon from the resulting menu. Tap theForce stopoption at the bottom to close the Instagram app.
To close Instagram on your iPhone, swipe upwards from the bottom of the screen (or double-tap the Home Screen button) to bring up the app switcher. Locate theInstagramapp card and swipe upwards on it to close it.
6. Sign Out and Sign In
If restarting the app proves ineffective, you can try signing out of your account and signing back in. This should reconnect your account to the server and resolve any account-specific issues.
1.Open Instagram on your phone and navigate to theprofile tab. Tap thehamburger icon(three horizontal bars) and selectSettings and privacy.
2.Scroll down to tap onLog out [account name].
Reopen the Instagram app,sign into your account, and see if the voice messages are working.
7. Disable Instagram’s Data Saver Feature
Instagram has a data saver feature that can help you reduce the amount of data the app consumes. This feature can sometimes interfere with the app’s functionality. Hence, it’s best to disable it if you’re having trouble playing or sending voice messages on Instagram.
1.Open Instagram on your phone and head over to theprofile tab.
2.Tap on themenu iconin the top right corner and selectSettings and privacyfrom the list.
3.Tap onData usage and media qualityand disable theData Savertoggle.
8. Clear Instagram Cache (Android)
Apps like Instagram tend to collect cache files to improve loading times and overall app performance. However, if the existing cache data has become corrupt, the app may not function properly. You can try clearing Instagram’s cache to see if that helps.
1.Long press on theInstagramapp icon and tap on theinfoicon from the menu that pops open.
2.Go toStorageand tap theClear cacheoption.
9. Check Instagram Server Status
Instagram, like any other service, experiences outages from time to time. If Instagram’s servers are down, you may have difficulty using some of its features.
you may visit a website likeDowndetectorto see if others are facing similar issues. If the servers are down, you have no option but to wait for Instagram to fix the problem.
10. Update the Instagram App
It’s always a good idea to keep apps on your phone updated to their most recent versions. If the Instagram voice messages aren’t playing or sending due to a bug, updating the app should help.
Head over to the Play Store or App Store and update the Instagram app. Once updated, check to see if the issue is still there.
11. Switch to Instagram Lite or Instagram Web
If you’re here, it’s safe to assume that none of the above solutions worked for you. In that case, you can try switching to Instagram Lite. It is a stripped-down version of the Instagram app with all of the essential features, including voice messages.
Instagram Lite is only available for Android. So, if you’re using an iPhone, you may switch to Instagram Web to listen to your voice messages. It’s worth noting that you can only play to your existing voice messages on Instagram Web. Sadly, it does not give you the option to record and send voice messages.
- What is the maximum length of an Instagram voice message?
Instagram voice messages can be up to one minute long. Instagram displays a “Recording time limit reached” message once you reach the limit.
- Do voice messages expire on Instagram?
No, voice messages on Instagram do not expire.
- Can you save or download voice messages on Instagram?
Instagram does not provide a native option to download voice messages. However, there are a fewworkarounds for downloading voice messages from Instagram.
Transform Words Into Emotions
If you don’t want to spend time typing long texts, voice messages are a good alternative. However, it can be annoying when Instagram voice messages do not play or send as usual. Hopefully, the above tips have helped you fix the issue and you can now exchange voice messages on Instagram.
Pankil Shah
Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer back in 2016. He joined TechWiser in March 2021 as a freelance writer to cover buying guides, explainers, and tips & tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web.
