If you’re an avid Instagram user, then you know how important the ability to ‘like’ photos is to the Instagram experience. Unfortunately, there have been many reports of this feature not working properly. In this article, we’ll discuss potential causes and solutions for this issue, so that you can get back to utilizing this critical feature.
1. Overview of Instagram’s Like Function
Instagram’s Like function is a convenient way for users to show their appreciation for content that they find interesting or amusing. It is an important feature of the social network, and it has several unique characteristics that set it apart from other applications.
When someone clicks the Like button on a post, it will indicate to the poster that at least one person enjoyed the content. This can help to boost their confidence, and encourage them to continue creating content in the future. In addition, when someone Likes a post, it is shared with their followers, which can help the poster to reach a wider audience.
The Like function is also an important way of measuring popularity. Every post will have a number that indicates how many people have Liked it, and this can be used to compare the numbers between different posts, and also to gauge the overall popularity of the account.
- LIKE button: A convenient way to show appreciation for content
- Encouragement: Liking a post can encourage the content creator
- Popularity: Likes can show the popularity of a post or account
2. Tracking Potential Causes for a Non-Functioning Like Button
If a website listener has noticed that a Like Button is not functioning correctly on their website or blog, the initial trouble-shooting steps should involve investigation into possible causes. The troubleshooting process should focus on two components:
- The programming code of the “Like Button”
- The configuration settings of the website or blog
To track potential causes, the following steps should be taken:
- Test the “Like Button” on different devices and browsers. A “Like Button” that works on one type of browser such as Chrome may not work on others like Safari. This can help to determine if the cause of “Like Button” malfunction lies with the programming code or the browser.
- Check if the “Like Button” is receiving valid parameters. Facebook instrumentation code of Like buttons is dependant on website parameters such as URL, Meta Tag titles, and other content elements. If the “Like Button” is not receiving correct parameters, it will lead to a malfunction.
- Contact Facebook Developer Support. If the troubleshooting process does not identify the cause of the “Like Button” malfunction, then it is likely that the issue is related to Facebook’s OpenGraph. In this case, contacting the Facebook Developer Support team is the next step.
3. Troubleshooting Instagram for a Malfunctioning Like Feature
If you’re having difficulties with getting the ‘Like’ feature to work properly on Instagram, this section will help you troubleshoot:
1. Check Your Instagram App Version
Ensure that you have the latest version of the Instagram app installed on your device. If not, open the relevant app store (App Store or Google Play) and update Instagram. After updating, reboot your device and check if the like feature works.
2. Check Your Internet Connection
This is especially important if you are on mobile data or are using an unstable Wi-Fi connection. To check your connection, try loading a page in your web browser. If the page doesn’t load, contact your Internet service provider.
3. Log Out and Log Back In
If the two steps above did not help, log out of your account and log back in. To do this, open Instagram, then go to your profile. Click the hamburger menu and select ‘Log Out’. Then, log in again. Check to see if the Like feature is now working.
4. How to Fix an Unresponsive Instagram Like Button
Restart your device: The first quick diagnosis for restoring an unresponsive Instagram like button is to switch your device off and on. This can resolve many small glitches quickly and easily. To do this, simply hold the power button down for a few seconds and select the option on the display to turn off the device. Once the device has powered down, turn it on again and check if the like button is functioning now.
Check your internet connection: If your Instagram like button is still not working, it is important to check that you have stable internet connection. The best way to do this is to click on the globe icon in the bottom right corner of your screen and check that the connection is widespread. If the connection appears to be spotty, you may wish to try connecting to a Wi-Fi network or resetting your modem by turning it off and on.
Reset the App: If refreshing the device or resetting your network has not restored the like button, you may need to reset the app itself. You can do this by exiting the app and then, depending on the device, either (i) forcibly close the app from the recent apps page; (ii) reset the app from the app settings page; or (iii) uninstall and then reinstall the app completely. After resetting the app, re-open the app and check for the functioning of the like button.
5. What to Do if Instagram Like Feature Still Not Working
Have you noticed that the Instagram like feature isn’t working even after following all the above steps? Don’t worry! Here’s what you can do to get the like feature working again:
- Check Your Network Connection: To use Instagram, you need a strong and reliable internet connection. Check if your connection is strong enough to post and comment. If that does not work, try switching between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data.
- Sign Out and Sign In Again: Signing out of your account and signing in again can often fix connection errors. Go to the ‘Settings’ option on your profile and log out of your account. Then, log in to your account after a few minutes.
- Update The Instagram App: Check whether the app needs to be updated. Go to the App Store or the Google Play Store, find Instagram and look for the Update button to update the app.
If all of these solutions do not work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Instagram app. This can also help resolve the problem, as a fresh installation always helps. However, if all these remedies do not do the trick, it is best to contact the Instagram customer service team to sort out the issue.
After having followed these steps, you should now have your Instagram like function working again! Remember that if these steps do not resolve your issue, you can contact Instagram support via email or their help center on the web. Now that you are up and running with the like function, go ahead and start liking photos to your heart’s content!
