Fix: “Audio unavailable” Issue in Instagram Reels & Stories

If you’re unable to add music to your Instagram Reels and Stories, you’ve come to the right place. Although there are several reasons behind the sound being muted, it’s important to identify the real cause before moving to its solutions. Regional restrictions, Instagram server being down, or unstable internet connections all are responsible for ruining user experience and prevent you from using sounds in Reels.

Learn about the various causes behind this issue in detail and discover some potential fixes by reading this article. So, let’s begin!

Why does Instagram show ‘Audio Unavailable’ in Reels & Stories?

Let’s look at some of the potential causes of this problem to figure out why is audio  unavailable on Instagram reels and stories.

• Copyright Issues. Instagram allows its users to change their account type to personal, creative, or business, each of which offers its own limitations and perks. If your account is set to business type, you will have a limited music library to add to your media before posting.
  Using popular tracks to advertise your product or service is considered copyright infringement which goes against the community guidelines of Instagram. Instagram complies with all copyright laws and agreements with music labels. Hence, this could be why the audio is unavailable on your account.
• Unknown Glitches. Like all digital platforms, Instagram is no exception to getting frequent bugs and glitches that affect user activity. So if you’re wondering why audio is unavailable on Instagram, the temporary glitches could be the culprit.
• Server Down. It’s not necessary that the problem occurs from your end. Instagram servers can go down from time to time, resulting in various strange issues. Ask around your friend circle why audio is unavailable on Instagram. You can also use sites like DownDetector to ensure where the issue truly lies. 
• Unsupported Regions. If the error states that Instagram music isn’t available in your country or region, that means your location does not support this feature at all. However, if you’re getting this error with only certain songs, it is because some audios have specific licensing restrictions that make them unavailable in only specific regions.

How to Fix Audio Unavailable on Instagram

Most reels and stories on Instagram cannot be understood or enjoyed if the audio is not playable. And if you’re a content creator, the need for audio availability further increases as it drives engagement and makes your content available to a wider audience.

Follow these methods in case you’re experiencing the stated issue.

1. Check Your Internet

To get started with the basic checks, you should first ensure that the strength of your internet is enough to play reels and associated tracks. You can use some tips below for the purpose:

1. Use an online tool like fast.com to check your internet speed.

2. Disable and re-enable Airplane mode.

3. Switch your network type from Wi-Fi to Mobile Data or vice versa.

2. Wait It Out & Update the App

If the issue doesn’t lie on your end, your only hope is for Instagram’s official support team to look into the matter. Also, certain errors disappear automatically within 24 hours.

At times, Instagram may release an official fix via a version update. So keep an eye out for a newer version and update your application to fix the problem.

Here’s how to do it on an iOS device:

1. First, launch the App Store on your iOS device.
2. Then, tap on your profile icon.
3. Scroll down to Upcoming Automatic Updates.
4. If a newer Instagram version is available, tap on the Update button.

For an Android, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Play Store app.
2. Then, tap on your profile icon.
3. Select Manage apps & device.

4. From there, go to Updates available.

5. Lastly, tap on the Update button next to Instagram if a newer version is available.

3. Log Out From All Devices

Another possibility is that your account is logged in from multiple devices. Having access to the same account from various places can sometimes become problematic. Therefore, it is recommended to log out from all the other places and check if the issue is resolved. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to go to each device individually for this purpose. With the latest Instagram updates, you can log out of all the places your account is accessed from with a single device. Here’s how:

1. Firstly, launch the Instagram app on your device.
2. Go to the profile tab.
3. Then, tap on the hamburger menu and choose Settings.
4. From there, go to See more in Accounts Center.

5. Next, select Password and security.

6. After that, tap on Where you’re logged in. Tap to view all the devices your account is logged in at.
7. Now, tap on Select devices to log out.
8. Tap on Select all and hit Log out.

4. Switch to Creator Account (if applicable)

As mentioned, business accounts usually face difficulty due to the limited music library due to copyright infringement issues. So if you want to be able to view your metrics but also access the extensive music library without any issue, the safest option is to switch to a creators profile.

Note: If you switch to a personal account instead, the application will restart your metrics.

If you’re an iPhone user, follow these steps:

1. To start, launch the Instagram app.
2. Head over to the profile tab.
3. Then, tap on the hamburger menu and select Settings.
4. From there, tap on Preferences.

5. Scroll to the very bottom and tap on Switch to professional account.

6. Tap on Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.

For an Android, follow these steps:

1. From your profile, tap on the hamburger menu icon and select Settings and privacy.
2. Scroll to the For professionals section and tap on Account type and tools.

3. From there, go to Switch to professional account.

4. Tap on Continue, and provide all details to finish the process.

5. Use the Save Audio Feature

To resolve any glitches within the Instagram music library, try saving the audio from other people’s reels before adding it to your own content. You can then access the sound from the saved tab instead of searching the music library when inserting it into your reel. This also ensures that the audio will be available for your use, especially if you have a business profile.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the Reels explore tab and start scrolling through.
2. Once you like the audio, tap on the track title below the user’s handle.

3. Then, tap on the Save icon at the top-right corner of your screen.

4. To add this audio to your post, go back and tap on the + tab from the bottom and select Reel.
5. Then, tap on the music note icon and choose Saved.

6. Select the preferred audio.

7. Set the track position and hit Done.

6. Use the InShot App

If the Save Audio feature did not work for you, here’s a quick workaround. Screen record the audio you want to use, then go to any third-party video editing app like InShot. There, you can extract the audio from the screen recording and use it for your own content.

Follow the steps below to do it:

1. To begin, screen record the reel featuring the audio track you wish to use.
2. After that, launch the InShot application on your device.
3. Then, upload your media and arrange them to create a reel.
4. Next, select Music.

5. Then, tap on the Add Music icon.

6. From the Featured tab, choose Extract Audio From Video.

7. Edit the track as per your preference.
8. Once done, tap on Save in the upper-right corner to download it on your device.

7. Change Region or Use VPN

A quick way to make Instagram music available to yourself without physically changing your location is to use a VPN. It changes your IP address to make you appear in another location and makes various features become available to you. Simply go to Settings and enable the VPN toggle for this purpose.

You can also change your location from your device settings by following the steps below:

1. Firstly, launch the Settings app and go to General.
2. Then, scroll down and select Language & Region.

3. From there, go to Region.

4. Choose another country where Instagram music is available.

Note that following this method, you might end up facing other problems in your device.

8. Clear App Cache

If you were able to play audio on reels and stories and don’t understand why is audio unavailable on Instagram suddenly, it could be due to storage being full or Instagram cache being corrupted. In both these cases, you should clear cache files to resolve the issue.

Here’s what you must do:

1. Begin by launching the Settings app on your Android.
2. Scroll down to Apps and tap on it.
3. Then, select Manage apps.

4. There, look for the Instagram app and tap on it.
5. Finally, tap on Clear data.

This will clear all the stored data and cache within the application and also log you out of your account. 

9. Reinstall the App

Unfortunately, you can only clear the app cache on an Android device. For iPhone users, it is required to delete and reinstall the application. Android users should also follow this method if clearing cache data was of no use.

Use the instructions below:

1. Tap and hold the Instagram app until pop-up options appear.
2. Tap on Uninstall or Remove App to uninstall it from your device.

3. Then, go to the Play Store or App Store, depending on the device you own.
4. Search for Instagram and tap on the Get or Install button to reinstall it.

10. Report the Issue

Still unable to understand why is audio unavailable on Instagram? Your last resort in this situation is to contact Instagram yourself. Visit the Help Center from your profile and report the issue. 

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile tab.
2. Then, tap on the hamburger menu icon and select Settings.
3. Scroll down and tap o Help.

4. From there, go to Report a Problem.

5. From the pop-up, select Report problem without shaking.
6. Choose whether or not you’d like to include logs and diagnostics.
7. Finally, describe your issue, add screenshots if needed, and tap on Send to submit the report.