Instagram Filters and Effects Not Working? Here’s how to fix

Why are my Instagram filters not working?

Instagram filters fail to work if their required location or rendering modules are not working as expected. Granting these permissions or reinstalling the application will fix the problem as they will refresh all the modules and reinitialize them. 

How to fix Instagram filters not working Issue?

Before proceeding, make sure filters are supported in your location, even if it was working before as Instagram uses facial recognition techniques which now have been barred in different locations (like Texas). If an effect or a filter is not available in your country, it should say ‘This effect is not available in your location’.

1. Clear Instagram’s Cache

Filters on the Instagram app will fail to work if the modules handling the filters are in an error state and need a fresh start to complete the process. Relaunching the Instagram app after force closing it and clearing its cache will fix the problem.

For iPhones, simply swipe up the application from the recent apps and restart the phone. For Android, follow these steps:

1. Exit Instagram > Tap on the Recent Apps button > Close All.

   

2. Launch Settings on your Android phone.
3. Navigate to Application Manager > Instagram > Force Stop.

   

4. Next, go to Storage & Cache > Clear Cache. 

   

5. Launch Instagram again and see if the filters are working correctly. 

2. Restart the Device

Instagram filters won’t work if the essential modules in your phone’s operating system are malfunctioning or there’s an error in its operational memory. This can be fixed by restarting the device. 

1. Press and hold the phone’s power button.
2. Select Restart and wait for the device to reboot.

   

3. For iOS devices, simply power them off, and power them on again.

   

4. Launch Instagram and check if filters are being properly applied. 

3. Update Instagram to the Latest Build

If your Instagram app is outdated, it will fail to retrieve filters from the servers. Here, updating the application to the latest build will solve the problem. There might also be bugs in your current version which are likely to be fixed in the newer one. 

You can use App Store instead of Google Play Store for iOS devices. 

1. Launch Google Play Store and search for Instagram. 
2. Apply any updates that are available and wait for the update process to complete. 

   

3. Once updated, restart your device and launch Instagram. Check if you can use the filters correctly.

If you are a beta user, we recommend opting out of that program as it can contain various unresolved bugs. Another tip is to click on the Plus icon, navigate to filters, and without editing anything, click the back button. Now you can access filters again and see if they are working. 

4. Update the Phone’s OS to its Latest Release

If your phone’s operating system (OS) is outdated, you will experience issues using filters on Instagram. This happens due to compatibility issues between the phone and the application. Here, you can update your phone’s OS to the latest version.

Before updating, be sure to back up your phone, fully charge it, and connect it to a power source. For iOS devices, navigate to General > About > Software update. 

1. Launch your phone Settings. 
2. Navigate to About Device > Software Update > Install update. 

   

3. Once the OS is updated, launch Instagram and check if the filters are working as intended. 

5. Enable the Face and Hand Effects of the Instagram App

Instagram uses Face and Hand Effects to render filters that respond to movements in a scene. This is especially true for augmented reality filters. If this effect is turned off, the application will not be able to process the filters correctly. Here, enabling this feature will solve the problem. 

1. Open Instagram on your device. 
2. Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Scroll down to Data Permissions > Face and Hands effects. 
3. Enable the feature and restart your device. 
4. Now check if filters are being rendered correctly. 

6. Refresh the Location of the Device (For Android)

Instagram has started using your location when using filters to make sure that they are abiding by facial recognition laws in some states. If your location modules are in an error state, IG will not be able to fetch the location correctly and as a result, won’t render the filters. 

Here, simply refreshing your location will do the trick. 

1. Exit Instagram and go to your home screen. 
2. Swipe down or up to open the Quick Settings
3. Tap on Location to disable it and wait for a minute.

   

4. Enable location again and launch Instagram. Check if the filters are working properly. You can also switch to Mobile data to allow precise locations. 

Note: Make sure you are not using any VPN connections as they will interfere with the location-gathering module. 

7. Reinstall the Instagram App

We’ve come across instances where the filter modules are in a glitched state, even if it is updated to the latest version. Here, you can reinstall the application to fetch a fresh copy and reinitialize all modules. For Apple devices, simply press & hold the application until it starts wiggling, and click on Remove. 

Don’t forget to keep your credentials available to able to re-log into Instagram. 

1. Exit Instagram on your device. 
2. Navigate to Settings > Application Manager > Instagram.

   

3. Now click Uninstall and wait for it to complete. 
4. Restart your device and check if the filters are working correctly. 

8. Reset Your Phone to the Factory Defaults

As a last resort, you can move forward with factory resetting your device. It is possible that some modules needed by IG are not installed properly or are stuck. Resetting the device and reinstalling Instagram will do the trick here. 

Before resetting, it is recommended to back up your phone, fully charge its battery, and check Instagram’s social media handles for any service outages.

1. Launch Settings on your Android phone.
2. Navigate to General Management > Reset options > Factory data reset.

   

3. If asked, enter your phone’s password to confirm the reset.
4. After the reset is done, set up the device as a new device. Don’t restore from a backup at this point. 
5. Install Instagram and check if the filters are working properly. 

If that does not work, check if another Instagram account works fine on your phone. If none of the above worked, then you may report (Instagram Settings > Help > Report) the problem to Instagram support.