Why are my Scheduled Posts not Posting on Instagram?

Have you ever scheduled an Instagram post and then waited anxiously for it to go live, only to find that it never did? It can be frustrating, especially if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating your post.

In this blog post, I’ll discuss some of the most common reasons why your scheduled posts are not posting on Instagram. I’ll also provide solutions to help you fix the problem.

However, we have seen people who are not able to schedule posts at all. If that is what you are having issues with then go read our guide on Why can’t I schedule posts on Instagram professional account.

Let’s dive right in.

Why are my Scheduled Posts not Posting on Instagram:

Facing issues with your scheduled posts not appearing on Instagram, even when using tools to schedule Instagram posts can be frustrating. To address this, check your content’s compliance with Instagram guidelines and permissions, and ensure your app is up-to-date. Troubleshooting these common issues can help your scheduled posts get back on track.

Reasons and Solutions

1. Reason: Your Account is Inactive or Restricted

Explanation:

If your Instagram account is inactive or restricted, your scheduled posts may not go live. An account can become inactive if there’s no recent activity or engagement. Restrictions can occur due to violations of Instagram’s community guidelines.

Solution:

• Check your account status: Log in to Instagram and see if there are any notifications about your account being disabled or restricted.
• Reactivate your account: If your account is inactive, try logging in and following the prompts to reactivate it. You may need to verify your identity or phone number.
• Appeal a restriction: If your account has been restricted, you can appeal the decision directly through Instagram. You’ll find the option to appeal under the notification about the restriction.

2. Reason: Permissions Not Sufficient for Direct Publishing

Explanation:

Many social media scheduling tools rely on your Instagram account granting them permission to publish posts on your behalf. This is usually done when you first connect your Instagram account to the scheduler. However, sometimes these permissions can get revoked or become outdated.

There are two main scenarios where this might occur:

1. Account permissions changed: The owner or administrator of the Instagram account might have revoked the scheduler’s access at some point.
2. Third-party app reauthorization: Instagram periodically requires users to reauthorize third-party apps like schedulers. You might have missed a notification about this.

Solution:

This fix involves checking your Instagram account settings and potentially reauthorizing the scheduler. Here’s what to do:

• Check Your Instagram Account: Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile settings.
• Go to Security: Look for a section titled “Security” or “Authorization.” This might vary slightly depending on your device and Instagram version.
• Find Authorized Apps: Within the Security section, look for a list of “Authorized Apps” or “Active Integrations.” This will show all the third-party apps currently connected to your Instagram account.
• Locate Your Scheduler: Find the app you use for scheduling your Instagram posts. 
• Check Permissions: See if the app has permission to “post” or “manage posts.” If not, you’ll need to reauthorize it.
• Reauthorize the Scheduler: Tap on the scheduler app and follow the on-screen prompts to grant it the necessary permissions. You might need to log in to your scheduling tool account as well.

3. Reason: You have direct scheduling disabled

Explanation:

This reason is only if you are using a third-party scheduling app that has the direct scheduling feature. Skip this if you are having this problem on Instagram natively as well. Direct scheduling is a feature that allows third-party scheduling tools to publish your posts directly on Instagram without requiring you to manually approve each post. This can save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you are scheduling a large number of posts.

However, direct scheduling is not enabled by default in all third-party scheduling tools. To enable direct scheduling, you will need to go into the settings of your scheduling tool and turn it on.

Moreover, if you’re experiencing difficulties with scheduling on Instagram, check out our guide on troubleshooting scheduling options not showing up on the platform.

Solution:

To enable direct scheduling in your third-party scheduling app, follow these steps:

• Open your scheduling app and go to the settings.
• Look for the direct scheduling option and turn it on.
• You may be prompted to connect your Instagram account to your scheduling app. If so, follow the instructions to do so.

Once you have enabled direct scheduling, your scheduled posts will be published directly to Instagram at the scheduled time.

4. Reason: Your Post Doesn’t Meet Instagram’s Guidelines

There are a few ways your scheduled post might violate Instagram’s guidelines and prevent it from going live. Here are two common culprits:

A. Unsupported File Formats and Aspect Ratios

The Issue:

Instagram only accepts photos and videos in specific formats and aspect ratios. If your image or video doesn’t meet these requirements, it won’t be published.

Supported Formats:

• Photos: JPG, PNG
• Videos: MP4 or MOV

Supported Aspect Ratios:

• Photos: Square (1:1), Landscape (1.91:1 to 4:5), Portrait (4:5 to 9:16)
• Videos: Feed (1:1, 4:5, or 16:9), Reel (9:16)

Solution:

• Check your file format: Before scheduling, ensure your photos are JPG or PNG and your videos are MP4 or MOV. Most editing software allows you to export files in these formats.
• Resize your image/video: Use a photo editing app or software to resize your image or video to a supported aspect ratio. Many editing tools have preset options specifically for Instagram.

B. Content Violates Community Guidelines

The Issue:

Instagram has strict Community Guidelines that outline prohibited content. If your post contains nudity, violence, hate speech, or other violations, it will be flagged and removed.

Solution:

• Avoid posting nudity or sexually suggestive content.
• Do not post threats or violence.
• Refrain from posting hate speech or discrimination.
• Report any content that violates the guidelines.

Instagram wants to create a safe and positive environment for all users. By following these guidelines, you can help to make Instagram a better place for everyone.

5. Reason: You’re posting or scheduling too many posts in a short period of time.

Explanation:

Instagram has a limit on the number of posts that you can publish or schedule in a short period of time. This limit is in place to prevent spam and abuse.

If you exceed the posting or scheduling limit, Instagram will block you from posting or scheduling for a period of time. The length of the block will vary depending on how many times you have exceeded the limit in the past.

Solution:

To avoid being blocked, reduce the number of posts that you are posting or scheduling in a short period of time.

Here are some tips:

• Spread your posts out throughout the day.
• Schedule your posts in advance so that you don’t have to post them all at once.
• Use a third-party scheduling tool to help you schedule your posts in advance.
• If you are required to post a lot of posts in a short period of time, consider breaking them up into multiple posts.

The exact number of posts that you can publish or schedule in a short period of time is not publicly known. However, most experts recommend that you post no more than 10 posts per day and schedule no more than 20 posts per day.

6. Reason: You have a poor internet connection.

Explanation:

Instagram requires a strong internet connection to publish and schedule posts. If you have a poor internet connection, your posts may not be published or scheduled correctly.

Solution:

To ensure that your posts are published and scheduled correctly, connect to a strong internet connection before posting or scheduling.

Here are some tips for connecting to a strong internet connection:

• Use a Wi-Fi connection instead of a cellular data connection.
• Connect to a Wi-Fi network that has a strong signal.
• Move closer to the Wi-Fi router.
• Avoid using Wi-Fi networks in crowded areas.
• If you are using a cellular data connection, make sure that you have a good signal.
• Try restarting your phone or computer.

7. Reason: Instagram App crashes

Explanation:

If your scheduled content disappears or fails to publish, it could be due to Instagram app crashes, server downtime, or technical issues at the scheduled time.

Solution:

• Check Instagram Status: Use websites like DownDetector to see if Instagram is experiencing downtime.
• Check Error Logs: Review logs in your scheduling tool for any errors or issues during the scheduled time.
• Retry Posting: Manually repost the content once Instagram services are restored.
• Keep Backups: Always save a backup of your scheduled content to repost if necessary.

8. Reason: Meta Not Posting to Instagram

Explanation:

Sometimes, issues with Meta Business Suite can prevent scheduled posts from being published on Instagram. These issues can arise from syncing problems, outdated permissions, or bugs within the Meta Business Suite platform.

Solution:

• Update Meta Business Suite: Ensure that the Meta Business Suite app is updated to the latest version.
• Check Permissions: Verify that Meta Business Suite has the necessary permissions to post on your behalf.
• Reauthorize Instagram Account: Disconnect and reconnect your Instagram account within Meta Business Suite to refresh the connection.
• Review Error Logs: Check for any error messages or logs in Meta Business Suite that might indicate the problem.
• Manually Repost: If the issue persists, manually post your content on Instagram.

9. Reason: There’s a bug in your third-party scheduling app.

Explanation:

Third-party scheduling apps are not developed or maintained by Instagram. As a result, they may occasionally contain bugs that can prevent your posts from being published or scheduled correctly.

Solution:

If you suspect that your scheduled posts are not being published because of a bug in your third-party scheduling app, contact the developer of the app for support.

Here are some tips for contacting the developer of your third-party scheduling app:

• Check the app’s website or support center for contact information.
• Search for the app’s developer on social media and send them a message.
• Send the developer an email.

If you are using a third-party scheduling app, it is important to keep it up to date. Developers often release updates that fix bugs and improve performance.

You may also want to consider using a different third-party scheduling app if you are having frequent problems with your current app to schedule Instagram posts.

How to schedule Instagram posts the right way using RecurPost

1. Create an Account With RecurPost

To begin with the scheduling process, you will first have to create an account with RecurPost. For this, you will need to visit RecurPost and complete the sign-up process. You will have to fulfill all requirements and add your name and email address. Once you fill in the details, your account will be ready to get started with scheduling.

2. Add Your Social Media Profiles

Once you create a free account, you will be taken to the RecurPost dashboard. Multiple features and services would appear on the navigation bar for you to skim through. There is also the option of managing your social accounts and content libraries. On the panel towards the left of the screen, there is an option saying “add social accounts”.

3. Connect Your Instagram Profile

Since you want to schedule a post on Instagram in particular, the upcoming step would be to connect your Instagram profile with the RecurPost interface. This window will appear on your screen when you click on the “Add social account” option:

From all the given options, you need to choose the one that falls under the Instagram category. Choose the option saying “Instagram business profile”. Once you click on that, you will be taken to the Facebook login screen since Instagram and Facebook accounts are connected. Enter your username and password there. After this, you need to grant certain permissions to the RecurPost app for operating your account.

You do not have to worry about the privacy of your personal information because RecurPost guarantees the safety of your details. Select the option “Allow” and your account will be ready to auto schedule Instagram posts.

4. Start Creating Posts

Once your account is set up and ready for functioning, you will have the option of adding either one-off posts or repeating posts. One-off posts are the updates that get published only once, and repeating posts are the ones that get published multiple times in the future.

On the RecurPost main dashboard, there is an option saying “share a post” in a box. To create a one-off post, click on it.

Once you do that, a box will open up wherein you can add all the details about your post, including the things to post on Instagram. The main content, which will be in the form of a message or description, needs to be added. It can either be a link or text. There is also the option of adding media like GIFs, images, or videos.

After you design your post and fulfill all requirements, choose the social accounts on which you want to release the content, including those things to post on Instagram. You can even get a preview of how your content will look on the feed by clicking on the ‘Preview’ button in the bottom right corner of the box.

When all these steps are attained, it is time to put your post on a schedule. This can be done by choosing the “schedule” button and then adding the preferred date and time for posting, including things to post on Instagram. All your posts will then get published on Instagram as per the chosen schedules.

How to Check Scheduled Posts on Instagram

Unfortunately, Instagram itself doesn’t offer a way to view scheduled posts within the app.

However, if you use Meta Business Suite to schedule your posts, you can view and manage them there:

Scheduled posts can be viewed and managed through Meta Business Suite. Navigate to the “Scheduled Posts” section to see all your upcoming posts. This feature allows you to review, edit, and manage your content before it goes live.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a few things you can do to troubleshoot scheduled Instagram posts that aren’t posting. First, make sure you have a business or creator account and that direct scheduling is enabled in your third-party scheduling app. Next, check to make sure your post complies with Instagram’s guidelines and that you’re not posting or scheduling too many posts in a short period of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Debbie Moran

Debbie Moran is a Digital marketing strategist with 5+ years of experience producing advertising for brands and helping leaders showcase their brand to the correct audience. She has been a part of RecurPost since 2019 and handles all the activities required to grow our brand’s online presence.