Instagram Down As Users Report App Not Working

In the morning of October 8, Instagram users across India were locked out of the app. Reports started coming up around 11:15, and thousands of complaints about login issues and unresponsive feeds came in. Downdetector recorded that 64% of users had trouble logging into their accounts, and 24% were unable to connect to the app’s servers.

Currently, Instagram or Meta hasn’t said anything when it comes to explaining what caused the problem. People waited for updates, and major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru had been hit the hardest.

In June 2024, the app went down around the world, where thousands of users were locked out their accounts. These interruptions have become more and more frequent.

How Did Users Respond?

As soon as Instagram went offline, users rushed to X (formerly known as Twitter) to vent their frustrations. Screenshots of error messages reading “Something went wrong” flooded the platform as people tried to figure out if the issue was local or nationwide. One user posted, “Wait, is Instagram down? I thought it was just my internet acting up.”

While some users expressed genuine concern, others took the opportunity to joke about the sudden social media blackout. One comment read, “Instagram down 8/10/2024. Life feels so peaceful without it.” Others couldn’t resist making memes, with many joking about how much less stressful life seemed without constant scrolling.

For those working in social media or marketing, the downtime felt less like a joke and more like a disaster. With Instagram being central to content scheduling, brand promotions, and engagement strategies, many professionals were left scrambling to adjust. For them, a moment without Instagram wasn’t a break, but a rush to save business operations that rely on real-time interaction.

The main problem was getting into the app. The majority of users were locked out completely, unable to log in or refresh their feeds. Others found themselves unable to connect to Instagram’s servers, leaving their app frozen in time.

India is one of Instagram’s largest markets, with millions of daily users, so the disruption was felt across a wide spectrum of individuals and businesses. From influencers trying to post time-sensitive content to companies running ad campaigns, the outage was more than an inconvenience—it was a major disruption.

What Does This Mean For Businesses?

Small brands use the platform to market their products, interact with customers, and run promotional campaigns. The downtime left businesses unable to communicate with their audience or process sales.

Some businesses also use on Meta’s subscription service, Meta Verified, which brings the blue tick verification and account protection. During the outage, these paid features were useless, which added to the frustration of business owners who depend on Instagram’s steady functionality.

Businesses and startups who use the app to reach customers stand to miss out on a lot of sales and engagement from even a few hours of downtime. If Instagram’s outages do end up happening more often, business owners may soon be forced to look for alternative platforms or relook their marketing strategies to avoid being caught off guard again.

What Might Happen If These Outages Continue?

If Instagram continues to experience regular outages, it could start losing the trust of its users. With each disruption, more people— especially businesses— might question whether it’s wise to rely so heavily on a platform that isn’t always reliable.

For businesses, these outages serve as a reminder that depending on one platform for marketing, sales, and customer communication is risky. Many may begin exploring other platforms to diversify their reach, reducing the impact of future outages. While Instagram remains one of the most popular social media platforms in India, too many interruptions could eventually push users to find more stable alternatives.