In today’s world, social media is one of the most essential parts of many people’s lives. For some, it’s just a form of entertainment; to others, it’s their livelihood.
A common issue that Instagram users may face is their Stories not uploading precisely how they envision. For example, blurry Instagram Stories are one thing that people usually don’t want!
There are a few great ways to troubleshoot this issue. But it’s also essential to understand why it’s happening.
Often, blurry Instagram Stories can be due to a poor internet connection or your network connection timing out. Also, it could be because the dimensions of the photo or video you are trying to upload aren’t compatible with Instagram’s Story template. There are many ways to fix this, including changing your phone’s camera settings or uninstalling and reinstalling the Insta app.
So, keep reading as we dive deeper into how we can fix blurry Instagram Stories!
So, Why Are Your Instagram Stories Blurry?
Let’s look at the most common reasons why your Instagram Stories aren’t showing up as crystal-clear as you want them to be.
Poor Internet Connection
Like all social media apps, Instagram needs reliable internet to work correctly. So, if your network connection isn’t what it should be, it can cause issues when you use the app.
A principal reason your Instagram Stories are blurry could be because you have a poor internet connection. Instagram will automatically lower the quality of the photos you try to upload if your internet connection is lacking. So often, this can lead to blurry Insta Stories!
Your Picture Isn’t Optimized
Sometimes, the photos or Stories we upload to Instagram aren’t of the best quality. To fix this by itself, Instagram will stretch your images so they can fit in the app’s own profile window.
Suppose you’re attempting to make an Instagram Story with a low-quality photo. In that case, Instagram will stretch the image, which may cause it to appear blurry. However, if your photos are optimized or of high enough quality, they won’t show the effects of this “stretching.”
Your Network Connection Timed Out
Did you know that when you upload something on Instagram, it doesn’t all get uploaded at once? Instead, the data from your post is uploaded gradually (but, of course, this happens relatively fast).
If your network connection times out as you’re trying to upload an Instagram Story, it can leave you with blurry results. Making sure you have a solid network connection is the number one way to remedy this issue.
First, check your network status, and if you need to, reset your router and modem!
Your JPEG Files Are Too Compressed
Instagram is a pretty in-depth app that does a lot to work correctly. For example, when you’re uploading a photo or video, Instagram automatically will compress the file before it goes live.
When Instagram compresses the JPEG files you are uploading as an Instagram Story, it can end up sacrificing some of the quality. This will leave you with a blurry post. Unfortunately, you can do nothing to stop Instagram’s automatic compression.
However, one thing you can do is pay attention to your photo’s dimensions. This will affect how your image turns out.
Ensure your pictures are 1080 x 1920px – this is the optimal dimension to prevent Instagram from compressing your image. That’s one way to get a sharp image for your post!
Maybe It’s Because You Added Music
An ongoing problem Instagram has had is that when you add music to your Stories, it can leave you with a blurry photo. So, it might help to upload that picture without Instagram’s stickers or music features!
To help this, you should also ensure that HD uploads are enabled and that your app is updated.
This Is How To Troubleshoot Blurry Instagram Stories
Below, we’ve listed some of the best ways to troubleshoot blurry Instagram Stories. Keep reading!
Send A Test Photo To A Friend
There are many reasons why your Instagram Stories might show up on the blurry side. First of all, it’s a good idea to check if the root of the problem is just your phone!
An easy way to test this is to send a test photo to a friend through Instagram. Find the picture you were planning to upload as a Story, and instead just send it to a friend as a private message.
If your friend sees the picture in bad quality, or if they upload the same photo to their own Story and it’s once again in bad quality, your phone itself is likely causing your photos to turn out blurry.
Update The Instagram App
Another popular reason your Instagram app might not be working just right is if your app is overdue for an update. Often, Instagram will release an update for the app that will end up changing the quality of Instagram Stories.
To update your Instagram app, head to the App Store or Google PlayStore, search for Instagram, and make sure you hit Update if there is one available!
Now, try uploading to your Insta Story again and check the quality once more to see if it’s fixed.
Test A New Photo Or Video
Suppose you’re trying to upload an older photo to your Instagram Story. In that case, it can turn out blurry if this old file has been corrupted.
To see if it’s just an issue with uploading an old photo or video, try taking a new picture and uploading this one to your Story.
If it’s not blurry, your issue was from dealing with an old, corrupted picture file. In that case, those particular more senior photos will probably always upload with lower quality to Instagram.
Use Mobile Data Instead Of WiFi
As we mentioned earlier, sometimes having slow internet or a timed-out network connection could be why you’re having issues with Instagram. A quick trick to fix quality issues as you upload to Instagram would be to use mobile data on your cell phone, not WiFi!
To do this, just turn your WiFi off on your phone and make sure you are using cellular data. Then, repost to your Instagram Story and see if it’s better!
Adjust Your Camera Settings
If the photos you upload to Instagram keep showing up as blurry, it could be because of your phone settings.
If you’re on an Android, check your phone’s camera settings by first opening the default camera app. Next, press the Settings gear icon, and adjust the picture and video size to be the highest quality.
For iPhone, open the Settings app and hit Camera. Adjust the camera quality for the best results and toggle on Smart HDR.
Turn Off “Data” Saver In Your Instagram Settings
There are times when Insta will automatically turn off mobile data usage so that you can only use the app when connected to WiFi. If Data Saver is “On” on Instagram, it could cause your Insta Stories to appear blurry.
To fix this, follow these steps:
- Open Instagram settings
- Hit Account
- Click Data Usage
- Toggle off Use less mobile data
Now, try reposting your Story!
Turn On “High-Quality Upload” On Instagram
Instagram has a feature called High-quality upload that can help your Story post’s quality, especially if you have an issue with them showing up blurry.
Follow these steps below to turn on High-quality uploads and see if your Insta Stories look better!
- Open Instagram settings
- Hit Account
- Click Data Usage
- Toggle on High-quality uploads
Use The Instagram Camera
Usually, if you post a photo or Story to Instagram, you’ve probably already taken the picture using your phone’s camera. But sometimes, taking photos directly through the Instagram camera can help give the quality a boost!
This is because your Instagram Story quality can often become blurry if the post dimensions aren’t what Instagram wants. The size of Instagram Stories should be 1080 x 1920px for the best quality.
To fix this, try taking photos directly through the Instagram app when you want to post something. This will make sure your posts are exactly the correct dimensions that Instagram likes you to upload!
Upload Your Stores In The Preview App
The Preview App is a popular app used to plan out Instagram posts, including Reels and Stories. This can also be used to help ensure your posts will fit Instagram’s desired dimensions.
To use the Preview App;
- Press on the Instagram Story button
- Click“+”
- Upload a new photo or video
- Post the Story now or save it for later!
Keep The Right Aspect Ratio
The main reason why your Instagram Stories are showing up as blurry is that your photos aren’t made in the correct aspect ratio! The ideal aspect ratio for posting on Insta is 9:16, or 1080 x 1920px.
If the dimensions of your photo aren’t the same as this, you can use an app such as Adobe Lightroom (which you can download on the App Store or Google Play Store) to change the aspect ratio.
Don’t Share The Photo Before Uploading It
The quality of your photos or videos may greatly diminish if you share them through social media or messaging apps. Often, apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp compress images sent through them.
Suppose your Insta Stories show up pretty low quality. In that case, it could be because other apps initially compressed the images and ruined the quality. To prevent this, ensure you don’t post pictures or videos on your Instagram that were initially sent through another app.
Uninstall And Reinstall The Instagram App
A great way to troubleshoot any issues you may have had within Instagram is by uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Hold down on the Instagram icon on the Home page of your phone
- Delete it after the settings show up
- Go to the App Store or Google Play Store, search for Instagram, and redownload it!
Reset Your Networking Settings
Often, if your Insta Stories are showing up blurry or low-quality, it’s due to network connectivity issues. A great way to fix this is by resetting the network settings on your phone.
If you have an Android, reset your network settings by following these steps:
- Go to your phone’s Settings application
- Click on General Management or System
- Select Reset or Reset Options
- Hit Reset Network Settings
- After a confirmation message pops up, hit Reset Network Settings again to confirm
- Wait for your phone to restart, then recheck Instagram!
If you have an iPhone (iOS), follow these steps:
- Go to your phone’s Settings application
- Click on General
- Select Reset
- Hit Reset Network Settings
In Conclusion
Apps like Instagram often have issues as you try to use them. For example, it can be more than frustrating when you’re trying to upload an Insta Story and keep getting blurry results.
Taking the time to figure out what is causing the issues and how to fix it can cause a world of difference. That’s why we put together this all-inclusive list, so all the answers you need are right here.
Soon enough, you can get back to updating your followers on what’s going on with high-quality posts!
Marziano is a seasoned tech expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and multiple certifications, including CompTIA A+, Network+, and Cisco’s CCNA, he has a well-rounded and robust understanding of various aspects of technology.