Instagram is nearing the end of its first decade of existence, since that time the app has grown enormously. From modest beginnings as an easy way to share images between friends in a marketing and influence hub, the platform now has over a billion users (as of October 2019) and supports a wide variety of media types, from photos to content. audio and video.
You can even launch YouTube-style channels and profiles and stream videos up to ten minutes long using Instagram TV (IGTV).
For the most part, IGTV, launched in 2018, works very well, but what should you do if you encounter a problem with audio not working on Instagram? There is no need to worry - there are a number of simple fixes and tweaks that will almost certainly fix the problem. In this article, I'll show you how to diagnose and fix these basic problems.
HOW CAN I ACTIVATE AUDIO FOR INSTAGRAM?
By default, the sound doesn't automatically play on Instagram. This is indicated by a small speaker icon in the lower right corner. If the audio is muted, the speaker will have an “X”, indicating no sound. Tap the speaker icon and the audio should return. Alternatively, you can unmute the audio by tapping the video itself or by pressing the “volume up” button.
To turn the sound back on, just tap the video or press the volume up key. Mind you, some videos or stories don't have any sound. In this case, you will see the “Video has no sound” indicator at the bottom left.
HOW I TURN ON THE MICROPHONE FOR INSTAGRAM
It's easy for speaker and microphone audio levels to get out of control on your phone. People generally need to recalibrate the volume of the sound their Instagram videos play. If you forgot to turn on the volume on your smartphone, there will be no sound when you tap the video.
Press the volume rocker and increase the sound to your comfort level. There is a volume level indicator in the Instagram app and it appears as soon as you press the volume key. When the line goes completely black, the volume is at maximum.
If you are using a PC, however, a malfunctioning sound card can cause problems. Even just having multiple sound sources (such as a webcam, a mic port on the sound card, and an external physical microphone) may require some configuration and adjustment.
If you are trying to record and / or speak into microphones and your web browser or Instagram app is unresponsive, you may need to launch the sound control panel and adjust the audio. Once this is done, you can test the microphone to verify that it is working properly or use the Troubleshoot command to go through the entire installation and configuration process.
BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES / EARPHONES
Instagram sound may be forwarded to Bluetooth headphones or earbuds even if you are not listening to them. For example, if you use Apple AirPods and turn off “Automatic Ear Detection”, the sound will be transmitted to the earphones, provided they are paired with your iPhone.
A similar problem could exist with wireless speakers. The speaker volume is turned down, you forget to unpair from your smartphone and the sound ends up in the wrong place.
To fix this, go to your smartphone's Bluetooth menu, check for paired speakers / headphones, and tap a device to disconnect it.
GOOD OLD RESTART
If the previous methods have not worked, you may think that something is wrong with your device. But all is not lost: your smartphone has probably detected some software glitches and has accumulated too much data accumulated in its application cache.
To determine this, restart your smartphone to get rid of bugs and junk files that may be preventing the sound from playing.
IOS
For iPhone X and later, press and hold one of the volume keys and the side button at the same time until you see the Power slider. Move the slider to turn off the phone, then press and hold the side button and release it when the Apple logo appears.
On older iPhones (iPhone 8 and earlier), press and hold the Side / Top button to bring up the Power slider. After turning off the smartphone, press the Side / Top button again to turn it back on.
ANDROID
Although the actual verbiage may differ from one Android smartphone to another, the reboot method is pretty much the same. Press and hold the power button for a few seconds until the power options appear, then tap Restart.
How to improve sound quality and increase volume on Android
UPDATE INSTAGRAM
Instagram frequently releases updates and bug fixes that fix various in-app issues. Recently, many users have reported problems with playing music with stories or with playing sound. That's why you need to check if there is an update.
Launch the App Store or Play Store, go to Updates or My Apps & Games, and scroll through the list to find Instagram. Hit the Update button next to the app and the latest version will be installed.
UPDATE IOS / ANDROID
To be fair, iOS / Android software updates are often ignored long enough and the smartphone is bound to fail. As a result, audio doesn't work on Instagram or even the app may crash. Here is a quick guide for software updates on iOS / Android.
IOS
Launch Settings, tap General and select Software Update. Tap "Download and Install" and wait a few minutes for the iPhone to do its magic. You may be asked to confirm that you want to install the software. In this case, tap Install or OK in the pop-up window.
ANDROID
Again, the menus may look slightly different on your Android smartphone, but the principle is the same. Press the gear icon to access Settings, go to the System menu and select "About phone".
If you are using a Samsung Galaxy, you should look for "Software Update" instead of System. On Pixel smartphones, you need to tap Advanced instead of "About phone". Either way, you should easily find your way to the “Download and Install” option.
OTHER CAUSES
Has your smartphone been in contact with water recently? Did you drop it? If the answer is yes, there may be a hardware problem that is preventing the phone from playing audio.
To test what's wrong, try playing audio with other apps, like YouTube, SoundCloud, or Spotify and make sure the volume is at maximum. Hope you will be able to hear the sound from the built-in speakers. If not, you just have to take the phone to a technician.
How to improve the sound of your phone in 5 steps. It's free!
Further Reading:
- How to silence someone on Instagram
- Why does Instagram hide my likes?
- Instagram user not found which means
- How to delete Instagram account
- 4 methods to reactivate someone on Instagram
