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Try Again Later is Instagram blocking one action on your account for a while: liking, following, commenting, sending messages or logging in. The pop-up usually continues We restrict certain activity to protect our community or We limit how often you can do certain things on Instagram to protect our community, followed by Tell us if you think we made a mistake.
Instagram's help centre says you may see "Try again later" when it detects inauthentic activity on your account. In practice that means doing one thing too many times too quickly, using an app that automates likes or follows, or someone else using your login. The rest of Instagram normally keeps working.
Is it an Instagram outage instead?
An action block affects only you, and only some actions. If nothing loads at all, or you see Something went wrong on every screen, look at our Instagram status page. When reports are spiking, the problem is at Instagram's end and nothing on your phone will fix it. If the feed itself won't load, see our guide to "Couldn't refresh feed".
Fixes, most likely first
- Stop the blocked action. Don't keep tapping like or follow to test it. Use Instagram normally, or leave it alone, and try that action again the next day.
- Check Account Status. Go to your profile, open the menu and choose Account Status (under "More info and support"). Features you can't use lists any restriction, and Request a review appears there if you can appeal.
- Tap "Tell us" on the pop-up if you think the block is a mistake. It sends feedback to Instagram. It doesn't lift the block on the spot, but it costs nothing.
- Remove third-party apps. In Settings, open Apps and websites and remove anything that promises followers, likes, scheduling or "who unfollowed me". Instagram tells people to revoke access for apps they don't trust.
- Change your password. Instagram recommends this if your account is doing things you didn't do. Changing it logs out every other device, including anyone who shouldn't be there.
- Turn off your VPN and use your normal Wi-Fi or mobile data, so your logins come from one place.
- Update the app, then restart your phone. Instagram stopped supporting some old app versions in 2022.
"Sorry, there was a problem with your request" at login
This one appears on the login screen. It means Instagram refused the sign-in attempt, not necessarily that your password is wrong. It shows up during login outages, after several failed attempts in a row, and when you log in from a new device or through a VPN.
- Wait before retrying. Repeated attempts make it last longer.
- Log in at instagram.com in a browser. If that works, update or reinstall the app.
- Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, with any VPN off.
- Use "Forgot password?" to get a login link by email or text if you're still locked out.
What sets off an action block
Instagram doesn't publish hourly or daily limits for likes, follows or messages, so any exact numbers you see quoted online are guesses. It does publish a few fixed rules, and breaking them produces an error or a block:
- You can follow up to 7,500 accounts in total.
- A single comment can't contain more than 5 @ mentions or more than 30 hashtags.
- You can't post the same comment several times, and that includes repeating the same emoji.
New accounts and accounts that suddenly change behaviour are treated more cautiously. Following and unfollowing in bulk, pasting the same message to many people and using a service that logs in as you are the usual triggers.
Signs it's Instagram, not your account
- Friends on other networks see errors at the same time.
- You were logged out without doing anything, and your correct password is rejected.
- Facebook, Messenger or Threads are misbehaving too. They share login systems with Instagram.
That is what happened on 5 March 2024, when a technical issue at Meta logged people out of Facebook and Instagram and rejected correct passwords until it was fixed. If you're caught in something like that, don't reset your password or reinstall the app. Wait until the service recovers, then log in as normal.
What not to do
- Don't pay anyone to "unblock" your account. Nobody outside Instagram can lift a restriction. People who offer this in comments or messages are after your money or your login.
- Don't create a second account to carry on. Repeating the same behaviour from the same phone gets the new account limited as well.
- Don't give your password to an app that isn't Instagram. An app with your login has full control of your account.
Related fix guides
Questions
How long does "Try Again Later" last on Instagram?
Instagram doesn't publish a length. Most blocks are reported to clear within a day or two if you stop the action that triggered them. If Account Status shows a restriction with an end date, that date is the one to go by.
Why does Instagram say "We restrict certain activity to protect our community"?
Instagram's systems judged that an action looked automated or spammy, for example lots of likes, follows, comments or messages in a short time, or activity from a third-party app. The action is blocked for a while, but your account is not deleted.
Is "Try Again Later" the same as being banned?
No. It is a temporary limit on some actions, and you can still open the app and see your account. A disabled account shows a different message when you log in and has its own appeal process.