How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away

How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away

 


 

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How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away

 

Even after attempting to locate and clear them, Instagram notifications may persist. There are various reasons why this occurs.

If notifications refuse to vanish, it could be because Instagram has isolated them, making them hard to find in the main section.

Another less common scenario is deactivating your account after receiving a message, which might hide the unread message. Sometimes, there might be a notification without an actual unread message.

Occasionally, you may receive message requests from unknown users that won’t appear in the main section, presenting a simpler issue to address.

Stubborn notifications might also result from receiving a text from someone who deactivates their account immediately after. Initially appearing as a false notification, it will turn into a genuine one once they reactivate their Instagram, allowing you to view and clear the notification.

Now that you understand the causes of these persistent notifications, it’s time to explore the solutions.

Solving the Notification Issue

To eliminate the problematic notifications, you can try the following methods in succession. These solutions are straightforward and do not require specialized technical knowledge, so they shouldn’t be time-consuming.

Disabling Instagram Notifications

To begin, disable notifications for the app. You can do this either within Instagram or using your smartphone’s settings. Let’s start with the Instagram method:

  1. Open Instagram on your mobile device and log in if necessary.
    How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away
  2. Click on your profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
    instagraminstagram
  3. Tap the hamburger icon (three lines) in the top-right corner.
    Turn Off Instagram Notifications 3Turn Off Instagram Notifications 3
  4. Access the Settings menu.
    Turn Off Instagram Notifications 4Turn Off Instagram Notifications 4
  5. Locate the Notifications option.
    1. Turn Off Instagram Notifications 5
      Turn Off Instagram Notifications 5
    2. Toggle Pause All on.
      Turn Off Instagram Notifications 6
      Turn Off Instagram Notifications 6
    3. From then on, all notifications should disappear.

    Try these steps if you wish to turn the notifications off using your phone. Note that not all devices have the same menus, so we’ll show a general guideline that you can consult. The following steps work for iPhones:

    1. On your phone, go to the Settings menu.
    2. Look for Notifications.
      notification3
      notification3
    3. Scroll down and find Instagram.
      notification2
      notification2
    4. Prevent the app from showing notifications.
      notification1

    Within the

      1. tag:Uninstall your device’s Instagram.Reinstall the Instagram App 1Reinstall the Instagram App 1If needed, delete all related data during the uninstallation process.

        Reinstall the Instagram App 2

        Visit the App Store or Play Store.

        Reinstall the Instagram App 3

        Look for Instagram.

        1. Reinstall the Instagram App 4
        2. There is a step to install the app again.
          Reinstall the Instagram App 5
        3. Logging in comes next.
          Reinstall the Instagram App 6 4
        4. Opt to receive updates when prompted.
          Reinstall the Instagram App 7 1

    If you haven’t deleted any Instagram data during uninstallation, a notification may persist, so clear the data when prompted. This issue commonly occurs on certain Android devices, as iOS automatically removes all files upon uninstallation.

    Update Instagram

    Occasionally, simply updating the app can resolve the problem. Outdated versions of Instagram can lead to bugs which are easily fixed on both Android and iOS devices.

    For manual updates on Android phones, follow these steps:

        1. Open the Google Play Store app on your phone.
          Reinstall the Instagram App 3
        2. Reinstall the Instagram App: Follow these steps to reinstall the Instagram app:
          Reinstall the Instagram App 3
        3. Update the Instagram App: Take these steps to update your Instagram app:
          Update the Instagram App 2
        4. Update the Instagram App: To update the Instagram app, proceed with these steps:
          Update the Instagram App 3
        5. Update the Instagram App: Check out these instructions to update your Instagram app:
          Update the Instagram App 4
        6. Manage the Instagram App: Here’s how you can manage your Instagram app:
          Update the Instagram App 5
        7. To view the app details, tap on the app.
          Instructed on the page is to select the three-dots icon. Turn on Enable Auto Update. If the app is out-of-date, it will start updating immediately. Apple users can follow these steps: Navigate to the App Store on your iPhone or iPad. Proceed by selecting your profile icon near the top to check for any pending updates and locate Instagram on the list.

          1. ios instagram update4Tap on Update beside the app if it’s available.
          2. ios instagram update3ios instagram update3If available, tap on Update beside it.

          Hopefully, updating Instagram will clear the notification.

          Clear the Instagram App Cache

          Each app you install on your mobile device will temporarily have some storage allocated to it. These are called caches, and they help improve loading times. However, there are some occasions when caches do more harm than good.

          Therefore, you should try clearing the cache on your device. It may remove the stubborn red dot on your iPhone or a dot in an Android device’s case.

          Android devices make clearing caches easier, as users have been doing this for years.

          1. Clear the Instagram App Cache 1Clear the Instagram App Cache 1Open your phone’s Settings menu.
          2. Clear the Instagram App Cache 2Clear the Instagram App Cache 2Locate the Apps option.
          3. Clear the Instagram App Cache 3Scroll down and locate Instagram.
          • Clear the Instagram App Cache 3
          • When you locate the option to clear the cache, tap on it.
            Clear the Instagram App Cache 5Clear the Instagram App Cache 5

    Be aware that Android builds can vary, resulting in different procedures. For instance, LG or Huawei phones may have slightly different processes compared to a Samsung Galaxy.

    For iOS devices, follow these steps:

        1. Access the Settings app on your iPhone.
          settingssettings
        2. Choose General.
          generalgeneral
        3. Tap on iPhone Storage.
          iphonestorageiphonestorage
        4. Locate the Instagram app.
          instagram
    instagram
  6. Tap on it.
  7. Pick Offload App.
    offloadoffload

Clearing a cache also frees up space on your phone, so we recommend doing so often.

Additional FAQ

Can you delete Instagram notifications?

Yes, you can delete Instagram notifications by turning them off. While they may not immediately remove current ones, you shouldn’t see any of them appear after doing so.

Removing Persistent Errors

If all else fails, you can report the problem to Instagram’s customer support. Thankfully, reinstalling or updating the app tends to help remove these phantom error notifications. Try these fixes out individually before resorting to contacting support.

Which method was the one that worked for you? Do you know of any other tricks when dealing with this bug? Let us know in the comments section below.

How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away

Data is from 2023 and 2024 and forecast data is for 2025 and 2026.

 



* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:

Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.

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Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.

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Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.

Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.

Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.

Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.

Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia (Oceania), Middle East, South America.


How To Fix an Unread Notification in Instagram That Won’t Go Away

Picture of Author: Amanda Jones
Author: Amanda Jones

Amanda Jones specializes in content marketing. She holds a Master's degree in Marketing Management from the University of Florida and a Content Manager Professional Certificate from the University of Miami.

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