Imagine sharing an inspiring thought on Instagram whenever you feel motivated, or sharing random thoughts with your close friends and followers you follow back. This is what Instagram Notes are all about. It allows you to share your thoughts without sharing them as your Instagram post. Amazing feature right? Unfortunately, many users are still not able to access the Notes feature of Instagram. If you are also one of them, then we are here with a simple guide on how to fix Instagram notes not showing.
Quick Takeaways
- Instagram has introduced a new feature for its users which is Notes.
- Notes on Instagram are some random thoughts that you can share with your followers but it should be up to 60 characters and not more than that.
- Due to many underlying problems, the notes might not appear on your Instagram but there are some effective fixes to resolve this problem.
However, to have a brief understanding to fix Instagram notes not showing, you must read till the end.
What exactly are Instagram Notes?

Instagram notes are nothing but some short notes. These notes can be shared with your followers or with anyone who is your close friend. Instagram notes are usually up to 60 characters and should not succeed this length. it is a newly introduced way from Instagram to let you communicate with your followers.
You can also add your favourite emojis to the Instagram notes. Every note you share on Instagram will last up to 24 hours and will automatically get deleted after this time duration. Either you delete them or replace the notes.
Right above the chat section, you get to see the notes by your followers and friends. Before creating the note, you can set your preference for who can view your note. Either your followers or your close friends can view your profile.
The friends who view your note can also reply to your note by tapping on it. The reply will be sent as a Direct Message in the chat. Instagram has also added a new feature to the notes which is adding songs to your notes. Now you can also add your favourite songs while sharing your thoughts.
How can you create an Instagram Note?
Now, that you know what exactly are Instagram notes, you must also know how to create them. Below are some steps that will help you to create notes on Instagram.
Step 1: Open your Instagram app.
Step 2: On your feed, in the top right corner you will see the Messenger icon. Click on it.
Step 3: Your chats will open. On the top of the chats, you will see your profile picture with a plus sign on it. The profile picture will appear between the search bar and the chats.
Step 4: Right below your profile picture you will see the ‘Your Note’ option. Tap on it and the ‘Share a Thought’ bubble will pop up.
Step 5: Now, create a note up to 60 characters long. Mind that the note should not exceed 60 characters.
Step 6: Now, right at the bottom of the screen you will see the ‘Share With’ option. Tap it and select ‘Followers you follow back’ or ‘Close Friends’.
Step 7: After you create the note and set your preference, click on the ‘Share option in the top right corner of your screen. Tap on it and your note is created.
Reasons Why You Can’t See Instagram Notes.

Instagram notes are a useful and interesting feature. Yet many users are still not able to use it. If you are also one of them then below are some reasons why you cannot see Notes on On Instagram.
- If you cannot see notes on Instagram, then the most basic reason behind it is that you might be using an outdated version of Instagram.
- If for any reason Instagram has blocked your actions, then notes can disappear.
- Caches on your device that are not cleared for a long time can also cause problems with many features on Instagram and Notes can be one of them. Long stored caches may cause errors such as Instagram story unavailable, Instagram photo can’t be posted, Instagram story not uploading and also Instagram stories repeating.
- If you are connected to any VPN connection, chances are that you might face problems locating notes on Instagram.
- Notes can also disappear if you are using Instagram Lite because many features don’t appear in the Instagram Lite version.
- A slow and unstable internet connection can also be a reason for Instagram notes disappearing.
- If you are not enrolled in the Instagram Beta program, then you may miss out on many latest features of Instagram.
- Instagram glitch can also be another reason that you are not able to see Instagram notes.
Instagram Notes Not Showing – Fixed
Below are some fixes for the error Instagram Notes Not Showing:
- Updating Instagram App.
The most effective fix to solve the problem of Instagram notes not showing is to update your Instagram app. If you are using an outdated version of Instagram, then you need to install the latest version of the app. To install the latest version of Instagram, uninstall the current version of the app and follow the below steps.
- Either open the play store or App Store on your device.
- Go to the search bar and search for Instagram.
- Click on the Instagram app appearing on your screen.
- Click on the ‘Install’ option and the latest version of the Instagram app is updated.
- Quit using Instagram Lite
Instagram has designed the ‘Instagram Lite’ to take up less space in your Android device. It was especially for Android devices having budget hardware. Therefore when Instagram introduces new features, it prefers its main app and not the lighter version. Therefore, if you are not able to access the new feature of the Instagram app like ‘Notes’, then you need to use the main version of Instagram.
- Reinstalling the app
Sometimes, reinstalling the app is the only solution if you face some problems while using the app. If you are not able to access the ‘Notes’ feature, then you need to uninstall and reinstall the app. To reinstall the app, follow the below steps.

ANDROID
- Uninstall the Instagram app.
- Go to the Play Store.
- Search Instagram in the search option.
- Then click on the Install option.
- The Instagram app has been reinstalled device.
IOS
- Long press the Instagram app.
- Then click on the Delete App option.
- Go to the Play Store and search Instagram.
- Click on the Install option.
- Instagram has been reinstalled on your device.
- Downgrading the app (Android)
Many users have reported that after they updated the Instagram app, the Notes feature disappeared. This happened with Android users only. The cause has not been known yet. If you are facing the problem of Instagram Notes not being visible to you after updating the app, then you need to downgrade the app.
Step 1: Open the Instagram app.
Step 2: Go to the Apps and then locate the Instagram app.
Step 3:Go to the Instagram app info.
Step 4: Note down Instagram’s current version.
As the Play Store/ App Store will not let you download the older version of Instagram, you would have to download it through some third-party installer app.
- Clearing Caches
Caches stored for a long time would cause problems in the functioning of the app. Therefore if you want your Instagram to work properly, you need to clear caches. If your Instagram Notes are not showing, clearing caches will be a great fix.
To clear caches, try the below steps.
Step 1: Go to the device settings.
Step 2: Open the ‘App’ in the settings.
Step 3: A list of apps will appear on your screen, locate Instagram.
Step 4: Now click on Instagram and tap on the app info option.
Step 5: Now click on the ‘ Storage and Caches’ option.
Step 6: Click on the ‘Clear Caches’ option.
Kudos! Your Instagram Caches have been cleared. Now you can open the app again and try to locate ’Notes’ in the app.
- Stop using VPN
If you are using a VPN connection, chances are that you will not be able to use Instagram notes. Instagram will not allow you to use Notes if you use a VPN connection. Therefore if you want to use Instagram Notes, then disable the VPN and try to locate Instagram Notes.
- Account Authentication Error
Another reason for Instagram notes not showing can be an error in the account authentication. To avoid it, sign out from your Instagram account and try to sign in again. To sign out of your account follow the below steps.
Step 1: Go to your Instagram profile.
Step 2: Now you will be able to see the Hamburger option in the top right corner. Click it.
Step 3: A list will pop up on your screen. Click on the Settings and Privacy option.
Step 4: Scrolling down the screen, you will see the ‘logout’ option. Click on it.
Step 5: Instagram will ask you to confirm if you want to log out or not. Click on the Logout option and you will be logged out.
Step 6: Now again open Instagram and log in with your username and password and you will be logged in.
- Checking Internet connection.

If you are not able to see the Notes option on your Instagram account, chances are you might be connected to an unstable and poor internet connection. To resolve this problem, ensure that you are using stable and high-speed internet. If you are currently connected to your mobile data, then try to connect to a strong Wi-Fi connection. If you are connected to a Wi-Fi connection that is not working properly, try to connect to your mobile data or another Wi-Fi connection. If the problem with notes still persists, then turn on airplane mode on your device. After a while, turn off the airplane mode and try to find Notes on Instagram.
- Instagram Beta
The Instagram beta is a program that allows you to access new features before they are launched for the public. To use Beta, you need to get enrolled in the beta program on the Play Store. To get enrolled in the Beta program, you need to visit the Play Store and join the program. Though it may take some time, you will get notified once the build is available. Once it is available, install it on your device and use new features like Notes.
- Action blocked
If you made multiple actions on Instagram at the same point in time, like liking several posts or commenting on posts multiple times on one go, then chances are Instagram would have blocked certain actions of yours. When Instagram finds someone’s actions suspicious, it blocks their action to protect itself from automation and Internet bots.
After your actions are blocked, you might not be able to comment on or like someone’s post or even follow someone on Instagram. Not being able to access Notes can be another action blocked by Instagram. If your action has been blocked by Instagram, then you can wait until you can perform the blocked actions.
Why should you use Instagram notes?
Instagram has introduced a new feature for its users which is ‘Notes’. As the name says, these are notes that you can share with your close friends and also with the followers you follow back. If we talk about the Notes in detail, we would say that the notes are something that is between Instagram stories and Direct messages on Instagram.
If you share a note with your close friends or followers, they will not get a notification. So, sharing a note is never a problem as no one would get disturbed by Instagram notifications. You can share one note every day without thinking that your followers will unfollow you.
Unlike Instagram stories and posts that require a lot of editing, Notes are quick to post and don’t really need any editing. Therefore, sharing a note is as quick as dropping a direct message to someone on Instagram. Now to sum up, we will say that you must use Notes as it is Instagram’s new way to connect to your close friends and followers.
How to Delete an Instagram Note?
If you don’t want a note to be shared anymore or after sharing a note you changed your mind then don’t worry. The note can be deleted anytime and we will guide you on how to delete a note. Below are some steps to delete Instagram notes.
Step 1:Open your Instagram app.
Step 2: In the top right corner of your Instagram feed, you will see the Messenger option. Click on it.
Step 3: You will be able to see the note you shared. Click on that note.
Step 4: After you click on the note, you will see a menu pop up on your screen. Now Instagram will give you two options that are ‘Leave a new note’ and ‘Delete note’.
Step 5: Click on the ‘Delete Note’ option and your note will be deleted.
How to mute Instagram Notes?
Do your followers share annoying and irrelevant notes on Instagram? Then you can mute their notes. Below are some steps to mute Instagram Notes:

Muting notes from the chat section
Step 1: Open the Instagram app.
Step 2: Go to the Messenger icon in the top right corner of your Instagram feed.
Step 3: Now you will be able to see all the notes from your Instagram friends. Locate the Instagram note you want to mute.
Step 4: Select the Instagram note you want to delete.
Step 5: Tap and hold the note you wish to delete.
Step 6: Click on the mute option and confirm that you want to mute the notes.
Muting notes from Someone’s profile
Step 1: Open the Instagram app.
Step 2: Go to the search option and search for the person’s profile whose note you want to delete.
Step 3:Open the profile and click on the Following option on their profile.
Step 4: A list will appear at the bottom of your screen, locate mute in the list.
Step 5: After clicking the mute option, another list will pop up with three options. Select the Note option and the notes will be muted.
How to unmute Instagram notes?
If you mute someone’s Instagram notes and now you want to unmute their notes, you can follow the below steps.
Step 1: Open your Instagram app.
Step 2: Go to the search bar at the bottom of your feed right next to the home icon.
Step 3: Search for the person whose Instagram notes you want to unmute.
Step 4: Open their profile and click on the Following option on their profile.
Step 5: Now a menu will pop up. In the list click on the mute option.
Step 6: After you click on the mute option, hold the notes option and swipe left, and the notes will be unmuted.
Conclusion
Notes are Instagram’s other way of connecting to your close friends and followers you follow back. If you don’t feel like posting on Instagram, notes are the best way of sharing your thoughts with your friends. As the notes don’t require any editing, you can share them on Instagram and can still save time. However many Instagram users claim that they cannot see notes on Instagram. If you are also facing the same problem then the information above will help you to fix it. Regardless of what the reason may be behind this problem, there are many fixes to resolve the problem. Therefore you can go through the fixes above to find notes on Instagram and know more about Instagram notes. With the above information, you can also learn to delete, mute, and unmute notes.
FAQs
Instagram notes cannot be private as they are to be shared with followers and friends. But the replies to the notes are private. If you get a reply on your Instagram notes, none of your followers will be able to see that. The reply will be delivered as a direct message.
No, your Instagram followers will not be able to see who viewed your Instagram notes.
Notes are another way to connect to your friends and share random thoughts on Instagram. You can share any thoughts and even what you are up to.