Instacart app not working is a common problem that can manifest as the app freezing while in use or even completely crashing and restarting.
This page covers all of the tested and proven solutions for how to fix it when the Instacart app stops working in addition to some tips for how to stop the Instacart app from freezing and crashing in the future.
Note: The following tips on resolving problems with the Instacart app will fix the issues with Android and iPhone versions of the Instacart app.
Why Instacart App Isn’t Working
Instacart app crashing or not opening can be caused by an out-of-date app or operating system, a lack of free space on the phone, or an inability to connect to a Wi-Fi or cellular internet connection.
The Instacart service being down or offline can also cause the Instacart app to freeze, crash, or stop running properly.
How to Fix Instacart App Not Working
There are a number of proven tech tips that can prevent the Instacart app from stopping, freezing, and crashing.
1. Check if Instacart app’s down. The Instacart service could be experiencing a server outage or other technical issues.
2. Check your phone’s Wi-Fi or cellular connection. The quickest way to do this is to open another app that needs an internet connection. If Wi-Fi is slow or down, switch to cellular. If cellular is slow or down, switch to Wi-Fi.
The process of switching between Wi-Fi and Cellular connection depends on your platform: Android, or iPhone.
3. Toggle Airplane Mode on and off. This only takes a few seconds and is an easy way to reset your phone’s Wi-Fi and cellular connections. (Android, iPhone)
4. Restart the Instacart app. Properly closing the Instacart app, not just minimizing it, and then opening it again could fix the problem. (Android, iPhone)
5. Restart your device. Restarting your mobile device will often clear most problems. So take a moment to reboot your Android or reboot your iOS device to see if it resolves problems with Instacart app not working.
6. Check for Instacart app updates. Check for and install any Instacart app updates on your Android device or app updates on your iPhone. If your Instacart app is ever out of date, it can lead to connection errors and other issues that may lead to Instacart not working on your mobile device.
7. Clear the Instacart app cache on your Android device or clear the cache on an iPhone. While caching improves app performance by saving app information in local memory, it can also lead to issues with your device not receiving the latest information from Instacart. Clearing cached data will force your app to retrieve the latest information from Instacart.
8. Check the Instacart app permissions. You need to permit Instacart to access things like your contacts, photos, mic, etc., otherwise, those things won’t work. (Android, iPhone)
9. Uninstall and reinstall the Instacart app. If nothing else has worked to this point, take the time to completely uninstall Instacart from your Android or iPhone. Then reinstall the Instacart app on your device.
10. Free-up space on your phone. A lack of free space can often cause apps to crash or not open. The process of freeing up storage space depends on your platform: Android, or iPhone.
11. Disable your VPN service. A VPN is a great service for protecting your privacy and increasing security. Unfortunately, a VPN can also cause connection errors and lead to Instacart not working. To test if this is the case, disable your VPN on Android device or disable your VPN on iPhone and check if this resolves the issue.
12. Make sure background data is not restricted. If Background data is turned off, Instacart may not be able to connect to the internet while it’s running in the background. To fix this, you need to turn on the background data on Android or turn on the background data on iPhone.
13. Reset your iPhone’s app settings or reset app settings on your Android device. This action does not delete any of your apps or their data. It reverts app-specific settings to their default values. This can include preferences like notification settings, permissions, background app refresh settings, and other app-specific configurations.
14. Reset your phone’s network settings. If the Instacart app is having trouble connecting to the Instacart servers, performing a network settings reset on your Android device or network settings reset on your iPhone could fix it.
15. Update your iPhone or Update your Android device. Downloading and installing the latest iOS or Android operating system can fix a variety of system and app issues.
16. If all else fails, it may be time to report the issue to Instacart. It could be an issue with your account, and Instacart customer support should be able to help you determine if that’s the case.
FAQs
If Instacart notifications aren’t working, ensure you’ve enabled notifications in your iOS or Android device settings. Next, go to your Instacart account and select the notifications you want to receive. Also, ensure your phone isn’t set to Do Not Disturb, and clear the Instacart data cache.
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