Instagram Error Library
A complete reference of Instagram error codes you may see in Publlish, what each error means, and exactly how to fix it. Covers connection errors, publishing failures, and permission issues.
When an Instagram post fails to publish in Publlish, you'll see an error message in your dashboard. This reference covers every common Instagram error you might encounter — what it means and exactly what to do about it.
How to Find Your Error
When a post fails, go to your Queue or Calendar in Publlish. Failed posts are flagged with a red error indicator. Click on the failed post to see the full error message and code.
Connection Errors
"Instagram account is not connected"
What it means: Publlish has lost its connection to your Instagram account. This usually happens because the access token has expired.
Fix: Go to Channels, find your Instagram account, and click Refresh. If refreshing doesn't work, disconnect and reconnect the account. How to refresh a channel →
"Invalid OAuth access token"
What it means: The authorisation token Publlish uses to post to Instagram has become invalid. This can happen when you change your Facebook password, revoke app permissions, or when Meta updates its security settings.
Fix: Disconnect your Instagram from Publlish and reconnect it through the full connection flow. Connecting Instagram to Publlish →
"User does not have sufficient permissions"
What it means: The Facebook account used to connect your Instagram doesn't have full Admin access to the linked Facebook Page.
Fix: Check your role on the Facebook Page linked to your Instagram. You need Admin role (not Editor). Ask the Page owner to upgrade your access, then reconnect Instagram. Connecting Instagram guide →
"Instagram account is not a Business or Creator account"
What it means: You're trying to connect a personal Instagram account, which isn't supported by Instagram's API.
Fix: Switch your Instagram account to Business or Creator in the Instagram app: Settings → Account → Switch to Professional Account. Then reconnect. Step-by-step guide →
"No linked Facebook Page found"
What it means: Your Instagram account isn't linked to a Facebook Page, which Meta requires for API access.
Fix: Link your Instagram to a Facebook Page in the Instagram app: Settings → Account → Linked Accounts → Facebook. Then reconnect in Publlish. Full instructions →
Publishing Errors
"Media type not supported"
What it means: The image or video format you're trying to publish isn't accepted by Instagram.
Fix: Check that your file is in a supported format:
- Images: JPG or PNG
- Videos: MP4 recommended
- GIFs are not supported as animated GIFs on Instagram — they'll be treated as static images
"Aspect ratio out of range"
What it means: Your image or video doesn't fall within Instagram's accepted aspect ratio range (between 4:5 and 1.91:1).
Fix: Crop or resize your media to fit within the accepted range before uploading:
- Square: 1:1
- Portrait: 4:5 (recommended for feed posts)
- Landscape: 1.91:1
Instagram aspect ratio guide →
"Video duration too short" or "Video duration too long"
What it means: Your video doesn't meet Instagram's duration requirements for the post type.
Fix:
- Feed videos: 3 seconds to 60 minutes
- Reels: 3 seconds to 90 seconds
- Stories: 1 second to 60 seconds (per story slide)
Trim your video to fit the required duration for your post type.
"File size too large"
What it means: Your image or video exceeds Instagram's file size limit.
Fix:
- Images: keep under 8MB
- Videos: keep under 1GB (Publlish may apply lower limits)
Compress your file before uploading. For videos, reducing resolution from 4K to 1080p significantly reduces file size without visible quality loss. Video troubleshooting guide →
"Caption too long"
What it means: Your caption exceeds Instagram's 2,200 character limit.
Fix: Shorten your caption to under 2,200 characters. If you're posting the same content to multiple channels and only the Instagram caption is too long, use Publlish's per-channel customisation to shorten it specifically for Instagram.
"Hashtag limit exceeded"
What it means: Your caption or comments contain more than 30 hashtags, which is Instagram's maximum.
Fix: Reduce your hashtags to 30 or fewer. Best practice is 3–10 highly relevant hashtags rather than the maximum.
"Cannot publish to this account"
What it means: Something has changed with the account's permissions or settings since it was connected.
Fix: Disconnect and reconnect the Instagram account, ensuring all permissions are granted during the connection flow. Connecting Instagram →
Stories-Specific Errors
"Story notification not received"
What it means: The push notification to complete Story publishing via notification publishing wasn't received on your device.
Fix:
- Make sure the Publlish mobile app is installed and notifications are enabled
- Check that your phone's notification settings allow Publlish notifications
- If the notification was missed, open the Publlish app manually and look for the pending Story in your notifications tab
Guide to notification publishing →
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Instagram post keep failing? The most common causes are an expired connection token, incorrect media specs (aspect ratio or file format), or a permissions issue. Check the specific error message in your Publlish dashboard for the exact cause. Connecting Instagram →
How do I fix "Invalid OAuth access token" on Instagram? Disconnect your Instagram account from Publlish and reconnect it through the full connection flow. This generates a fresh token. Step-by-step →
Why is my Instagram connection expiring frequently? Instagram tokens have a limited lifespan and expire more frequently if there's no recent activity. Keep your connection active by posting regularly. Best practices for keeping channels connected →
My post failed but I don't see an error code — what do I do? Contact Publlish support with the details of the failed post (channel, time scheduled, content type) and the team will investigate.