TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms, allowing users to create and share short video clips. One of its handy features is the ability to link your TikTok account to other social media profiles like Instagram.
However, some users have reported issues with the Instagram linking feature not working properly on TikTok. Specifically, the Instagram button is not showing up on their TikTok profiles.
Not having access to this feature can limit your ability to cross-promote your content and grow your followers across multiple platforms.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the reasons why the Instagram button may not be appearing as expected and provide over 15 detailed troubleshooting solutions to fix it.
Why Is the Instagram Button Not Showing on TikTok?
There are a few potential reasons why the Instagram button or icon is not visible on your TikTok profile:
Outdated App Version
If you don’t have the latest version of the TikTok or Instagram apps installed, it can prevent syncing between the platforms.
Temporary Glitch
Intermittent bugs and glitches within the apps can sometimes break features.
Cache and Data Issues
Outdated cached data or corrupt files in either app can affect proper functionality.
Account Privacy Settings
If your Instagram account is set to private, it cannot be linked to TikTok, where profiles are public by default.
Linking Problems
Issues with the initial account linking process may fail to create the connection properly.
Bandwidth Restrictions
Limited internet data access can disrupt communications between apps.
As you can see, there are a range of factors that could be preventing the Instagram icon from appearing properly.
The good news is that it’s usually an easy fix. By methodically applying the right troubleshooting techniques, you can get the Instagram button showing once again.
Let’s go through over 15 possible fixes to resolve the problem…
How to Fix TikTok Not Showing Instagram Button
1. Check for App Updates
The first thing to check is whether you’re running the latest versions of the TikTok and Instagram apps:
For TikTok:
- Open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android)
- Search for TikTok
- Check if there is an Update button available for the app
- Tap Update to install the latest version.
For Instagram:
- Open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android)
- Search for Instagram
- Check if there is an Update button available for the app
- Tap Update to install the latest version.
App developers are constantly fixing bugs, adding new features and optimizing performance in app updates. Installing the latest versions ensures maximum compatibility between TikTok and Instagram’s linking features.
Once updated, you can move on to the next troubleshooting steps if the issues persist.
2. Restart Your Mobile Device
Restarting your mobile device is an effective way to clear out minor glitches:
For iPhone:
- Hold down the Side button and either Volume button until you see the power off slider
- Drag the slider to turn off your device
- Wait 30 seconds then hold down the Side button again to turn your iPhone back on
For Android Phone:
- Hold down the Power button for a few seconds until you get the power off prompt
- Tap Power off
- Wait 30 seconds then hold down the Power button again to turn your device back on
A simple restart can refresh your device’s memory, reopen app processes properly and reestablish connections.
Give this a try and open TikTok again to see if the Instagram button shows up.
3. Clear the Cache and Data for TikTok
Outdated cached data and files within the TikTok app can interfere with performance and cause issues like the Instagram button disappearing.
Clearing the TikTok cache and app data forces the app to start fresh which will often fix problems:
For iPhone:
- Open your device Settings.
- Scroll down and tap “General.”
- Tap iPhone Storage
- Select TikTok from the list of apps.
- Tap “Offload App” to clear cached files.
For Android:
- Open your device Settings
- Select Apps or Application Manager
- Choose TikTok from the list.
- Tap Storage then proceed to tap “Clear Cache.”
Give the TikTok app a few minutes to reload its data and then open it to check for the Instagram button again.
4. Unlink and Relink Your Instagram
If the Instagram icon is still missing, try unlinking and relinking your Instagram account in TikTok:
- Open TikTok and go to your Profile
- Tap the three-dot menu button in the upper-right and choose Settings and privacy
- Select Manage account > Linked accounts
- Tap Unlink account next to Instagram
This will disconnect your Instagram profile from TikTok.
- Now tap Link account next to the Instagram listing
- Log into your Instagram account when prompted
- Allow access by tapping Authorize
Relinking the account forces TikTok to reload and resync your Instagram details which often resolves connection issues.
Check your TikTok profile again to see if relinking Instagram made the icon visible.
5. Log Out and Log Back Into TikTok
Logging out and back in can also help reset app issues:
- In TikTok, go to your Profile
- Tap the three-dot menu button in the upper-right
- Choose Log out.
- Close the TikTok app completely
- Relaunch TikTok
- Enter your username and password to log in
Logging in again refreshes your access tokens and reconnects the app to TikTok’s servers.
See if a fresh login makes the Instagram button load correctly on your profile.
6. Reinstall the TikTok App
A more drastic troubleshooting step is to uninstall and reinstall TikTok:
- Delete the TikTok app from your mobile device
- Restart your phone
- Re-download TikTok from the App Store or Play Store
- Log into TikTok again
This forces all cached data and account info to be erased and reloaded. It’s essentially an app reset that will eliminate any corrupt files causing functionality problems.
After reinstalling TikTok and logging in, check for the return of the Instagram connector option.
7. Update Instagram App
It’s also important to ensure your Instagram app is fully updated:
- Open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android)
- Go to the Instagram app page
- Check if there is an Update button
- Tap Update to install any available new version.
As mentioned earlier, staying updated is key for maximum compatibility between apps when you are linking accounts or sharing data across platforms.
So after updating Instagram, try opening TikTok again to see if it solved the missing icon problem.
8. Clear Cache and Data for Instagram
Just like with TikTok, clearing the cache and app data for Instagram can also help resolve errors:
For iPhone:
- Go to your device Settings
- Scroll down and tap General
- Tap iPhone Storage
- Select Instagram from the list of apps
- Tap Offload App to clear cached files
- Then tap Reinstall App to refresh data.
For Android:
- Open your device Settings
- Select Apps or Application Manager
- Choose Instagram from the list
- Tap Storage
- Then tap Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons
Wiping the Instagram app data forces it to reload your account details which may be necessary to sync properly with TikTok again.
Reopen Instagram and TikTok after clearing the cache to check if it fixed the issue.
9. Check If Your Instagram Account Is Private
TikTok requires that any accounts linked on its platform be public profiles.
So if your Instagram account is set to private mode, the TikTok app won’t be able to validate and create the connection.
To check your privacy settings in Instagram:
- Launch the Instagram app
- Go to your profile
- Tap the three-line Menu button in the top-right corner
- Choose Settings
- Select Account
- Check if the Private Account option enabled or disabled
If it’s enabled that means your Instagram feed and posts are restricted and therefore unable to sync with TikTok properly.
To resolve this:
- From that Account screen, tap Private Account
- Toggle the switch off to disable private mode
- Tap Done
Your Instagram profile is now public which fulfills TikTok’s requirement for linking accounts.
Reopen TikTok to see if connecting your public Instagram allows the icon to appear as it should.
10. Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off
Toggle airplane mode on and off reestablishes internet and network connectivity:
- Open your device Settings
- Turn on Airplane mode
- Wait 30 seconds
- Turn Airplane mode off again
This forces your device to reconnect to WiFi and cellular data which can resolve loading issues.
Open TikTok after the reconnect to see if it now displays the Instagram linking option as expected.
11. Log Into TikTok on Other Device
As a last resort, attempt logging into your TikTok account on another device:
- Install TikTok on an alternate phone or tablet
- Login using your TikTok username and password
- Check your profile for presence of the Instagram button
Sometimes loading your account on a different device forces TikTok to resync your data correctly and load all account features fresh.
If the Instagram icon appears when logged in from another device, the issue lies with your original mobile device. You can either continue using TikTok on the alternate device, or try the uninstall and reinstall process covered earlier.
And there you have over 15 troubleshooting fixes to try if the critical Instagram connector button goes missing from your TikTok profile.
Got it, here are those additional troubleshooting fixes incorporated into the post:
12. Change Instagram Password
Changing your Instagram password refreshes your login credentials which can overcome synchronization issues:
- Open the Instagram app
- Go to your Profile
- Tap the three-line menu button in the top-right
- Choose Settings
- Select Security
- Tap Password
- Enter your current password
- Type a new password and confirm
- Tap Change Password to save
The new login info requires re-authentication when accessing Instagram from TikTok which forces a data refresh.
13. Connect Device to Different Wi-Fi
Connecting to a different Wi-Fi network helps determine if the problem lies with your internet connection:
- Go to your device Settings
- Select Wi-Fi
- Connect to an alternate available wireless network
You can try other connections like a friend’s Wi-Fi, public hotspot or even mobile hotspot from your smartphone.
If the Instagram icon appears after connecting to another network, it indicates your usual one is causing conflict.
14. Use Mobile Data Instead of Wi-Fi
Similarly, you can switch to using your mobile data to eliminate internet issues:
- Go to Settings
- Turn off Wi-Fi
- Close TikTok and Instagram completely
- Reopen both apps
Allow them to load over cellular data rather than Wi-Fi to see if that changes anything.
15. Check for Other Linked Accounts
Too many connected platforms on TikTok can potentially overwhelm the linking functionality:
- Open TikTok and go to your profile
- Tap the three-dot menu button and choose Settings
- Select Manage Account > Linked Accounts
- Check for an abundance of connected networks and profiles
Consider unlinking less important ones like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Snapchat if present. Removing a few may allow the Instagram connection to work again.
16. Confirm App Region Settings
Another potential source of login conflicts is when TikTok and Instagram are configured for different countries:
- In TikTok, go to your Profile
- Tap the three line menu button
- Choose Settings > Region
- Take note of the Country setting
- Now open Instagram and check its country setting the same way
- Go to your Profile
- Tap the three line menu
- Select Settings
- Choose Account > Country
If they differ, modify them to match which can improve connectivity across apps.
17. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
If you primarily use TikTok or Instagram through web browsers, try clearing your browser data:
- Close all browser windows
- Reopen your browser
- Access your cookies, cache and site data removal options through Privacy settings
- Delete all history, cookies, cache and site data
This wipes any TikTok or Instagram website data that could be interfering with account connections.
18. Attempt Link Through TikTok Website
As mentioned in the previous tip, you can also try establishing the Instagram linking strictly through TikTok’s website rather than its mobile app:
- On a desktop or laptop, visit TikTok.com
- Log into your TikTok account in the browser
- Go to profile settings and look for Linked Accounts options
- Follow prompts to connect your Instagram profile
Sometimes accessing functionality through the website version avoids mobile app conflicts.
19. Contact TikTok Support
If all else fails, you should directly contact TikTok support for additional assistance regarding the Instagram button not appearing:
- Open TikTok and go to your Profile
- Visit the Support section on your profile under Settings
- Tap Need More Help
- Choose Contact Us and select your issue type as Connecting Other Accounts
- Explain your unable to link Instagram problem
- Include screenshots wherever possible
- Submit the support ticket to TikTok
The support team may be able to provide personalized troubleshooting or escalate the issue for a fix.
20. Contact Instagram Support
Optionally, you can also inform Instagram regarding the connectivity problems from their side:
- Open the Instagram app
- Visit the Settings section
- Scroll down to Support
- Choose Something’s Wrong > Report a Problem
- Select Login issue and explain TikTok linking failure
- Include screenshots showing missing icon
- Submit the report to Instagram
While likely an issue stemming from TikTok, reporting it to Instagram as well ensures app developers are aware from both sides.
21. Wait for Potential TikTok Update
Finally, if the missing Instagram linking icon seems to be a widespread problem impacting many TikTok users, an eventual TikTok app update may permanently address the issue.
- Keep the TikTok app updated to latest version
- Routinely check TikTok’s update notes for fixes
- Test connection after updates
So while you troubleshoot your own workaround for now, TikTok engineers may still deploy a future platform update to resolve occurrences of the disappearing Instagram button once and for all.
