How To Fix The Instagram Stories Glitch So You Can Tap Through Even More Selfies

In a cruel twist of fate, it seems as if Instagram Stories isn't working for everyone at the moment. Some users can't see the row of icons atop their screens — those little circles of profile images that you're to tap through and ogle acai bowls — assess dressing room mirror pics, and parse shaky videos of your acquaintances dancing to the new Britney song at a hazy bar. But have no fear, I'll let you in on how to fix the Instagram Stories glitch so that you don't miss another second of FOMO-inducing video.

Instagram's Help Center offers the following advice if you aren't seeing Instagram Stories yet. Spoiler alert: It's troubleshooting at its most basic. First, make sure to download the newest version of the app in your respective app store if you haven't already. Then, close the app and restart it. To force close, iOS users tap the home button and swipe up on the Instagram app; Android users swipe up on the window icon. You can also try deleting the app from your phone and reinstalling it altogether. The app's website also notes: "Instagram Stories is in the process of rolling out to everyone. If these steps don't work, it may not currently be available in your area." Alas, it appears that the only true fix for the Instagram glitch is patience.

In efforts to expand its new feature, Instagram has added suggested Stories to the Explore tab, recommending new users whose lives you might like to observe (but remember, you can see who's viewed your Story). A third of Instagram's daily active users check in with Explore, resulting in a hefty group of 100 million users. IG's definitely hoping to marry this existing user-base with one that's been less enthusiastic about its Stories. In other IG-expanding news, Windows 10 Mobile users can now see Instagram Stories given the app's most recent update. It took about a month for the feature to launch for Windows, but it should be there—if it's not, redo the steps above.

The frustrations over an inability to watch Stories suggests that users are more keen on the feature than they've been willing to admit. Initially, Instagram Stories seemed like a Snapchat rip-off that left a bad taste in everybody's mouths. But now, the two apps have distinguished themselves: Stories allows an easy tap-through of your friend's day-to-day and Snapchat turns you into a bee and makes your voice all weird.