8 Ways to Troubleshoot HTTP Error 429 on Instagram

Get back to browsing IG if HTTP Error 429 is rate limiting you

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: January 22, 2025 Fact Checked

Are you getting HTTP Error 429 on Instagram? This error appears when a user has made too many requests to a website's server in a short amount of time. Essentially, this error means that you're temporarily rate limited. Even though this is frustrating, there are a few workarounds to get around this error. Keep reading to learn more.

Ways to Get Around HTTP Error 429 on Instagram

First, try a VPN or another device that's not connected to the same network as you. You can also try checking for a Retry-After header in the network developer tools in your browser. Reinstalling Instagram or your browser is also an option. If nothing else works, however, the only solution is to wait it out.

1

Try a VPN

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Since HTTP Error 429 rate limits you by temporarily blocking your IP, you can get around it by using a VPN. Every VPN works differently, so you may want to investigate to see which will work best for you. Some popular VPNs include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN.

2

Use Another Device

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If you don't want to get a VPN, you can instead get around HTTP Error 429 by using a different device (such as a smartphone) that's connected to a different network than the one you were on previously (such as a cellular network).

3

Check for a Retry-After Header

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Check to see if there's a Retry-After header. When you get HTTP error 429, you can check the network tab in your browser's developer tools to see if there's a Retry-After header.^{[1]
X
Research source} This will let you know when you can try to use the website again.
- Right-click the error page and choose Inspect or Inspect element.^{[2]
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- Click the Network header.
- Refresh the page.
- Click the Status header to sort the network requests.
- Find a request with a status of 429 and click on it.
- Click the Headers tab.
- Look for a header that says "Retry-After." The number it says next to that header is the amount of time in seconds it will take before you can try to use the website again.
  - Note: The webpage may not have a Retry-After header. If this is the case, you'll need to try another method in this article.

4

Restart Your Device

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Try restarting your phone to refresh your caches and data. Corrupted caches and old data can cause apps to not work right on your phone, and a quick restart can fix the issue. Even if you're not sure that a restart will fix the issue, it's a good first step to try.
- On iPhones without a home button, press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears. On iPhones with a home button, press just the side button until the power-off slider appears. Slide the slider, then wait 30 seconds before turning your device back on by pressing the side button for about three seconds.^{[3]
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- While each Android phone may vary depending on model, most can be restarted by holding the power button and selecting Restart.

5

Reinstall Instagram

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Reinstall Instagram to completely refresh the app. If you're having issues with the Instagram app, try reinstalling it.
- On iPhone, go to the home screen. Long press on the Insta app until the contextual menu appears. Select Remove app and then Delete app to remove Insta from your phone.
- On Android, navigate to Settings. Click on Apps and then See all apps. Find IG and tap on it. Then select Uninstall and confirm by hitting OK.
- After uninstalling, go to your phone's app store to reinstall Instagram.

6

Reinstall Your Browser

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Try reinstalling your browser. Some users have found that a 429 error on Instagram was due to a browser installation issue.^{[4]
X
Research source} If you're using the default browser for your computer (Edge or Safari) you won't be able to reinstall them, but you can try updating your computer to see if that fixes the issue.
- Uninstall your current browser. On Windows, right-click the Windows button in the lower-left corner and choose Apps and Features, then uninstall your browser. On Mac, drag the browser icon from the Applications folder into the trash, then empty your trash.
- Once your browser is uninstalled, reinstall it by navigating to the browser's webpage in Edge or Safari.

7

Check Your Household Instagram Usage

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If you share Wi-Fi with multiple people, check in with them to make sure they aren't the reason Instagram is throwing a 429 error. The 429 error is a result of too many requests on the Instagram servers in a short amount of time, which is commonly caused by bots or third-party tools.

8

Wait It Out

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If nothing else works, the only way to fix the issue is to wait it out. You could either try checking back in an hour, or wait until the next day to try again. It's unclear how long Instagram rate limits users who get temporarily IP blocked, however, so you may need to keep trying.