Why Don't I Have Instagram Notes? Here’s What You Should Check

While everyone was distracted by the relaunch of Twitter Blue, Instagram added a new feature on Dec. 13 that lets you post short status updates with Instagram Notes. With all the memes about Notes being too similar to AIM Away Messages, it’s fair to say the update has stolen the social media spotlight, but if you can’t find the feature in your app, you probably want to know what the hype is all about. If you’ve been wondering why you don’t have Instagram Notes, try these fixes to access the nostalgic new tool that has everyone posting like it’s 2003.

You might want to rethink your New Year’s Resolution to spend less time on your phone now that Instagram Notes have arrived. The feature, which initially launched in June 2022 as a test, allows users to post messages up to 60 characters as a short and sweet way to let your friends know what you’re up to, or just share whatever is on your mind. You can find Notes are in your DMs, where they will only last for 24 hours. The vibes are definitely Facebook status meets AIM Away Message, but if you’re feeling left out of the throwback fun, there are a few things to check.

How To Get Notes On Instagram

If you don’t see the option to add a Note, you may not have the buzz-worthy new feature just yet. If you want to join in on the nostalgic fun, here’s a few thing you can do to get Notes on Instagram.

Check Your DMs:

Before you get too in your feelings with Notes FOMO, make sure you’re looking in right place. Notes can only be posted and seen in your DMs, so if you’ve been checking your feed for the updates, you might already have Notes without even knowing it.

To check, open the Instagram app and tap the arrow icon to navigate to DMs. If you have the feature, you’ll see a + icon above your profile picture and likely see messages written above your followers’ prof pics, too.

Update Your Instagram App:

Notes was released alongside the latest Instagram update on Dec. 13, so if you can’t find the tool in your DMs, it might be a sign your app needs to be updated. To check, open the App Store and either tap your profile icon in the top right corner or type “Instagram” into the search bar. The button next to the app will either say “Open” or “Update.” If it says the latter, tap the Update button and wait for the update to install. Once it’s done, open the Instagram app and navigate to your DMs to make sure it worked.

Make Sure Notes Aren’t Muted:

OK, so you know where to look and you’ve updated your app but you still can’t find Notes. Now what? The last thing you’ll want to do is make sure you haven’t accidentally turned off Notes by muting them. Yup, Notes can be muted, but it’s not as simple as toggling on an option in your Settings.

Kind of like how you can mute Stories from an account you don’t want to see, Notes can only be muted from individual account. You may have accidentally muted Notes from a specific account by pressing and holding their Note and selecting the “Mute notes” option. To check if you muted Notes from a specific account, open their profile and tap the “Following” tab beneath their bio. Then, tap the Mute button and un-toggle the Notes option. It’s kind of a long process — especially if you’ve muted Notes from more than one account — so make sure you’ve tried everything else before giving this option a try.

Instagram Notes are the newest way to share what you’re up to on the app, so make sure you try these fixes before giving up entirely.