Some Instagram users notice a strange behavior after updating their profile. You might change your bio, edit your name, or update your profile picture, and suddenly the Highlights section looks empty. The circles that normally sit below the bio appear to disappear completely.
In most cases the highlights are not actually deleted. They simply stop displaying for a short period of time while the profile refreshes on Instagram’s servers. This can look alarming because highlights are usually persistent and rarely change unless the user manually removes them.
Recognizing the Symptom
The issue usually appears right after modifying profile information. After tapping “Save,” the profile reloads and the highlight covers vanish from the profile page. When opening the story archive, however, the stories that were part of those highlights are still present.
Sometimes the highlights return after refreshing the profile. Other times they remain hidden for several minutes or longer, which makes it seem as if something broke during the profile update.
Why It Happens
Instagram rebuilds several pieces of profile data when account details are edited. This includes cached elements such as highlight covers, story groupings, and profile layout information.
During that short refresh period the app may temporarily fail to request the highlight list from Instagram’s servers. The highlights still exist, but the interface simply doesn’t display them until the profile cache finishes updating.
This behavior is more noticeable on slower networks or when the app is running an outdated cached session.
Refresh the Profile Page
The first thing to try is simply refreshing the profile.
- Leave your profile page.
- Tap another tab such as Home or Reels.
- Return to your profile again.
In many cases the highlights reappear immediately after the profile view reloads.
Close and Reopen Instagram
If the highlights still appear missing, restart the app.
- Close Instagram completely from the app switcher.
- Wait a few seconds.
- Open Instagram again.
- Visit your profile.
This forces the app to request fresh profile data rather than using locally cached information.
Check From Another Device or Account
Sometimes the issue only affects your device’s view of the profile. Ask a friend to check your profile or open Instagram in a browser.
If the highlights appear normally for others, the problem is simply a local display issue rather than missing content.
Wait for Profile Sync to Complete
If the highlights still don’t show up, the profile update may still be syncing. Instagram occasionally delays refreshing highlight metadata after profile edits.
Waiting a few minutes and revisiting the profile usually resolves the issue automatically.
Update the Instagram App
An outdated app version can also cause profile elements to load incorrectly. Updating Instagram ensures the app is compatible with the latest server-side changes.
Install any available update from the App Store or Play Store, then reopen the app and check the profile again.
Recreate the Highlight Cover (Optional Fix)
If one specific highlight refuses to appear, edit that highlight and change the cover image. Saving the edit forces Instagram to rebuild the highlight entry.
This often restores the missing highlight immediately.
If the Issue Appears in Other Apps Too
Temporary UI glitches are not unique to Instagram. Similar refresh or caching issues can happen in other mobile apps when account data changes. For example, some users encounter comparable behavior when editing images in Google Photos, which is explained in more detail here: this related troubleshooting guide.
If Instagram highlights disappeared right after editing your profile, the most likely explanation is simply a temporary profile refresh. Once the app reloads the updated data, the highlights normally return without any further action.