When your link in bio is not working, start by finding where it breaks, because each point of failure has a different fix. A link that never shows on your profile, a link that shows but cannot be tapped, and a link that opens an error page usually have three separate causes.
Open your profile in the app and check where the link appears. If the address appears as plain text, the problem is where you typed it. If it is tappable but lands on a 'not found' page or a login screen, the problem is the page or the link service. If it opens but a booking form or checkout misbehaves, look at the app's built-in browser. The table below sorts these by symptom.
Link in bio problems by symptom on Instagram and TikTok
Match what you see on screen to the first column, then work across.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The address shows on your Instagram profile as plain text and cannot be tapped | It was typed into the bio text | Delete it from the bio and add it in the app under Edit profile, then Links |
| A link in a post caption cannot be tapped | Web addresses typed into captions are not clickable | Point people to your profile link or use a story link sticker |
| There is no Website field on your TikTok profile | Fewer than 1,000 followers and not a Verified Business Account | See the options for a missing TikTok link field |
| The link opens an error or 'not found' page | The page is down, the address has a typo, or the link has been switched off in the link service | Open the link in a private browser window to see the error for yourself |
| The link opens but asks people to log in or request access | A private Google Drive or Dropbox file, or a members-only page | Change the sharing settings or link to a public page |
| The page opens inside the app and booking or payment does not work | The app's built-in browser | Test on your own phone, clear TikTok's in-app browser cookies and cache, and suggest visitors open the page in their phone's browser |
| You changed the destination but the old page still opens | The browser cached an earlier 301 redirect | Test in a fresh private window, and use a 302 redirect for new links whose destination will change |
| You cannot add the link, or it has been removed | Platform policy or a restriction on your account | Check Instagram's Account Status and Meta's spam rules |
Why your Instagram bio link is not clickable
An Instagram bio link is not clickable when the address has been typed into the bio text, because Instagram does not turn that text into a link. When we checked Instagram's Help Centre on 19 October 2026, it said you can add up to 5 links to your profile without a subscription, under Edit profile then Links, and only from the app. Our guide on how to add links to your Instagram bio walks through it.
Web addresses typed into post captions are not clickable. The exception is a separate Add link feature. As of 29 October 2026, Meta's Help Centre says eligible public Instagram accounts with a Meta One subscription can add a clickable link to a set number of posts and reels each month, from 4 of each on the Advanced plan to 12 on Max, and that teens can't use it. Typing an address into the caption still doesn't make it a link. For everyone else, 'link in bio' or a story sticker is the route. Instagram announced in 2021 that new accounts, and accounts that repeatedly share hate speech, misinformation or other content that breaks its Community Guidelines, cannot use the Link sticker. That applies to stories, so see our page on Instagram story link stickers if that is where it fails.
If a feature seems to have vanished, check Account Status. According to Instagram's announcement (last updated 14 October 2025, read on 29 October 2026), Instagram can restrict some features when an account appears not to follow its Community Guidelines or Terms of Use, and shows those restrictions there. If you think it is a mistake, follow the review option Instagram offers for that restriction, such as 'Request a Review'. Instagram has described the path as Settings, Account, Account Status, and the menu may look different in your version of the app.
Why your TikTok bio link is missing or not opening properly
If the Website field is missing on TikTok, the likely reason is the follower requirement. When we read TikTok's help page on adding a website link on 29 October 2026, it said you can add one if you have at least 1,000 followers or a Verified Business Account. Our article on what to do when the TikTok link option is missing covers the alternatives.
If the link appears but the page doesn't work properly, remember that TikTok opens it in its in-app browser. The same help page says TikTok uses safety measures that limit how people can browse external link chains in that browser, so a visitor may be asked to open the page in their phone's own browser. If the page works in Safari or Chrome but not inside TikTok, TikTok's guide to clearing the in-app browser's cookies and cache (updated March 2026) says this can resolve site errors and reset sessions. Open any link in TikTok, tap the three-dot or share icon at the bottom, choose 'Clear cookies and cache' and confirm. It will sign you out of most websites. Where you can, link straight to the final page rather than through several redirects in a row, then tap it on your own phone to see what a visitor sees.
Which links Meta's spam rules target
Meta's spam rules target links that mislead people, for example a link that promises one thing and delivers something very different. As of 29 October 2026, the Meta spam policy for Facebook and Instagram (latest dated change log entry 27 June 2024) also lists sites that redirect to a very different domain without the person doing anything, or that switch domains after a captcha or an advert. It covers cloaking, which means showing Meta's review systems different content from what people see, and asking people to like or share before they can reach content. Landing pages that imitate a well-known brand, pop-ups that cause accidental clicks and clickjacking are on the list too.
The policy is about links that deceive people. An ordinary redirect that takes visitors where they expect to go isn't cloaking, but using any particular link service doesn't guarantee a link will pass every platform rule. The policy does not mention link shorteners by name. If a link of yours has been removed and none of this applies, Account Status is where Instagram says it shows restrictions and accepts review requests.
When the problem is the page or the link service
If tapping the link opens an error page, the page or the service behind the link is usually the place to look. Check the page itself is live, that the address has no typo, and that it does not sit behind a login. A Google Drive file that isn't shared with the public may ask visitors to sign in or request access, so check its sharing settings.
Digily Link is our product, so here is exactly when one of our short links or bio pages shows a 404 (not found) page. If the short link redirects and the error appears on the destination site instead, the problem is with that site.
- The link has been switched off in your dashboard.
- Something extra has been added to the end of the address, such as digily.bio/name/extra (static sites are the exception).
- The account that owns the link is not active.
- A click limit or time limit has run out and no fallback address was set. This feature is not available on the free plan, so it does not affect free users.
When you create a short link, we check the destination against a list of blocked domains and against Google Safe Browsing. If either flags it, you will see 'This domain has been blacklisted, you can't use it.' or 'This URL has been blacklisted, you can't use it.' and the link is not created. That check happens at creation, not every time someone opens the link, so it isn't ongoing monitoring and doesn't promise the destination stays safe.
Why the old page opens after you change the destination
A phone that has already opened your link may keep going to the old page because browsers remember 301 redirects. In Digily Link, the full link creation page uses 301 by default, while quick creation and Dynamic QR use 302. For a link whose destination you expect to change, such as a weekly menu for a pub, choose '302 Temporary redirect' under HTTP Status when you create it. Switching an existing link to 302 may not help a phone that has already cached the 301, so test in a fresh private window.
How to test your bio link before you change anything
Test from outside your own account first, because your phone may be logged in or may remember an old version. This is a suggested order rather than a test we ran.
- Look at your profile from another account, such as a friend's or a spare one.
- Copy the link and open it in a private or incognito browser window.
- Compare three things on the same phone. Tap the link from your profile, open the same address in the phone's browser, and if it is a short link, open the final destination address directly. This tells you whether the problem is the app, the redirect or the page itself.
- If the link works outside the app but fails now and then inside it, update the app, restart it and try another connection before you replace a working link.
- Try it on one iPhone and one Android phone, since apps and browsers behave differently from device to device.
- Check your link statistics to see whether opens are being recorded.
Statistics count opens of the link, not people, bookings or sales. If opens show up, visitors are reaching the link, but that doesn't prove the final page loaded. Test the whole journey, including any redirect, form and checkout. Our guide to short links and click counts explains how opens are counted, and at the time of writing the free plan shows 30 days of statistics.
When you have fixed the link, check that your bio link is getting opens with Digily Link statistics.
