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Troubleshooting Common Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Display Issues

18 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Smash balloon social photo feed – easy social feeds plugin

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If your Smash Balloon Instagram Feed isn't displaying correctly, you're not alone. Display problems are among the most common issues users encounter with the plugin. Based on community reports and solutions, here's a comprehensive guide to diagnosing and fixing these visual glitches.

Why Do Display Issues Happen?

Display problems with the Smash Balloon Instagram Feed plugin typically occur due to conflicts with your WordPress theme, other plugins, browser-specific compatibility issues, or incorrect plugin settings. The feed's appearance is heavily dependent on properly loading CSS and JavaScript files, which can be interrupted by various factors on your site.

Common Display Issues and Their Solutions

1. Feed Not Appearing at All

If your feed shows a blank space or doesn't appear:

  • Enable AJAX Loading: Navigate to Instagram Feed > Settings > Advanced and enable the "AJAX theme loading fix" option. This resolves JavaScript loading issues that prevent the feed from displaying.
  • Check Container Width: Ensure the container (sidebar, column, or widget area) has sufficient width. Extremely narrow containers can prevent proper display.
  • Clear Caches: Clear your WordPress cache, browser cache, and any CDN caches that might be serving outdated content.

2. Incorrect Sizing or Layout Problems

If your feed appears too large, too small, or has layout issues:

  • Adjust Column Settings: Go to Instagram Feed > Customize and reduce the "Number of Columns" setting, especially for narrow containers like sidebars. Setting it to 1 column often resolves sizing issues.
  • Container Width Conflicts: The plugin typically fills the width of its container. If it's overflowing, check your theme's CSS for that container element.
  • Mobile vs. Desktop Differences: The plugin has responsive settings that may display differently on various devices. Test on multiple screen sizes.

3. Browser-Specific Display Issues

If your feed looks correct in some browsers but not others:

  • Clear Browser Cache: Chrome, in particular, can aggressively cache CSS files. Clear the cache completely and hard reload (Ctrl+F5).
  • Check for CSS Conflicts: Use browser developer tools to identify CSS rules that might be overriding the plugin's styles, particularly those using !important declarations.
  • Test With Default Theme: Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme to see if the issue persists across browsers.

4. Page Builder Conflicts

If you're using Divi, Elementor, or other page builders and experience issues:

  • Enable Ajax Theme Setting: Navigate to Instagram Feed > Customize and enable "Are you using an Ajax powered theme?" This resolves many compatibility issues with page builders.
  • Check for GDPR Plugin Conflicts: Some users report conflicts with GDPR compliance plugins. Temporarily disable such plugins to test if they're causing the issue.

5. Feed Only Works on Certain Pages

If your feed works on some pages (like homepage) but not others:

  • Plugin Conflicts: Test by temporarily disabling other plugins to identify conflicts.
  • Theme Configuration: Some themes handle widget areas differently on various page templates. Check your theme's documentation for widget area configuration.

Advanced Troubleshooting

If the above solutions don't resolve your issue:

  • Use Health Check Plugin: The WordPress Health Check plugin allows you to troubleshoot by temporarily disabling plugins and themes without affecting your live site visitors.
  • Check System Requirements: Ensure your WordPress, PHP, and plugin versions are all compatible. The Smash Balloon team recommends PHP 7.x or higher.
  • Gather System Info: For persistent issues, gather your system information from Instagram Feed > Settings > Support before seeking help from the community.

Most display issues with the Smash Balloon Instagram Feed can be resolved through methodical troubleshooting of theme conflicts, plugin settings, and browser compatibility. Start with the simplest solutions first, and work your way through these steps until your feed displays correctly.

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