The basic steps to post a story
To add a story on Instagram, open the app and tap your profile picture in the top left corner, or swipe left from your feed. This takes you to the story camera. Take a photo or video by holding the circular button at the bottom, or tap once to snap a still image. After you capture or select content, tap the arrow at the bottom right to move to editing, then tap "Your Story" at the bottom left to post it.
Your story will be visible to your followers for 24 hours unless you save it to your profile as a highlight. Once the 24 hours pass, the story disappears from the main feed but Instagram keeps a copy in your archive, which only you can see.
If you do not want to use the camera, you can also upload a photo or video you already have saved on your phone. Tap the gallery icon (usually in the bottom left of the camera screen) to browse your device and select an existing image or video instead of taking a new one.
Key Takeaways
- Stories are posted from the camera icon in the top left of your feed or by swiping left, and they disappear after 24 hours unless you save them as a highlight.
- You can take a new photo or video, or upload one you already have saved on your phone by tapping the gallery icon.
- Before posting, you can add text, stickers, filters, or drawings to customize your story in the editing screen.
- Stories you post are visible to your followers by default, but you can hide your story from specific people or make it visible to close friends only.
- Instagram saves all your stories in your archive automatically, so you can repost old stories or turn them into highlights that stay on your profile.
Adding text, stickers, and filters to your story
After you take or select a photo or video, the editing screen opens automatically. At the top of the screen you will see icons for text, stickers, drawing tools, and filters. Tap the "Aa" icon to add text — type your message, choose a font style and color, then tap outside the text box to place it on your image. You can move the text around by dragging it, or pinch to resize it.
Tap the sticker icon (usually a smiley face or square with a corner folded) to browse stickers, GIFs, polls, questions, or location tags. Instagram updates these regularly, so the available options change. Tap any sticker to add it to your story, then drag and resize it the same way you do with text.
Filters are accessed by swiping left or right on your image before you tap the arrow to edit. Each swipe shows a different filter that changes the color, brightness, or mood of your photo. Tap and hold a filter to preview it before you explore it. You can also draw directly on your story using the pen tool — tap the drawing icon, choose a color and brush size, then draw freehand on your image.
Controlling who sees your story
By default, your story is visible to all your followers. If you want to hide it from specific people, tap the arrow to edit, then look for "Hide Story From" or a similar option (the exact wording varies by Instagram version). Select the people you want to exclude, and they will not see that story in their feed.
You can also post to "Close Friends" instead of all followers. Before you post, tap "Your Story" at the bottom left — a menu appears with options including "Close Friends." If you select this, only the people on your close friends list will see the story. You can add or remove people from your close friends list in your settings at any time.
Stories posted to your main feed are visible to anyone following you, but not to people who do not follow you (unless your account is public and they visit your profile directly). If your account is private, only your approved followers can see your stories.
Saving and reposting stories
Every story you post is automatically saved to your archive, which is private and only you can see. To view your archive, go to your profile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select "Archive." You will see all your old stories organized by date. Tap any story to view it, and you can choose to repost it to your story again or delete it permanently.
If you want a story to stay on your profile permanently instead of disappearing after 24 hours, you can save it as a highlight. While viewing your story in the archive, tap "Add to Highlights" and choose which highlight folder to add it to, or create a new one. Highlights appear as circles below your bio on your profile and stay there indefinitely until you remove them.
You can also read a story to your phone before posting it. In the editing screen, look for a read or save icon (usually at the top right), tap it, and the image or video saves to your device. This is useful if you want to keep a copy outside of Instagram or post the same content to another platform.
Troubleshooting common story problems
If your story will not post, check that you have a stable internet connection and that the Instagram app is up to date. Close the app completely and reopen it. If the problem continues, try restarting your phone. Stories sometimes fail to upload if the video is too long — Instagram stories have a maximum length of 15 seconds per clip, though you can add multiple clips to one story.
If people tell you they cannot see your story but you posted it to "Your Story," check whether you accidentally hid it from them. Go back to the story in your archive, tap the three dots, and look for "Hide Story From" — if their name is listed, remove them. If your account is private, make sure the person follows you and that their follow request was approved.
If you cannot find the camera icon or the story option, make sure you are on the latest version of Instagram. Go to your phone's app store, search for Instagram, and tap "Update" if an update is available. After updating, close and reopen the app. If the story feature still does not appear, your account may have restrictions — contact Instagram support through the app's help center.
Understanding what happens to your story information
When you post a story, Instagram stores information about who viewed it, when they viewed it, and in what order. You can see this by opening your story and swiping up — a list of viewers appears with their usernames. Instagram also records metadata about your story, including when you posted it, what device you used, and your location if you tagged one.
Stories you delete after 24 hours are removed from your followers' feeds, but Instagram keeps a copy in your archive for you. If you manually delete a story before the 24 hours are up, it disappears when ready from everyone's feed and from your archive. However, Instagram's servers may retain data about the story for a period of time as part of their standard data retention practices.
If you are concerned about privacy, remember that stories posted to "Your Story" are visible to all your followers, and followers can screenshot your story without notification. Stories posted to "Close Friends" are only visible to people on that list, which offers more privacy. You can also turn off story replies in your settings if you do not want people to message you about your stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people screenshot my Instagram story without me knowing?
Yes. Instagram used to notify you when someone took a screenshot of your story, but that feature was removed. There is no way to know if someone has screenshotted your story, so treat anything you post as potentially shareable.
How long does Instagram keep stories in my archive?
Instagram keeps all your stories in your archive indefinitely — they do not expire or get deleted automatically. You can view, repost, or delete them whenever you want. The archive is private and only visible to you.
What is the difference between a story and a post?
Stories disappear after 24 hours (unless saved as a highlight), while posts stay on your profile permanently. Stories are meant to be temporary and casual, while posts are more permanent. Stories also appear at the top of followers' feeds, while posts appear in the main feed.
Can I edit a story after I post it?
No. Once a story is posted, you cannot edit the image or video itself. You can only delete it and post a new version. You can, however, add text or stickers to a story after posting by tapping it and using the editing tools, though this creates a new version rather than editing the original.
Do private accounts have different story rules than public accounts?
Yes. If your account is private, only people you have approved as followers can see your stories. If your account is public, anyone can see your stories if they visit your profile, even if they do not follow you. Close Friends stories are private regardless of your account type.