What happens when you post a Story
When you create a Story on Instagram, you are uploading a photo or video to a section of the app that disappears after 24 hours. The Story appears at the top of your followers' feeds in a row of circular profile pictures. Your followers can tap your circle to watch what you posted, and they can see how many people have viewed it and who those people are.
Instagram stores your Story on its servers while it is live. During those 24 hours, Instagram can see exactly who watched it, when they watched it, whether they took a screenshot, and whether they sent you a direct message about it. After 24 hours, the Story vanishes from the main feed, but Instagram keeps a record that you posted it — the company retains data about the Story's existence, who saw it, and the engagement it received. If you save the Story to your profile as a "Highlight," it stays visible indefinitely and Instagram continues tracking views.
Key Takeaways
- Stories disappear from your followers' feeds after 24 hours, but Instagram permanently records that you posted them and who viewed them.
- You can create a Story by opening Instagram, tapping your profile picture at the top left, selecting a photo or video, and posting it.
- Instagram shows you the names of everyone who watched your Story and can tell you if someone took a screenshot.
- If you save a Story to a Highlight on your profile, it stays visible and Instagram continues tracking who views it.
- Stories you delete are removed from followers' feeds but Instagram may retain data about them in its backup systems.
The step-by-step process for creating a Story
Open the Instagram app and look at the top left corner of your screen. You will see your own profile picture in a circle. Tap that circle — this is the fastest way to start a new Story. The app will open your camera and show you options at the bottom of the screen.
You can take a new photo or video by tapping the large circle button, or you can tap the image icon (usually on the left side of the bottom menu) to upload a photo or video you already have saved on your phone. Once you have selected or taken your image, you will see editing tools at the top and bottom of the screen. You can add text, stickers, filters, or drawings. When you are finished editing, tap the arrow or "Your Story" button at the bottom right to post it.
Understanding who can see your Story and what data Instagram collects
By default, your Story is visible to all your followers. Instagram shows you a list of everyone who watched it — tap the eye icon at the bottom left of your Story to see the names and the exact time each person viewed it. If someone takes a screenshot of your Story, Instagram notifies you with a small icon next to their name.
Instagram also tracks whether people skip your Story when ready, how long they watch it, whether they pause on a particular frame, and whether they interact with it by sending you a message or reacting with an emoji. All of this data is stored on Instagram's servers and is tied to your account. If your account is a business or creator account, Instagram provides you with detailed analytics showing the number of views, shares, and saves your Story received.
How to control who sees your Story
You can limit your Story to a smaller group of people instead of showing it to all followers. After you post a Story, tap the three dots at the top right of the screen and select "Hide Story From." You can then choose specific followers whose names you want to hide it from. Alternatively, before you post, you can tap "Your Story" and then tap "Close Friends" to post the Story only to a list of people you have designated as close friends.
Keep in mind that even when you hide a Story from certain people, Instagram still records that you posted it and still tracks data about who viewed it. If you want to prevent Instagram from collecting data about a Story altogether, you would need to not post it — once it is live, Instagram is recording information about it.
What happens to Stories you delete
If you delete a Story before the 24 hours are up, it disappears from your followers' feeds when ready. However, Instagram may retain information about the Story in its backup systems and data archives. The company does not publicly detail exactly how long it keeps records of deleted Stories, but the data can persist beyond the deletion.
If you want to remove a Story from your profile permanently, you can also delete it from your Highlights. Open your profile, tap the Highlight you want to edit, tap the three dots, and select "Delete Highlight." This removes the Story from the visible part of your profile, but again, Instagram's records of the Story may remain in the company's systems.
Saving Stories to your profile as Highlights
A Highlight is a Story that you save to your profile so it stays visible longer than 24 hours. To create a Highlight, post a Story first. While the Story is still live (within the 24-hour window), tap the three dots at the top right and select "Save." You will then choose whether to add it to an existing Highlight or create a new one. Give the Highlight a name and choose a cover image if you want.
Once a Story is saved to a Highlight, it appears on your profile below your bio in a circle with the Highlight's name. People can tap it to watch the Story, and Instagram continues to track who views it. The data about Highlight views is separate from the original Story's view data, so Instagram is recording engagement twice — once when the Story was live and again each time someone watches it in the Highlight.
Privacy settings and third-party access
Instagram's privacy settings do not prevent the company itself from collecting data about your Stories. You can make your entire account private so that only people you approve can follow you and see your Stories, but Instagram still records all the same information about who views them.
Third-party apps and websites cannot directly see your Stories unless you have connected your Instagram account to them. However, if you have linked Instagram to other apps — such as Facebook, TikTok, or a scheduling tool — those apps may have access to information about your Stories depending on the permissions you granted when you connected them. Check your Instagram settings under "Apps and Websites" to see which apps have access to your account data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people screenshot my Story without me knowing?
No. Instagram notifies you when someone takes a screenshot of your Story by showing a small icon next to their name in the view list. However, people can use their phone's built-in screenshot tools or screen recording features, and Instagram cannot detect those methods.
How long does Instagram keep data about my Stories after they disappear?
Instagram does not publicly state how long it retains data about deleted or expired Stories. The company keeps records for its own analytics and legal purposes, but the exact retention period varies. If you want to be cautious, assume Instagram keeps some record of your Stories indefinitely.
If I delete my Instagram account, are my Stories deleted too?
When you delete your account, your Stories are removed from the platform and are no longer visible to anyone. However, Instagram may retain copies of your data in backup systems for a period of time before permanently deleting it. The company typically keeps backups for several months.
Can I post a Story without it showing in my followers' feeds?
No. Any Story you post is visible to your followers (or to your Close Friends list if you choose that option). You cannot post a Story that is completely hidden from everyone. If you want to share something privately, you would need to send it as a direct message instead.
What data does Instagram collect about Stories I watch?
When you watch someone else's Story, Instagram records that you viewed it, the time you watched it, and how long you spent watching. If the Story creator has a business account, they can see that you viewed it. The creator cannot see exactly which parts you watched or paused on, but Instagram itself has that data.