How to add a story to a highlight on Instagram
On Instagram, you create a highlight by saving stories before they disappear after 24 hours. Open your profile, tap the plus icon under your bio, name the highlight, and select which stories to include. Once the highlight exists, you can add new stories to it by tapping the highlight when you post a story, or by archiving old stories and moving them into highlights later.
The process takes about 30 seconds. When you post a story, swipe up or tap the "Add to Highlights" button at the bottom of the screen. If you have not created a highlight yet, Instagram will prompt you to name one. You can name it anything — "Vacations," "Product Launches," "Team Photos" — and Instagram stores it on your profile permanently. Stories in highlights stay visible until you delete them, even though the original story disappeared from your feed after a day.
You can also add stories to highlights after they have already expired. Go to your profile, tap "Your Story" at the top, find the archived story you want, and select which highlight to add it to. This is useful if you forgot to add something when you first posted it, or if you want to organize old stories months later.
How to add a story to a highlight on Facebook
Facebook calls this feature "Story Collections" rather than highlights. When you post a story on Facebook, tap the three dots in the corner, select "Add to Collection," and choose an existing collection or create a new one. The story then appears in that collection on your profile, separate from your regular feed.
Collections work similarly to Instagram highlights — they let you group stories by topic and keep them visible on your profile after the 24-hour window closes. You can create collections for anything: "Home Renovation," "Pet Updates," "Work Events." Unlike Instagram, Facebook collections are less prominent on your profile, so fewer people will see them unless they specifically click on your profile and scroll to the collections section.
To add an old story to a collection after it has expired, go to your profile, find the story in your archive, and tap the menu to add it to a collection. Facebook stores archived stories for a limited time, so this works best if you are organizing stories from the past few weeks rather than months ago.
Key Takeaways
- Instagram highlights are permanent collections of stories that appear on your profile under your bio, and you create them by naming a new highlight and selecting stories to include.
- When you post a story on Instagram, you can add it to a highlight when ready by tapping "Add to Highlights," or add it later from your archive.
- Facebook calls the same feature "Story Collections," and they work the same way but appear in a less visible location on your profile.
- Stories in highlights and collections stay on your profile indefinitely until you remove them, even though regular stories disappear after 24 hours.
- You can organize stories into multiple highlights or collections by topic, and rename or delete them at any time.
What happens to stories when you add them to a highlight
Adding a story to a highlight does not change who can see it. If your story was visible to "Everyone," it stays visible to everyone in the highlight. If you posted it to "Close Friends" only, it stays visible to close friends only in the highlight. The privacy setting you chose when you posted the story carries over to the highlight.
The story also remains in your archive after you add it to a highlight. You can view it, share it, or delete it separately from the highlight. If you delete the original story from your archive, it disappears from the highlight too. Highlights do not create a second copy — they are just a way to organize and display stories that already exist.
Organizing highlights by topic or theme
Most people organize highlights by category to make their profile easier to navigate. Common categories include "Travel," "Products," "Behind the Scenes," "Events," or "Team." The name you give a highlight appears under the thumbnail on your profile, so choose something clear that tells visitors what they will see.
You can have as many highlights as you want on Instagram, though most people keep between three and ten. Too many highlights can make your profile look cluttered. On Facebook, collections are less visible, so the number matters less, but organizing them still helps you find stories later.
To rename a highlight on Instagram, go to your profile, long-press the highlight, and select "Edit Highlight." You can change the name, add or remove stories, or change the cover image. On Facebook, tap the three dots on a collection to rename or delete it.
Choosing cover images for highlights
Instagram lets you choose which frame from a story appears as the highlight thumbnail on your profile. When you create or edit a highlight, tap "Edit Cover" and select the frame you want. This is the image people see when they look at your profile, so choose something that represents the highlight clearly — a beach photo for "Travel," a product shot for "Products," a team photo for "Team."
You can also upload a custom image as a cover if you want something more polished. Some people create branded cover images in Canva or another design tool to make their highlights look more professional. Facebook does not offer custom cover images for collections, so the first frame of the first story in the collection becomes the thumbnail.
Removing stories from highlights
To remove a story from a highlight on Instagram, go to your profile, tap the highlight, swipe up on the story you want to remove, and select "Remove from Highlight." The story stays in your archive — you are only removing it from the highlight view. You can add it back later if you change your mind.
On Facebook, tap the three dots on a collection, select "Edit," and uncheck the stories you want to remove. Like Instagram, removing a story from a collection does not delete the story itself, just the link between the story and the collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people see who viewed my highlights?
Instagram does not show you who viewed individual stories in highlights, the way it does for regular stories. You can see total view counts on the highlight, but not a list of viewers. Facebook does not provide view counts for collections at all.
Do highlights count toward my story limit?
No. Instagram and Facebook let you post unlimited stories per day. Highlights are just a way to organize and display stories that already exist, so they do not add to any limit.
Can I share a highlight with someone?
Instagram lets you share a link to a specific highlight through direct message or other apps. On your profile, long-press the highlight and select "Share." Facebook does not have a built-in share feature for collections, but you can screenshot or share individual stories from the collection.
What happens to highlights if I delete my account?
If you delete your Instagram or Facebook account, all highlights and collections are deleted along with it. If you deactivate your account temporarily, highlights stay in place and reappear when you reactivate.
Can I add someone else's story to my highlights?
No. You can only add your own stories to highlights or collections. You can repost someone else's story using the "Share" button, but that creates a new story in your feed rather than adding it to a highlight.