The basic steps to post a photo or video on Instagram

To post on Instagram, open the app and tap the plus icon at the bottom of the screen (or the plus sign in the top menu on some versions). Select whether you want to post a photo, video, or carousel — a carousel lets you upload multiple images or videos in one post that people swipe through. Choose the image or video from your phone's storage, crop or adjust it if you want, then tap Next.

On the next screen, you can add filters, adjust brightness or contrast, or explore other edits. Instagram's built-in editing tools let you change saturation, warmth, shadows, and highlights without leaving the app. Tap Next again when you're satisfied with how it looks.

The final screen is where you write your caption, add location information, tag other accounts, and choose who can see the post. Type your caption in the text box — this is where you write the words that appear with your image. You can use hashtags (words starting with #) to help people find your post when they search for those topics. Tap Share to publish the post to your profile.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Instagram, tap the plus icon, select a photo or video from your phone, and tap Next twice to reach the caption screen.
  • You can edit brightness, contrast, saturation, and other visual qualities using Instagram's built-in tools before posting.
  • Your caption is where you write text that appears with the image — you can add hashtags, tag other accounts, and include location information here.
  • The final step before sharing is choosing who can see the post: everyone, just close friends, or specific people you select.
  • Once you tap Share, the post goes live on your profile and appears in the feeds of people who follow you.

Adding captions, hashtags, and tags to your post

Your caption is the text that appears directly under your image or video. Write it in the caption box on the final screen before you share. Captions can be as short as a single word or as long as you want — Instagram does not limit caption length, though very long captions may be collapsed and require people to tap "more" to read the full text.

Hashtags are words or phrases that start with the # symbol, like #photography or #homecooking. When you include a hashtag in your caption, your post becomes searchable under that hashtag. People who search for #photography or follow that hashtag will see your post in the results. Use hashtags that describe what is actually in your image — using unrelated hashtags may get your post hidden or marked as spam by Instagram's system.

To tag another account, type @ followed by their username in your caption — for example, @janedoe. You can also tap the tag icon on the final screen to tag people by location in the image itself. Tagged accounts receive a notification that you mentioned them, and the tag appears as a clickable link on your post.

Choosing who sees your post

On the final screen before sharing, you will see options for who can see your post. By default, your post is visible to everyone who visits your profile or sees it in their feed — this is called a public post. If your account is set to private, only people you have approved as followers can see your posts.

You can also choose to hide your post from specific people without blocking them. Tap Advanced Settings on the final screen, then Hide Like and View Counts if you want to hide how many people liked or viewed the post. You can also turn off comments if you do not want people to respond to that particular post.

If you want to share the post with only your closest friends, tap Close Friends instead of Share. This option appears on the final screen and lets you choose a specific group of followers who will see that post in their feed. You can manage your Close Friends list in your account settings.

Using Instagram's editing tools before you post

After you select a photo or video and tap Next, you reach the editing screen. At the bottom, you will see icons for Filters, Edit, and other options. Filters are preset color and tone adjustments — Instagram offers dozens of them, and you can preview how each one looks on your image by tapping it. If you like a filter but want to adjust how strong it is, tap the filter again and drag the slider.

The Edit option opens more detailed controls. You can adjust Brightness (how light or dark the image is), Contrast (the difference between light and dark areas), Saturation (how vivid the colors are), and Warmth (whether the image looks more orange or blue). You can also crop the image, rotate it, or straighten it if it is tilted. These edits are optional — you can skip them and post the original image as-is.

If you are posting a video, you can trim it to remove the beginning or end, adjust the cover image (the still frame that shows before someone plays the video), and add text or stickers directly to the video. All of these edits happen before you write your caption, so you can see exactly what your post will look like.

Posting multiple images or videos as a carousel

A carousel post lets you upload between 2 and 10 images or videos that people swipe through one at a time. To create a carousel, tap the plus icon and select Carousel instead of Photo or Video. Then tap Select Multiple to choose all the images or videos you want to include. You can select them from different folders on your phone, and you can mix photos and videos in the same carousel.

After you select all your images, you can rearrange them by holding and dragging them into a different order. You can also edit each image individually — tap an image in the carousel, make your edits, then move to the next one. When you are done editing all of them, tap Next to write a single caption that will appear with the entire carousel.

People who see your carousel post will see the first image in their feed, and they can swipe left to see the rest. The number of images in the carousel appears at the top of the post so people know there is more to see. Each image or video in the carousel can have its own caption if you want — you add these by tapping the caption icon while editing each individual image.

Scheduling a post to publish later

If you want to post at a specific time rather than right now, you can schedule your post. After you finish editing and writing your caption, tap Advanced Settings on the final screen. Look for the Schedule option and tap it, then select the date and time you want the post to go live.

Your post will be saved as a draft until the scheduled time arrives. Instagram will automatically publish it at the time you chose. You can see all your scheduled posts in your profile under the menu — tap the three lines, then Settings, then Content and Activity, then Scheduled Posts. If you change your mind, you can edit the scheduled time or delete the post before it publishes.

Scheduling is useful if you want to post when your followers are most active, or if you want to space out your posts throughout the week without having to remember to post each one manually.

Fixing mistakes after you post

If you notice a typo in your caption or want to change the text after you have shared the post, you can edit it. Go to the post on your profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Edit. You can change the caption, add or remove hashtags, or change who can see the post. Tap Done to save your changes — the edited caption will update when ready, and people who have already seen the post will see the new version.

You cannot change the image or video itself after posting — if you want to use a different photo, you will need to delete the post and create a new one. Deleting a post removes it from your profile and from people's feeds, though people may have already saved or screenshotted it. To delete a post, tap the three dots, select Delete, and confirm.

If you posted something by accident and want to hide it temporarily without deleting it, you can archive the post instead. Tap the three dots, select Archive, and the post will move to your archive folder. Only you can see archived posts — they do not appear on your profile or in people's feeds, but you can unarchive them later if you change your mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I post the same photo multiple times?

Yes, you can post the same photo as many times as you want. However, posting identical images frequently may make your account look inactive or repetitive to your followers. If you want to repost an old photo, consider adding a new caption or context to make it feel fresh.

What happens if I delete a post?

Deleting a post removes it from your profile and from people's feeds. However, people who saw it before deletion may have already saved, screenshotted, or shared it. Once deleted, you cannot recover the post — if you want it back, you would need to create it again from scratch.

Can I post from a computer instead of my phone?

Instagram's website lets you view your profile and messages, but you cannot create new posts from a computer using the standard website. You can use Instagram's mobile app on any phone, or use third-party scheduling tools that connect to your Instagram account to schedule posts in advance.

How long does it take for a post to appear after I share it?

Your post appears on your profile when ready after you tap Share. It will start appearing in your followers' feeds within a few minutes, though Instagram's system may take a few hours to fully process and distribute it to everyone who follows you.

Can I change who can see a post after I have already shared it?

Yes. Tap the three dots on the post, select Edit, and you will see options to hide the post from specific people or change other visibility settings. You cannot change a public post to private, but you can hide it from certain followers or turn off comments and likes.