The fastest way to change your Instagram Story background
Open Instagram, tap your profile picture or the camera icon to start a new story, then tap the smiley face icon at the bottom of the screen. Scroll to find "Background" and choose a solid color, gradient, or blur effect. If you want a custom image as your background, take or upload a photo first, then swipe left through the editing tools until you see the background options.
You can also change the background after you've already added text or stickers. Tap and hold on the background itself, and the same color and effect menu will appear. The background change applies only to that single story post — it won't affect your other stories or your feed.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the smiley face icon in the story camera to access solid colors, gradients, and blur effects for your background.
- You can change the background before or after adding text, stickers, or other elements to your story.
- Custom backgrounds require you to upload or take a photo first, then explore background effects on top of it.
- Background changes only affect the individual story post you're editing, not your other stories or profile.
Using solid colors and gradients
When you tap the smiley face icon and select "Background," Instagram shows you a row of solid color options at the top. Tap any color square to fill your entire story with that color. The colors available change periodically, but Instagram always includes white, black, and several bright options like pink, blue, and green.
Below the solid colors, you'll see gradient options — these blend two colors together. Swipe through the gradient row to see all available combinations. Gradients can make a story feel more polished than a flat color, especially if you're posting text or announcements. You can tap a gradient once to explore it, and if you don't like it, just tap the smiley face again and choose a different one.
explore blur and transparency effects
The blur effect softens whatever is behind your text or stickers. To use it, take a photo or video for your story first, then tap the smiley face and look for the blur option — it usually appears as a circle or lens icon. Tap it, and Instagram will blur the background while keeping your text sharp and readable on top.
Blur is useful when your photo background is busy or distracting. If you've added text and the text is hard to read against your photo, blur can fix that without deleting the photo. The blur strength is set automatically — you can't adjust how much blur Instagram applies, but you can turn it on or off.
Adding a custom image as your background
To use your own photo as a story background, start by taking a new story photo or uploading one from your camera roll. Once the photo is in the story editor, tap the smiley face icon and scroll down to see if there are any additional background effects you can layer on top. You can also add text, stickers, or drawings directly over your photo without changing the background itself.
If you want to replace the photo entirely with a different one, you'll need to start over — there's no way to swap out the background photo once you've started editing. Take or upload the new photo, then begin editing again. This is different from changing colors or effects, which you can adjust as many times as you want before posting.
Changing backgrounds on video stories
Video stories work the same way as photo stories for background changes. Record your video or upload one from your camera roll, then tap the smiley face icon to add a color, gradient, or blur effect. The background effect applies to the entire video — you can't have different backgrounds in different parts of the same video clip.
If you want to add multiple videos with different backgrounds to your story, post them as separate story posts. Each post can have its own background color or effect. This is how many people create a cohesive story aesthetic — they choose one or two background colors and use them across several posts in a row.
Troubleshooting background changes that don't appear
If you tap the smiley face and don't see the background option, make sure you're using the latest version of Instagram. Open your phone's app store, search for Instagram, and check if an update is available. Older versions of the app sometimes don't have all the background features, or they may work differently.
If the background option is there but your change isn't showing up, try closing the story editor completely and starting a new story from scratch. Sometimes the app needs to refresh. If you're still having trouble, restart Instagram by closing it completely and opening it again. If the problem continues after updating and restarting, the issue may be temporary on Instagram's end — try again in a few hours.
Keeping your story background consistent with your brand
If you post stories regularly, picking one or two background colors and using them repeatedly helps your account look intentional and organized. Many people choose a color that matches their profile theme or their brand colors. You can screenshot your favorite gradient or color combination so you remember which one you used, then explore the same one to future stories.
Instagram's background options are limited compared to design apps, but that limitation actually makes it easier to stay consistent. You're choosing from the same set of colors and gradients everyone else sees, so you can't accidentally pick something that won't be available next week. If you want more control over your background design, you can create a story graphic in a design app like Canva, save it as an image, and upload it as your story background instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own photo as a story background?
Yes. Take or upload a photo to your story first, then tap the smiley face icon to add effects on top of it. You can also add text and stickers over your photo. If you want to change the photo itself, you'll need to start a new story with a different image.
Will my background change affect other people's view of my story?
No. Everyone who views your story sees the same background you chose. The background is part of the story post itself, not a setting on your account.
Can I undo a background change before I post?
Yes. Tap the smiley face icon again and choose a different background, or tap the X to remove the effect entirely. You can change your mind as many times as you want before you tap the "Your Story" button to post.
What if I want a background that isn't in the color options?
Create the background you want in a design app like Canva or Photoshop, save it as an image, then upload that image as your story. This gives you complete control over the background color and design.
Do background changes work the same way on the Instagram app and the web version?
The web version of Instagram has limited story editing tools compared to the mobile app. For full access to all background options, use the Instagram app on your phone.