How to Add Stories on Instagram: A Complete Guide for Beginners and Pros

By Cepy 8/26/2023 Post a Comment

Hi everyone, welcome to our blog where we share tips and tricks on how to make the most of your Instagram account. In this article, we will show you how to add stories on Instagram, a feature that lets you share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Stories are a great way to showcase your personality, creativity, and behind-the-scenes moments with your followers. They can also help you boost your engagement, reach, and brand awareness.

Whether you are new to Instagram stories or you want to level up your skills, this guide will cover everything you need to know. We will explain how to create and post an Instagram story, how to add images or videos to an existing story, how to use various tools and features to enhance your stories, and how to measure your story performance. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about Instagram stories. By the end of this article, you will be able to master Instagram stories and use them to grow your audience and business.

How to Create and Post an Instagram Story

The first step to adding stories on Instagram is to create and post one. This is very easy and fun to do, and you can use either your phone's camera or your gallery to choose a photo or video. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Launch Instagram and swipe right to access the camera or tap the Plus sign (+) icon and scroll to Story[^1^].
Tap the circle to snap a photo, or tap and hold to record a video. You can also swipe up on the screen if you want to choose a photo or video from your device's gallery[^1^].
Use the tools at the top to add doodles, text, filters, or stickers. You can also add hashtags, geotags, polls, questions, and other interactive elements to your story[^2^].
Tap Your Story (or Your Stories) at the bottom of the screen to post the photo or video to your story[^1^]. You can also tap Send To to share your story with specific people or groups.
To view your story, tap Your Story at the top of your feed. You can also see who has viewed your story by swiping up on the screen[^1^]. If you want to keep your story after 24 hours, you can tap Highlight under your story and add it to your profile as a highlight[^2^].

That's it! You have just created and posted your first Instagram story. Now let's see how you can add more images or videos to your existing story.

How to Add Images or Videos to an Existing Story

If you want to add more content to your story within 24 hours of posting it, you can easily do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap the + icon in the upper right corner.
Tap Story at the bottom of the page.
Tap the image or video you’d like to add to upload. You can also take a new photo or video using the camera.
Then, tap Next[^4^].
Use the tools at the top to edit your image or video as you wish.
Tap Your Story (or Your Stories) at the bottom of the screen to add the image or video to your existing story[^4^]. You can also tap Send To to share it with specific people or groups.

Note that when you add more images or videos to your story, they will appear in chronological order from oldest to newest. You can also delete any image or video from your story by tapping More and then tapping Delete.

How to Use Various Tools and Features to Enhance Your Stories

One of the best things about Instagram stories is that they offer a lot of creative options for you to make your stories more engaging and attractive. Here are some of the tools and features that you can use:

Filters

Filters are preset effects that you can apply to your photos or videos before posting them. They can change the mood, tone, and style of your stories with just one tap. To use filters, follow these steps:

Swipe right from anywhere in Instagram or tap + icon in upper right corner.
Swipe left at the bottom of the screen and select a filter from the list. You can preview how each filter looks on your photo or video before applying it.
If you want more filters, swipe all the way right and tap Browse Effects. You can explore thousands of filters created by Instagram and other users. You can also search for filters by name, category, or creator.
Once you find a filter you like, tap Try It to see how it looks on your photo or video. You can also tap Save Effect to add it to your filter list for future use.
When you are happy with your filter, tap Next and then tap Your Story (or Your Stories) to post it.

Stickers

Stickers are fun and interactive elements that you can add to your photos or videos after taking them. They can help you express yourself, add context, or encourage engagement from your viewers. To use stickers, follow these steps:

Swipe right from anywhere in Instagram or tap + icon in upper right corner.
Take a photo or video or choose one from your gallery.
Tap the sticker icon at the top of the screen. You will see a list of stickers that you can choose from, such as location, mention, hashtag, music, poll, quiz, emoji slider, countdown, question, and more.
Tap on the sticker that you want to use and customize it as you wish. You can change the size, color, position, and text of the sticker by using the tools on the screen.
If you want more stickers, swipe right on the sticker list and tap GIF. You can search for animated stickers by keyword or browse by category.
When you are done with your sticker, tap Done and then tap Your Story (or Your Stories) to post it.

Text

Text is another way to add captions, titles, or messages to your photos or videos. You can also use text to create solid color backgrounds for your stories. To use text, follow these steps:

Swipe right from anywhere in Instagram or tap + icon in upper right corner.
Take a photo or video or choose one from your gallery.
Tap the text icon at the top of the screen. You will see a keyboard where you can type your text.
You can change the font, color, alignment, and style of your text by using the tools on the screen. You can also swipe left on the text list to see more font options.
If you want to create a solid color background for your text, tap the draw icon and select a color from the palette. Then press and hold anywhere on the screen until it fills with that color. You can then type your text on top of it.
When you are done with your text, tap Done and then tap Your Story (or Your Stories) to post it.

Drawing

Drawing is a way to add doodles, sketches, or shapes to your photos or videos. You can use drawing to highlight something, add some flair, or just have fun. To use drawing, follow these steps:

Swipe right from anywhere in Instagram or tap + icon in upper right corner.
Take a photo or video or choose one from your gallery.
Tap the draw icon at the top of the screen. You will see a list of drawing tools that you can choose from, such as pen, marker, neon, eraser, and more.
Select a color from the palette and start drawing on the screen. You can adjust the thickness of your drawing by using the slider on the left side of the screen.
If you make a mistake, you can undo it by tapping the undo icon at the top of the screen. You can also erase any part of your drawing by using the eraser tool.
When you are done with your drawing, tap Done and then tap Your Story (or Your Stories) to post it.

A Detailed Table Breakdown Related to Instagram Stories

To help you understand Instagram stories better, we have created a detailed table breakdown that shows some of the key features and benefits of using stories for your personal or business account. Here is the table:

Feature	Description	Benefit
Stories Archive	A place where you can access all your stories that have disappeared after 24 hours. You can also turn off this feature if you don't want to save your stories[^2^].	You can revisit your past stories anytime and see how they performed. You can also reshare them as highlights or posts if you want[^2^].
Stories Highlights	A way to group your stories intothemes that you can add to your profile. You can create highlights from your archived stories or your current story.	You can showcase your best stories to your profile visitors and express your identity or brand. You can also edit, delete, or rearrange your highlights anytime.
Stories Insights	A way to measure how your stories are performing and how your audience is engaging with them. You can access insights from your current story, your archived stories, or your highlights.	You can learn more about your audience's preferences, behaviors, and feedback. You can also use insights to improve your content strategy and optimize your story performance.
Stories Ads	A way to promote your products or services to a large and engaged audience on Instagram. You can create ads that appear between stories from other accounts that people follow.	You can increase your brand awareness, reach, and conversions. You can also target your ads to specific audiences based on their interests, demographics, and behaviors.
Stories Reels	A way to create and share short videos with music, effects, and other creative tools on Instagram. You can record and edit up to 15 seconds of video in one or multiple clips.	You can showcase your talent, creativity, and personality. You can also discover and connect with other creators and communities on Instagram.
Stories Live	A way to broadcast live video to your followers and interact with them in real time on Instagram. You can go live for up to an hour and invite up to three guests to join you.	You can share authentic and spontaneous moments with your audience. You can also build trust, loyalty, and engagement with them.

FAQs About How to Add Stories on Instagram

How do I delete a story I've posted?

If you want to delete a story you've posted, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap Your Story at the top of your feed.
Swipe up on the screen to see the list of viewers and more options.
Tap More and then tap Delete.
Tap Delete again to confirm.

How do I mute someone's story?

If you don't want to see someone's story in your feed, you can mute them by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap and hold on the person's profile picture at the top of your feed.
Tap Mute.
Select Mute Story or Mute Story and Posts.

How do I un-mute someone's story?

If you want to un-mute someone's story that you have muted before, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and go to the person's profile.
Tap Following.
Tap Muted.
Select Stories or Posts and Stories.
Tap the toggle next to the person's name to un-mute them.

How do I hide my story from someone?

If you want to hide your story from someone who follows you, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and go to your profile.
Tap Menu and then tap Settings.
Tap Privacy and then tap Story.
Tap Hide Story From.
Select the people you want to hide your story from.
Tap Done.

How do I see who has viewed my story?

If you want to see who has viewed your story, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap Your Story at the top of your feed.
Swipe up on the screen to see the list of viewers.
You can also tap on each viewer's name to see their profile or message them.

How do I reply to someone's story?

If you want to reply to someone's story, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap on the person's story at the top of your feed.
Type your message in the text box at the bottom of the screen. You can also use emojis, stickers, or GIFs.
Tap Send.

How do I share someone's story to my story?

If you want to share someone's story to your story, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap on the person's story at the top of your feed.
Tap the paper plane icon at the bottom of the screen.
Tap Add Post to Your Story.
Edit the story as you wish and then tap Your Story (or Your Stories) to post it.

How do I create a close friends list for my stories?

If you want to create a close friends list for your stories, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and go to your profile.
Tap Menu and then tap Close Friends.
Tap Add next to the people you want to add to your list. You can also search for people by name or username.
Tap Done.

How do I share my story with my close friends only?

If you want to share your story with your close friends only, you can do so by following these steps:

Swipe right from anywhere in Instagram or tap + icon in upper right corner.
Take a photo or video or choose one from your gallery.
Edit the photo or video as you wish and then tap Close Friends at the bottom of the screen.

How do I download my story to my device?

If you want to download your story to your device, you can do so by following these steps:

Open Instagram and tap Your Story at the top of your feed.
Swipe up on the screen to see the list of viewers and more options.
Tap More and then tap Save Photo/Video or Save Story.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you learn how to add stories on Instagram and how to use them effectively. Stories are a powerful way to connect with your audience, showcase your brand, and grow your business. They are also fun and easy to create and share. So what are you waiting for? Start adding stories on Instagram today and see the difference they can make for you!

If you enjoyed this article, please check out our other articles on how to use Instagram for personal or professional purposes. We have articles on how to create a stunning Instagram profile, how to get more followers and likes, how to use hashtags and captions, and more. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates on Instagram tips and tricks. Thank you for reading!

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