How to Add to Your Story on Instagram: A Complete Guide

By Cepy 8/28/2023 Post a Comment

Hi everyone, welcome to another article on Instagram tips and tricks. In this article, we will show you everything you need to know about adding photos and videos to your story on Instagram. Stories are one of the most popular features of Instagram, with over 500 million daily active users[^1^]. Stories allow you to share everyday moments and grow closer to the people and interests you care about.

But how do you add to your story on Instagram? What are the best practices and tips for creating engaging and creative stories? How do you measure the performance and impact of your stories? And what are some common problems and solutions for adding to your story on Instagram? We will answer all these questions and more in this comprehensive guide. So let's get started!

What are Instagram Stories and Why Should You Use Them?

Instagram Stories are short-lived posts that disappear after 24 hours. They can be photos or videos, up to 15 seconds long, that you can edit with filters, stickers, text, music, and other effects. You can also add links, polls, questions, quizzes, countdowns, and other interactive elements to your stories. You can share stories with all your followers or a select group of close friends. You can also save stories to your profile as highlights that can be viewed longer than 24 hours.

Instagram Stories are a great way to showcase your personality, brand, or business. They can help you:

Connect with your audience on a more personal level
Show behind-the-scenes or exclusive content
Promote your products, services, events, or causes
Drive traffic to your website or other platforms
Get feedback or insights from your followers
Increase your reach and engagement

According to Instagram, one-third of the most viewed stories are from businesses[^2^], and 58% of people say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in stories[^3^]. So if you want to grow your online presence and reach new customers, you should definitely use Instagram Stories as part of your marketing strategy.

How to Add Photos or Videos to Your Story on Instagram

Adding photos or videos to your story on Instagram is very easy. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Open the Instagram app on your phone and tap the plus icon in the top left corner of the screen. Alternatively, you can swipe right from anywhere in the app.
Select Story at the bottom of the screen. This will open the camera mode.
To take a photo, tap the capture button at the bottom of the screen. To record a video, tap and hold the capture button. You can also swipe up or tap the gallery icon in the bottom left corner to choose a photo or video from your phone's library.
To edit your photo or video, tap the icons at the top of the screen. You can add filters, stickers, text, music, and other effects. To remove an element, drag and drop it on the trash icon at the bottom of the screen.
When you're ready to share your story, tap Your Story in the bottom left corner of the screen. You can also tap Send To to choose who can see your story.

Congratulations! You have just added a photo or video to your story on Instagram. You can repeat these steps to add more photos or videos to your story.

How to Add More Content to an Existing Story on Instagram

If you want to add more content to an existing story on Instagram, you have several options. Here are some ways you can do it:

From your story page: Tap on your existing story at the top of the home screen to open it. Then tap on your profile picture in the top left corner of the screen. This will take you back to the camera mode where you can add more photos or videos as described above.
From your timeline: Tap on the plus icon in the top right corner of the screen and select Story at the bottom of the screen. This will also take you to the camera mode where you can add more photos or videos as described above.
From your profile: Go to your profile page and tap on the plus icon in the top right corner of the screen. Then select Story from the menu that appears. This will also take you to the camera mode where you can add more photos or videos as described above.
From another post: If you want to share someone else's post or one of your own posts as a story, you can do so by tapping on the airplane icon below the post and selecting Add Post to Your Story. This will open a preview of the post as a story where you can edit it and share it as described above.

Note that you can add up to 100 photos or videos to your story in a 24-hour period. Each photo or video will last for 15 seconds, unless you adjust the duration using the trim tool. You can also delete any photo or video from your story by tapping on it and selecting Delete.

How to Create Engaging and Creative Stories on Instagram

Now that you know how to add photos or videos to your story on Instagram, you might be wondering how to make them more engaging and creative. After all, you want your stories to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of your audience. Here are some tips and tricks to help you create awesome stories on Instagram:

Use Different Formats and Modes

Instagram Stories offer a variety of formats and modes that you can use to spice up your photos or videos. Here are some of them:

Boomerang: This mode creates a short looping video that plays forward and backward. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Boomerang. Then tap the capture button to record a boomerang.
Superzoom: This mode zooms in on an object or a face with dramatic sound effects. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Superzoom. Then tap the capture button to record a superzoom. You can also tap the music note icon at the top of the screen to choose different sound effects.
Layout: This mode allows you to create a collage of up to six photos in one story. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Layout. Then tap on the layout icon at the bottom of the screen to choose a layout. Then tap the capture button to take a photo for each slot in the layout.
Hands-free: This mode allows you to record a video without holding the capture button. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Hands-free. Then tap the capture button once to start recording and again to stop recording.
Live: This mode allows you to broadcast live video to your followers. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Live. Then tap the capture button to start a live video. You can also invite another user to join your live video by tapping on the faces icon at the bottom of the screen.

Experiment with different formats and modes to create fun and unique stories on Instagram.

Add Filters and Effects

Instagram Stories also offer a range of filters and effects that you can apply to your photos or videos. Here are some of them:

Face filters: These are filters that add fun elements to your face, such as glasses, hats, ears, or masks. To use them, tap on the face icon at the bottom right corner of the camera mode. Then swipe left or right to choose a face filter. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the face filter.
Augmented reality (AR) effects: These are effects that add interactive elements to your environment, such as animals, objects, or animations. To use them, tap on the face icon at the bottom right corner of the camera mode. Then swipe left until you see Browse Effects. Then tap on it to explore different AR effects created by Instagram and other users. Then tap on an effect to try it out. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the AR effect.
Color filters: These are filters that change the color tone of your photo or video, such as black and white, sepia, or vintage. To use them, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Normal. Then swipe left or right on the screen to choose a color filter. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the color filter.

Add filters and effects to your photos or videos to enhance their appearance and mood.

Add Stickers and Text

Instagram Stories also allow you to add stickers and text to your photos or videos. Here are some of them:

Location sticker: This sticker allows you to tag your location on your story. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on Location and search for your location. Then tap on it to add it as asticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Hashtag sticker: This sticker allows you to add a hashtag to your story. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on Hashtag and type your hashtag. Then tap on it to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Mention sticker: This sticker allows you to mention another user on your story. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on Mention and type the username of the user you want to mention. Then tap on it to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Music sticker: This sticker allows you to add music to your story. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on Music and search for a song or browse by genre, mood, or theme. Then tap on a song to preview it and adjust the duration and position of the clip. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Text: This allows you to add text to your story. To use it, tap on the text icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then type your text and choose a font, color, size, alignment, and style. You can also tap and hold the text to move, resize, or rotate it.

Add stickers and text to your photos or videos to make them more expressive and interactive.

Use Story Templates and Challenges

Instagram Stories also offer some templates and challenges that you can use to create fun and engaging stories. Here are some of them:

Story templates: These are pre-made layouts that you can fill in with your own content. To use them, go to Browse Effects from the face icon at the bottom right corner of the camera mode. Then search for Story Templates or browse by category. Then tap on a template to try it out. Then fill in the blanks with your own photos, videos, text, or stickers. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the template.
Challenges: These are prompts that invite you to participate in a trending challenge or create your own challenge. To use them, go to Browse Effects from the face icon at the bottom right corner of the camera mode. Then search for Challenges or browse by category. Then tap on a challenge to try it out. Then follow the instructions on the screen and tag your friends or other users who you want to challenge. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the challenge.

Use story templates and challenges to create fun and engaging stories on Instagram.

A Detailed Table Breakdown Related to Instagram Add to Story

To give you a better idea of how Instagram Stories work and how you can use them effectively, we have created a detailed table breakdown that summarizes some key information related to adding photos and videos to your story on Instagram. Here is the table:

Topic	Description
How many photos or videos can you add to your story in a 24-hour period?	You can add up to 100 photos or videos to your story in a 24-hour period.
How long does each photo or video last in your story?	Each photo or video lasts for 15 seconds in your story, unless you adjust the duration using the trim tool.
How long does your story stay visible?	Your story stays visible for 24 hours after you post it, unless you delete it earlier.
Who can see your story?	You can choose who can see your story by adjusting your privacy settings. You can share your story with all your followers, a select group of close friends, or specific people who you send it to directly.
How can you see who viewed your story?	You can see who viewed your story by swiping up on your story page. You will see a list of usernames and profile pictures of people who viewed your story.
How can you reply to someone's story?	You can reply to someone's story by tapping on Send Message at the bottom of their story page. You can also swipe up on their story page to open the keyboard and type your message. You can also send a photo, video, sticker, or emoji as a reply.
How can you share someone's story as your own?	You can share someone's story as your own if they have mentioned you in their story or if they have a public account. To do so, tap on the airplane icon at the bottom of their story page and select Add Post to Your Story. You can also edit the story before sharing it as your own.
How can you save your story to your phone or profile?	You can save your story to your phone or profile by tapping on the three dots icon at the bottom right corner of your story page and selecting Save or Save Story. You can also turn on the Auto-Save feature in your settings to automatically save your stories to your phone or profile.
How can you create highlights from your stories?	You can create highlights from your stories by tapping on the plus icon below your profile picture on your profile page and selecting Story Highlight. Then choose the stories that you want to include in your highlight and tap on Next. Then choose a cover image and a name for your highlight and tap on Add. You can also edit or delete your highlights by tapping and holding on them on your profile page.
How can you measure the performance and impact of your stories?	If you have a business or creator account, you can measure the performance and impact of your stories by using the Insights feature. To access it, tap on the menu icon in the top right corner of your profile page and select Insights. Then tap on Content You Shared and select Stories. You will see various metrics such as impressions, reach, taps forward, taps back, replies, exits, and shares for each of your stories.

We hope this table breakdown helps you understand how Instagram Stories work and how you can use them effectively.

FAQs About Instagram Add to Story

In this section, we will answer some frequently asked questions about adding photos and videos to your story on Instagram. Here are some of them:

Why can't I add to my story on Instagram?

If you can't add to your story on Instagram, it might be because of one of the following reasons:

Your app is outdated or buggy. To fix this, try updating or reinstalling the app.
Your internet connection is slow or unstable. To fix this, try switching to a different network or using mobile data.
Your device is low on storage or battery. To fix this, try freeing up some space or charging your device.
Your account is restricted or blocked. To fix this, try contacting Instagram support or appealing the decision.
Instagram is experiencing technical issues or undergoing maintenance. To fix this, try waiting for a while or checking Instagram's status page.

If none of these solutions work, you might want to report the problem to Instagram through the app's help center or feedback feature.

How do I add multiple photos to one story on Instagram?

If you want to add multiple photos to one story on Instagram, you have two options:

Use the Layout mode: This mode allows you to create a collage of up to six photos in one story. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Layout. Then tap on the layout icon at the bottom of the screen to choose a layout. Then tap the capture button to take a photo for each slot in the layout.
Use the Multi-Capture mode: This mode allows you to take up to 10 photos in a row and post them as one story. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Multi-Capture. Then tap and hold the capture button to take up to 10 photos in a row. Then edit each photo as you like and tap Next. Then tap Share as One Story to post them as one story.

Use these modes to add multiple photos to one story on Instagram.

How do I add music to my story on Instagram?

If you want to add music to your story on Instagram, you have two options:

Use the Music sticker: This sticker allows you to add music to your story from Instagram's library of songs. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on Music and searchfor a song or browse by genre, mood, or theme. Then tap on a song to preview it and adjust the duration and position of the clip. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Use the Music mode: This mode allows you to add music to your story before taking a photo or video. To use it, swipe left or right at the bottom of the camera mode until you see Music. Then tap on the music note icon at the top of the screen and search for a song or browse by genre, mood, or theme. Then tap on a song to preview it and adjust the duration and position of the clip. Then tap on Done to select it. Then tap the capture button to take a photo or video with the music.

Use these options to add music to your story on Instagram.

How do I add GIFs to my story on Instagram?

If you want to add GIFs to your story on Instagram, you can use the GIF sticker. This sticker allows you to add animated images to your story from Giphy's library of GIFs. To use it, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then tap on GIF and search for a GIF or browse by category. Then tap on a GIF to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.

Use the GIF sticker to add GIFs to your story on Instagram.

How do I add polls, questions, quizzes, or countdowns to my story on Instagram?

If you want to add polls, questions, quizzes, or countdowns to your story on Instagram, you can use the interactive stickers. These stickers allow you to add interactive elements to your story that invite your followers to participate and engage with you. To use them, tap on the sticker icon at the top of the screen after taking a photo or video. Then choose one of the following stickers:

Poll: This sticker allows you to create a two-option poll that your followers can vote on. To use it, tap on Poll and type your question and options. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Questions: This sticker allows you to ask an open-ended question that your followers can answer. To use it, tap on Questions and type your question. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Quiz: This sticker allows you to create a multiple-choice quiz that your followers can take. To use it, tap on Quiz and type your question and options. Then tap on the correct option to mark it as such. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.
Countdown: This sticker allows you to create a countdown timer that counts down to a specific date and time. To use it, tap on Countdown and type your event name and date and time. Then tap on Done to add it as a sticker on your story. You can also tap and hold the sticker to move, resize, or rotate it.

Use these interactive stickers to add polls, questions, quizzes, or countdowns to your story on Instagram.

How do I hide my story from someone on Instagram?

If you want to hide your story from someone on Instagram, you can do so by adjusting your privacy settings. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Go to your profile page and tap on the menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Select Settings from the menu that appears.
Select Privacy from the settings menu.
Select Story from the privacy menu.
Select Hide Story From from the story menu.
Select the people who you want to hide your story from by tapping on their names.
Tap on Done in the top right corner of the screen.

You have successfully hidden your story from someone on Instagram. You can also unhide your story from someone by following the same steps and deselecting their names.

How do I mute someone's story on Instagram?

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

Go to your home screen and find the person whose story you want to mute at the top of the screen.
Tap and hold on their profile picture until a menu pops up.
Select Mute from the menu that appears.
Select Mute Story from the mute menu.

You have successfully muted someone's story on Instagram. You will no longer see their story at the top of your home screen, but you can still view it by tapping on their profile picture. You can also unmute their story by following the same steps and selecting Unmute Story.

How do I archive my stories on Instagram?

If you want to archive your stories on Instagram, you can do so by turning on the Archive feature in your settings. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Go to your profile page and tap on the menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Select Settings from the menu that appears.
Select Privacy from the settings menu.
Select Story from the privacy menu.
Turn on the Save to Archive toggle under Saving.

You have successfully turned on the Archive feature on Instagram. Your stories will now be automatically saved to your archive after they disappear. You can access your archive by tapping on the clock icon in the top left corner of your profile page. You can also turn off the Archive feature by following the same steps and turning off the Save to Archive toggle.

How do I add a link to my story on Instagram?

If you want to add a link to your story on Instagram, you need to have a business or creator account with at least 10,000 followers or a verified account. If you meet these requirements, you can add a link to your story by following these steps:

Take a photo or video for your story or choose one from your phone's library.
Tap on the link icon at the top of the screen.
Type or paste the URL of the link you want to add.
Tap on Done in the top right corner of the screen.
Edit your story as you like and tap Next.
Share your story as usual.

You have successfully added a link to your story on Instagram. Your followers will be able to swipe up on your story to access the link. You can also preview or remove the link by tapping on the link icon again.

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

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

Go to your profile page and tap on the menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Select Close Friends from the menu that appears.
Select Add next to the people who you want to add to your close friends list by tapping on their names.
Tap on Done in the top right corner of the screen.

You have successfully created a close friends list for your stories on Instagram. You can share your stories with your close friends only by tapping on Close Friends instead of Your Story when you're ready to share. You can also edit or delete your close friends list by following the same steps and deselecting or removing people from it.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you learn how to add photos and videos to your story on Instagram. Stories are a great way to connect with your audience and express yourself creatively. By following our tips and tricks, you can create engaging and creative stories that will boost your online presence and reach new customers. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. And don't forget to check out our other articles on Instagram tips and tricks. Thank you for reading and happy posting!

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