How to get circle pictures on instagram story
Change Background Colors & More
Ready to take your Instagram Stories game to the next level?
Knowing the latest Instagram Stories hacks will keep your posts on point (and ahead of the trend!)
From little-known design tricks to engagement-boosting strategies, we’re sharing every Instagram story hack you need to know in 2022:
Instagram Stories Hacks You Need to Know in 2022Instagram Stories are getting a lot more creative — from responsive AR filters to interactive Instagram Stories stickers, there are tons of new features to experiment with.
Ready to get started? We’re sharing the best Instagram Stories tips and tricks you (probably) don’t know yet.
Discover the top Instagram story hacks in action! Watch the full YouTube tutorial here:
Table of Contents:
Instagram Story Design Hacks
Instagram Story Photo Hacks
Instagram Story Sticker Hacks
Instagram Story Video Hacks
Other Instagram Story Tips and Tricks
To change the background color of an Instagram story, tap the draw tool in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, and select a color.
Next, tap and hold on the screen for 1-3 seconds. If you’ve shared a feed post to stories, the background will fill with your chosen color behind the post.
If you’ve created a new story, the whole screen will fill with color, creating a layer of color on top of your photo or video:
You can then use the eraser tool to create a “scratch card” effect to reveal part of your image or video.
Tap the eraser icon on the upper right-hand corner of the screen and select the size of the eraser using the slider on the left-hand side of the screen. Now tap or swipe on the screen where you would like to reveal the underlying image.
And that’s it! If you’re looking to entice your audience and share just a tiny highlight, this Instagram Stories hack should come in handy.
Instagram Stories Hacks #2: Add a Background Image to Your Instagram StoryWhen you share a feed post to your stories, not only can you change the background color but you can also add in a background image from your camera roll!
If you want to add an image to your Instagram Stories background, here’s how to do it:
First, select the post you want to share to your Instagram Story and select “Add post to your story”.
Tap the sticker tray and select the Instagram “Add from Camera Roll” sticker. Scroll through your images and select the image you want to use as your story background.
Move the feed post to one side of your Instagram Story screen and expand the added photo using two fingers (in a pinch motion). While doing so, tap and hold the original feed post using your thumb. This will bring it to the front of the screen:
Positioning the feed post on the right-hand side of the screen will increase the likelihood of taps — as people typically tap here as they browse through stories.
TIP: If you don’t have access to the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker in stories yet, use an Instagram Stories template app like Unfold or Storyluxe.
Instagram Stories Hacks #3: Access More Colors in Instagram StoriesInstagram Stories are the best place to show off your brand’s personality. But, what if Instagram doesn’t offer your brand’s color in its default color options?
Luckily, there’s a hidden Instagram Stories hack that lets you access every color you could ever need!
Open your Instagram Stories and select the draw tool.
Tap and long-hold any of the default color options at the bottom of the screen to open the color slider. Then, swipe across the slider to pick a custom color for your story.
BONUS HACK: Make a rainbow effect on your Instagram Story text.
To do so, open Instagram Stories and type out a message. Next, tap on text and tap “Select All” to highlight.
While your text is highlighted, press and hold one finger down on the color palette tool at the bottom of your screen (like you did before) to open the entire color spectrum.
With one finger held down on the color slider, and one on your highlighted text, begin to drag both fingers toward the left side of your screen at the same time.
You’ll see your text begin to change color, letter by letter, as you drag your finger across the color spectrum! You can move your finger faster or slower for additional color variations, or alternate the direction that you drag your fingers across the screen to achieve an entirely different result.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your emojis stand out more on stories, this Instagram trick is for you!
To add extra depth or a glow to your emojis, open your stories, tap the screen to open the text tool, and scroll through each of the fonts until you find the style you like!
Instagram Stories Hacks #5: Add A Custom Font to Your StoriesIf you’re looking to make your stories feel a little more “on brand,” adding a custom font is a great option. Here's how to add a custom, branded font to your Instagram stories.
Start by downloading the GoDaddy Studio (formerly known as Over) mobile app. Once downloaded, AirDrop your font’s .OFT file to your mobile device.
Select “Over” from the menu that pops up.
Once you’ve got your custom font added, you can design stories in the Over app (there are tons of story templates to choose from) or you can write a line of text on a transparent background, save to camera roll, and then add them to your stories via the “Add from Camera Roll” sticker.
Looking for more ways to create Instagram Stories that match your branding? Check out our free video workshop on how to design captivating Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #6: Create Cool Effects with the Eraser ToolDid you know you can actually use the eraser tool to create all kinds of cool effects on your Instagram Stories?
First, upload the photo of your choice and use the draw tool to draw an effect over the image.
Next, use the eraser tool to remove parts of the zig-zag to create a 3D effect.
This is just one of many ways you can use the eraser tool to create cool design effects on your Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #7: Add Your Brand Colors to Your StoryWhile Instagram’s full color palette is extensive, it can be hard to pick out an exact color.
Thankfully, there’s an Instagram hack for this.
Use the Instagram Stories “Add from Camera Roll” sticker to add an image with your chosen colors in it.
Next, use the color picker tool (the pipette icon on the left-hand corner of the screen) to sample your desired hue:
You can then use this color for your stories background, the draw tool, or your text.
You can remove your color reference by holding the image down with your finger and moving it to the bottom of the screen until the little trash can appears.
See more tips for branding your Instagram stories here.
Instagram Story Photo HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #8: Add Multiple Photos to Your Instagram StoryYou can now add extra images to your Instagram story! Here’s how:
#1: Use Instagram’s “Add from Camera Roll” Sticker
To begin, tap the Instagram story sticker tray.
Once you’re in, select any photo from your camera roll, change the size, and place wherever you’d like.
To change the shape of the image, tap the image and select from a circle, star, rectangle, and more.
#2: Copy and Paste an Image from Your Camera Roll
Start by opening a photo from your camera roll and tapping the “export” button.
Now tap “Copy” and head to your Instagram story.
Double-tap the screen to pull up the “Paste” option.
And that’s it! The photo you copied earlier should now appear on your story. Repeat this process for as many photos as you’d like.
NOTE: Only available to iOS users.
Instagram Stories Hacks #9: Turn Live Photos Into BoomerangsICYMI: You can turn live photos into fun Boomerangs!
Open Instagram Stories, swipe up, and pick a live photo from your camera roll (you’ll see the boomerang icon on eligible photos).
Once selected, press on the screen for a few seconds until you see the word “Boomerang” appear briefly.
Now you’ve turned your shot into a Boomerang!
NOTE: This hack only works for iOS users.
Instagram Stories Hacks #10: Create Videos That Are the Perfect Instagram Story LengthIf you add a photo to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for five seconds. If you add a video to your Instagram Story, it’ll play for 15 seconds.
However, there’s still a way to share longer videos to your Instagram Stories.
If you have a video that is longer than 15 seconds, the whole video will split into 15-second segments. However, you’ll have to add extra elements (such as GIFs, stickers, and text) to each segment. For more tips, check out Later's Ultimate Guide to Instagram videos.
Instagram Story Sticker HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #11: Share Multiple Question Answers on a Single StoryThe Instagram Stories question sticker has gotten a lot of love from businesses on Instagram — the only drawback is that you can only share one question sticker answer per story.
Luckily, there’s an easy workaround to share multiple responses on one story.
First, create a story where you share a response to your question sticker. Take a screenshot or save the image and exit out of the story.
Open that screenshot and create a second story using a different question sticker response.
Repeat this until you have multiple question stickers on a single story.
And that’s it! Your followers will thank you for saving their thumbs!
Instagram Stories Hacks #12: Pin Stickers, Emojis, Text, and GIFs to Your Instagram StoriesDid you know that instead of layering design elements on top of your Instagram Stories, you can pin text, stickers, emojis, and GIFs into your videos and boomerangs — so they show up at the perfect moment?
To do this, simply record your video then add a creative element like text, a sticker, emoji, or GIF. Then tap and hold the element that you added.
Use the slider bar at the bottom of the screen to scroll through the video and find where you want to pin your creative element.
Once you’ve found the right location in your video, tap “Pin.”
Instagram Stories Hacks #13: Find On-brand GIFsThere are thousands of GIFs available to make your Instagram Stories more interesting.
In fact, there are so many that it can be hard to find good options.
Here are some of our favorite keywords to search in the app to find the best Instagram story GIFs:
Instagram Story Video HacksInstagram Stories Hacks #14: Use “Create” Mode to Add a GIF BackgroundInstagram’s collaboration with GIPHY has been a huge win for businesses and regular users alike.
To create a GIF background to your Instagram story, head over to Instagram’s “Create” mode by tapping the letters icon in the Instagram Stories camera screen, and scroll across to the GIF tab.
From here, you can search from thousands of fun GIFs. They’ll either layer up or display in full length, depending on their aspect ratio.
This is a great way to share content with your audience if you’re running low on original content.
Instagram Stories Hacks #15: Create an Animated GIF with ImgPlayIf you’ve been looking for a way to create fun GIF videos for Instagram Stories, look no further.
The ImgPlay app lets you select multiple photos to create your own looping GIF.
To begin, download the app and select the source for creating your GIF — whether it’s photos, live photos, or a video — then tap “Make.”
Once you’ve created your GIF, you can change the playback speed and duration, and add text, filters, and other customizations using the icons in the bottom bar.
Once you’re done, upload your new GIF to Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #16: Use “Hidden” Instagram Story FiltersDid you know there are a bunch of hidden Instagram Story photo and video effects? To access Instagram Story effects and add a filter to your stories, open up your camera and swipe all the way to the end and select “Browse Effects”.
Here you can scroll and find hundreds of fun effects.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of some of our favorite Instagram Story effects to search for:
“Presentation” by rendi_vendi
“Background” by luisgilson_18
“Greenscreen” by Instagram
“iPhone Screen 1” by pvikinga
“Presentation” by gulim.
satekova
Adding music to your Instagram stories is a great way to make your content more entertaining.
Make sure you’re using the latest version of the Instagram app, open the Instagram Stories camera, and take or upload a photo or video.
Once that’s done, select the music sticker at the top of the screen (or search for “Music” in the Instagram Stories sticker tray).
This will open the Instagram music library where you’ll find thousands of songs to choose from.
You can scroll through a “For You” tab of suggested songs, browse by categories, or search for a specific song.
When you’re happy with your song choice, you can fast-forward and rewind through the track to choose the exact part that fits your story. You can also choose how long you want the music clip to play for (the maximum is 15 seconds).
Finally, you can customize what the sticker looks by tapping it before publishing (there are six variations in total!):
NOTE: If you have a business account, you may only have a limited selection of music due to Instagram’s licensing agreements.
If you don’t have access to music on stories, check out this blog post for our top trouble-shooting tips. Learn more about adding music to your Instagram stories here.
Other Instagram Story Tips and TricksInstagram Stories Hacks #18: Automatically Add Closed Captions To Your StoriesThanks to the new Captions sticker, it’s easier than ever to automatically add closed captions to stories.
Here’s how:
Head to the Instagram Stories camera and either record or upload a video from your camera roll.
Once uploaded or recorded, tap the sticker tray icon and select the “Captions” sticker.
At this stage, you can choose from four different text formats, move the text around the screen, and change the color.
And that’s it! Your captions will now be generated on your Instagram story.
Be sure to watch and read captions before posting as Instagram may not accurately transcribe your audio.
NOTE: The Instagram captions sticker is currently only available in English and English speaking countries.
The most successful stories have a clear flow, a consistent aesthetic, and tell a strong story.
Which is why it’s a good idea to plan and storyboard them in advance!
By scheduling your Instagram Stories posts with Later, you can visualize how your posts will flow together.
Planning and scheduling Instagram Stories posts takes just a few minutes and it can all be done from your desktop.
When the time comes to make your Instagram Stories live, you’ll receive a push notification to your phone and with just a few taps, you’ll be able to share your posts with your followers.
Ready to start scheduling your Instagram Stories posts? Later’s Instagram Stories scheduler is available now on all paid plans. Upgrade now to get access or start scheduling stories!
Instagram Stories Hacks #20: Create and Share Multiple Stories at OnceIf you want to add a number of stories at once, Instagram’s multi-capture tool is the way to go.
To access it, press the multi-capture icon on the left hand side of the screen.
Here, you can take up to 10 photos in a row. When you’re happy with the photos you’ve taken, you’ll see the photos in a lineup at the bottom of your screen.
At this stage, you can tap and edit each individual slide. You can change your story background, add text, stickers, music, or effects to each slide.
Instagram Stories Hack #21: Use the Correct Instagram Stories SizeNot sure the correct Instagram Stories dimensions?
Luckily you can share pretty much anything on Instagram Stories, as long as it has a minimum dimensions of 1.91:1 and a maximum dimensions of 9:16.
Because most people prefer their stories to take up the whole screen (no borders), we recommend using an aspect ratio of 9:16 with a size of 1080px by 1920px.
Instagram Stories Hacks #22: See How Many Times Your Post was Shared on StoriesInstagram collects a ton of great data about your post’s performance, like the number of impressions, saves, follows, and more.
But there’s one piece of data you might be missing out on: story reshares.
You won’t find this in your Instagram Insights. Instead, you’ll need to tap the ellipsis in the top right corner of a post to pull up a menu with the option to “View Story Reshares”.
This will take you to a screen with a list of public reshares that are currently live.
You can tap one of the reshares to see it live on the user’s account.
If you don’t see the option to see reshares, this either means your post isn’t currently being shared in anyone’s public stories.
This can be particularly useful for finding and replying to shares that you’re not tagged in.
Given the number of updates and new features on Instagram Stories, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the cool features at your disposal.
Hopefully, these Instagram Stories hacks help you create fun, artistic, and creative Instagram Stories that set you apart from your competition!
Start scheduling your Instagram Stories with Later today, available on all paid plans.
Instagram Stories tips and tricks: The ultimate guide
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(Pocket-lint) - If you don't get Instagram Stories, or you want to master them, you've come to the right place. It's been several years since Instagram launched its Stories feature, with several tools and options added over time to help you get creative with your storytelling.
To help you become a master of Instagram Stories though - or learn the basics if you're new to the feature - we've assembled the top tips and tricks we've found. Here's everything you need to know to become a Instagram Stories expert.
What are Instagram Stories?
Snapchat was the first social media app to introduce a "Stories" feature, but now practically every social network offers them, including Facebook and Instagram. Stories essentially allow you to upload videos and pictures and then broadcast them to people who follow you in the form of a reel that lasts for 24 hours.
After that time, they disappear. There is no limit to how many you share, and there are tonnes of way to spice them up.
To watch someone's story on Instagram, just click on the red circle around any profile photo of someone you follow at the top of the home screen. To leave stories, just swipe down. For more information about Instagram Stories, see our explainer guide here.
If you want tips and tricks, keep reading.
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How to share an Instagram Story
To share a photo or video to your story, follow these steps:
- Tap the "+" icon in the top left corner and select Story in the bottom right of your screen, or just swipe left to right from anywhere.
- Tap capture button to take a photo, or tap and hold to record a video.
- Alternatively, choose a photo from your phone's library or gallery by tapping on the gallery in the bottom left corner.
- Tap the letters, squiggly line or stickers icon to draw or add text or a sticker.
- To remove text or a sticker, drag and drop it on the trash/bin icon.
- When you're ready to share, tap Your Story in the bottom left or tap on Send to.
Note: You can also save your story to your camera. Once you take a photo or video, click on the arrow pointing down at the top of the screen to save. You can also view your story and click on save at anytime to save "video" (to just save the video) or "save story" (to save the whole story).
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Instagram Stories tips and tricks
Here are some great tips and tricks to help you master Instagram Stories. There are also some basic tips here to help beginners get to grips with them.
How to add a Instagram Stories Highlight
You can choose stories to save on your profile that can be viewed longer than 24 hours. This is handy if you have a promotion or just something special you want people to be able to see. To share a "highlight" make sure you have the Instagram Stories Archive feature turned on.
To do this: Open Instagram > Tap on the three lines in the top right > Privacy > Story > Toggle on 'Save Story to archive'.
After that's turned on, go back to your profile and below your bio, click the "+ New" to add a new Highlight. You can choose from archived and live stories to add to your highlighted stories. After that, they'll be featured on your profile.
How to mention someone in your Instagram Story
When sharing a photo or video to your story, you can mention someone. Once you take a photo or video, tap the letters icon, then type "@" followed immediately by the person's username you want to mention, and select the person's profile from the circular icons that appear below. There is an option to toggle off the ability for the people you mention to add your story to their story, but you have to toggle it off before you select the person's profile.
When you mention someone in your story, their username will appear in your story with an underline.
Anyone who can see your story can tap it to go to their profile.
People you mention will get a push notification telling them that you've mentioned them in your story. They'll also get a DM from you that includes a preview of your story and gives them an option to quickly add it to their own story, if you haven't toggled off the sharing ability. You can mention up to 10 people in each photo.
How to share Instagram posts to stories
You can share an Instagram post to your story by clicking the arrow/share button below the post you want to add, and then tapping on the 'Add Post to Your Story' option.
Keep in mind that when you share someone's post to your story, anyone who views it can see who originally posted it and can view the original account. If you're tagged in someone else's story, you'll get a DM with the same option to repost that story for the next 24 hours.
How to add a mention to your own Instgram Story
When someone mentions you in their Instagram story, you'll have the option to repost it, adding the photo or video to your own story, as we mentioned previously when talking about how to mention someone in your own story.
You'll get a notification via DM that you were mentioned with a link to "Add This to Your Story". Simply tap on the link and the story will be shown in a preview where it can be customised. When added, followers will see the original poster's username, and they can tap it to see their profile.
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How to capture multiple photos at once and add to your Instagram Story
It's possible to capture several photos at once and add them to your Instagram Story in one hit.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Select the Multi-Capture icon in the bar on the left of your screen (circle with dashes around it) > Take your photos > Press Next at the bottom of the screen > Tap on each photo to add stickers, text or GIFS etc > Tap Next when you've finished editing > Tap Share.
How to add a Boomerang your Instagram Story
You can either add a Boomerang (looping short video) you've already created to your Instagram Story by selecting it from your gallery.
Or you can create a Boomerang directly from the Instagram app.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the Boomerang icon in the bar on the left of your screen (figure of 8 sideways) > Press and hold the capture button at the bottom of your screen to take your Boomerang > Add stickers or text using the icons at the top when you're finished > Tap "Send to" in the bottom right to send it to your Story.
How to add multiple images to your Instagram Story
If you want to add a couple of different images to your Instagram Story but only have one post, you can use the Layout tool.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the Layout icon in the bar on the left of your screen > Select Change Grid to change the layout to best suit your photos (six options) > Select the part of the grid you want to add your first photo to > Tap the "+" in the bottom left corner where your gallery is > Select the photo you want to add > Repeat for each part of the grid, selecting the part of the grid first and then adding the photo.
When you're done, tap the tick in the middle. You can then make your edits (stickers, text etc) and then select "Send to" to send to your Story.
How to get a level photo to add to your Instagram Story
There's a Level tool in the Instagram Stories toolbar that will help you capture straight photos by placing a grid and level on the preview screen to help you line up your subject before you take the photo.
Swipe right ot open Instagram Stories > Tap on the Level icon in the bar on the left of your screen (circle with horizontal line) > Line your subject up > Tap on the capture button > Share to your Story.
How to use Superzoom effect
The Superzoom tool will zoom in and out on a subject and there are a range of effects you can apply within it, like Hearts, Fire, Bummer, TV Programme, Dramatic, etc. It's worth giving them all a go to see what best suits the result you're trying to achieve.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the arrow in the bar on the left of your screen > Tap the Superzoom icon (solid circle with two circles surrounding it) > Select the effect you want above the capture button > Press and hold the capture button or press once depending on the effect you want > Add any text or stickers using the icons at the top of your preview screen > Share to your Story when you're done.
How to use the Photobooth effect
The Photobooth tool allows you to create a Photobooth-style reel by capturing four images in succession. There's a countdown timer of three seconds for the first capture, after which you get a second to move your phone in between each subsequent photo.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the arrow in the bar on the left of your screen > Tap on the Photobooth icon (cards with a '+' sign on top one) > Tap the capture icon at the bottom > Start your Photobooth > Edit your Photobooth with stickers and text if you want to > Share to your Story.
How to add a poll to your Instagram Story
You can add a poll to your Instagram story. The poll template allows you to ask the question and alter the answers to whatever you want, or you can tap on the dice at the top of the Poll Template screen to get some pre-built inspiration that you can also then adapt.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the 'Aa' icon on the left of your screen > Slide left to right on the circular icons at the bottom of your screen until you get to the pie blue/green pie icon > Tap on the 'Ask a question' and poll boxes individually to edit > Tap 'Done' in the top right when editing > Tap 'Send to' in the bottom right to share to your story.
You can also tap on the dice at the top to see different Poll examples with emoji's as answers, like 'Should I start a blog' with the answer boxes as a thumbs up or thumbs down. As with the question screen, tap on each section individually to change to what you want and tap 'Done' in the top right and 'Send to' in the bottom right when you're finished.
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As people select either option, the poll will update its percentage and you can then share the results at the end.
How to add a memory to your Instagram Story
Like Facebook, Instagram has an archive of memories, which you can access easily and post onto your Instagram Story.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the 'Aa' icon on the left of your screen > Slide left to right on the circular icons at the bottom of your screen until you get to the clock with the arrow icon.
You can then tap on the memory that appears to flick through, or tap on "See All" at the top of the screen.
If you want to change the background colour, tap on the coloured circle in the bottom right of your screen until you find a background you like.
When you have decided on the memory you want to post - and the background - tap on the clock with the arrow icon underneath again. This will then take you to the preview screen where you can either add some stickers or mention someone, or press 'Send to' at the bottom to post it.
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How to add a countdown timer on Instagram Stories
Instagram has a countdown timer option with days, hours and minutes, that you can add and customise to your Story. It will offer preset options - like "The Weekend" but you can change this to whatever you're counting down to.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the 'Aa' icon on the left of your screen > Slide left to right on the circular icons at the bottom of your screen until you get to the egg timer.
You can tap on the dice at the top to see the different preset options and then tap anywhere on the timer to edit it. You'll need to select an End Date and the rest is automatic.
When you're done, tap on the egg timer icon at the bottom of your display and then tap on "Send to" in the bottom right.
How to ask your followers a question on Instagram Stories
Instagram offers a number of other tools to get input from the people watching your story. You can get them to ask you a question, start a poll (as mentioned above), suggest accounts to follow or a quote of the day, or play guessing games like what you're watching or what you're listening to, among others.
Start by swiping right to open Instagram Stories and tapping on the 'Aa' icon on the left of your screen. You can then scroll through the circular icons.
The icon one with the person in the speech bubble allows you to mention someone with preset Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary or Thanks.
To play guessing games, a quick draw challenge or suggest accounts to follow or a quote of the day, you want the icon with the four different-sized orange squares.
Tapping on the 'See All' at the top of your screen will give you the different presets.
To get followers to ask you a question, tap on the circular icon with the purple/blue squares and the question mark inside. There's also a multiple choice question preset which is the circular icon with the orange options with a tick or cross inside.
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Create a solid background or tap to reveal
To create a solid coloured background on your photo or video or create what is sometimes called a tap to reveal: Select the image you want to reveal > Press the squiggle line in the top right for the pencil icon > Choose your colour either from the options at the bottom or by tapping on the colour selector tool and selecting a colour from the image > Press and hold on your image or video with your finger for a few seconds until the colour covers your image.
You can also use the eraser at the top of your screen to remove part of the solid background and reveal some of your original image.
Create an opaque background
Want a see-through coloured background? Press the squiggle line in the top right for the pencil tools > Select the marker tool in the middle of the five options at the top of your display > Select the colour background you want at the bottom of your display or select a colour using the colour picket > Press and hold on your image or video with your finger for a few seconds. This will create create an opaque screen so you can still see the content you're sharing.
Creat a tap to tidy Story
Stacey Solomon's Tap to Tidy Instagram Stories are great - and easy to create, but you have to actually tidy the room. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn't do that for you.
Take a picture of the messy room > Tidy it > Take another picture of the room from the same angle once it is tidy > Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Add the first picture from your gallery in the bottom left corner > Tap the sticker icon at the top of your screen > Search of Tap to Tidy > Select the Tap to Tidy sticker you like > Upload that story > Add the second tidy picture and upload that story too.
Use the full colour chart
To select any colour in the colour chart: Click on the squiggle line icon at the top of your display > Press and hold on any colour at the bottom of your screen to access the color chart. That's it! You can choose any color you want. Don't forget you can also change the size of the brush on the left side.
Select colours from images
You can also use colours from your images, as we briefly mentioned in the tips above. To select a colour from an image: Click the squiggly line at the top of your screen > Select the colour picker tool in the far left of the colour options at the bottom of your screen > Tap anywhere on the image you want to select the colour from. That's it, done.
Change font size
You can change the font size of your text in two ways: First, type, then on the left, you'll see the slider to increase or decrease the font. Alternatively, once you're done typing, grab what you typed and use two fingers to expand it.
You can do this with stickers, too.
Layer your captions
First, add a caption to your content and decorate per usual. Then, tap the "Save" arrow in the corner of the screen and tap the "Your Story" icon to add it to your story. Next, select the photo you saved from your camera roll to add to your story. Add - or layer - a second caption over the first, and repeat until you've reached your desired effect. You're essentially saving your photos and re-uploading them to layer your captions.
Ditch the square captions
If you're sick of the square-corner backgrounds on your captions, try using the pencil tool to draw a different shape, whether they be circles, ovals, hearts, and and then place a caption over your new shape. Make sure to select the caption without any background (just text).
Use different fonts and sizes together
With this, you have to add each letter or word as an individual caption and position them. Write the first word or letter, then choose the colour, and drag it into position.
Add another caption in a different colour, resize it, and drag that where you'd like it. Repeat forever. Don't forget that you can also change the font itself! Gone are the days of having just one font choice. There are nine to choose from, including neon, typewriter, modern, and strong.
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See other sticker options
Once you select a sticker (square icon with smiley face at the top of your screen) to add to your Instagram Story, you can tap it to see the other options. So, for instance example, a coffee cup can turn into a cup of tea or the handle of the cup might spin the other way.
Pin your stickers
Yes, you can also "pin" your stickers. If you want the stickers to be featured in parts of a video, then press and hold to pin them wherever you want. For instance, you can pin an arrow sticker near someone to point them out throughout the entire clip.
Turn your face into a custom sticker
Tap the stickers icon at the top of the screen.
Next, tap the camera icon on the side of the second row that pops up from the bottom. Your face will appear at the center of the screen. If you tap your face, a white circular border will appear around the sticker. Tap again to get a white sqaure border and again to go borderless. Make a face and press the white circle beneath your face to take the photo. Then, size and position the sticker.
Add a GIF
GIFs are a fun way to add some fun to any story. You can either create a story with just a GIF, or you can add a GIF to an image or video.
To create a story with just a GIF: Swipe right from anywhere on Instagram and tap on the "Aa" icon on the left > Swipe right to left on the circular icons at the bottom of your screen until you get to GIF > Search for the perfect GIF.
To add a GIF to an image or video: Swipe right from anywhere on Instagram > Add the image or video > Tap on the sticker icon at the top if your display (square with smiley face) > Use the search bar at the top and select a GIF from the various options that will appear, or find the specific GIF by tapping the GIF icon in the second section and search for your perfect GIF.
Change the weekday's sticker colour
You know that sticker that tells the day of the week? Well, did you know that if you tap that sticker while editing, it will change colour? Yep. It's true! To find the "day of the week" sticker, tap the sticker icon and select it from the tray. Then, tap it again to change the colour.
Add music to your story
Add music to your story by playing it on your phone while you record a video. Alternatively, you can tap to add a sticker while viewing a photo or video on your story. Search for "Music" in the search bar and tap on the "Music" sticker at the top. You will immediately see a long list of popular music, though you can also search and sort by moods and genres.
Use a third-party apps for more effects
You can also use apps like Videoshop or VideoLap too add music to your story. In fact, there are several apps that can up your Instagram game by letting you add moving text, capture live video, record your screen, and more.
It's worth browsing around your app store.
Embed Spotify links in Instagram stories
You can also share Spotify links that will allow followers to click straight through -- it's simple.
Go hands-free
Tired of holding the capture button down while you tell your story? On the left of your Instagram Story screen, there's a bar of icons. If you tap on the arrow to expand the bar, you'll see the Hands-free icon at the bottom. Tap that to go hands-free. You're welcome.
Default to front camera
If you use the front camera more than the rear for creating Instagram Stories, you can default to it in settings so it opens on the front camera.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap the settings cog in the top left corner > Toggle on default to front camera > Done.
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Switch your camera toolbar to the right
The camera toolbar within Instgram Stories appears on the left by default, but you can change it to the right.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the settings cog in the top left corner > Choose left side or right side under 'Camera tools'.
You can also tap the double arrow at the top of your screen when the toolbar is expanded to switch between left and right.
Instagram Stories privacy tips and tricks
These are some extra tips and tricks related to privacy, such as hiding your story from certain followers or creating a close friends list.
How to only share your Instagram Story with close friends
You can set up a close friends list on Instagram, which will then become an option when you share your Story. It's good for times when you might want to post something but don't want all your followers to see.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap the settings cog in the top left corner > Tap on Close Friends > Get Started > Add the friends you want to add by tapping "Add" next to their name > Select Create List.
To share your Story with just close friends, create your Instagram Story, then tap on 'Send to' in the bottom right corner and tap on Close Friends.
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How to block someone from your Instagram Stories
It's possible to hide or block certain contacts from seeing you Instagram Stories. They won't get notified that you've blocked them, but they might figure it out. Hiding them will stop them seeing all photos and videos you post to your Story.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the settings cog in the top left corner > Search for the person or persons you want to block > Tap on their name to select them (the tick will turn blue when selected) > Tap 'Done' in the top right corner.
How to tell if someone has blocked you from their Instagram Stories
You can only tell if someone has blocked you from their Instagram Stories if you have seen they have Highlight stories on their profile prior to them blocking you. When you block someone from your Instagram Stories, the Story Highlights section gets removed too so if you know they have Story Highlights and you can no longer see them, you better find out what you did.
Choose who can reply and react to your Instagram Story
You can choose to turn all replies and reactions to your Instagram Story off, as well as only allow replies and reactions from your followers or only the followers that you follow back.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the settings cog in the top left corner > Choose 'Your followers', 'Followers who follow you back' or 'Off' under the Allow replies and reactions section.
How to automatically share your Instagram Story to your Facebook Story
You can set it up so your Instagram Story will always share to your Facebook Story, unless you choose otherwise.
Swipe right to open Instagram Stories > Tap on the settings cog in the top left corner > Toggle on 'Share your story to Facebook'.
Want to know more?
See our other Instagram tips guide:
- 15 secret Instagram tips
Writing by Britta O'Boyle and Maggie Tillman.
10 ways to diversify stories
Instagram stories take the lion's share of subscribers' attention: it's not for nothing that SMM experts believe that now 80% of content flows into stories.
Round windows at the top of the feed attract more attention due to their interactivity, situationality and spontaneity. And if a couple of years ago no one took Stories seriously, now everyone not only watches strangers, but also creates their own stories for followers. And the more creative the approach, the better. How to diversify stories with simple actions? In the article you will find 10 interesting and simple ideas.
- Add GIF
A static photo can be made more engaging with some animation. This can be done with the help of aesthetic GIFs, which you can find yourself using keywords or take from ready-made GIF sets. Make sure that the moving element does not degrade the quality of the original image, and do not add too many gifs - it looks annoying.
Add GIF- BEFORE AND AFTER
Subscribers really like the comparison of source and processed photos. It can be not only photo editing, but also videos before and after cleaning or make-up photos, an image with and without jewelry, and anything else to your taste and in the subject of your blog.
The process is simple: take a before and after photo - preferably from the same angle, then add the images to a comparison program (for example, Photo Compare), turn on the screen recording and move the slider left and right, showing the difference in the pictures. Save the result and put it in history. For interactivity, ask subscribers to leave a reaction.
BEFORE and AFTER photos- To-do list
Everyone loves lists - they help you focus on what's important. You can share your to-do list in stories. Create a to-do list in your notes, take a screenshot, and crop to remove unnecessary parts of the screen. Go to the story, add an atmospheric picture (morning, breakfast, street view), and then click on the Sticker icon and select the photo icon. Add a screenshot - done!
It is not necessary to share all the plans and prescribe a trip to the dentist or cutting the cat's claws. Write down something interesting, recommend books (to-read list) or write down your desires (wish-list).
- Layers
The usual repost of an interesting publication in stories can be creatively beaten by adding a picture in .png format. And here the field for imagination begins - you can choose buds, patterns, clouds and other pretty pictures that create a layered image.
Enter a specific query in the search engine: for example, clouds png, select the appropriate picture and save it to the gallery. If there are no ideas, you can use the selections on photobank sites. Repost the post you like, copy the saved picture, and then, back on Instagram, tap the screen and select Paste to add the sticker.
Layers- Collages
Collage can be useful in a variety of situations. For example, you want to recommend a good movie to your subscribers. You can make a collage from the frames of this film or screenshots from there, using one of the editors - for example, Instories or Unfold. Select a template and insert frames and captions into it.
You can add a movie soundtrack to the story to add to the atmosphere.
In the form of a collage, you can make recipes or describe your usual morning.
Collages- Tour
If you often travel or visit interesting places in your hometown, you can invite subscribers to consider the situation in detail with you. Take photos and videos, then caption them with fun facts or your impressions. People are always wondering where to buy the most delicious pastel de nata in Lisbon or where to go on a weekend in St. Petersburg. Take a mini tour with photos and videos in stories. You can add tests and polls, ask followers to recommend the best places for food and leisure, make ratings and lists.
Tour- Quotes
Sometimes photos or videos can't fully reflect your mood. If nothing personal comes to mind, add a quote from your favorite song or novel using Instagram tools or a third-party app.
Quotes- Geometry
Due to the fact that the attention of subscribers is focused on stories, users are increasingly reposting their own publications in stories.
A photo against a plain background looks unconvincing, so you can diversify it with geometric elements. Spots, lines, dots - the more chaos, the more interesting.
Lines and dots will be neat if you choose the smallest size of the first brush. It is more convenient to draw with a thicker thickness - you can make a contour with it, paint over the object inside. Take shades from the photo itself, using the Eyedropper tool.
Geometry- Shading
You can make an unusual move: put a black-and-white version of the photo on the background, and in the center - a post with it, but in color. Make a repost, copy the b/w photo from the gallery, go back to Instagram and click Insert, add a sticker. Move the post to the story and stretch the background to fill the screen. Now it remains to pull out the post: done!
Play of shades- Several photos
If you published a post with a carousel of photos and now you cannot choose only one for your stories, then you can take another one from this series as a background.
You can do this according to the algorithm from point 9.
Stories are a way to communicate with those who subscribe to you. By making captivating and aesthetic stories, you create your digital image, broadcast your taste and values to the audience. Do not neglect the design of Stories - this is a guarantee that you and your subscribers will always be on the same wavelength.
A few photosHidden features of Instagram - Daily Poster
A bunch of tips to get on Instagram like a pro and post stories no worse than those of travel bloggers.
Stories with a beautiful solid background
There is a difficult way: choose a brush and paint over the entire screen with it for a long time. And there is a way five times easier.
How to Add a picture to your story, select any color for the brush, press and hold your finger - now there is a solid color background.
Stories with color filters
Photos with a color translucent filter are obtained in almost the same way.
How to Add a picture to the story, choose any color for the brush, but then switch to the marker. Press and hold your finger on the screen - there is a photo with a color filter.
Beautiful stories with a gradient
In addition to a solid background, there is another beautiful option - a background with a gradient, like in a story with text.
How to Go to the text story, select a background and write one word. Click next and delete the text - you have an empty gradient on which you can add pictures in the same way as in the previous paragraph.
Another Instagram "secret feature" is the fake H&M and Zara accounts that allegedly give away stuff for free
Another "secret feature" of Instagram is the fake H&M and Zara accounts that allegedly give away stuff for free
A real palette for those who don't have enough colors
Are there only 27 standard colors in stories? In fact, there is a whole palette to find any color at all.
How to make Hold your finger on the color bar and choose something you like.
Stories collages that everyone dreamed of
The main question of all Instagrammers is how to make a story collage. You can download an application with a bunch of templates, or you can do the following.
How to Open a story, add a picture, for example, a colored background. Then go to the photo gallery, select a photo, click the "Share" button, and then "Copy". Return to Instagram - a pop-up window will appear with the copied photo, click on it - it lies on top of the first picture. Repeat to infinity.
As well as video collages
Several small videos are added to stories in almost the same way. The sequence of actions in this case is different.
How to Add a picture to the story, for example, a colored background, click on the sticker icon, and then on the round icon with the photo icon. Only in the gallery, select not a photo, but a video.
New Instagram heroes - virtual models that anyone can make
New Instagram heroes - virtual models that anyone can make
Two cameras in stories for reaction videos
To record a story in a genre “My reaction to anything”, you definitely need to abruptly switch from the main camera to the front one. That's how the genre works. There is a special button for this, but it is located in such a place that it is easier to break your index finger. Here is an alternative way.
How to Tap the screen twice quickly while recording, the camera will switch. Repeat to infinity.
Bokeh for phones that don't have bokeh
Owners of older iPhones and Androids can't be happier with the beautiful blurring of the background when taking a selfie with the front camera. But the disadvantage can be compensated in the Instagram camera.
How to Go to the "Focus" tab in the camera and see if the selfie looks better if the background is blurred.
Boomerangs for those who don't have Boomerang
Live Photos on iPhones is an underrated feature. Instead of one photo, she makes a short video, from which they then choose the right moment. And another underestimated feature is boomerangs, because they are simply constantly forgotten about. It's not scary, because boomerangs can be obtained from Live Photos.
How to Add a Live Photo to your story, hold your finger on the screen or hard press it, the photo will turn into a short looped video.
Stories that can't be forwarded to anyone (well, almost)
Perhaps your stories are secret and you don't want your followers to send them to anyone. Of course, you can't make it so that random people don't see them at all, because you can always take a screenshot. But at least complicate this operation to the maximum.
How to Go to the camera, click on the gear and turn off the "Allow sharing" option
Comments that are no longer needed
You may think that comments are a thing of the past decade and have no place in today's social media.
There are many ways to remove them from your profile.
How to do First, go to Settings - "Privacy & Security" - "Manage Comments" and choose who can leave comments under posts. Second, disable comments before publishing a new post. To do this, go to the advanced settings at the very bottom of the publishing screen. Thirdly, turn off replies to stories: on the camera screen, click on the gear and turn off replies.
More on the topic
Another life hack - how to record a story with an animoji instead of a face
Another life hack - how to record a story with an animoji instead of a face
Weird tags that you don't want to see in your profile
Luckily for Instagram Lets all your friends know that you've been tagged in a bad party photo. Unfortunately, friends can still see the photos you're tagged in on their profile. This is a solvable problem.
How to Go to settings - "Privacy and security" - "Photos and videos with you" and hide all the photos that you do not like in the last menu.
But be careful: this will remove the marks on the photos forever!
Unsubscribing from beauty salons, which is twice as easy
Shops, beauty salons and people who are subscribed to 2500 people are not needed because they do not interact with your content and thereby reduce reach. There are two ways to unsubscribe them from yourself: a difficult one - go to the profile and block it - and simpler.
How to Go to the subscribers screen, click on the three dots next to the nickname and on "Unfriend". Save two taps!
Real web punk description
Profile description supports a bunch of weird fonts not found in standard keyboard layouts. What if you always wanted a nice description like "𝖒𝖔𝖘𝖈𝖔𝖜 𝖌𝖔𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖓 𝖌𝖗𝖗𝖗𝖑" but didn't know how to write it. And very simple.
How to make Go to igfonts.io, come up with a cool description in English and choose the best font.
Invisible mode (to hide from your crash)
In 2008, we asked friends how to hide our online on VKontakte.
In 2019, this is more relevant on Instagram.
How to do Go to Settings - "Privacy and Security" - "Network Status" and turn it off. But after that you will not see your friends online either.
Likes you forgot about a long time ago
There are a lot of saved posts to make moodboards for a long time. The problem is that not all likes are added to saves. And it's good that there is also a list of likes.
How to do Go to settings - "Account" - "Posts you like".
Instagram editor as a replacement for VSCO
Instagram has a good photo editor, but there is one drawback: it does not save photos to memory. But the disadvantage is easy to get around.
How to Turn on airplane mode, process the photo, upload it and wait for the message that the post cannot be loaded. During this time, Instagram will save the processed picture to memory.
Your entire Instagram archive
Maybe Instagram is your life and it would be nice to keep it in a safe place.
