Tuesday Tip: How to Create Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories is one of platform’s coolest features. It allows you to take a series of photos or videos and post them to your Instagram profile, where they stay for 24 hours. After that, they disappear. Sort of like Snapchat. But different, because there are options that let you and others download and save your Instagram Stories. In this article, learn how to use and create Instagram stories. 

How to make an Instagram Story

1. Tap the camera icon at the top left of your Instagram homescreen. This will open your camera so you can start a new Story. At the bottom of your screen, you’ll notice three buttons. From left to right, they are the flash (where you can configure flash settings), shutter and the rotate button that switches your camera from front-facing to rear-facing (or vice versa).

2. Tap the shutter to take a photo. Or touch and hold it to record a video. (You can turn your camera orientation to landscape but Instagram will post the photos and videos in your Story in portrait mode.) To choose a photo from your phone’s gallery, swipe up anywhere on the screen.

3. Once you’ve taken a photo or recorded a video, you can add text, draw on it or add stickers by tapping one of the buttons at the top right of the screen. There’s also a new option that allows you to add animated GIF stickers. Tap Undo to start over. To remove a piece of text or a sticker, drag and drop it in the trashcan at the bottom of the screen. Tap Done to save your Story.

4. Tap the Add Your Story button to share your Story. You can also tap the save icon to save this photo or video to your phone. If you click the arrow icon, you can send this photo or video to friends. Just tap the circle next Your Story and select the friends you want to share with.

To make your Story a slideshow, just repeat these steps. Each photo or video you add to your Story within a 24-hour period will be part of it.

How to save an Instagram Story

There are two ways you can save your Stories so you have them after their 24-hour lifespan.

1. You can open your Story and select Save Story to save it to your phone as a video.
2. You can set your Story to remain on your profile as a Highlight, even after it has disappeared. (Highlights appear below your profile photo.) To add a Story as a Highlight, go to your profile and tap the + below Stories Highlights. Tap the Story you want to add to Highlights, then tap Next. Choose a cover photo and enter a Story name, then tap Add. You can add more photos or videos anytime by tapping Edit Highlight.

Let us know how it goes.