Instagram was built for social connection. While commenting and liking another account’s post is a great way to show some love, the best way to increase your engagement with other followers is by reposting their photos, videos, and Stories.
So how to repost on Instagram? In this guide, we’ll teach everything you need to know about how to reshare Instagram content.
Instagram Story repost
Since the social media platform announced the addition of Stories in 2016, Stories have become one of the most popular ways to share content on Instagram. So there’s no better way to promote a friend, colleague, or brand you like than reposting their Instagram Story.
How to repost a Story on Instagram
Probably the most common reason people want to share someone else’s Instagram Story is that they were tagged in it, which is also referred to as mention sharing.
When an account tags your username in their Story, it becomes visible to everyone who follows them. So their followers — or anyone, if their profile is set to public — can tap on your username and visit your profile. If you’re set to private, then only approved followers will be able to visit your profile.
Stories will only last 24 hours unless the user decides to add the Story to their Highlights. In that case, it will stay on their profile until they remove it.
When someone tags you in a Story, you will receive a notification in your Direct Messages. If someone who you don’t follow mentions your username, a notification is sent to your message requests. At this time, there is no way to remove your username from a person’s Story or prevent them from mentioning you. If you want the Story taken down, you have to report it to Instagram.
If you decide you want to share the Story you’ve been tagged in, follow these instructions:
- Go to your Direct Messages by clicking the paper airplane symbol at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Open the message informing you that you’ve been tagged in a Story.
- Press the button on the message that reads “Add This To Your Story.”
- Edit the Story if you wish. You can add GIFs, stickers, or text.
- Press Next.
- Select where you want to post the Story. Your options are your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message to another account.
- Press Send.
At this time, mention sharing is only available when the account which posts the Story is public and if they have the Instagram Sharing Story feature enabled.
If someone with a private account tags you in a Story, you’ll still get a notification in your Direct Messages, but you won’t be able to share it. You could, however, screenshot the Story and repost it your Stories. (Instagram doesn’t notify users when you screenshot their Stories.)
How to repost Stories you’re not tagged in
Instagram only allows mention sharing on its platform, so it’s only possible to repost a Story you’re tagged in within the app itself.
However, many third-party apps have been created that make it possible to repost virtually any Instagram Story. For this guide, we used Repost for Instagram – Ming, which is free to download on the App Store and has in-app purchases.
Here’s how to repost a Story on Instagram you’re not tagged in using Ming:
- Open Instagram.
- Locate the Story you want to repost.
- Tap the account’s username at the top-left corner of the screen to go to their profile.
- Tap the three horizontal dots at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Select Copy Profile URL.
- Open Ming.
- Select Paste Link.
- Edit the repost tag however you like.
- Press Share, and the app will open the repost on Instagram.
- Select Story.
- Select where you want to post the Story. Your options are your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message to another account.
- Press Send.
Note that this third-party app trick only works if the profile whose Story you’re reposting is public. If the user is private, you won’t be able to paste their profile URL into the Ming app.
Reposting Instagram videos and photos
Outside of posting to Stories, reposting Instagram posts is another great way to promote an account whose content you’ve been enjoying. Luckily, Instagram has made it easy to repost photos and videos from your feed to your Stories without having to download another app.
How to repost an Instagram post
At this time, you can only repost an Instagram post to your Story. Here’s how to repost an Instagram post to your Story:
- Open Instagram.
- Locate the post you want to share.
- Press the paper airplane symbol underneath the post.
- Select the option “Add post to your story.”
- Edit the post if you wish. You can add GIFs, stickers, or text.
- Select where you want to post the Story (your Story, your Close Friends, or a Direct Message).
- Press Send.
Like many of Instagram’s reposting features, you can only repost someone’s photos or videos if their account is public. If the user has a private account, you can still share the post by sending it as a Direct Message to someone, but you won’t have the option to add it to your Story.
You can also use this feature to repost your own post to your Instagram Story.
How to repost on Instagram with captions
If the account is public, not only can you repost the post onto your Story, but you can even include their caption. Here’s how:
- Open Instagram.
- Locate the post you want to share.
- Press the paper airplane symbol underneath the post.
- Select the option “Add post to your story.”
- Tap on the post to display the caption. Tapping it again will hide the caption.
- Edit the post if you wish.
- Select where you want to post the Story.
- Press Send.
How to use Instagram reposts for better engagement
When it comes to increasing your followers and getting more traction on your posts, it’s all about increasing engagement. There are tons of different ways to use reposting to get a better engagement rating on the app, so we thought we’d share a few of our favorites.
1. Curate user-generated content
If your goal is to create a community on Instagram, making a call-to-action for user-generated content is a great way to start. All you have to do is post to your Stories or your feed that you’ll repost content that meets a certain requirement.
A pet bakery seeking to increase its engagement, for example, could ask its followers to tag their account in the cutest photos of their dogs. If you decide to pursue this option, be sure to mention that anyone who tags you will get reposted on your Instagram Story.
2. Acknowledge an account that mentioned you
If another account has mentioned you in their Story or in a post, a great way to acknowledge that you appreciate it is by reposting it to your Stories. This will not only build camaraderie between you and the person who tagged you, but you’ll also be promoting their profile to the people you follow and vice versa.
Instagram is a sharing network, so don’t be afraid to share.
3. Get new followers
If a profile is public, you don’t have to follow the account to share their post on your Stories. If you’re looking to follow new people — and grow your Instagram following as well — a great way to start your new virtual friendship is to repost some of their content. Not only will it help them get some visibility with your followers, but they might be inclined to do the same for you.
Instagram repost FAQs
Reposting (also known as regramming) on Instagram is still a relatively new feature, so we wanted to answer a couple of frequently asked questions.
Is reposting legal on Instagram?
As long as you give credit to the person who originally made the post you are sharing, reposting is legal. That’s why, when you repost a post to your Story, Instagram automatically has the account’s username displayed under the post. Most third-party apps, like Ming, will also display the username, but you should double-check before posting just to be safe and to avoid breaking any copyright infringement laws.
Do I need permission to repost an Instagram Story?
Instagram’s Terms of Use state the following: “You can’t post private or confidential information or do anything that violates someone else’s rights, including intellectual property.”
In other words, it’s best to always ask for someone’s permission before reposting a Story. Make sure to document their response, if they allow it, just to be safe.
Can I see who reposted my Instagram Story?
The visibility of your reposted Instagram Story depends on where you posted it and your account settings.
If you posted it to your Close Friends story, then only the people you approved to see that Story can view if. If it’s on your regular Story, then all of your followers can see it. And if your profile is public, anyone who views your profile can also see it. If your profile is private, only your list of followers will see it.
Whether you’re teasing a new post to your feed or promoting someone else’s content, reposting is a great way to increase your engagement and grow your followers on Instagram.
