4 easy ways to add a white border to your Instagram photo

With the rise of various third-party apps and tools, there are thousands of ways to edit your Instagram photos. While some users layer their pictures with cool filters or colorful light leaks, many photographers use white frames around their photos to add a creative touch. In this guide, we’ll go over the various ways to add white borders to Instagram photos so you can easily try this lookout for yourself.

How to add a white frame to your Instagram photo

Adding a white frame to your Instagram photo is a simple and easy way to make your content stand out. While there are dozens of ways to achieve this effect, the four methods listed below are the most common — and the simplest to use.

1. Get the white border on your photo using VSCO

If you want more than what the Instagram app offers, you can achieve a similar style using VSCO, a popular photo editing app. It’s free to download in the App Store and comes with multiple filters and editing features, as well as additional filters available for purchase. With this app, you have the option to use a variety of color borders on your photos.

Here’s how to get a white border using VSCO:

1. Open the VSCO app.
2. Press the + at the top-right of the screen.
3. Navigate to the photo you wish to use.
4. Press Import at the bottom of the screen.
5. Select the photo you imported.
6. Press Edit at the bottom-left of the screen.
7. Tap the Edit icon again.
8. Scroll right until you see the Borders icon.
9. Tap Borders.
10. Select the white color.
11. Use the slider to select how large you want the border to be.
12. Press Next at the top-right of the screen.
13. Press Save.

This will save the new version of your photo to your Camera Roll, where you can upload it to Instagram as you normally would.

2. Add a white frame to your Instagram photo with Whitagram

Another great third-party tool is Whitagram. This free app provides an easy way to add white borders around your photos, but it also allows you to use multiple colors and add text and stickers to your images.

Here’s how to add a white frame with Whitagram:

1. Open your Whiteagram app.
2. Select Library.
3. Navigate to the photo you wish to use and select it.
4. Press the square icon at the bottom-center of the screen.
5. Use the slider to adjust the size of your border.
6. Tap Save at the top-right of the screen.
7. Select Camera Roll.

Once your newly edited photo is saved, you can upload it to Instagram.

3. Add white frames using Preview

While it’s typically used to schedule Instagram posts and videos ahead of time, Preview also has some great editing features and an option to add a white border. So if you’re already using this free app to schedule your photos, you owe it to yourself to give its editing tools a try.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Open the Preview app.
2. Press the + sign at the top-right of the screen.
3. Press Library.
4. Navigate to the photo you wish to use.
5. Tap Done.
6. Select the photo again.
7. Press the edit button at the bottom-center of the screen.
8. Tap the adjust photo editor button at the top-left of the screen.
9. Choose Frames.
10. Select the white border of your choosing.
11. Press Done at the top-right of the screen.
12. Select the photo.
13. Press the share button at the bottom-right of the screen.
14. Choose Post on Instagram.

Follow the instructions from the Preview app to post your newly edited photo to your feed.

4. Put a white frame around your photo using Instfit

Another simple and free app to try is Instfit, which allows you to not only post full-size photos with a white border but also has some fun editing features such as overlays and collages.

Here’s how to add a white frame with Instfit:

1. Open the Instfit app.
2. Press the image button at the top-left of the screen.
3. Select Photo.
4. Navigate to the photo you wish to use.
5. Move the photo to change its position, or use two fingers to make it larger or smaller.
6. Press the arrow button at the top-right of the screen.

Instfit places a watermark on any photos you edit in the app, but you can easily remove it by following their account on Instagram.

Should I use white borders on Instagram?

Now that you know how to use white borders, it’s time for us to go over the pros and cons of doing so.

The pros

Here are the pros of adding a white border to your Instagram photos:

• You can display horizontal and vertical photos in full-size (without them getting cropped).
• You can add text or graphics to your image in the white space, so you don’t have to cover anything in your image.
• You can creatively display your content with various border colors and sizes.

The cons

Here are the cons of adding a white border to your Instagram photos:

• If your border sizes don’t match, the result could make your Instagram feed look clunky and less cohesive.
• Your images will appear smaller and more zoomed out when viewed in grid form.
• It requires extra editing work to get your picture Instagram-ready.

Using a white border on Instagram is a popular option for many photographers, as it allows them to display an entire photo, no matter the size or orientation, without it being cropped. And even though Instagram has increased its size options beyond the original square, using a white border can ensure that your audience will see the entirety of your image. So give it a shot, and check out our guide to taking Instagram photos if you want to take your Instagram to a new level.