To get Notes on Instagram, tap Messages at the bottom of the app, then tap your profile picture at the top of your inbox. Type up to 60 characters, choose who can see it and tap Share. Your note then sits at the top of your friends’ inboxes and above your profile picture for up to 24 hours.
You can also post from your profile, add a song or a GIF, and reply to friends’ notes. If Notes is missing for you, the checks near the end usually sort it out.
| Where a Note Shows Up A note appears at the top of the Messages inbox for the people you chose, and above your profile picture when they visit your profile. It doesn’t show in your feed, in your stories or on your posts. It’s gone after 24 hours, or sooner if you delete it. |
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A note is a short text update of up to 60 characters, and you can add emojis to it. You can only have one note at a time, so sharing a new one replaces the one that’s already up.
You choose who sees each note. The two main options are Followers you follow back and Close friends. A Close friends note only reaches people on your list who also follow you back, which catches many people out. Instagram is testing wider audiences for some accounts, so your options may look a little different.
Notes used to show up on posts and reels as well. Instagram switched that off, so notes now live only in the inbox and on profiles. If an older guide tells you to add a note from the share menu on a reel, it’s out of date.
How To Post a Note on Instagram
There are two ways to start a note, and both open the same composer. The inbox route gives you the most options, including GIFs and locations.
From Your Inbox
- Tap Messages at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap your profile picture at the top of your inbox.
- Type your note, up to 60 characters.
- Choose Followers you follow back or Close friends.
- Tap Share.
On some versions of the app, Messages is still a paper-plane icon at the top right of your feed instead of a tab at the bottom. The rest of the steps are the same once you’re in the inbox.
From Your Profile
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to open your profile.
- Tap your profile picture again at the top of your profile.
- Type your note, choose who can see it and tap Share.
From here you can add text, a mention or music, but not a GIF or a location. Once you share it, the note shows above your profile picture and at the top of your friends’ inboxes.
Add Music, a GIF or a Location
A plain text note works fine, but the composer has a few extras. Each one sits under the text box when you start a note from your inbox.
- Music: tap Add music and choose a song. Music notes aren’t available in all countries.
- GIF: tap Add GIF and pick one from the search.
- Location: tap Add location to share where you are. Location services need to be on, and anyone who can see the note can see the location.
- Mention: you can mention someone in your note, as long as they allow mentions.
If you listen on Spotify, you can link it so your note shows what you’re playing. In the note composer, tap Music, then Link Spotify and Share from Spotify. The note updates as the song changes, for up to 24 hours or until 30 minutes after you stop listening. This option isn’t available to everyone yet, and you can end it with Stop sharing from Spotify or by posting a new note.
Keep in mind that notes with a GIF or a video only appear in the inbox. Stick to text or music if you want your note in both places.
Like, Reply To and Change Notes
Notes are built for small reactions rather than long threads. Here’s how to respond to a friend’s note and manage your own.
Reacting to Someone’s Note
Tap a friend’s note at the top of your inbox, then tap Like, or double-tap the note. Only the person who posted it can see that you liked it. Note reactions aren’t available to everyone, so your screen may show fewer choices.
To reply, type in the message field under the note and tap Send. That starts a chat between the two of you only, so nobody else sees it. Your reply lands as a private message, and our guide to what a DM is on Instagram explains who can read it.
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Changing or Deleting Your Note
Tap your own note to see your options. Tap Leave a new note to replace it, or Delete note to take it down straight away. The same screen shows who liked your note, and you can tap Messages next to a name to start a chat with them.
Only you can see who liked or replied to your note. Notes also have to follow Instagram’s Community Standards, and a note can still be reviewed after the 24 hours are up.
Mute or Unmute Someone’s Notes
If a friend posts notes you’d rather not see, you can mute them without unfollowing. They aren’t told when you do it.
- Tap Messages.
- Tap and hold their note at the top of your inbox.
- Tap Mute notes, then confirm.
To unmute, go to their profile and tap Following, then tap Mute and turn Notes back on. Their notes will show at the top of your inbox again from then on.
Muting someone’s notes doesn’t hide their posts or stories. It works the other way too, because muting their posts, stories or messages won’t mute their notes. Notes have their own switch, and our guide on what it means when you mute someone on Instagram covers the others.
Why You Can’t See Notes on Instagram
If Notes is missing for you, or a friend’s note won’t show, work through these checks in order. Most of the time, one of the first three is the answer.
Your app is out of date. New features often need the latest version before they appear. If you haven’t updated in a while, our guide on how to update Instagram walks through it on iPhone and Android.
You don’t follow each other. A note set to Followers you follow back only reaches mutual followers, so it won’t appear if one of you doesn’t follow the other. A Close friends note only reaches people on that list who follow back.
You muted their notes. If one friend’s notes never show while others do, open their profile and tap Following, then Mute, to check. Turn Notes back on if it’s switched off.
The feature isn’t on your account yet. Instagram says some note features aren’t available to everyone, and notes don’t work on Meta Quest headsets at all. If friends have an option you don’t, check again after the next app update.
Music isn’t offered where you live. Music notes aren’t available in every country. The Add music option can be missing even when text notes work fine.
Many guides also say you need Activity Status turned on. Instagram’s own help pages don’t list it as a requirement for Notes. Turning it on won’t hurt anything, but it’s unlikely to be the fix.
Instagram Notes Questions
Can I see who viewed my note?
Instagram shows you who liked your note or replied to it. It doesn’t give you a full list of everyone who saw it.
How long does an Instagram note last?
A note stays up for up to 24 hours. It goes sooner if you delete it or share a new one, since you can only have one note at a time.
Can I still add a note to a post or reel?
No, Instagram switched that option off. Notes now only appear at the top of the inbox and above profile pictures.
Can people see my location in a note?
Yes, anyone who can see the note can see a location you added. You need location services turned on to add one, and you can leave it out if you’d rather not share where you are.
Keep It Short and Check Who Sees It
A note sits at the top of the inbox and above your profile picture, and it’s gone within 24 hours. Before you tap Share, check the audience, because that one choice decides who sees it.
Notes keep your friends in the loop, but they don’t reach anyone outside your circle. If you’d like your posts and Reels to get more attention as well, you can add Instagram likes to give them a stronger start.
