Reposting a story used to mean one of two things: either you were tagged and Instagram made it easy, or you were not tagged and you had to take a screenshot. That second world is mostly gone. Instagram now lets you repost almost any public story straight from the app, no tag required. The screenshot trick still exists, but it is now a fallback, not the default.
This guide covers the four methods that work right now, when to use each one, and how to credit the original creator so the algorithm and your followers both stay happy.
Quick Answers
- Can I repost any Instagram story now?
Yes for most public accounts. Instagram added a global Add to Story button on public stories in late 2025, so a tag is no longer required. - How do I repost a story I was tagged in?
Open your DMs, tap the mention, then tap Add this to your story. Instagram credits the original creator automatically. - How do I repost a story when the account is private?
You cannot use the native button. Take a screenshot or screen recording, upload it to your own story, and tag the creator manually for credit. - Does the original creator get notified when I repost?
Yes when you use the native repost button. The creator is credited and notified. Screenshot reposts do not trigger a notification unless you tag them. - Can I repost a story I deleted?
Only if it is in your archive. From your profile, open the Archive, pick the story, tap Share, and post it as a new story.
The 4 Ways to Repost a Story (At a Glance)
| Method | Works when | Auto credit | Speed |
| Native repost (public story) | Account is public and resharing is on | Yes | Fastest |
| Tagged story repost | Someone mentioned you in their story | Yes | Fast |
| Screenshot or screen record | Account is private or resharing is off | No, tag manually | Medium |
| Share a Reel or Feed post to your story | You want to share a post, not a story | Yes | Fast |
Method 1: Repost Any Public Story (No Tag Needed)
This is the newest and easiest method. Instagram rolled out a global Add to Story button for public stories, so you can reshare almost anything you see in the app without screenshots or workarounds.
| Heads up before you try it Make sure your Instagram app is updated to the latest version. If you do not see the new repost button, you are likely on an older build or the original creator has resharing disabled in their privacy settings. |
Step-by-step instructions
- Open the Instagram app and tap the story you want to repost from any public profile.
- Look at the bottom of the story for the paper airplane (share) icon.
- Tap the share icon to open the sharing menu.
- In the sharing menu, tap Add to Story. Instagram will pull the story into your own story editor automatically.
- Tap the reposted story once to make it fill the screen, or pinch to resize and rotate it.
- Add anything you like on top: stickers, music, your own caption, a poll, or a question sticker.
- Tap Your Story (or Close Friends, or Specific People) and post.
What the creator sees
Instagram notifies the original creator and adds a credit chip at the top of your repost with their username. Viewers can tap the chip to jump straight to the original story. That is the cleanest way to share without stepping on anyone’s toes.
When this method does not work
- The account is private, so its stories cannot be reshared.
- The creator turned off resharing under Settings, Sharing and reuse.
- The story is Close Friends only.
- The story uses certain music tracks or features that block resharing.
If any of those apply, skip to Method 3 (screenshot or screen record).
Method 2: Repost a Story You Are Tagged In
This is the original repost method and it still works exactly as expected. When someone mentions your handle with the @ tag inside their story, Instagram sends you a DM and unlocks a one-tap Add to story option.
Step-by-step instructions
- Open your DMs by tapping the messenger icon in the top right of your home feed.
- Find the message from the person who tagged you. It will say something like, Mentioned you in their story, with a preview attached.
- Tap the preview to open the story full-screen.
- Below the story, tap the Add this to your story button.
- Resize or move the story bubble inside the editor, then add stickers, text, or music if you want.
- Tap Your Story to post it.
Make Your Reels Look Active Fast
Add followers, likes, and comments to give your profile a stronger first impression.
| Pro tip: do not delete the DM Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours, and so does the mention DM. If you wait too long, the Add this to your story button is gone. Repost the moment you see the tag, or save the original story to a phone screenshot first. |
What if the button is missing?
A few common reasons:
- The original account is private and you are not a follower.
- The creator disabled resharing for mentions in their account settings.
- They tagged you by typing @username manually as text instead of using the proper mention sticker. Only the sticker creates the repost option.
- Your app is out of date.
Method 3: Screenshot or Screen Record (When Native Does Not Work)
This is the fallback for private accounts, Close Friends stories, or any time resharing is disabled. It is more manual, but it still works for image and video stories alike.
For image-format stories (screenshot)
- Open the story you want to share.
- Long press and hold the screen if you want to hide the top bar of usernames and progress lines. This gives you a clean grab.
- Take a screenshot using your phone’s normal shortcut (side button + volume up on iPhone, power + volume down on most Android phones).
- Open your photo gallery and crop the screenshot down to just the story image.
- Swipe right inside Instagram to open the story camera, then swipe up to load the cropped image.
- Tag the original creator with the @ mention sticker so they get a notification and credit.
- Post to Your Story.
For video-format stories (screen record)
- Start screen recording before you open the story (Control Center on iPhone, Quick Settings on Android).
- Open the story and let the full clip play through.
- Stop the recording and open the resulting clip in your gallery.
- Trim the start and end so only the story remains.
- Upload it to your own story like any other video.
- Tag the original creator with the mention sticker for credit.
| Etiquette matters Always tag the original creator when you screenshot-repost. It is the only way they know it happened, and skipping credit is the fastest way to get a DM asking you to take it down. A simple @ mention sticker is enough. |
Technically this is reposting a post, not a story, but it shows up the same way in your story feed. People use it constantly to share their favorite Reels, posts they got tagged in, or content from accounts they want to amplify.
Step-by-step instructions
- Open the post or Reel you want to share.
- Tap the paper airplane icon below the post.
- From the sharing menu, tap Add post to your story (or Add Reel to your story).
- In the editor, drag to position the post bubble, resize it, or tap it once to switch between design options.
- Add your own context: a comment, a sticker, a poll asking your audience what they think.
- Tap Your Story to post.
The repost will show the original creator’s username automatically, and viewers can tap the embedded bubble to jump straight to the original.
The 4 Methods in More Detail
A quick recap card for each method so you can scan and pick at a glance.
| 1. Native public-story repost Best for: Any public story, fastest and cleanest. What it needs: Up-to-date app, public account, resharing enabled. Use this first. It auto-credits the creator and triggers a notification. Best long-term repost habit for credibility. |
| 2. Tagged story repost Best for: Stories where you are mentioned with the @ sticker. What it needs: A DM from the creator with the mention, posted in the last 24 hours. Old reliable. Works even when the account has resharing turned off, as long as you were specifically mentioned. |
| 3. Screenshot or screen record Best for: Private accounts, Close Friends stories, or resharing blocked. What it needs: Phone screenshot or screen record, manual crop or trim, manual mention sticker. Use only when the first two are not available. Always tag the creator with the mention sticker so it does not feel like a stolen post. |
| 4. Share a Reel or feed post to story Best for: Sharing a post or Reel rather than a story. What it needs: The post must be from a public account or one you follow with sharing enabled. A great way to amplify Reels and feed posts to your story audience while keeping a tappable link back to the original. |
How to Repost Your Own Archived Story
If you turned on the Save to Archive setting, all your past stories are still sitting in your profile, ready to be reposted any time. This is gold for evergreen content, throwback posts, or a Story Highlight refresh.
- Open your Instagram profile and tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top right corner.
- Tap Archive. Story Archive should be selected by default.
- Find the old story you want to bring back and tap it open.
- Tap the share icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Share as Story to post it to your current story, or Share as Post to publish it to your feed.
- Customize with new stickers, text, or music before tapping Send.
| Turn on auto-archive once and forget about it Open Settings and privacy, tap Archiving and downloading, then turn on Save story to archive. From now on, every story you post is automatically saved to your archive. Future-you will thank present-you. |
How to Repost Without Hurting Your Reach
Reposting is one of the cheapest ways to keep a story slot filled and signal your community is active. Done badly, it looks lazy. Done well, it builds relationships. A few rules.
Always credit the original creator
Native reposts handle this automatically. Screenshot reposts do not. Drop an @ mention sticker on top of the screenshot before you post. It takes two seconds and it is the difference between feeling shared and feeling stolen from.
Add value on top of the repost
A naked repost performs worse than a repost with your own commentary, a sticker, a poll, or a question. Treat reposts as a starting point for a conversation, not a finished post.
Mix reposts with original content
A story feed that is 100 percent reposts feels like an empty office with a TV on. A good ratio for most accounts is one repost for every three to four original stories. If your real Instagram audience is small and you want to grow faster, consistent engagement on original stories will outperform a repost-heavy feed every time.
Ask permission for sensitive content
Anything personal, political, or business-critical: send the creator a DM first. The repost button being technically available does not mean every story is fair game.
Troubleshooting: The Repost Button Is Missing
Most of the time the fix is simple. Walk through these in order.
1. Update your app
The public-story repost feature only exists on recent app versions. Open the App Store or Play Store, search for Instagram, and tap Update. Then force-close and reopen the app.
2. Check the account type
Private accounts cannot be reposted natively. The profile icon will have a tiny padlock if it is private. Switch to Method 3 (screenshot) and tag for credit.
3. Check the creator’s resharing setting
Even on a public account, a creator can turn off resharing for their stories under Settings and privacy, Sharing and reuse. If they did, the Add to Story button will not appear. You can still screenshot if appropriate.
4. Look for a Close Friends ring
A green ring around a profile picture means the story is Close Friends only. Those cannot be reshared, period. Respect that. Do not screenshot a Close Friends story without explicit permission.
5. Music or feature restrictions
Some music tracks and certain interactive stickers (like donation stickers, polls in some regions) block resharing. There is no fix for this. Move on or screenshot a different frame that does not include the restricted element.
5 Advanced Tips Most Creators Miss
1. Build a repost rotation for off days
Save high-performing creator stories in a saved folder titled Repost Inspo. On busy days when you do not have time to film something original, pull from that folder. Three high-credit reposts can hold the line until you are back with original content.
2. Use reposts to start collaborations
When you repost a smaller creator with genuine credit and a thoughtful comment, you are essentially giving them free reach. Most of them notice. That is how soft DMs about collabs start.
3. Repost stories you are tagged in within the first hour
Story engagement front-loads. Reposting a tag within the first hour gets you exposure to people who are actively swiping right now, plus extra love from the creator who tagged you.
4. Use the question sticker on a repost to drive replies
Layering a question sticker on top of a repost turns a passive share into a two-way conversation. Replies count as story engagement, and Instagram uses that signal when ranking who sees your next post.
5. Pin your best reposts to a Highlight
Stories disappear in 24 hours, but Highlights live on your profile forever. A Featured In or Press Highlight built from tagged-story reposts is a free social proof bar visible to everyone who visits your profile.
FAQ
Does the original creator get notified when I repost their story?
Yes for native reposts of public stories, and yes for tagged-story reposts. The creator gets a notification and a credit chip appears on your repost. Screenshot reposts do not notify the creator unless you tag them with the @ mention sticker, which you should do anyway.
Can I repost a Close Friends story?
Not natively. Close Friends stories cannot be reshared, by design. The only way around it is a screenshot, and that is a bad idea unless you have explicit permission from the creator. Close Friends is meant to be a private circle.
Can I repost a story from a private account?
Only if you are a follower, and only via screenshot. The native repost button does not appear on private-account stories even if you can see them. Always ask the creator first before reposting from a private account.
Why can’t I see the repost button on some public stories?
The most common reasons are an outdated app, the creator disabled resharing in their Sharing and reuse settings, the story uses restricted music, or the account is technically business-locked. Walk through the troubleshooting section in order.
How do I repost a Reel to my Instagram story?
Open the Reel, tap the paper airplane icon, then tap Add Reel to Your Story. The Reel becomes a tappable bubble inside your story that links back to the original.
How do I repost an archived story?
Open your profile, tap the hamburger menu, tap Archive, pick the story you want to bring back, then tap the share icon. Choose Share as Story or Share as Post and customize from there.
Can I edit a story after I repost it?
You can add stickers, text, drawings, music, polls, or questions before you post the repost. After it is live, you cannot edit it. You can only delete and repost.
Will reposting too much hurt my reach?
Not directly, but if your story feed is mostly reposts your followers stop tapping, and that engagement drop hurts you. Aim for one repost per three or four original stories. Layer reposts with stickers and questions to keep engagement high.
Can I see who reposted my story?
Yes for native reposts. You get a notification when someone reshares your public story, and you can also see reposts in your story Insights as a separate metric. Screenshot reposts are invisible to you unless the person tags you.
Can I disable resharing on my own stories?
Yes. Go to Settings and privacy, tap Sharing and reuse, and turn off Allow resharing to story. Existing reposts stay up but no one can natively repost your future stories. Useful for sensitive personal content.
Reposting Is Cheap Reach, Use It Wisely
Instagram made reposting easier than ever, and that is a real opportunity. The best creators treat reposts as conversations, not space-fillers: native button when possible, credit always, your own commentary layered on top, and a steady mix with original stories.
Use the four methods in this guide in this order: native public repost first, tagged repost second, share-to-story for posts and Reels third, screenshot as the last resort. Tag the creator every time. The reach you build from being a generous resharer compounds in ways the algorithm rewards quietly but consistently.
Now open the app, find a story worth amplifying, and put the workflow to work.
