Instagram Stories: Your FAQs Answered

Posted on 2nd May, 2025.

TL;DR (The Short Version)

Instagram Stories stay on your profile and the Feed for only 24 hours.
Stories are ideal for sharing snippets into your life in a more casual way than posts.
Read on for all your Instagram Story FAQs answered!

In early Instagram, users used to post everything (and we mean everything!) on the grid, from what they ate for breakfast to how they were spending their afternoon. The introduction of the Instagram Story changed that, allowing users to keep their profile/Feed as a space for more meaningful, storytelling posts, or pictures or videos of big events, while Stories are the place to post snippets of your daily life.

Not sure what an Instagram story is? Our handy guide can give you an insight.

Well-versed on Instagram stories but have a few more questions about leveraging them for increased engagement? We've got you covered, with our FAQ Instagram Story guide.

What is the difference between a post and a story on Instagram?

An Instagram post appears permanently on your profile grid and in your followers’ feeds. A Story, on the other hand, is a temporary piece of content that disappears after 24 hours and appears at the top of the app in the Stories tray (unless you save it to your Highlights). Posts can be liked, commented on, and shared, while Stories offer interactive features like polls, stickers, and links. You can also like, comment on, and react to Stories.

Is a Story better than a post?

It depends on your goal. Stories are great for real-time updates, casual content, or direct interaction with your audience. Posts are better for more polished, long-lasting content that you want to stay on your profile. Many users combine both to make the most of Instagram’s features. The best approach is to use both regularly for maximum engagement.

How to add multiple photos to Instagram Story?

To add multiple photos to your Story, open the Instagram app and swipe right to access the Story camera. Tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left, then tap the ‘Select Multiple’ button. Choose the photos you want to include (up to ten), customise each with stickers or text, and tap ‘Next’ to post them in sequence.

Can you see if someone screenshots your Instagram Story?

Wanting to know when people are checking out your profile (and how often you can check out theirs)?

The answer is no, Instagram does not notify you if someone takes a screenshot of your Story. Screenshot alerts are only sent for disappearing photos and videos sent via Instagram Direct, not for regular Stories.

This means you can also screenshot away without others knowing you're capturing their story.

How to change background on Instagram Story?

To change the background of an Instagram Story, start by selecting a photo or creating a new one. Then tap the drawing tool (the squiggle icon), choose a colour, and tap and hold on the screen to fill it with that colour. You can also use stickers, overlays, and text to personalise the background further.

How long do Stories stay on Instagram?

Instagram Stories remain visible for 24 hours after posting. After that, they disappear from your profile and the Stories tray. However, you can save them to your Highlights if you want them to remain accessible on your profile permanently.

What are Story Highlights?

Story Highlights are curated collections of your past Instagram Stories that you choose to keep on your profile permanently. Unlike regular Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, Highlights remain visible until you remove them. They appear in circles below your bio and can be organised by theme, topic, or event, for example, "Travel", "Recipes", or "Behind the Scenes".

Can you see who views your Instagram story?

Yes, which means they can also see when you view theirs! Bear in mind you can only see this info while the Story is still live. Simply open your Story and swipe up on the screen to see a list of usernames who have viewed it. This information disappears after 24 hours along with the Story itself, unless you save it to your Highlights. Once a Story is archived or added to Highlights, you can still see how many views it had, but not who specifically viewed it.

Got any more FAQs about Instagram or TikTok? We've got plenty more where they came from, with guides on everything from getting more followers to uploading Instagram carousels on our in-depth blog.