Instagram Stories: Guidance, Techniques, and Fresh Features for 2026

Hate to make a commitment to a feed? Like GIFs, stickers and some creative chaos? If that’s the case, it’s sure that Instagram Stories is for you.

There are a lot of built-in features and functions for Instagram Stories. These are not as easy to find or to use.

What are Instagram Stories?

From the very basics of how to use Instagram Stories to tips for your business, we will cover all of the information you need to know about Instagram Stories.

Instagram Stories are vertical photos and videos, which vanish after 24 hours. They are seen at the top of the Instagram application.

Why should I create a story on Instagram?

Instagram Stories are great to post on as they have a tremendous amount of reach, particularly among younger audiences, and are packed with interactive features.

First, reach. Some 500 million people watch Stories every day. That adds up to about ⅓ of Instagram’s total audience, and a ton of “eyeballs on your content.”

If your audience is geared towards younger viewers, stories are particularly useful. Instagram is the most popular social media app among Gen Z, and is one of the top 3 apps among U.S. adults.

Stories can go beyond the norm by incorporating interactive features, which will make your content stand out and encourage viewers to engage with it.

What’s New with Instagram Stories in 2026?

However, in 2026, Instagram introduced several improvements to its Stories feature, such as the addition of Story comments, AI-generated image expansion, and a subscription-based approach to access exclusive Story features. 

Let’s go through some of the new features on Instagram stories:

Story comments

• Users are now able to make public comments on other users’ Story (previously it was only possible to reply using DMs).
• Comments seen by all viewers of the Story will disappear when the Story disappears, unless the Story creator saves the comment to a Highlight.
• Developing an app that promotes this kind of interaction is very complicated, though, because it has to work with the protocol. 
• For brands, it’s a novel approach to starting a conversation in the public sphere—and another space you’ll have to moderate.

Instagram Plus

Instagram Plus is a subscription-based service that Meta is testing that offers some extra features in the Stories section. It is being introduced first into select markets such as the Philippines (~$1.07/month), Mexico (~$2.15/month) and Japan.

So, what can Instagram Plus offer you:

• Multiple audience lists: Add everyone outside the Close Friends list and make more custom audience groups as many as you like.
• Rewatch insights: Not only know who viewed your stories, but also how many people are watching them again.
• Searchable viewer list: Enter a name and find out if a particular person viewed your Story.
• Preview before posting: Review your Story before posting it on others’ feeds.
• Anonymous viewing: See other people’s Stories but not in their viewer list (ideal for spying on the competition).
• Extended Story lifespan: Extend a Story from 24 hours to 48 hours.

Intrigued? It may take some time. It hasn’t released it worldwide yet, and Meta has not announced its plans for when it will be expanding to more markets.

AI Image Expander

Have a picture that doesn’t quite fit into the 9:16 rectangle? Instagram can now apply AI to expand photos with a texture, background or sky background, which is available on iOS and Android (not desktop) and currently limited to users in the U.S. 

No need for Photoshop, which is super on-brand for 2026.

How to post an Instagram Story

Step 1: Open the Story camera

• Tap the “+” icon in the top-left corner of your feed, or…
• Tap and swipe right on any message in the feed.

Step 2: Capture or upload content

• Tap the white circle at the bottom of the screen to take a picture.
• Press and hold the white circle to record a video.
• Use existing photos and videos by swiping up.

Step 3: Select a format (optional)

If you want to share a standard photo or video, you can skip this step. However, if you wish to try various formats, there are various options available on the left-hand side of the screen, such as:

• Boomerang: Make a short looping video that plays in reverse and forward.
• Layout: Combine multiple photos into a single collage-style Story.
• AI images: Enter a short text prompt, and Instagram will generate several images that you can share directly to your Story.
• Hands-free: Make a video while not pressing the capture button.

Step 4: Edit your Story

• Add stickers, music, links, or text.
• Apply filters.
• Doodle, highlight, and make personal additions with the pen tool.

Step 5: Share it

• Tap on “Your Story” to post the story, or “Close Friends” to share with a limited circle of friends.
• Before you begin using the new Story abilities, know the optimum number of IG stories to post each day!

How to Check Your Instagram Story Views

Tap your Story at the top of your feed and swipe up to view who’s seen your Story, as well as likes it received, if it’s still active (within 24 hours of posting).

Stories will be removed from your profile after 24 hours. You can still see insights such as reach (unique viewers), impressions (total views, including repeats), link clicks, and more, though.

How to Access Story Insights:

In this section of the app, you will find your insights (requires a Professional or Creator account).

• Tap your profile picture at the bottom, right side of the screen.
• You can find the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top right, click on it and choose Insights.
• To change your reporting timeframe, click on Last 7 Days in the top right corner. Choose from 7, 14, 30, or 90 days, or set a custom range.
• Tap on Content You Shared and then Stories.
• Click the Sort & filter icon to select your metric and sort.
• Tap any of the Stories to see more information.
• Want to know which metrics to track? Don’t worry, this guide will help you focus on the numbers that really matter.

How to Schedule Instagram Stories

Use a social media management tool (such as Perch by Hootsuite) to schedule Instagram Stories. This way, you can schedule your content ahead of time, automate its release and get to the other items on your (always full) to-do list.

It also provides you the opportunity to schedule Stories that align with your other social media posts and enhance your larger campaigns.

To schedule an Instagram Story using Perch by Hootsuite:

• Head to your Perch dashboard and select Create a post from the left-hand menu.
• From the Publish to drop-down menu, select the account you want to post your Story to.
• Switch to the Story editor using the dropdown menu on the right side.
• Click the upload icon to add your image or video.

6 Cool Instagram Story Features You Should Be Using

Now for the fun part. Let’s take a look at 6 features of Instagram Stories that you should actually use.

1. Create mode

Create Mode allows to make an Instagram Story without photos or videos. Use a simple background to insert text, stickers, or GIFs – ideal for quick updates or announcements.

2. Stickers

Stickers are what you can add to any Story to make it interactive (polls, questions, countdowns, locations, music, gifs, and more!)

To add one, go to your Story in the editor, tap on the smiley face (the square smiley face) at the top of the screen, and select from the menu that appears. 

We could write an entire blog about Instagram Story stickers, but for now, let’s just point out the most useful ones below! Be aware that there are many choices.

3. Countdown

Launching a product? Hosting an event? The countdown sticker enables you to create anticipation by creating a timer which viewers can view and see counting down in real time.But it doesn’t end there: reminders will be sent to your followers when the countdown is over, which is one of the most effective stickers for campaigns that have a “big moment”.

To add one, click on the sticker icon in the Story editor and choose Countdown, name your event and then set the end date and time.

4. Notify

With the Notify sticker, your followers can subscribe to notifications about your future content in one tap.It’s a fantastic feature for creators and marketers as fans will be one of the first to know when you post something new (and will escape the Instagram algorithm).

5. Pen tool

With the pen tool you can doodle, highlight or set any background to a solid color. Simply snap a picture, tap the pen icon on top of the display, choose a color from the palette and press and hold anywhere on the screen to fill in the entire background. Great for text, stickers or doodles!

6. Get orders

The Get Orders sticker allows followers to scroll to a product’s detail to ask questions or place an order directly in Instagram, with the user’s story turning into a mini storefront. Quickly from Story view to sale.

FAQ: Instagram Stories