Instagram Stories have become one of the most popular ways for users to share daily moments, updates, and creative content. However, one limitation of Stories is that they automatically disappear after 24 hours. While Instagram stores these stories in the archive section, many users want a way to display their favourite stories on their profile for a longer time.
To solve this issue, Instagram introduced the Story Highlights feature, which allows users to keep selected stories permanently visible on their profile. Highlights appear directly below the profile bio in circular icons, making them easy for visitors to access.
This feature is widely used by influencers, creators, and businesses to showcase important content such as travel memories, product launches, tutorials, or personal milestones.
If you are new to Instagram or unsure how to use Highlights, here is a complete step-by-step guide to help you create and manage Story Highlights on your profile.
What Are Instagram Story Highlights?
Story Highlights allow Instagram users to collect and organize stories into categories that remain visible on their profile indefinitely.
Instead of disappearing after 24 hours, selected stories can be grouped into Highlights and displayed under the profile picture. Each highlight can have its own custom name and cover image, making the profile look more organized and visually appealing.
Users can create multiple highlights depending on their needs, and they will remain visible on the profile until the owner decides to remove them.
Steps to Create a New Story Highlight on Instagram
Follow these steps to create your first Instagram Story Highlight:
- Open the Instagram app on your Android or iOS smartphone.
- Tap on your profile picture located at the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Under the Story Highlights section, tap the “New” button.
- Select the story or stories from your archive that you want to include.
- Tap Next in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Choose Edit Cover to set a cover image for the highlight.
- Enter a title for your highlight.
- Tap Add to publish the highlight on your profile.
Once completed, the highlight will appear as a circular icon below your profile bio. Anyone visiting your profile can tap on it to view the stories included in that highlight.
How to Edit or Manage an Existing Highlight
Instagram allows users to update their highlights anytime. This means you can change the cover image, rename the highlight, or add more stories later.
To edit an existing highlight:
- Open your Instagram profile.
- Tap on the highlight you want to edit.
- Select the More options (three dots) at the bottom right corner.
- Tap Edit Highlight.
- From here, you can change the cover photo, title, or add new stories.
This flexibility makes it easy to maintain well-organized highlights on your profile.
Steps to Add a Story to an Existing Highlight
If you want to add a newly posted story to an existing highlight, follow these steps:
- Launch the Instagram app.
- Open your active story by tapping your profile picture at the top left of the home screen.
- Tap the Highlight option at the bottom of the story.
- Select the existing highlight where you want to add the story.
Alternatively, you can also press and hold a highlight on your profile and choose Edit Highlight to add more stories from your archive.
Why Story Highlights Are Useful
Story Highlights are a powerful feature that helps users organize their profiles and highlight important content.
Some common uses include:
- Showcasing travel experiences
- Highlighting product collections for businesses
- Sharing tutorials or tips
- Displaying customer testimonials
- Organizing personal memories
Because highlights remain visible permanently, they help visitors quickly understand the type of content a profile shares.
Instagram Story Highlights provide an excellent way to preserve your favourite stories and present them neatly on your profile. Even after the original story disappears after 24 hours, the stories saved in highlights remain accessible to viewers.
By creating well-organized highlights with clear titles and attractive cover images, users can make their Instagram profiles more engaging and informative.
If you regularly post stories on Instagram, using Highlights can help you showcase your best moments and keep them visible for as long as you want.
