How to Share Someone's Story on Instagram (and Fix It When You Can't)

Can you share someone's Story on Instagram?

Yes, you can share someone's Story on Instagram if their account is public and they have not turned off Story resharing. Your own account can be public or private; Instagram's Help Center says that does not matter.

Public accounts allow anyone to reshare their Stories by default. Owners can narrow that in their settings, and Instagram says all teen accounts have Story-to-Story sharing turned off by default.

When you reshare, your viewers see the original Story inside yours. Instagram says anyone who views it can see who originally posted it and can open that account, so credit always stays with the creator.

How to share someone's Story on Instagram, step by step

To share someone's Story on Instagram, tap Share on their Story, choose Add to story, then tap Next and Share. These are the steps listed in Instagram's Help Center for the mobile app.

1. Open the Story you want to share.
2. Tap the Share icon at the bottom right of the Story.
3. Tap Add to story.
4. Move, resize or decorate the Story with text and stickers if you like.
5. Tap the Next arrow at the bottom right.
6. Tap Share to post it to your Story.

If you do not see Add to story after tapping Share, the owner has limited resharing or the account is private. The fixes section below explains each case.

How to add a Story you are tagged in to your Story

When someone mentions you in their Instagram Story, Instagram sends you a message, and you can add that Story to your own from there. This is the most common way people reshare friends' Stories.

1. Open the message Instagram sends when you are mentioned. If you follow the person, it arrives as a direct message with a preview of the Story. If you do not, it arrives as a message request.
2. Tap the option to add the Story to your own. The label can differ by app version.
3. Edit the layout if you want, then tap Share.

Stories about you

Instagram also gathers Stories that mention you into a single reel called Stories about you. Instagram says it is shown to eligible accounts that have been mentioned in the past 24 hours, and it lets you view, reply to and share those Stories in one place. Mentions from a private account only appear there if you follow that account.

When the option is missing

Instagram's Help Center says you cannot add a Story to your own if the person has turned off Story reshares for people they mention, even though you were mentioned. Private accounts also decide whether the accounts they mention can add their Story.

What is a reshare on Instagram Stories?

A reshare on Instagram Stories is a Story, post or Reel from another account that someone adds to their own Story. The original stays linked, so viewers can tap through to the creator.

Reshares last as long as any Story: 24 hours, unless the person saves them to a Highlight. That makes them different from the repost button, which adds a post to a Reposts tab on your profile until you remove it.

For the repost button, read how to repost on Instagram.

How to add a post to your Story on Instagram

To add someone's feed post or Reel to your Story, tap the Share icon below it, tap Add to story, then tap the arrow and Share. The account must be public and must allow resharing of its posts.

1. Find the post or Reel in your feed or on the creator's profile.
2. Tap the Share icon below the post.
3. Tap Add to story.
4. Arrange the post, and add text or stickers if you want.
5. Tap the arrow at the bottom right.
6. Tap Share.

Instagram's Help Center adds that this feature is not available to everyone, so a small number of accounts may not see it at all. Viewers who see the post on your Story can see who posted it and open the original account.

Why can't I share a post to my Story on Instagram?

If you can't share a post to your Story on Instagram, the account is usually private or the owner has turned off resharing. Less often, the feature is not available on your account or your app needs an update.

If the problem is with the repost button instead, see why you can't repost on Instagram.

How to control who can share your Stories and posts

You control who can reshare your Instagram content in Settings, under Sharing and reuse. Stories and feed posts have separate switches.

For your Stories

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Sharing and reuse.
3. Tap Stories to stories.
4. Choose Everyone, Followers you follow back or Off.

For your posts and Reels

1. Go to your profile and tap the menu icon at the top right.
2. Under How others can interact with you, tap Sharing and reuse.
3. Turn off Posts and reels to stories if you do not want them added to other people's Stories.

Instagram says this resharing switch applies to public accounts. Private accounts are already protected, because their posts cannot be added to other people's Stories. Instagram also notes that you will not be able to see who reshared your Reel or where, so these settings are your main control. More on that in can I see who shared my Instagram post.

Tips for sharing someone's Story the right way

Sharing someone's Story works best when you add something of your own and keep the credit clear. A bare reshare with no context is easy to skip.

• Add a reason. A short line on why you are sharing helps your followers decide to tap through.
• Keep the original visible. Do not cover the creator's name with stickers. Viewers should be able to see and open the original account.
• Ask first for personal Stories. A public Story about a friend's private moment may not be meant for your audience.
• Use Highlights for keepers. Brands often save customer Story mentions to a Highlight so they last past 24 hours.

For your own posts, shares are a useful signal. In January 2025, Instagram head Adam Mosseri named watch time, likes and sends as the top three ranking signals, as reported by Social Media Today. Some accountsbuy Instagram shares so a new post shows early social proof. Bought shares make a post look shared. They do not create real fans or sales by themselves, so they work best on content that already gives people a reason to pass it on.