How to Repost on Instagram (Feed & Stories)

The easiest way to repost on Instagram in 2026 is the built-in Repost button — tap the two-arrow loop icon under any public Reel or feed post, add an optional note, and tap Repost. Your repost lands in a dedicated Reposts tab on your profile, is shown to your followers, and credits the original creator automatically. To share something to your Story instead, you use the paper-plane share icon. Here is how each method works, and when it will not.

Repost to your feed with the native Repost button

Instagram rolled out a proper Repost button from August 2025, so you no longer need a screenshot or a third-party app to re-share public content:

1. Open a public Reel or feed post you want to share.
2. Tap the Repost icon — two arrows forming a loop — near the like, comment, and share icons.
3. Add an optional comment to give your take, then tap Repost.

The post is now shared with your followers and filed in a Reposts tab on your profile, sitting next to your Tagged tab. Crucially, it does not mix into your main grid, so your own original posts stay front and centre. The creator keeps full credit and receives a notification that you reposted them.

Repost a post or Reel to your Story

Sharing to your Story is the other everyday “repost” people mean:

1. Tap the paper-plane (share) icon beneath the post or Reel.
2. Choose Add to story.
3. Add stickers, text, or music, then post it to your Story.

This works for posts you are tagged or mentioned in, and for public accounts that allow resharing to Stories. The original post appears as a tappable card that links back to the creator, so credit is built in. Want to make the Story pop? See how to add music to your Instagram Story.

Repost your own posts and Stories

You can re-share your own content too. To resurface an old feed post, use the same Repost or share options. To reshare a post to your own Story, tap the share icon and Add to story. And when a follower mentions you in their Story, you will get a “Add to your story” prompt in your DMs, letting you reshare it in a tap — a simple way to showcase happy customers or friends tagging you.

When you can’t repost

A few things will block a repost, and they are all deliberate:

• Private accounts: content from private accounts cannot be reposted or reshared publicly.
• Sharing turned off: creators can disable resharing of their posts to Stories, and that choice is respected.
• No permission: you cannot repost content you are not allowed to reshare.

If the Repost or share option is greyed out or missing, one of the above is the reason — it is not a bug.

Do you still need a third-party repost app?

For years, people relied on “Repost for Instagram” apps and screenshots to share other accounts’ posts. With the native Repost button and Story sharing built in, most users no longer need them. Third-party apps can still add a visible credit banner or let you reshare to your grid in specific ways, but they come with trade-offs: extra permissions, watermarks, ads, and the risk of an app that scrapes your data. If you do use one, never log in through anything other than the official Instagram app, and prefer the built-in tools whenever they cover what you need — which, in 2026, is most of the time.

Reposting tips that grow your account

Reposting is not just convenient; done well, it builds relationships and reach:

• Add your own take: a thoughtful caption or reaction turns a plain reshare into something your audience actually values.
• Tag and thank the creator: even though credit is automatic, an @mention and a genuine note can start a relationship and sometimes a repost back.
• Mix reposts with originals: curating great content from others is fine, but your own posts are what make people follow you specifically.
• Reshare user content: if you run a brand, resharing customers who tag you is powerful social proof and encourages more people to tag you.

Reposting etiquette and credit

The native tools credit creators for you, which is exactly the point: reposting should amplify people, not pass their work off as your own. Avoid the old habit of screenshotting someone’s Reel and re-uploading it — that strips their credit and can breach copyright. If you have downloaded a clip and want to feature it, still route it through the proper share tools; our guide on how to download Instagram Reels explains the legit limits there. And if you are building a steady posting habit around curated and original content alike, scheduling your Instagram posts keeps everything organised.

In short: use the two-arrow Repost button for feed and Reels, the share icon for Stories, and let Instagram handle the credit — clean, quick, and creator-friendly.