8 Hidden Instagram Stories Hacks!

Feb 5

Do you ever watch other people's stories and wonder how they have changed the colour or font of their text or filmed handsfree? - well you're about to find out!

Instagram stories are a great way for a business to establish their social media presence, keep active online, promote their product or service and engage customers! So, it's important for businesses to nail their Instagram stories. (Read our blog post on How To Nail Your Instagram Stories here).

We've put together 8 top Instagram stories hacks that many people aren't aware of so you can take your Instagram game to the next level!

1. Customise your pen colours

Instagram stories are a great way to show off your brand - and there is no reason why your Instagram stories shouldn’t be on brand! You are not limited to the set colours provided at the bottom of the screen - to access a whole array of colours all you need to do is:

Tap the pen icon in the top right hand corner so your colour options appear at the bottom
Hold down on one of those colours and a whole colour spectrum will appear
Without lifting your finger, drag along the colour spectrum until you find your preferred colour - and voila! Your stories are on brand!

2. Create a solid colour background

I often see Instagram stories where the person has manually coloured in the whole background to achieve a solid colour ( and usually missed a few spots ). What a lot of people don’t know is that you can quickly and easily create a solid background colour by simply:

Tapping the pen at the top right corner
Selecting your colour
Holding down on the screen for around 2-3 seconds

(Note - If you want a solid colour use the marker or neon brush, if you want a translucent sweep of colour across the whole screen use the chisel-tip brush to fill.

3. Add layers to your stories

You’ve probably seen many people on Instagram adding different captions/images to their story bit by bit so you click your way through. To do this, all you have to do is:

Firstly, select your background image or colour and write your first caption
Before posting to your story, save the image - then post.
Then re upload the last saved image on your camera roll, and add your next bit of text! Simple!

4. Change the font!

The most recent feature instagram has introduced to their stories is the ability to change the font of your text on your stories! All you have to do is:

Click on the top right hand ‘Aa’ symbol to add text
Type out what you like and then click the button at the top centre of the screen to switch between fonts such as ‘classic’, ‘modern’, ‘neon’ (our personal fave), ‘typewriter’ and ‘strong’.

5. Add a ‘shadow effect’ to your text!

To add something a little different to your stories with this drop shadow text simply:

Click ‘Aa’ icon to add text and write out your message
Then tap the icon again and type out the exact same message in a different colour
Place the two seperate messages overlapping each other with one slightly off centre.

6. Film Handsfree

This sort of hidden hack is one that can really come in handy, but isn’t used by many! If you are filming something which is involving you switching between front and back camera or you need to be futher than arms length away from your phone, this simple feature is a life saver!

Simply just swipe right between the options at the bottom of the screen until you reach ‘Handsfree’
Tap the record button once to start recording and once to stop! - No more holding down the button for what can feel like f-o-r-e-v-e-r!

7. Change the colour of stickers

Stickers lile this ‘Friday’ sticker are really commonly used. You may or not know that if you tap the sticker it will turn translucent, this in itself is another look but if you’d like to you can then go in with pen tool and colour in the sticker to the colour of your choice!

Click the sticker icon
Select the sticker
Once it appears on your screen tap it once
Go in with your pen and colour in the sticker

8. Hide your stories from specific users

Whatever the reason, sometimes there is just that one person you really don’t want to see your Instagram story, and it is super easy to avoid! All you need to do is:

Before you take or upload your photo, tap the gear icon at the top left corner to access ‘Story Settings’
Click on ‘Hide Story From’
Select everyone you don’t wish to view your story
Then upload to your story as normal!