Instagram Stories Hidden Media Features
Want to flip your images, upload multiple pieces of media to the same Stories post or turn an iPhone live photo into a Boomerang directly in Instagram? Here at Minter.io we have compiled the best media secrets for your Instagram Stories, so you can take your business’ social media presence to the next level.
Turn iPhone Live Photos Into Boomerangs
Have you taken a poignant iPhone live photo that you’d like to turn into a Boomerang? With this simple trick, you can turn iPhone live photos into Boomerangs, directly in Instagram.
- Open the Instagram Stories creator.
- Find the live photo that you wish to turn into a Boomerang and insert it into your Stories creator, by accessing your camera roll in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
3. If the date pops up, remove the date by dragging it to the bin at the bottom of the screen.
4. Press and hold the image for approximately 2 seconds until ‘BOOMERANG’ appears on the screen.
5. To return the Boomerang to a normal photo, simply press and hold the image for approximately 2 seconds until ‘NORMAL’ appears on the screen.
Note: According to ios.gadgethacks.com you’ll only be able to do this with live photos taken in the past 24 hours, so if you want to upload your iPhone live picture as a boomerang at a later date, use this hack and save the boomerang to your camera roll before exiting the Stories creator.
Share A Post From A Profile
When a post on someone else’s feed speaks to your brand values, or you want to share a post from your own feed as a throwback or to draw attention to it, you can share the post to your Instagram Stories.
Here’s how:
- Find the post you’d like to share. This could be on your profile or another profile.
2. Click on the arrow icon on the bottom left-hand corner of the post.
3. Select ‘Add Post to Your Story’.
4. Further edit the Stories post to your preferences.
Make Your Media Bigger Or Smaller
To zoom in on your Stories image, or to zoom out so that there is a border around it, you must insert the Stories media from your camera roll. If you want to zoom in or out on an image or video you have taken from within the Instagram app, you must save the media to your camera roll and re-upload the media.
To save media from your Instagram Stories editor:
- Open Instagram Stories by opening the Instagram app and swiping right.
2. Take the image or video in Instagram Stories.
3. Click on the download arrow at the top of the media. You will be notified that the media has saved to your camera roll.
4. Exit the image by selecting the cross in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
5. Select the camera roll in the bottom left-hand corner to upload the image.
6. Select your image.
7. Zoom in or out of the image and edit as required.
Create A Collage By Copying Media From Your Camera Roll
Creating a collage from multiple pieces of media is an inventive way to make the most of your footage — and it’s easier to do than you think. By copying photos straight from your camera roll and inserting directly into your Instagram, you don’t need any external apps to create an impressive collage.
Here’s how:
- Open Instagram Stories by opening the Instagram app and swiping right.
2. Select an image or video from the camera roll, accessed from the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, and resize as desired.
3. Minimise Instagram and open Photos.
4. Choose the photo you want to add to the Instagram Stories post.
5. Click the share icon in the bottom left-hand corner.
6. Select ‘Copy’ in the bottom left-hand corner.
7. Minimise and return to Instagram.
8. A pop-up may appear stating ‘Add sticker’. Select this. If the sticker disappears too quickly or doesn’t appear at all, select the text function and hold down the screen to click ‘Paste’.
9. Your photo will be inserted into the Stories post. From here you can resize and move the media.
10. Repeat as necessary and customise your Stories post with additional features as required.
Flip Your Images So That They’re Mirrored
If you have an image that you’d like to flip but don’t want to download another app to achieve this look, this simple trick will horizontally flip any image from your camera roll.
- Open Instagram Stories by opening the Instagram app and swiping right.
2. Select an image or video from the camera roll, accessed from the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, or choose a background image or colour.
3. Minimise Instagram and open Photos.
4. Choose the photo you want to add to the Instagram Stories post.
5. Click on the share button in the bottom left-hand corner.
6. Select ‘Copy’ in the bottom left-hand corner.
7. Minimise and return to Instagram.
8. A pop-up may appear stating ‘Add sticker’. Select this. If the sticker disappears too quickly or doesn’t appear at all, select the text function and hold down the screen to click ‘Paste’.
9. Press the image. This will mirror the image.
10. You can press the image to flip it back.
11. From here you can fill the screen with the image, move or resize the image as required.
Share Multiple Question Responses on a Single Story
Asking your audience questions is a great way to get feedback, preferences and suggestions. By sharing responses to your questions you can show your followers that you are listening and actively taking their suggestions on board. However, Instagram only gives you the ability to share responses to question stickers individually per Stories post. With this neat little trick, you can share multiple question responses on a single Stories post.
- Share a question by creating a Stories post and adding the Questions sticker.
2. Once your question is published, find the responses to the question in your notifications tab or by viewing the inbuilt viewer insights of your current Stories post, which is accessed by the insights button at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen when viewing your current Stories posts.
3. View the responses, click ‘Reply’ on a response you wish to share, then ‘Share Response’.
4. You can add a background from your camera roll or by taking a photo or video in-app.
5. Save the image by selecting the download button at the top of your screen.
6. Close the Stories uploader by clicking the cross in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
7. Repeat steps 2–3 with another response.
8. Select the saved image from your camera roll with the previous response to use as a background and position the second response where you desire.
9. Repeat steps 5–6.
10. Continue adding responses and saving the image until you are happy to publish the Stories post.
With these simple tricks, you can take your business’ Instagram Stories to the next level. Want to unlock any colour to decorate your Instagram Stories? Find the latest Instagram Stories secret colour hacks here… and don’t forget to find out how your Instagram stacks up with extensive Instagram analytics from Minter.io.
