Someone tagged you in their story, or you found a post worth sharing with your own followers — either way, knowing how to repost a story on Instagram lets you pass it along in a couple of taps. There are two everyday versions of this: resharing a story you were mentioned in, and adding someone else's feed post to your story. Both are built into the app, and both credit the original account automatically. Here is exactly how each one works.
One thing to set expectations on: Instagram deliberately makes resharing easy with credit and harder without it. You can smoothly reshare content that tags you or comes from a public account, but there is no native one-tap button to lift a stranger's story and pass it off as your own. That is by design.
Reshare a story you're mentioned in
This is the most common case. When another account tags your username in their story, Instagram opens the door for you to reshare it to your own.
- Wait for the mention. When someone tags you, Instagram sends a direct message saying that account mentioned you in their story.
- Open your DMs and tap that message to view the story.
- Tap Add to your story underneath it.
- The story appears as a movable sticker — drag, resize, and add text, GIFs, or a background.
- Tap Your story to publish, or send it to close friends.
Because the reshare keeps the original @ tag, your followers can tap straight through to the account you shared. Remember this only works while the original story is still live inside its 24-hour window.
Good to know: if you were mentioned but do not see the DM, check your message requests folder. Mentions from accounts you do not follow sometimes land there instead of your main inbox.
Add someone's feed post to your story
The second version reshares a regular feed post — a photo or reel someone published — onto your story canvas.
- Open the feed post you want to share.
- Tap the paper-plane share icon below the post.
- Choose Add post to story.
- The post lands on a story canvas as a linked sticker crediting the creator. Add your own caption or stickers.
- Tap Your story to share it.
Anyone who taps the shared post is taken to the original — so the creator gets the visibility, and you get to curate without downloading or screenshotting anything.
Why the reshare button sometimes disappears
If the Add to your story or Add post to story option is missing, the reason is usually one of these. The original account may be private, which blocks resharing outside their followers. They may not have tagged you, so there is no mention to reshare. Or the account has resharing switched off in their settings, which stops others from adding their posts and stories. Instagram's available options also shift between app updates, so a button's exact wording can vary by version.
For business owners: reposting is free social proof
If you run a Toronto business, resharing stories is one of the most underrated things you can do. Every time a happy customer tags your account — a photo of their meal, a before-and-after, a shot outside your shop — that is genuine, unpaid word-of-mouth. Reposting it to your own story does three things at once: it thanks the customer, it shows prospective customers real people choosing you, and it keeps your story feed active without you having to create content from scratch.
Make it a habit. Reshare tags the same day they come in, keep a highlight reel of customer shout-outs, and gently prompt happy visitors to tag you. That steady stream of user-generated content builds the kind of trust no ad copy can fake — and it pairs naturally with the reviews and reputation work that drives local visibility. If you want that social proof feeding a bigger local-search strategy, our local SEO service ties it all together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I repost a story I'm tagged in on Instagram?
When someone tags or mentions your account in their story, Instagram sends you a direct message that says a user mentioned you in their story. Open that message and tap Add to your story. The story appears as a sticker you can move, resize, and caption, then you share it to your own story like any other. This only works while the original story is live within its 24-hour window.
Why can't I add someone's story to mine?
The reshare option only appears if the original account mentioned you with an @ tag and their account is public, or if you are resharing your own content. If a private account posts a story, or they did not tag you, there is no Add to your story button. Account settings can also restrict who is allowed to reshare their stories at all.
How do I add someone's feed post to my Instagram story?
Open the feed post you want, tap the paper-plane share icon under it, and choose Add post to story. The post drops onto a story canvas as a linked sticker crediting the original account. Add text or stickers if you like, then tap your story to publish. This works only for public accounts that allow resharing.
Does the other person know when I repost their story?
Yes. When you reshare a story you were mentioned in, or add someone's post to your story, the original account is credited with a tag and typically receives a notification. Resharing is designed to be visible and give credit, so the original creator can see that you shared their content.
Getting tagged by happy customers but not sure how to turn that goodwill into more Toronto customers? Book a free 30-minute consultation and we will show you how social proof feeds into local rankings.