Instagram is a place where you can share pictures, videos, and reels of your life. Going on vacation? Your followers can see the best parts of your trip via Instagram posts and stories.
However, up until 2017, it was not possible for others to see your old stories unless you searched the archive and shared them again. This all changed with the introduction of Instagram Highlights on 5th December 2017.
This highlight feature now allows you to “glue” your stories to your profiles so you and your followers can see them whenever you wish to. That is unless you decide to delete them manually.
These highlights appear on your profile below your bio in the form of circular icons. These circles are actually files holding your dearest memories.
But, did you know you could download the highlights? Therefore, you can save them to other devices so you can reminisce whenever you like.
Instagram highlights allow users to showcase their skills, talent, or beauty. If your profile is set to public (see also “How To Make A Public Profile On Snapchat“), Instagram users can check out previous stories.
This is very beneficial if you are trying to create a brand or business on the app. The highlights are just that – they highlight what is best about you and your business.
If you want to save your Instagram highlights to possible share elsewhere or have them backed up on your laptop or PC, we are here to help.
In today’s article, we are going to guide you through the process of downloading Instagram highlights via a couple of different methods (online, or through your story archive).
Let’s get started!
What Are Instagram Highlights?
Instagram Highlights are a feature on the Instagram platform that allow users to curate and showcase their best stories, posts, and moments in a permanent way on their profile.
Highlighted content is saved in a collection of highlight reels, which appear as circular icons on a user’s profile.
Users can also create a custom cover image and title for each highlight, making it easy for users to categorize and showcase their content.
Instagram Highlights stay on a user’s profile indefinitely until they choose to delete them, providing a way for users to create a visual portfolio of their content for their followers to easily access.
How To Download Instagram Highlights (On The App)
You can easily download your Instagram highlights from within the app via your stories archive (see also “7 Best Video Downloaders For Instagram“). This archive is essentially a library containing all the stories you have ever created.
When posting a story, however, it will automatically disappear after 24 hours. But, rather than fading into oblivion, the story can then be accessed via your stories archive.
That being said, you should activate this option if you wish to save all stories that you have published automatically.
The stories archive feature allows users to take a trip down memory lane and then pick and choose which stories to add to the highlights. It is a convenient and quick way of digging into memories, especially when using the mobile app.
If having these highlights is not enough for you, you can save the pictures and videos to your phone or other device. And, the process is wonderfully straightforward.
Navigate to your profile page and tap on the “Archive” icon via the three lines in the top right of the screen
This will open the Archive library where you can find specific stories. However, if you’re looking for one that is dated far back, this can take a while, especially if you have posted thousands over the years. The good news is that each story is categorized via dates to find them more easily.
Once you scroll through and find the story you wish to download, tap on the three dots in the bottom left corner.
Here, the option ‘Save photo/video’ will appear. Click on this to download to your phone instantly.
And, that’s it! Told you it was simple. Just bear in mind it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack if you have thousands of stories but with some patience, you will find that funny video of a dog from the 3rd April 2018!
How To Download Instagram Highlights (Online)
Although downloading Instagram highlights via the app is the method most users stick to (see also “Best Apps To Get Likes On Instagram“), it is possible to download archived stories online, too.
You can do this via websites such as StorySaver. This is free to use and allows you to save as many Instagram highlights as you wish.
This is the best method to use if you want to save your highlights straight to your PC or laptop because you will not have to transfer each story from your phone onto another device.
Downloading Instagram highlights online only takes a few minutes. Also, sites such as StorySaver download the highlights anonymously and no registration is required. And, it is completely free, which is a rarity these days!
Here’s how to save your Instagram highlights using the StorySaver website:
Navigate to StorySaver.net and visit the Instagram account from which you would like to save the highlights from. If you wish to save stories from another profile, copy the page’s username.
Paste either another user’s username or your profile’s username into the dialogue box.
Select the story or specific highlight you wish to save.
Click on “Save As” and the video or photo will start to download immediately onto your device.
Yep, it is as easy as that! Although saving other profile’s highlights may seem like an in invasion of privacy, it’s a great way of saving a friend’s highlights if they are unable to.
Why Save Stories To Your Instagram Highlights?
Saving stories to highlights on Instagram can serve several purposes (see also “How To Add Multiple Photos To Instagram Story“). Maybe you’re sick of scrolling through endless stories to find one to show friends and family. Or, you want visitors to your profile to see a certain skill of yours immediately.
Here are some of the top reasons you should utilize Instagram’s Highlight’s feature today:
Organizes content – The highlight icons allow you to categorize your stories and make them easier for your followers to find.
Showcases content – Highlight sections give you a permanent platform to showcase your best stories, even after they have expired from your profile.
Boosts engagement – By keeping your highlights updated with fresh content, you can encourage followers to regularly engage with your profile and stay updated with your activities.
Builds brands – Instagram highlights help you curate a consistent and cohesive image of your brand, by showcasing your content in a professional and organized manner.
How To Create Instagram Highlights
Before you start to download any Instagram highlights, you’ll need to create the highlights. You’ll be pleased to know that doing so is very simple.
In just a few short steps, you can pin your best memories or most important stories to your profile for all to see.
Here’s how to create Instagram highlights with a current story:
If you wish to add your current, latest story, click on the story and tap “Highlight.”
On your profile, beneath your bio, select the plus symbol to create a new highlight. Here, you will have the option of naming the highlight. We recommend going with something catchy that will attract followers and compel them to open the highlights.
Tap “Add” and your story will be pinned to your profile in the form of a highlight. This will remain until you decide to remove it.
Here’s how to create Instagram highlights via your story archive:
Go to your Instagram profile and select “Story Highlights” below your bio. Now, click on the plus icon.
You will be navigated to your story archive where you can choose a story or a collection of stories to add to your highlight. Once you have chosen what story or stories you want to add, click “Next.”
Again, you will be prompted to name your highlight. You can also choose to pick a new cover by selecting “Edit Cover”.
Once your highlights are selected and inputted, tap on “Done.”
Your highlights are now pinned to your profile in the form of circular icons for all to see. Easy!
Can You Add Reels To Instagram Highlights?
Reels are short, entertaining videos that you can create and share on Instagram, and yes, you can share reels to Instagram Highlights.
By saving your reels to your highlights, followers can access them, even after they have expired from your feed.
To share a reel to highlights, simply go to your profile, tap on “Create Highlight,” and select the reel you want to add.
In Summary
Downloading Instagram highlights is pretty straightforward, as you can see above. If you are not utilizing this feature yet, we wholly recommend you start doing so, especially if you want to advertise yourself or your business.
Thanks for reading and we hope we have saved you time from scrolling through hundreds and thousands of stories today!
Hi, I’m Matt Johnson, and I work as a Digital Marketer. I started out as a PR assistant for a publishing company, and I quickly learned how important digital platforms are for marketing in the modern world.
This is why I started EngageDigital.com, to offer you a behind the scenes look at all of the most popular sites, applications and platforms, from Amazon to Snapchat, Venmo accounts, Instagram, NFTs, to Omegle and Tik Tok.
If you are looking for informative guides about using social media platforms, troubleshooting your devices, gaming, online shopping, and more, I hope to provide all of the answers you need here at EngageDigital.com!
