Can You Rearrange Instagram Highlights? The Definitive Guide

Yes, you absolutely can rearrange Instagram Highlights! It’s not always intuitive, but understanding the mechanics behind it unlocks the ability to curate your profile storytelling with precision. The key is to realize that Highlights are displayed in the order they were added, with the most recently added story appearing first. This simple rule dictates the arrangement, and manipulating it allows you to present your content exactly how you want it seen.

Understanding Instagram Highlights: The Foundation

Instagram Highlights are essentially archived Stories that live permanently on your profile, organized into collections. They’re a fantastic way to showcase key aspects of your brand, personality, or experiences, extending the fleeting nature of Instagram Stories into evergreen content. Think of them as mini-portfolios, product catalogs, or curated autobiographies, all readily accessible beneath your bio. The order, therefore, directly impacts how your viewers perceive your brand narrative.

The Secret to Rearranging: The Addition Method

The bad news is that Instagram doesn’t offer a simple drag-and-drop interface for rearranging your Highlights. You can’t just shuffle them around with a tap and a swipe. The good news is that there’s a straightforward workaround, it relies on the order in which you add stories to the Highlights. To rearrange them, you will be adding stories to an existing highlight.

Step-by-Step Guide to Rearranging

1. Identify the Highlight You Want to Move to the Front: Decide which Highlight you want to be displayed first. Remember, Instagram orders highlights from the most recently updated to the oldest.
2. Find a Story to Add (or Create a Temporary One): You need a story to add to the target Highlight. This can be an existing story from your archive, or a brand-new, even temporary, story. A simple image with a plain background or a quick text post will suffice for temporary stories.
3. Add the Story to the Highlight:
   • Go to your profile.
   • Tap on the Highlight you want to move to the front.
   • Tap the “Edit Highlight” button at the bottom.
   • Go to the “Stories” tab.
   • Select the story (existing or the temporary one you created) you want to add.
   • Tap “Done”.
4. Repeat for Other Highlights: Repeat this process for each Highlight you want to rearrange, working backward from the first Highlight you want displayed. Start with the highlight you want at the end of the row and then keep adding stories to the other Highlights in reverse order of how you would like them displayed on your page.

Why This Works

By adding a story to a Highlight, you effectively “bump” it to the front of the line. This is because Instagram prioritizes Highlights based on the last time they were updated. This method of adding stories to move Highlights around is the primary tactic to organize Highlights to your advantage.

The Temporary Story Trick: Clean Up

If you used a temporary story, you can now remove it from the Highlight after you’ve successfully rearranged them.

1. Go to the Highlight.
2. Tap the three dots “More” in the lower right corner.
3. Tap “Remove from Highlight”.
4. Select the temporary story you added.
5. Confirm the removal.

Optimizing Your Instagram Highlights Strategy

Rearranging Highlights is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly maximize their impact, consider these tips:

• Compelling Covers: Create visually appealing and consistent covers for your Highlights. This improves the overall aesthetic of your profile and makes it easy for viewers to find what they’re looking for. Use a design tool like Canva to create custom covers.
• Strategic Categories: Organize your Highlights into clear and logical categories. Think about what your target audience wants to see and tailor your categories accordingly. Examples include “About Us,” “Products,” “Services,” “Customer Reviews,” “Behind the Scenes,” and “FAQ.”
• Consistent Updates: Keep your Highlights fresh and relevant by regularly adding new content. This encourages viewers to check back often and stay engaged.
• Tell a Story: Use your Highlights to tell a compelling story about your brand, product, or service. Think about the journey you want to take your viewers on and structure your Highlights accordingly.
• Analyze Performance: Pay attention to which Highlights are performing well and which ones aren’t. This will help you refine your strategy and optimize your content for maximum impact. Instagram Insights provides data on Highlight views and interactions.

Instagram Highlights FAQs: Addressing Your Burning Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about Instagram Highlights to further enhance your understanding:

1. How Many Highlights Can I Have on Instagram?

You can have unlimited number of Highlights on your Instagram profile, allowing you to showcase as much content as you want.

2. What is the Ideal Length for an Instagram Story in a Highlight?

Each individual story within a Highlight can be up to 15 seconds long. Keep this in mind when creating content, as longer videos will be automatically divided into segments.

3. Can I Add Existing Stories to Highlights?

Yes, you can absolutely add stories from your archive to your Highlights. This is the primary way to populate your Highlights with valuable content.

4. How Do I Create a Highlight?

Tap the “+” icon below your bio on your profile page. You’ll then be prompted to select stories from your archive to add to a new Highlight.

5. Can I Edit the Cover Photo of a Highlight?

Yes, you can edit the cover photo. Go to the Highlight, tap “Edit Highlight,” and then select “Edit Cover.” You can choose a frame from within the Highlight’s stories or upload a custom image.

6. Can I Download a Highlight?

No, you cannot directly download an entire Highlight from Instagram. However, you can download individual stories before they disappear or while they are within a Highlight.

7. Can Others See When I View Their Highlights?

No, Instagram does not notify users when you view their Highlights. This feature is anonymous, similar to viewing regular stories.

8. How Do I Delete a Highlight?

Go to the Highlight you want to remove, tap and hold it, and then select “Delete Highlight.” This will remove the entire Highlight collection from your profile.

9. Can I Share Someone Else’s Story to My Highlight?

No, you cannot directly share someone else’s story to your Highlight. You can only add your own stories to your Highlights. Unless they specifically allow you to share their stories.

10. What is the Difference Between Stories and Highlights?

Stories are ephemeral content that disappears after 24 hours. Highlights are curated collections of archived stories that live permanently on your profile. Stories are temporary, while Highlights are permanent.

11. Can I Add a Story to Multiple Highlights?

Yes, you can add a single story to multiple Highlights. This allows you to categorize content in different ways and reach a wider audience.

12. How Often Should I Update My Highlights?

There’s no magic number, but aim for regular updates to keep your content fresh and engaging. Update when you have new products, services, announcements, or valuable information to share.