How to Repost on Instagram (Guide): Native Repost Button, Stories & Desktop
Since August 6, 2025, Instagram has had a built-in Repost button that lets you share any public Reel or feed post directly to your own profile no screenshots or third-party apps needed. Tap the two-arrow icon under a post, add an optional note, and it appears in your feed and in a dedicated Reposts tab on your profile, always credited to the original creator. This guide covers that native method first, then Story reposting, desktop reposting, troubleshooting, the rules you need to follow, and the older screenshot/app-based methods for edge cases.
Instagram is one of the most popular social platforms in the world, and every day people come across a post, Reel, or Story they want to share with their own followers. For years, that meant screenshotting content or relying on third-party apps Instagram simply didn’t have its own “repost” button.
That changed on August 6, 2025, when Meta officially rolled out a native Repost feature, similar to the Retweet button on X. This guide walks through exactly how to use it, along with every other method you might still need Story reposting, desktop reposting, and legacy screenshot/app methods for cases the native feature doesn’t cover.
What Is Instagram’s Repost Feature?
Instagram Repost is a native, built-in tool that lets any user reshare a public Reel or feed post to their own profile in one tap, with the original creator automatically credited. It replaced the need for third-party reposting apps for most everyday sharing. Reposted content shows up in your followers’ feeds and lives in a separate Reposts tab on your profile, next to your tagged photos so it never mixes into your main grid unless you want it to.
How to Repost to Your Feed (Native Method)
This is now the primary, recommended way to repost on Instagram.
- Get permission first: Before reposting, it’s good etiquette to send the creator a quick DM letting them know you’d like to share their post.
- Find the Repost icon: Open the post or Reel you want to share. Look for the two-arrow icon, located between the comment and share (paper airplane) icons.
- Tap Repost: A small text bubble will appear at the bottom-left of the post.
- Add your own note (optional): Tap the bubble to add a caption, hashtag, mention, or emoji this text is visible to anyone who sees your repost.
- Tap Save: Your repost is now live.
- Find it later: Go to your profile and open the Reposts tab (below your bio, next to Tagged) to see everything you’ve reshared.
The original creator is credited automatically their username appears on the post, and tapping it takes viewers straight to their profile.
How to Repost to Your Instagram Story
Stories are ideal for content that doesn’t fit your curated grid, since it disappears after 24 hours (unless you save it to Highlights).
If you’re tagged in a Story
- When someone tags you, Instagram sends you an automatic DM prompting you to repost.
- Tap Add to Your Story.
- Customize with text, stickers, or music, then tap Your Story to publish.
If you’re not tagged
Instagram doesn’t offer a one-tap option here, but there’s a simple workaround:
- Open the post or Reel and tap the paper airplane (share) icon.
- Select Add to Story this pulls the content into a story draft automatically, no screenshot needed for most public posts.
- Add stickers, text, or a caption, then tag the original creator using @username so they’re credited.
- Tap Your Story to post, or Close Friends to share it with a select group only.
How to Repost on Instagram from Desktop/PC
Instagram’s desktop site is more limited than the app, but reposting is still possible:
- Open instagram.com in your browser and log in.
- Navigate to the post or Reel you want to repost.
- On desktop, the native Repost button is available on most feed posts the same way it appears on mobile look for the two-arrow icon near the like/comment/share row.
- Click it, add an optional note in the text field, and click Save/Share.
- If the Repost icon doesn’t appear (desktop rollout has been slower and less consistent than mobile), use the share link workaround: click the three-dot menu on the post, select Copy Link, then paste it into a new post caption with credit to the original creator this doesn’t technically “repost” the content itself but is the standard desktop fallback.
- For Stories specifically, desktop support is very limited; the mobile app remains the reliable option for Story reposts.
If you manage Instagram for a business and need reliable desktop scheduling, tools like Later or Buffer remain useful specifically because their desktop dashboards are more consistent than Instagram’s own web interface.
Repost Button Missing or Grayed Out? Here’s Why
If you don’t see a Repost option on a post, it’s almost always one of these:
| Reason | What it means | What to do |
| Creator’s account is private | Repost only works on public accounts | Ask the creator to share directly or grant permission manually |
| Creator disabled resharing | Some users turn off repost/share permissions in their settings | Respect this don’t screenshot around it without asking first |
| You’re on an outdated app version | Repost rolled out gradually through late 2025 | Update the Instagram app from your app store |
| The post is a carousel or ad | Some post types have limited repost support | Use the screenshot method as a fallback, with credit |
| Regional rollout delay | Some markets received the feature later than others | Check for app updates; the feature is now live in the US and India |
How to Enable or Disable Reposting of Your Own Content
You control whether others can repost your posts and Stories:
- Go to Settings and activity.
- Tap Sharing.
- Toggle Story sharing (and post resharing, where available) on or off.
Turning this off means your content can no longer be reposted through the native feature people would need your direct permission and a manual method instead.
Instagram Reposting Rules & Etiquette
Instagram’s native feature handles credit automatically, but it doesn’t handle permission or copyright those are still on you.
Do you need permission?
Technically, Instagram’s terms allow resharing of public content via the native button without asking. In practice, best practice and the safest approach legally is still to ask first, especially for anything you plan to use commercially (e.g., as a brand reposting a customer photo). A simple message works:
“Hi! I love your recent post about [topic]. Would it be okay if I reposted it with credit to you?”
Copyright and credit rules
- The original creator holds copyright to their photo, video, or caption regardless of platform features.
- Native reposts auto-credit the creator don’t remove or obscure this.
- If you use the screenshot method, always credit manually with @username in the caption.
- Never crop out or edit someone else’s Story/post text or watermark.
- Brands using UGC (user-generated content) for ads or promotional material typically need explicit written permission beyond a simple repost a comment or DM approval is usually not sufficient for commercial use.
Does Reposting Hurt Your Reach? (2024 Algorithm Change)
In 2024, Instagram announced changes to favor original content over reposts in its recommendation algorithm. Practically, this means:
- Accounts that repost heavily are less likely to appear in “Explore” or non-follower recommendations.
- Reposted content shown in recommendations may be replaced with the original post instead.
- Reposting still works well for engaging your existing followers it’s not effective as your only growth strategy.
Repost vs. Regram vs. Remix vs. Share to Story
These terms get used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.
| Term | What it actually means | Where it appears |
| Repost | Instagram’s official native feature; shares a post/Reel to your feed and Reposts tab, auto-credited | Feed & Reposts tab |
| Regram | An older, informal term people use for reposting in general (predates the native button, from the app “Repost for Instagram”) | No longer an official feature now just slang for “repost” |
| Remix | Creates a brand-new video alongside the original Reel (side-by-side or reaction-style) you’re adding original content, not just resharing | Reels only |
| Share to Story | Adds someone else’s post to your 24-hour Story, not your permanent feed | Stories only |
If someone asks “how do I regram a post,” they almost always mean the native Repost feature regram is just the old-school name for the same idea.
Older Methods: Screenshot & Third-Party Apps
These methods predate the native Repost button and are now mostly useful for edge cases private accounts (with permission), carousels, or platforms where the native button isn’t yet available.
Screenshot method
- Take a screenshot of the post (with the creator’s permission).
- Crop it to remove your phone’s status bar and any UI clutter.
- Create a new post with the cropped image.
- Caption it with clear credit: “Repost: @username” or “📸: @username.”
Third-party apps (still useful for scheduling)
- Repost for Instagram — detects a copied post link and lets you add a customizable watermark before reposting.
- Later — better suited for scheduling reposts in advance via its browser dashboard, useful for desktop-heavy workflows.
- Buffer — similar scheduling functionality, useful for managing repost queues across multiple accounts.
These apps are no longer necessary for basic reposting but remain relevant for brands that need scheduling or watermarking control the native feature doesn’t offer.
FAQs
How do I repost on Instagram?
Tap the two-arrow Repost icon under a public post or Reel, optionally add a note, and tap Save. It posts to your feed and your Reposts tab with the creator automatically credited.
How do you repost an Instagram Story you’re not tagged in?
Ask the creator for permission first, then tap the paper airplane share icon on their post and select “Add to Story,” or use the screenshot method if that option isn’t available.
Can you repost on Instagram from a computer/desktop?
Yes the native Repost icon is available on most desktop feed posts. If it’s missing, copy the post link and credit the creator manually in a new post, or use a scheduling tool like Later or Buffer.
How do I stop people from reposting my content?
Go to Settings and activity > Sharing, and turn off Story sharing/resharing permissions.
Is regram the same as repost?
Yes, functionally “regram” is the informal, older term people still use; the native Repost button is the current official version of the same action.
Do I need permission to repost someone’s content?
Not technically required by Instagram’s native feature, but strongly recommended, especially for commercial use always ask first and give clear credit.
TL;DR
- Instagram launched a native Repost button on August 6, 2025 this is now the default way to reshare content.
- It auto-credits creators and organizes reposts into a dedicated Reposts tab.
- Story reposting still depends on whether you’re tagged; untagged reposts need permission + the “Add to Story” share option.
- Desktop reposting works but is less consistent link-sharing is the fallback.
- The 2024 algorithm change means reposts get less non-follower reach than original content use reposting to support, not replace, your content strategy.
- Screenshot and third-party app methods (Repost for Instagram, Later, Buffer) are now secondary tools, mainly useful for scheduling or edge cases.
Conclusion
Reposting on Instagram used to mean screenshots and third-party workarounds. Since the native Repost button launched in August 2025, it’s a one-tap, fully credited feature built directly into the app making it faster, cleaner, and more respectful of creators by default. Use it to build community, share social proof, and highlight great content, but keep it as a complement to your original posting, not a replacement, given how the algorithm now treats reposted content.
