How to Repost on Instagram: Post, Reels, Stories

To repost on Instagram, open the post or Reel you want, tap the Share icon (the arrow) beneath it, and choose a method: the new native Repost button (rolling out in 2026), «Add to your story», or sending it via Direct. For a regular feed post by someone else there is no native repost — people use a Stories reshare or third-party apps instead.

Does Instagram have a Repost button like other social networks?

Yes — as of 2026 Instagram is rolling out a native Repost button that appears under the Share icon on public posts and Reels. Before that, Instagram had no classic «repost to feed» like X (Twitter) or Facebook, which is the main source of confusion. Here is what is actually available now:

• Repost button — publishes someone else’s Reel or post into a dedicated «Reposts» tab on your profile, crediting the author. It rolls out region by region, so some users still don’t see it.
• Reshare to your Stories — the most universal and oldest method: it works for any public post and Reel.
• Send via Direct — a private repost to a specific person or a group chat, not public.
• Third-party apps — download the content and rebuild it as a new post in your feed (needed to republish into your main grid).

How do you repost a post or Reel to your Stories?

Resharing to Stories is method #1 because it’s available to everyone and doesn’t depend on the new button rollout. One condition: the source account must be public and must not disable sharing in its settings. Step by step:

1. Open the post or Reel you want to reshare.
2. Tap the Share icon (the paper plane) beneath the post.
3. In the menu that opens, choose «Add post to story».
4. The Stories editor opens with a sticker of the post — drag it, resize it, add text, music or a poll.
5. Tap «Your story» — the repost is published for 24 hours. The original author is clickable and credited automatically.

If «Add to story» is missing, either the account is private or the author has turned off reposts under «Settings → Privacy → Reposts and mentions».

How does the new 2026 Repost button work?

The Repost button finally does what fans wanted for years: it publishes someone else’s content on your profile permanently, not just for 24 hours. Reposts collect in a separate tab (a «loop»/arrows icon) on your profile page so they don’t mix with your own posts. What to know:

1. Find a Reel or post and tap the Share icon.
2. Choose Repost (the circular arrow). You can add your own caption comment.
3. The repost appears in your followers’ feed and in the «Reposts» tab of your profile, with the original author clearly credited.
4. You can undo a repost any time — it disappears from your profile, and the author’s original is untouched.

Which repost method should you choose? A comparison

Below is a summary table: what you repost, which method to use, and where it ends up. Numbers and paths are accurate for 2026.

How do you repost when someone mentions you in their story?

When someone tags you (@mention) in a Story, Instagram sends a Direct notification with an «Add to your story» button — a ready-made one-tap repost. The steps:

1. Open the «mentioned you in their story» notification in Direct.
2. Tap «Add to your story» under the preview.
3. Style it (stickers, text) and publish — the original author stays tagged.

You can only reshare to your story the Stories that actually mention you. You cannot forward a stranger’s untagged Story into your own.

How do you repost someone’s post to your feed using an app?

To republish someone else’s post into your main grid (not Stories), Instagram can’t do it natively for regular posts — you need a third-party app. The general workflow, using «Repost for Instagram» as the example:

1. In Instagram open the post → Share → «Copy link».
2. Open the reposter app — it pulls the post from your clipboard automatically.
3. Choose where the attribution caption goes (a watermark with the author’s handle), then tap Repost.
4. The app sends you back to Instagram with the video/photo and caption ready — publish it as a normal post.

Important: always keep the author credit. Publishing someone’s content without crediting the source breaks both Instagram’s rules and copyright — this is the key legal point.

The legal point: can you repost other people’s content?

You can repost other people’s content, but you must credit the author — that’s not a formality, it’s a requirement. Photos and videos are protected by their creator’s copyright. Native tools (Repost, Stories reshare) keep the credit automatically, and that’s safe. Problems start when content is re-uploaded through third-party apps without attribution or the watermark is stripped: that’s a violation. For commercial use (ads, resale) a simple mention isn’t enough — you need the author’s written permission.

Common mistakes

• Waiting for a «repost to feed» button on every post — regular posts don’t have one, and the native 2026 Repost mainly works with Reels and isn’t rolled out to everyone.
• Trying to repost a private account — private profiles block sharing, so «Add to story» simply won’t appear.
• Removing the author credit in third-party apps — that violates copyright and Instagram’s rules.
• Downloading a Reel with sound but posting it silent — music sometimes gets trimmed on a Stories reshare; check before publishing.
• Confusing a repost with a mention — you can only reshare to your story the Stories that actually tag you.
• Mass-reposting others with no original content — the algorithm demotes aggregator accounts that never post their own work.

Reposts are a great way to fill your profile and keep it active, but reshared content alone isn’t enough: an account needs its own growth and a real audience. You can start with free Instagram services — a safe way to test how promotion works. A useful companion to reposting: the guide on how to download video from Instagram so you can prepare content to republish, and the full playbook on how to grow Instagram from scratch. A careful boost of your first reach is just one starter tool, not a replacement for content.

If your goal is fast, visible growth, take a look at Instagram followers services on SMM Hub: safe, no password, delivered gradually.

In short

Instagram offers four repost methods: the new Repost 2026 button (for Reels, permanent, in a dedicated profile tab), resharing to your Stories for 24 hours (for any public post), sending via Direct, and third-party apps to republish into your main feed. Always keep the author’s credit — it’s both Instagram policy and copyright law.