As an avid Instagram user, you’re likely familiar with the concept of Instagram Highlights. These curated collections of posts showcase your best content, allowing you to share your story and connect with your audience in a more engaging way. But have you ever wondered, can you change the order of pictures on Instagram Highlights?
The Importance of Instagram Highlights
Before we dive into the possibility of reordering your Highlight pictures, let’s talk about why these features are essential to your Instagram strategy. Instagram Highlights offer a unique way to organize your content, making it easy for viewers to find and engage with your best posts.
Key benefits of Instagram Highlights include:
- Increased visibility: Highlights appear at the top of your profile, making them one of the first things visitors see.
- Improved engagement: By showcasing your best content, you can encourage viewers to explore your profile further.
- Better storytelling: Highlights allow you to curate a narrative around your brand, showcasing your products, services, or personality.
The Dilemma: Can You Reorder Instagram Highlight Pictures?
Now, let’s tackle the main question: can you change the order of pictures on Instagram Highlights? The answer is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no.
Instagram’s Official Stance:
According to Instagram’s official support page, you cannot reorder the pictures within a Highlight. The platform states that “the order of the photos in your highlight is determined by the order in which you added them.” This means that when you create a new Highlight, the first photo you add will be the first one displayed, and subsequent photos will follow in the order they were added.
However, many users have reported being able to reorder their Highlight pictures by deleting and re-adding the photos in the desired order. This workaround is not officially supported by Instagram, but it has been known to work for some users.
The Workaround: Deleting and Re-adding Photos
If you’re willing to take the risk, you can try deleting and re-adding your Highlight photos in the desired order. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:
Step 1: Open Your Highlight and Tap ‘Edit’
Open your Instagram app and navigate to the Highlight you want to edit. Tap the “Edit” button (represented by a pencil icon) to enter editing mode.
Step 2: Delete the Photos You Want to Reorder
Identify the photos you want to reorder and delete them from the Highlight. You can do this by tapping the “X” icon in the top-right corner of each photo.
Step 3: Add the Photos in the Desired Order
Once you’ve deleted the photos, start adding them back to the Highlight in the desired order. You can do this by tapping the “+” icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Step 4: Save Your Changes
After re-adding the photos, tap the “Done” button to save your changes.
Note that this method is not officially supported by Instagram, and you may experience issues or lose your Highlight altogether. Proceed with caution and make sure to back up your content regularly.
Alternative Solutions: Third-Party Apps and Design Tools
If you’re not comfortable with the delete-and-re-add method, or if it doesn’t work for you, there are alternative solutions you can explore. Several third-party apps and design tools offer features that allow you to reorder your Instagram Highlight pictures.
Design Tools:
Design tools like Canva, Adobe Spark, and Figma offer templates and design features that enable you to create custom Instagram Highlight covers and layouts. While these tools don’t allow you to reorder your Highlight pictures directly, you can use them to create a visually appealing layout that makes your Highlight stand out.
Third-Party Apps:
Apps like Planoly, Hootsuite, and Buffer offer Instagram scheduling and posting features that include the ability to reorder your Highlight pictures. These apps often provide a more intuitive interface for managing your Highlights, making it easier to organize your content.
| App | Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Planoly | Instagram scheduling, posting, and Highlight organization | Free ( limited features), $7/month ( unlimited features) |
| Hootsuite | Instagram scheduling, posting, and Highlight organization, plus social media analytics | Free (limited features), $19/month (professional plan) |
| Buffer | Instagram scheduling, posting, and Highlight organization, plus social media analytics | Free (limited features), $15/month (pro plan) |
Best Practices for Instagram Highlights
Regardless of whether you can reorder your Highlight pictures, it’s essential to follow best practices to make the most of this feature. Here are some tips to help you create engaging Instagram Highlights:
Keep it Visual:
Use high-quality, visually appealing images and videos that showcase your brand’s personality and aesthetic. This will help grab viewers’ attention and encourage them to explore your profile further.
Curate Your Content:
Choose posts that tell a story or convey a message. This could be a collection of related products, a behind-the-scenes look, or a showcase of customer testimonials.
Use Captions and Hashtags:
Add captions and hashtags to your Highlight pictures to provide context and make them discoverable. This will help increase engagement and attract new followers.
Keep it Fresh:
Regularly update your Highlights to keep your audience engaged. This could mean adding new content, rearranging your existing Highlights, or creating new ones altogether.
Conclusion
While Instagram’s official stance is that you cannot reorder Highlight pictures, the workaround of deleting and re-adding photos can be effective for some users. However, it’s essential to weigh the risks and consider alternative solutions, such as third-party apps and design tools. By following best practices and creating engaging Instagram Highlights, you can increase visibility, improve engagement, and build a stronger connection with your audience.
What are Instagram Highlights?
Instagram Highlights are a feature on Instagram that allows users to save and curate their favorite Instagram Stories into a permanent collection on their profile. Highlights are a great way to showcase specific moments, events, or experiences, and can be a valuable tool for businesses, influencers, and individuals looking to increase engagement and visibility on the platform.
Highlights can be customized with a title, cover photo, and up to 100 photos and videos, and can be accessed from a user’s profile page. By default, the most recent addition to the Highlight is shown first, but users can reorder their Highlights to customize the order in which they appear.
Can you reorder your pictures in Instagram Highlights?
Yes, users can reorder their pictures in Instagram Highlights. To do so, go to the Highlight you want to reorder, tap the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, and select “Edit Highlight”. From there, tap and hold the three horizontal lines next to each photo or video, and drag them to the desired position.
It’s worth noting that reordering Highlights is a relatively new feature, and may not be available to all users immediately. Additionally, reordering Highlights does not affect the original posting order of the individual photos and videos, but rather only changes the order in which they appear in the Highlight.
Why would I want to reorder my Instagram Highlights?
Reordering Instagram Highlights can be useful for a variety of reasons. For example, you may want to move your most popular or most relevant content to the front of the Highlight to increase engagement. Alternatively, you may want to create a specific narrative or visual flow within the Highlight, and reordering the photos and videos allows you to do so.
Reordering Highlights can also be useful for businesses or individuals who want to prioritize specific content, such as promotions, events, or new products. By moving the most important content to the front of the Highlight, you can ensure that it is seen by the most people and has the greatest impact.
How do I create an Instagram Highlight?
To create an Instagram Highlight, go to your profile page and tap the “+” icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Select the photos and videos you want to add to the Highlight, and then tap “Next”. From there, you can add a title and cover photo to the Highlight, and choose whether to add it to an existing Highlight or create a new one.
Once you’ve created the Highlight, you can add more photos and videos to it at any time by going to the Highlight, tapping the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, and selecting “Edit Highlight”. From there, you can add new content, reorder existing content, and customize the title and cover photo.
Can I delete an Instagram Highlight?
Yes, users can delete an Instagram Highlight at any time. To do so, go to the Highlight you want to delete, tap the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, and select “Delete Highlight”. Confirm that you want to delete the Highlight, and it will be removed from your profile.
Deleting a Highlight will also remove all the photos and videos within it, so be sure to save any content you want to keep before deleting the Highlight. Note that deleting a Highlight is permanent, and cannot be undone.
Can I edit an Instagram Highlight after it’s been posted?
Yes, users can edit an Instagram Highlight after it’s been posted. To do so, go to the Highlight, tap the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, and select “Edit Highlight”. From there, you can add or remove photos and videos, reorder the content, and customize the title and cover photo.
Editing a Highlight does not affect the original posting date or time of the individual photos and videos within the Highlight. Additionally, edits to the Highlight will be visible to anyone who views it, so be sure to review your changes carefully before saving them.
Can I have multiple Instagram Highlights?
Yes, users can have multiple Instagram Highlights on their profile. There is no limit to the number of Highlights you can create, and you can use them to curate different types of content, such as events, products, or experiences.
Multiple Highlights can be a great way to organize and showcase different aspects of your brand or personality, and can help to increase engagement and visibility on the platform. To create a new Highlight, simply follow the same steps as before, and choose a unique title and cover photo to distinguish it from your other Highlights.