How to Add a Video to an Instagram Story

Adding a video to your Instagram Story is one of the most effective ways to capture your audience's attention, and it's much easier than you might think. Whether you're sharing a polished, pre-edited clip or capturing a spontaneous moment, this guide will walk you through every step. We'll cover everything from the basics of uploading to creative camera tricks and strategies for making your video Stories stand out.

The Simplest Method: Uploading a Video from Your Phone’s Camera Roll

Most of the time, the video you want to share is one you’ve already recorded. Uploading it from your phone’s gallery (or Camera Roll) is the most straightforward way to get it into your Story. This method also gives you a chance to edit the clip in an external app before you even open Instagram.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps to post a pre-recorded video:

1. Open the Story Camera: Launch the Instagram app. From your home feed, you can either tap the plus icon (+) at the top of the screen and select "Story," or simply swipe right from anywhere on the feed.
2. Access Your Gallery: In the bottom-left corner of the camera screen, you'll see a small square preview of your most recent photo or video. Tap this square, or just swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open your phone's full photo and video gallery.
3. Select Your Video: Scroll through your gallery and tap on the video you want to upload. Instagram will automatically bring it into the Story editor.
4. Trim the Clip (If Needed): If your video file is 60 seconds or shorter, it will upload as a single Story segment. At the bottom of the editor, you'll see a trimming timeline. You can drag the handles on either end to shorten the video and select the exact part you want to feature. If the video is longer than 60 seconds, Instagram will automatically cut it into 60-second segments.
5. Get Creative: Now’s the fun part. Use the icons at the top of the screen to add text, music, stickers, GIFs, or filters to enhance your video. We’ll cover these options in more detail below.
6. Share Your Story: Once you're happy with your creation, tap the "Your Story" button in the bottom-left to share it with all of your followers. You can also send it to specific friends using the "Send to >," button.

That’s it! Using your camera roll is perfect for sharing higher-quality footage or behind-the-scenes content that you’ve already captured or video clips you’ve downloaded to your device.

Recording a Video Directly Within the Instagram App

For more spontaneous, in-the-moment content, recording directly within the Story camera is the way to go. The Instagram camera has several creative modes designed specifically for making dynamic, attention-grabbing videos.

Press and Hold for a Standard Video

The default camera mode is the quickest way to capture a moment. Select the effect or filter you want to use before you start recording.

• How it works: In the Story camera, press and hold the white shutter button at the bottom of the screen. It will start recording immediately.
• Zooming: While still holding the shutter button, slide your finger up to zoom in or down to zoom out.
• Recording length: Your recording will last as long as you hold the button, up to 60 seconds per clip.

Use "Hands-Free" Mode for Effortless Recording

Struggling to hold down the button while trying to do something on camera? Hands-Free mode is your best friend. It lets you record a video with a single tap, leaving your hands free to demo a product, wave to the camera, or hold your coffee.

1. On the left-hand vertical menu of the Story camera, tap the down arrow to reveal more options.
2. Select the "Hands-Free" icon (it looks like a circle with a stopwatch).
3. Tap the record button once to start recording. It will continue recording until you tap it again or until it reaches the 60-second limit.

Experiment with Other Creative Modes

Instagram bundles several creative tools right into the camera. Don't forget about these special video formats:

• Boomerang: Creates a short, silent video that loops forward and backward. It's perfect for capturing small movements and adding a playful, GIF-like feel to your Story. Access it from the vertical menu on the left.
• Layout: Allows you to add multiple videos into a single Story frame using a grid. You can record a new clip for each section of the grid or upload existing videos from your gallery.

Handling Videos Longer Than 60 Seconds

Instagram Stories are designed for short-form content, with a single segment being capped at 60 seconds. So what happens if you try to upload a video that’s, say, three minutes long?

The good news is that you no longer need a third-party app to split it up. Instagram now automatically splits longer videos into consecutive 60-second segments. When you upload a longer video, it will appear in the editor as a series of clips at the bottom of the screen. Your followers will see these segments play back-to-back seamlessly, creating one continuous video experience.

Before publishing, you can tap on each individual segment in the timeline at the bottom to edit it. This is useful for adding text or stickers that only appear in one part of your longer video. For example, you could add a "Part 2 coming up!" sticker on the first clip to encourage viewers to keep watching.

Making Your Video Story Unforgettable with Creative Tools

Simply uploading a plain video is fine, but the real power of Stories lies in the editing features. Engaging with these tools helps you show personality, boosts your engagement, and even makes your content more accessible.

Add Music to Set the Tone

Never underestimate the power of audio. Adding a trending song or a specific soundtrack can completely change the vibe of your video.

• Tap the sticker icon (the smiley face in a square) at the top of the editor.
• Select the "MUSIC" sticker.
• Search for a song or browse by genre or mood. You can then select which part of the song you want to play and choose how the lyrics or album art appear on screen.

Use Interactive Stickers to Drive Engagement

Interactive stickers turn passive viewers into active participants. They are fantastic for market research, gathering feedback, and sparking conversations with your audience.

• Polls: Ask a simple Either/Or question.
• Quizzes: Test your audience’s knowledge with a multiple-choice question.
• Sliders: Let your audience rate something on a sliding scale using an emoji.
• Q&,A: Invite your followers to ask you anything, then share their questions and your video responses in later Stories.

Provide Context with Text Overlays and GIFs

Use the text tool ("Aa" icon) to add commentary, highlight key information, or add your brand’s voice. You can choose from tons of different fonts and styles. For a bit of fun and movement, search the GIF library for animated stickers that match the theme of your video.

Pro tip: Use text captions to complement your video’s message. Since many people watch Stories with the sound off, readable text makes sure your message still gets across.

Add Captions for Accessibility

Speaking of sound-off viewing, always add captions! It makes your content accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Captions also massively improve comprehension for everyone else.

• After your video is loaded into the editor, tap the sticker icon.
• Select the "CAPTIONS" sticker.
• Instagram will automatically transcribe the audio from your video. You can tap on the text to change its style and make corrections before posting.

Find a Unique Look with Filters and Effects

Swipe left and right on the screen to preview various built-in color filters. For more dynamic options, tap the sparkles icon at the top to browse the Effects Gallery, where you can find thousands of filters created by other users - from vintage VHS looks to interactive AR games.

Final Thoughts

Adding a video to your Instagram Story is a core skill for any brand, creator, or individual looking to connect with their audience. From uploading an edited clip to recording a spontaneous Hands-Free video with fun stickers, the tools available give you endless creative possibilities to share your message effectively.

Planning and scheduling all of this amazing video content can be just as important as creating it. At Postbase, we built our visual calendar specifically for today’s social media, where video-first strategies across Instagram Stories, Reels, and TikTok dominate. So, once you've planned your awesome Story video sequences, you can lay the entire campaign out in our calendar to keep everything consistent without the daily stress. Postbase makes it easy to schedule video ahead of time and publish it across platforms with ease.