How to Delete an Instagram Story

Posted an Instagram Story with a glaring typo or captured an accidentally unflattering angle? We've all been there. Knowing how to quickly delete an Instagram Story is a fundamental skill for keeping your profile polished and on-brand. This guide will walk you through exactly how to remove a live Story, take content out of your Archives and Highlights, and share some pointers for avoiding those mistakes in the first place.

How to Delete a Live Instagram Story: A Step-by-Step Guide

Removing a Story that’s currently live on your profile is fast and straightforward. Instagram makes this process simple so you can fix mistakes in a matter of seconds. Just follow these steps.

Step 1: Open Your Story

Launch the Instagram app. Your current Story will have a colorful ring around your profile picture at the top of your feed. Tap on your profile picture to open your Story and view the individual posts you’ve shared in the last 24 hours.

Step 2: Navigate to the Story Slide You Want to Delete

If you have multiple slides in your Story - a combination of photos, videos, or text screens - tap on the right or left sides of the screen to move forward or backward until you land on the specific slide you want to remove. A small bar at the top of the screen shows you how many slides you have and which one you're currently viewing.

Step 3: Access the "More" Menu

Once you are viewing the slide you wish to delete, look for the "More" icon, which appears as three small dots. On most devices, this icon is located in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Tapping it will open a menu of options related to that specific Story slide.

Step 4: Select "Delete"

From the menu that pops up, you’ll see several options, including "Save Photo/Video," "Share as Post...," and "Story Settings." The option you are looking for is clearly labeled "Delete." It's usually accompanied by a small trash can icon. Tap on it.

Step 5: Confirm Your Decision

To prevent accidental deletions, Instagram will ask you to confirm your choice. A pop-up will appear that says something like, "Delete this photo from your story?" with the options "Delete" and "Cancel." Tap "Delete" once more to permanently remove the slide from your live Story. That's it - the Story slide is gone immediately from public view.

Managing Archived Stories and Highlights

Once a Story disappears after 24 hours, it isn't gone for good. By default, Instagram saves your Stories to a private Archive that only you can see. From this Archive, you can feature your favorite Stories on your public profile as "Highlights." Sometimes, you need to manage this saved content, either by deleting it permanently or just removing it from a public Highlight.

How to Permanently Delete a Story from Your Archive

Maybe there’s a Story in your Archive you want gone forever. Deleting it from the Archive removes it permanently, which also means it will disappear from any Highlights where you've featured it. Be certain about this action, as it cannot be undone.

1. Go to Your Profile: Open Instagram and tap on your profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. Open the Archive: Tap the "hamburger menu" (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner. From the menu, select "Archive."
3. Navigate to Your Stories Archive: At the top of the Archive screen, there may be a drop-down menu that shows "Posts archive" or "Stories archive." Make sure you have "Stories archive" selected. You’ll see your past Stories organized by date.
4. Find and Select the Story: Scroll through your archived Stories to find the one you want to erase. Tap on it to open it.
5. Delete Permanently: Just like with a live Story, tap the "More" icon (three dots) in the bottom-right corner. Select "Delete" from the menu and confirm your choice. The Story will be permanently removed from your account.

How to Remove a Story From a Highlight (Without Deleting It)

What if you like a Story and want to keep it in your private Archive, but no longer want it featured in a Highlight on your profile? All you need to do is edit the Highlight.

1. Go to the Highlight on Your Profile: Navigate to your Instagram profile page where your Highlights are displayed below your bio.
2. Open the Edit Menu: Find the Highlight you want to change. Press and hold your finger on the Highlight circle until a menu appears. Select "Edit Highlight."
3. Deselect the Story: You will see two tabs: "Details" and "Selected." Tap on the "Selected" tab. This screen shows all the Stories included in that Highlight marked with a blue checkmark. Simply scroll through and tap on the checkmark of the Story slide you wish to remove. The blue checkmark will disappear.
4. Save Your Changes: Once you've deselected all the Stories you want to remove, tap "Done" in the top-right corner. The Highlight will update on your profile, and the removed Story will remain safely tucked away in your Archive.

Common Reasons to Delete an Instagram Story

Every social media manager and content creator has had that "oops" moment. It's a natural part of creating fast-paced, in-the-moment content. Here are a few relatable scenarios where hitting delete is the best move for your brand:

• The Dreaded Typo: You craft the perfect message, but your thumbs move too fast and "Welcome" becomes "Welcone." A quick delete and re-upload saves face.
• Accidental Post: You meant to send that funny video of your cat to your best friend via DM, but you hit "Your Story" by mistake. An immediate deletion is your best friend here.
• Information is Outdated: Your Story promotes a 24-hour flash sale that has just ended. Deleting the Story prevents customer confusion and disappointment.
• Low-Quality Media: Sometimes, what looks good in your camera roll doesn't translate well to Stories. A blurry photo, a video with shaky camera work, or poor audio can cheapen your brand’s look. It's better to remove it and try again.
• It Just Didn't Work: Maybe a joke fell flat, a poll got zero votes, or the content felt disconnected from your audience. It’s okay to recognize when a piece of content isn't performing and pull it. Your audience will likely never notice it went missing.
• It's Off-Brand: In a moment of spontaneity, you post something that doesn't quite fit your brand's voice or aesthetic. Deleting it helps maintain the consistent brand image you've worked hard to build.

A Smarter Workflow: Minimizing Mistakes Before You Post

The best way to deal with mistakes is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Being reactive is good, but being proactive is better. Incorporating a few simple habits into your content workflow can save you from constantly having to delete and re-post.

1. Use the "Close Friends" List as a Staging Area

Your "Close Friends" list doesn't have to be just for your inner circle. Think of it as a test environment. Before you post a Story to the world, share it with your Close Friends first. This allows you to see exactly how it will look and sound once it's live without showing it to your full audience. You can quickly spot formatting issues or sound problems, delete it from Close Friends, and then post the polished version publicly.

2. Draft Content Outside of Instagram

Avoid building your entire Story directly in the Instagram app moments before posting. Take your photo or video, save it to your camera roll, and then craft the accompanying text in a notes app. This gives you a chance to proofread your copy without the pressure of being in the "ready-to-post" interface. For videos, watching them back one last time in your phone’s photo album is a great way to catch any audio hiccups or visual glitches.

3. Review Your Content Queue

If you're managing a brand, scheduling Stories ahead of time allows for a much-needed review process. Whether it's you looking over your work with fresh eyes or a teammate giving a second opinion, having content planned out allows you to catch errors, refine messaging, and make sure everything aligns with your broader marketing calendar. A little planning goes a long way in producing consistently high-quality, mistake-free Stories.

Final Thoughts

Deleting an Instagram Story, whether it's live or tucked away in your archive, is a simple process that gives you complete command over your profile’s narrative. Understanding how to manage your content empowers you to maintain your brand standards, quickly correct errors, and present a professional and polished presence to your audience.

At Postbase, we built our tools to help creators avoid these common pitfalls in the first place. Using our visual content calendar, you can plan and see all of your scheduled content - including Stories - days or weeks in advance. This bird's-eye view makes it significantly easier to proofread copy, check for brand consistency, and spot potential mistakes long before they go live, giving you more confidence and less reason to ever hit that delete button.