How to Enable Comments on Instagram Stories

Wondering why your Instagram Stories feel like they're talking to an empty room? The solution might be a simple settings toggle you didn't even know existed. We’ll show you exactly how to enable comments on your Instagram Stories, customize who can reply, and share some simple strategies to turn those quiet views into active conversations.

What's the Big Deal with Instagram Story Comments?

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." Story comments, which Instagram calls "replies," aren't just vanity metrics, they are a direct line to your audience and a powerful signal to the algorithm. Unlike comments on a feed post, which are public, a Story reply lands directly in your Direct Messages (DMs). This creates a private, one-on-one conversation, which is pure gold for building genuine community and brand loyalty.

Think about it:

• It's a strong engagement signal. When someone takes the time to reply to your Story, it tells Instagram that your content is valuable and sparks interaction. The algorithm tends to reward this by showing your content to more people.
• It builds real relationships. A DM is more personal than a public comment. It's a space where you can have authentic conversations, answer questions directly, and make your followers feel seen and heard.
• It provides direct, unfiltered feedback. Want to know what your audience really thinks about a new product, a piece of content, or an idea? Ask them in your Stories. The replies are a treasure trove of honest insights you can use to grow your brand.

In short, encouraging Story replies is one of the best organic strategies for fostering a loyal community that sticks around. It shifts your role from simply broadcasting content to actively building connections.

How to Turn On Comments for Your Instagram Stories (Step-by-Step)

Enabling Story replies is straightforward once you know where to look. Instagram frequently shuffles its settings menu, but this path should get you there. Follow these steps on the mobile app:

1. Go to Your Profile and Open Settings

Start by navigating to your own Instagram profile page. Tap the three horizontal lines (often called the hamburger menu) in the top-right corner of the screen. This will open up a pop-up menu.

2. Select 'Settings and Privacy'

From the menu that appears, tap on 'Settings and Privacy'. This is the main hub for controlling everything about your account's functionality and visibility.

3. Find the Interaction Controls

Scroll down until you see the section titled 'How others can interact with you'. In this area, locate and tap on 'Messages and story replies'. This is where you’ll manage your DMs and Story interactions.

4. Tap 'Story replies'

Inside the next menu, tap on 'Story replies'. This will take you directly to the controls for who can and cannot send you a reply when they view your Story.

5. Choose Your Reply Setting

Here, you'll see a few options under the heading 'Who can reply to your stories'. Select the one that best fits your goals. To enable comments for others, make sure you don't have 'Don't allow story replies' checked.

Choosing Who Can Comment on Your Stories

Instagram gives you three distinct levels of control over who can slide into your DMs from a Story. Each has its own strategic advantage, depending on your account's goals.

Allow story replies from everyone

This is the most open option. Anyone who can see your Story - whether they follow you or not - can send you a reply. This setting is ideal for:

• Brands and Businesses: You want to remove all friction for potential customers or clients to reach you.
• Public Figures and Creators: Your goal is to maximize engagement from the widest possible audience.
• Accounts focused on growth: Making it easy for anyone to engage can help you reach new people and build community faster.

Allow story replies from people you follow

This setting creates a more curated conversational space. Only the accounts you have chosen to follow can send you a message reply. This is a good choice for:

• Personal Accounts: You want to have conversations with friends and people you know without getting messages from strangers.
• Brands with a tight-knit community: If you actively follow back your most engaged fans or industry peers, this setting can help foster a more exclusive, "inner circle" feeling.

Don't allow story replies

This setting turns off the reply feature completely. When people view your Story, the "Send message" bar at the bottom will disappear. While it might seem counterintuitive for someone focused on growth, there are valid reasons to use this temporarily:

• You're overwhelmed: If you're running a massive giveaway or a viral Story is getting you too many DMs to handle, you might turn replies off to catch your breath.
• You are directing traffic elsewhere: If your call-to-action is to "Click the link sticker below," turning off replies can help reduce confusion and focus everyone's attention on that one single action.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't People Comment on Your Stories?

If you've followed the steps above and are still hitting a wall, a couple of common misunderstandings might be the issue. Let’s clear them up.

Did You Check Your Instagram App Version?

Sometimes, settings issues come from using an outdated version of the app. Instagram pushes updates regularly to fix bugs and tweak features. Before you get too frustrated, pop over to your phone's app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store) and check if there's an update available. A quick update often resolves weird glitches.

Are You Looking in the Right Place for Replies?

This is the most common point of confusion. Story replies do not appear as public comments on the story itself. They are sent as Direct Messages (DMs) directly to your inbox. When someone replies to your story, you'll see it pop up in your DMs, often with a small preview of your Story attached notation that says "[Username] replied to your story." If you were expecting a public comment thread like on a feed post, you've just been looking in the wrong spot!

Pro-Tips: How to Encourage More Story Replies

Just turning on the feature isn't enough, you have to give people something worth responding to. The best social media marketers create content that practically begs for interaction. Here are some simple, effective ways to get more people messaging you from your Stories.

Use Interactive and Question Stickers

Instagram’s built-in stickers are your best friends for engagement. The "Quiz," "Poll," and "Slider" stickers are great for quick, low-effort taps, but the Question Sticker is designed specifically to gather replies. Ask something thought-provoking, fun, or useful. Instead of a generic "Ask me anything," try something more specific like, "What’s one thing you're struggling with in [your niche] this week?"

Ask Open-Ended Questions in Your Story Text

Don’t rely on stickers alone. Use the text tool to type out a direct question on your Story. The trick is to ask open-ended questions that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." For instance, instead of "Do you like coffee?" ask, "What’s your go-to coffee order and where do you get it?" This invites a more detailed, personal response.

Run a 'This or That' Series

This is a fun, easy way to teach the algorithm that people interact with your content. Post two options on a Story and ask your audience to reply with their choice. It could be "Tacos or Pizza?" or "Design A or Design B?". The simplicity makes it easy for people to participate, generating a steady stream of DMs that signal engagement.

Share Behind-the-Scenes Content and Ask for Opinions

People love feeling like insiders. When you're working on something new, show a sneak peek and ask for input. A bakery could show two potential cake designs and ask, "Which one should we feature this weekend?" A developer could show a UI mockup and ask, "Does this button placement make sense to you?" This not only boosts engagement but also makes your audience feel valued and involved in your brand's journey.

Reply to Your Replies!

This might be the most important tip of all. When someone takes the time to reply to your Story, reply back! Even a simple "Thanks so much for sharing!" or an emoji reaction accomplishes two things: it makes that person feel acknowledged and it encourages them (and others who see you interacting) to reply again in the future. You’re signaling that a real human is listening, which is the foundation of any strong online community.

Final Thoughts

Turning on Instagram Story comments is a simple technical step, a flip of a switch in your settings. But doing so opens up a powerful channel for direct communication and community building that can transform your account from a static content feed into a dynamic conversation hub. The key is to consistently create Story content that invites a response.

Once those conversations start flowing, managing all those DMs and story replies can be a job in itself, especially if you're active on multiple platforms. At Postbase, we built our platform with a unified inbox to solve exactly this problem. We bring all your comments and DMs from all your connected accounts into one clean, easy-to-manage dashboard. It helps you stay on top of your community interactions so you can spend less time switching between apps and more time building real connections.