How to Post Someone Else's Post on Instagram

Seeing an amazing post on Instagram and wishing you could share it with your own audience is a common feeling. Whether it's a stunning photo from a customer, an insightful Reel from a fellow creator, or just a piece of content that perfectly captures your brand's vibe, sharing someone else's work can be a powerful way to build community and fill your content calendar. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it correctly, respectfully, and effectively, covering everything from sharing to your Story to reposting on your own feed.

Why Bother Sharing Someone Else's Content?

Reposting content, when done thoughtfully, is far more than just filling a gap in your schedule. It’s a content strategy known as curating user-generated content (UGC), and it's a powerful tool for growing your brand organically. Here's why it works so well:

• It's The Ultimate Social Proof: When a customer, client, or fan posts about your product or service, they’re giving you a genuine public endorsement. Sharing that post shows your entire audience that real people love what you do. It's more authentic and trustworthy than any ad you could run.
• Builds a Stronger Community: Highlighting your followers makes them feel seen, valued, and appreciated. It transforms your relationship from a one-way broadcast into a two-way conversation, encouraging more people to tag you in the future in the hopes of getting a feature.
• Solves the "What Do I Post?" Problem: Let's be real - creating original content day after day is tough. A steady stream of high-quality UGC from your community gives you a valuable library of content to pull from, saving you time and energy without sacrificing quality.
• Diversifies Your Feed: Your feed shouldn't just be polished, "official" content. Weaving in authentic posts from other people adds variety, personality, and a relatable human element to your brand’s online presence.

The Most Important Step: Always Get Permission First

Before you even think about screenshotting a post or using a reposting app, there's one non-negotiable step: you must ask for and receive explicit permission from the original creator. This isn't just a friendly suggestion, it's about respecting copyright and intellectual property. The person who created the photo, video, or graphic owns the rights to it, and using it without permission is technically copyright infringement.

Beyond the legal side, asking first is simply the right thing to do. It shows respect for the creator's hard work and sets the foundation for a positive relationship. Skipping this step can damage your reputation and lead to public callouts or, even worse, legal trouble.

How to Ask for Permission the Right Way

Getting permission is usually straightforward. Here are the two best methods and what to say:

1. Leave a Public Comment: Commenting directly on the post is a great way to ask. It’s transparent, and your positive comment adds to their engagement.
2. Send a Direct Message (DM): If you prefer a more private conversation or want to discuss details (like getting the original high-resolution file), a DM is the way to go.

Sample Scripts You Can Use:

Feel free to adapt these templates to fit your brand's voice.

For a Customer Photo (via Comment):

"Wow, we love this photo! This is such a great shot. Would you mind if we shared this on our own feed? We'll be sure to give you full credit in the post, of course!"

For an Influencer's Reel (via DM):

"Hi [Creator's Name]! Your Reel about [topic] was incredible - absolutely amazing work. We’d love to feature it on our profile to share it with our community. Would you be open to us posting it? If so, would you also be willing to send us the original video file so we can share it in the best quality?"

Once you get a "yes," you're good to go! Save a screenshot of the permission just in case you ever need it for your records.

How to Share Someone Else's Content on Instagram: 3 Core Methods

Instagram offers a few different ways to share content, each with its own pros and cons. Here's a breakdown of your options.

Method 1: Share a Post to Your Instagram Story (The Official & Easiest Way)

This is Instagram's built-in sharing feature, and it’s perfect for quick, temporary highlights. When you share a post to your Story, it links back directly to the original, making attribution automatic.

Steps to Share a Feed Post or Reel to Your Story:

1. Find the feed post or Reel you want to share.
2. Tap the paper airplane icon (the share button) below the post.
3. Select "Add to story" from the menu that appears.
4. Your story canvas will open with the post embedded. You can resize it, move it, and add your own text, stickers, or GIFs. Always add a text element that tags the original creator (e.g., "Amazing shot by @username!") even though the post links back automatically. It's just good practice.
5. Tap "Your Story" to publish it.

Heads Up: You can only use this method with posts from public accounts that have enabled story sharing in their privacy settings. If you don't see the "Add to story" option, it’s not available for that particular post.

Method 2: Repost to Your Instagram Feed

Unlike sharing to your Story, Instagram does not have a native "regram" or "repost" button for your own feed. Getting someone else's post onto your grid requires either a manual process or a third-party app.

The Screenshot Method (Simple, but has Downsides)

This is the most basic approach, but it often leads to a lower-quality image and can look unprofessional if not done well.

1. Take a screenshot of the post you have permission to share.
2. Open your phone's photo editor and carefully crop the image to remove everything but the photo or video itself. Pay close attention to the edges.
3. Open Instagram and create a new post, uploading your newly cropped screenshot.
4. Most importantly, write a brand new caption that adds context and your perspective. At the very top, credit the original creator (e.g., "📸: @username").
5. Tag the creator in the photo itself and in the caption.

Why this isn't the best method: Screenshots often compress the image, reducing its quality. It’s also difficult to crop perfectly, and it just doesn’t look as clean as using the original file.

Using a Third-Party Repost App (Better Quality)

Dozens of apps are designed specifically for reposting Instagram content. A quick search for "repost for Instagram" in your app store will bring up several options. They streamline the process and typically maintain the original image quality.

The general workflow for these apps is:

1. Find the post you want to share inside the Instagram app.
2. Tap the three dots (...) and select "Link" or "Copy Link."
3. Open your reposting app. Most will automatically detect the link you copied.
4. The app will prepare the post for you, usually adding a small watermark with the creator's username for attribution. You can often choose the corner where this watermark appears.
5. Tap the share button within the app, which will then open Instagram with the media ready to go.
6. Write your own new caption, making sure to add your own credit at the top in addition to the watermark.

The Best Possible Method: The professional gold standard, especially for brands reposting high-quality UGC, is to ask the creator for the original media file. This guarantees perfect quality and shows the utmost respect for their work. When you send your permission DM, simply add: "Would you mind sending us the original file so we can share it in the best quality?"

Reposting Etiquette: The Dos and Don'ts of Sharing

How you share is just as important as asking for permission. Follow these best practices to ensure you're doing it in a way that benefits everyone involved.

1. Always Give Clear, Prominent Credit

This is the most important rule. Don't bury the credit at the end of a long caption or hide it in a sea of hashtags. Proper credit is twofold:

• In the Caption: Mention the creator right at the beginning of your caption. A camera emoji is a great visual cue. Example: "Loving this beautiful fall scene! 🍂 // 📸: @amazingphotographer"
• In the Photo/Video Tag: Use Instagram's tagging feature to tag their account directly in the media. This links back to their profile and sends them a notification.

2. Never Alter The Original Image

You received permission to share the post as it is. Don't add your own filter, crop it in a strange way, or make any other edits. It's disrespectful to the creator's artistic vision. If you want to use a specific crop, ask them about it when you request permission.

3. Write Your Own Original Caption

Don't just copy and paste the creator's original caption. Add your own voice and perspective. Explain why you're sharing this specific piece of content.

Let your audience know what you love about it or how it relates to your brand. For example, if you're a coffee shop sharing a customer photo, your caption could be: "The perfect way to start a Monday morning. We love seeing how you enjoy your daily brew! Great shot by our amazing customer, @customername. 😊☕"

4. Engage With the Post After You Share It

Once your post is live, send the original creator a DM with a link and a quick "thank you" message. This personal touch goes a long way in building a strong relationship. Be sure to also respond to comments on your shared post to keep the conversation going.

Final Thoughts

Sharing content from others is a fantastic way to engage your community, showcase social proof, and keep your Instagram feed fresh and authentic. Just remember the simple rules: always ask for permission first, and always give clear, prominent credit to the original creator every single time.

Of course, keeping all of your planned posts organized - both your original content and the user-generated content you've collected - can become a challenge. This is one of the main reasons we designed our visual calendar at Postbase. It lets you see your entire content strategy at a glance, so you can drag and drop your curated posts right alongside your own and find the perfect balance. Plus, since our platform is built for modern social media, you can easily schedule the high-quality video files creators send you without worrying about a thing.