How to Regram a Post on Instagram

Want to share a fantastic post you found on Instagram on your own account? That’s called “regramming,” and it’s one of the best ways to celebrate your community, showcase social proof, and fill your content calendar with amazing visuals. This guide will walk you through exactly how to do it correctly - from getting permission to sharing posts on your feed and in your Stories.

Why Regram? More Than Just Sharing Content

Sharing other users' content can be a powerful part of a cohesive social media strategy. When done thoughtfully, it builds relationships and strengthens your brand voice without needing to create every single piece of content from scratch. This type of curated content is often referred to as user-generated content (UGC), and it's a goldmine for an authentic online presence.

Build Community and Network

Sharing a follower’s post is a simple high-five. It shows you’re listening and that you appreciate the people who engage with your brand. Sharing content from partners, creators you admire, or local businesses also expands your network. It’s a reciprocal act that builds goodwill and puts you on the radar of other accounts in your niche, opening doors for future collaborations.

Fill Your Content Calendar

Let's be real: creating original content every single day is a huge lift. Leveraging high-quality UGC from your followers or customers helps you maintain a busy posting schedule without burning out your creative team. It’s an authentic way to keep your feed fresh and active, providing value to your audience with content you already know resonates with people.

Showcase Social Proof and Testimonials

There is no marketing more powerful than a happy customer. When a customer posts a photo of your product or shares a great experience, regramming it acts as a genuine, real-time testimonial. It shows potential customers that real people love what you do, building trust and credibility far more effectively than a polished ad ever could.

The Golden Rule: Get Permission and Give Credit

Before you even think about taking a screenshot, you need to understand the number one rule of regramming: always ask for permission and always give prominent credit. This isn’t just good manners, it protects you legally and helps you build a reputation as a respectable, community-minded brand.

Creators put time, effort, and skill into their photos and videos. Using their content without permission is essentially stealing their work. By simply asking, you show respect for their artistry and avoid any potential copyright issues down the line. Plus, it starts a positive relationship with someone who is already a fan of your brand.

How to Ask for Permission

Getting permission is easy. Here are two straightforward ways to do it:

• Leave a Public Comment: Comment directly on the post you want to share. This is transparent and often gets a quick response.
• Send a Direct Message (DM): If you prefer to have a private conversation, a polite DM works perfectly.

Not sure what to say? Keep it simple and friendly. Try a script like this:

“Hi! We absolutely love this photo/video and think our community would too. Would you mind if we shared it on our feed? Of course, we’ll give you full credit in the caption and tag!”

How to Give Proper Credit

Once you have permission, don’t hide the credit at the bottom of a long caption or bury it in a sea of hashtags. Make it clean and obvious.

• Tag the User: Tag their Instagram account in the photo or video itself. This way, the image is linked to their profile under their "Tagged Photos" section.
• Mention Them in the Caption: Give them a shout-out right at the beginning of your caption using their @username. A simple “📸: @username” or “Amazing shot by the talented @username” works great.

How to Regram a Feed Post: The Screenshot Method

The most common and direct way to regram content to your feed is by using the good old-fashioned screenshot method. While it’s quick, the trade-off can sometimes be a slight loss in image quality. But with modern smartphones, you can get a crisp-looking result if you do it right.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Get Permission: This is a non-negotiable first step! See the section above.
2. Open the Post on Instagram: Go to the post you have permission to share and view it on your full screen. Pro-tip: Turn up your phone’s screen brightness to capture the most vibrant image possible.
3. Take a Screenshot: Capture a screenshot using your phone’s built-in function (this typically involves pressing a combination of the power and volume buttons).
4. Crop the Image: Open the screenshot in your phone’s camera roll or gallery app. Use the editing tools to crop out everything except for the image or video itself - the Instagram app UI, your phone’s status bar, etc. Get it looking clean.
5. Create a New Post: Open your Instagram app, tap the '+' icon to create a new post, and select your freshly cropped image from your library.
6. Write Your Caption and Add Credit: Write a caption that adds your own perspective. Why are you sharing this? Then, be sure to add the original creator’s handle by typing “@” followed by their username.
7. Tag the Creator in the Photo: On the screen before you publish, tap “Tag People” and tag the original creator in the image itself.
8. Post It: Hit that share button! You've successfully regrammed the post.

A Cleaner Approach: Using a Regram App

If you find that screenshotting degrades the image quality or you're planning to regram frequently, a third-party regramming app can be a more streamlined solution. These apps are specifically designed to save Instagram photos and videos at their original quality and simplify the sharing process.

While different apps vary slightly, most follow the same general workflow:

1. Download a Reputable Reposting App: Search for “repost” or “regram” in your phone’s app store. Look for one with good recent reviews.
2. Copy the Instagram Post Link: Go to the post you want to share on Instagram, tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of the post, and select “Link” to copy it to your clipboard.
3. Open the Regram App: Open your chosen reposting app. Most will automatically detect the link you just copied. If not, there will be a field for you to paste it in.
4. Prepare the Post: The app will download the media in its original quality. It usually gives you the option to add a small credit watermark in the corner (which is good practice). It also often copies the original caption for you.
5. Share to Instagram: Tap the share button within the app, and it will open Instagram for you, ready to create a post with the saved media. Edit the original caption with your own thoughts and, most importantly, manually add your photo and caption credit for the original creator again. Don't rely solely on a watermark.

Easier and Faster: Sharing to Your Instagram Story

Instagram makes resharing content to your Stories incredibly easy - it’s a built-in feature. This method is perfect for quick shout-outs, sharing time-sensitive content, or highlighting a post without altering the visual aesthetic of your main feed.

Here's how to do it in seconds:

1. Find a Feed post or Reel you want to reshare.
2. Tap the paper airplane icon (the Share button) located directly underneath the post.
3. A menu will pop up. Select “Add to your story.”
4. This will open the Instagram Story editor, where the post now appears as an interactive “sticker.” You can tap it to switch between two visual styles.
5. Now get creative! You can resize and rotate the post sticker, change the background color, add your own commentary with text, draw on it, or include GIFs and other stickers to match your brand style.
6. Before posting, just make sure the original creator's @username is clearly visible. If you add a background, you can still add their handle back using the text tool.
7. Share it to your story! Viewers can now tap on the post in your story to be taken directly to the original.

Important Note: You can only share posts from public accounts. If the paper airplane icon or the “Add to your story” option is missing, it’s because the account is private or the user has disabled resharing in their settings.

Best Practices for a Curated Feed with Regrammed Content

Just because you can share something doesn't always mean you should. A good curation strategy is thoughtful. Keep these best practices in mind to make your regrammed posts feel like they truly belong on your profile.

• Maintain Your Aesthetic: Only reshare photos and videos that fit your brand's existing look and feel. If your feed is full of bright, airy images, a dark, moody photo - even if it’s fantastic - might stick out.
• Add Your Own Perspective: Never just repost without context. Use the caption to explain why you’re sharing this content. Tell a story, ask a question, or connect it back to your brand's mission. Adding your voice turns a repost into a piece of valuable content.
• Abide by the 80/20 Rule: Try not to let shared content take over your feed. A good benchmark is the 80/20 rule: 80% original content created by you, and at most 20% curated, shared content from others. This ensures your brand’s unique identity remains front and center.
• Engage After Posting: Circle back with the original creator. Leave a friendly comment on their original post letting them know you've shared it and thank them again. It’s a small step that goes a long way in building relationships.

Final Thoughts

Regramming is a powerful and fun way to build connections on Instagram, but it works best when it’s handled with respect and a clear strategy. Always remember the golden rule: ask a creator for their permission before sharing and give them prominent credit when you do. Do that, and you'll be well on your way to building a vibrant, community-focused feed.

Planning which user-generated gems to feature alongside your own scheduled Reels and carousels can quickly get messy. We know this firsthand, which is why we designed our platform, Postbase, with a simple visual calendar at its heart. It allows you to see weeks of content at a glance, drag and drop posts to find the perfect flow, and manage the mix of original and curated content needed to keep your accounts growing and audiences engaged without the stress.