How to See Responses to Instagram Story Questions

You’ve just dropped the perfect Ask me anything sticker onto your Instagram Story, and the DINGs of notifications have started. But then you realize: where do all these responses actually *go*? Don't worry, you haven't lost them. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find, view, share, and manage every response your question sticker receives - while your Story is live and even after it disappears.

How to See Responses to Your Live Instagram Story

First, let’s cover the most common scenario: your Story is still active (within its 24-hour lifespan). Finding your responses here is straightforward once you know where to look. It’s not in your main Direct Message inbox, which is where most people check first. Instead, the answers are attached directly to the Story itself.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Open your own Instagram Story. Tap your profile picture at the top-left of your feed, the same way you would to watch your Story.
2. Navigate to the specific Story slide that has your question sticker on it. If you posted multiple slides, just tap through until you land on the right one.
3. Swipe up on the screen. You can also tap the "Activity" or "Viewers" icon in the bottom-left corner, which shows little profile pictures of people who have seen it.

This action opens up the Story's analytics and engagement dashboard. Here, you’ll see the list of viewers at the top. But right below that viewer list, you will see a dedicated section for "Responses" to your question sticker. They will be neatly organized for you to review.

In this section, you'll see a scrollable list of all the submitted answers. Each response will show the username and profile picture of the person who sent it, along with their answer.

What If My Story Already Expired? Finding Old Responses

It’s easy to get busy and completely forget to check your question responses before the 24-hour clock runs out. In the past, this meant those valuable user interactions were lost forever. Luckily, Instagram has fixed this. As long as you have the Story Archive feature enabled (it’s turned on by default for most accounts), you can access old Story responses easily.

Here’s how to find them:

• Go to your Instagram Profile. Tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner of the navigation bar.
• Open the Menu. Tap the three horizontal lines (the "hamburger" icon) in the top-right corner.
• Select "Archive." You'll see a few options here. Tap "Archive" to open your collection of past content.
• Find your Story. Your Story Archive will appear, often organized in a calendar or a grid view. Navigate to the date you posted the Story with the question sticker and tap on it.
• Swipe Up. Just like with a live Story, all you need to do is swipe up. The same viewer and response data will be there, waiting for you. You can see who answered and what they said, long after the Story has vanished from your public profile.

This archiving feature is a game-changer for businesses and creators who use question stickers for audience feedback, content ideas, or market research, allowing you to revisit those insights whenever you need them.

How to Share Responses to Create More Engaging Content

Simply viewing responses is only half the fun. The real power of the question sticker is sharing those answers to create a public conversation with your audience. When you share a response, it becomes a new Story slide, creating an engaging back-and-forth that others can follow.

Here’s the process for sharing a response:

1. Find the Response. Follow the steps above (either for a live Story or an archived one) to access your list of responses.
2. Tap on the Response You Want to Share. Scroll through your list and pick a question or comment you find interesting, funny, or helpful.
3. Click "Share Response." Below each individual submission, you’ll see a blue button that says "Share Response." Tapping this opens a brand new Story creator screen.
4. Customize Your New Story. The response you selected now appears as a sticker on top of a plain gradient background. This is your canvas. You can:
   • Change the background: Tap the color bubble at the top to cycle through different gradient backgrounds, or swipe up to select a photo or video from your camera roll.
   • Resize and reposition: Use two fingers to pinch, zoom, and move the question sticker anywhere on the screen.
   • Add your answer: This is the most important part! Use the text tool to type your reply. You can also answer with another sticker, a GIF, or even by talking over it in a video.

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that sharing a response keeps the original asker anonymous. Instagram automatically hides their username and profile picture so your audience only sees the question itself. This fosters a safe environment where your followers feel comfortable asking genuine questions without fear of being publicly identified.

Beyond "Ask Me Anything": Creative Ways to Use the Question Sticker

Now that you know the mechanics, you can think strategically. The "Ask Me Anything" format is popular, but this sticker is far more versatile. Here are a few creative strategies to build a more engaged community and gather valuable insights for your brand.

Market Research & Product Feedback

Use the question sticker to get direct input from your customers. This is free, instant market research that your audience willingly provides.

• Example for an e-commerce brand: "What new T-shirt color should we launch for spring?"
• Example for a software company: "What's the #1 feature you wish our app had?"
• Example for a local cafe: "Besides coffee, what kind of drink would you love to see on our menu?"

Generate Content Ideas

Stuck in a content rut? Let your audience tell you what they want to see. This ensures you're creating content that genuinely helps and interests them.

• Example for a fitness coach: "What's your biggest struggle when it comes to workout motivation?"
• Example for a financial advisor: "What's the most confusing personal finance topic you'd like me to explain?"
• Example for a graphic designer: "What tutorial would you most like to see next: logo design or typography basics?"

Bust Myths or Address Assumptions

This is a fun and transparent way to control your brand's narrative and connect with your audience on a deeper level. Use a prompt like "Ask me an assumption you have about [my brand/my industry]." Then, you can share the assumption and post a Story countering or confirming it. This builds authority and personality simultaneously.

Collect Testimonials (Social Proof)

You can gather feedback that can be repurposed later. Ask a simple question to get glowing reviews.

• Example: "What was your favorite part of working with us?" or "Share your favorite result from using our product!"

You can then screenshot these responses (or share them directly) in your Stories, add them to a "Reviews" highlight, or even use them on your website (with permission).

Build Hype for a Launch

Got a new product, service, or announcement on the way? Use the question sticker to build anticipation and answer questions before they even hit your inbox.

• Example: "Our new collection drops Friday. What questions do you have about it?"

This gives you a chance to address things like pricing, materials, and availability, driving more informed and excited traffic when you finally go live.

Final Thoughts

The Instagram Question Sticker is much more than a simple novelty, it's a direct line to your audience's thoughts, questions, and ideas. By knowing how to locate responses in your live and archived Stories, you can tap into this feedback, and by creatively sharing those responses, you can turn a simple feature into a continuous conversation that builds community and fosters trust.

Keeping up with all this engagement - from Question Responses to the DMs and comments that follow - can be demanding. We built Postbase because we understand that managing a social media presence today means handling conversations across countless different surfaces. Our unified inbox brings your comments and DMs from all your connected platforms into one streamlined feed, so after you've sparked conversations with a creative Story, you can manage the follow-up without jumping frantically between apps.