How to See Story Shares on Instagram

Ever posted an Instagram Story and wondered who loved it so much they sent it to a friend? Monitoring your Story shares is one of the best ways to know what content is truly hitting the mark, but finding this metric isn't always straightforward. This guide will walk you through exactly how to see who shared your Story, clarify what different types of shares mean, and show you how to use that data to create even better content.

What "Sharing an Instagram Story" Actually Means

Before checking your stats, it's important to understand the different ways a user can "share" your Story content. The way they share it determines what information you can see. There are two primary methods:

• Sharing via Direct Message (DM): This is the most common way Stories are shared. Someone sees your Story, taps the paper airplane icon, and sends it directly to one or more friends in a private message. It's the digital equivalent of leaning over and saying, "Hey, you have to see this."
• Resharing a Post to Their Own Story: This happens when you share a Feed post (yours or someone else's) to your Story and another user taps the post and shares it to their Story. This method also applies if you tag someone in your Story - they receive a notification and an option to reshare that specific Story slide to their own profile for 24 hours.

The key difference is privacy. Instagram will tell you how many times your Story was shared in DMs, but it will never tell you who sent it or who received it. However, if your content is publicly reshared to someone else's Story, you often can see that explicitly.

How to See Who Shared Your Story via Direct Message (The DM Method)

This is where most people look for share data. While you won't see specific names, tracking the share count is still an incredibly powerful metric. A high number of DM shares indicates your content is sparking private conversations - a sign of deep audience connection.

Here’s how to find the number:

1. Open your active Instagram Story. Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner of your Instagram feed to view your current Story.
2. Swipe up on the Story slide. This will open the insights panel, which shows you the list of accounts that have viewed your Story.
3. Look for the analytics icons at the top. Above your viewer list, you’ll typically see three icons: an eye icon representing total viewers, a two-arrow icon representing navigation actions (like forward/back taps and exits), and a paper airplane icon.
4. Check the number next to the paper airplane icon. This number is the Holy Grail: it shows you exactly how many times that specific Story slide has been shared with another user via a Direct Message.

Again, this metric is anonymous. You'll see "5 Shares," but you won't know if one person shared it with five friends or five different people each shared it with one friend. This is an intentional privacy feature by Instagram to protect user conversations.

How to See When Someone Adds Your Content to *Their* Story

Unlike the privacy-protected DM shares, seeing who reshared your content to their own public Story is much clearer. This is a massive win for brands and creators because it acts as public endorsement and user-generated content (UGC).

Method 1: When You're Tagged in a Story

If another user creates a Story and mentions your handle with an @tag, you are directly notified. This is the simplest way to see a reshare.

• You'll get a notification in your DMs that says "[Username] mentioned you in their story."
• Inside the DM, you’ll see the Story they tagged you in along with a prompt that says, "Add this to your story."
• Here, you not only see who shared content featuring you, but Instagram also makes it easy for you to reshare that content to your own audience.

Method 2: Checking Reshares of a Feed Post

If you share one of your own Feed posts to your Story, you can easily track how many other people are also sharing that *same Feed post* to their Stories. This view aggregates all public reshares of a specific post.

Here's how to check it:

1. Navigate to the original post in your Feed (not the Story you shared).
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of the post.
3. From the menu that appears, select "View Story reshares."
4. A new screen will pop up showing you all the active, public Stories that have reshared your post. You can tap on each one to view it.

Keep in mind this is only for public accounts and the list only shows active Stories. Once a Story expires after 24 hours, it will disappear from this list.

More Than a Number: How to Turn Share Data into a Winning Strategy

Seeing your share stats is satisfying, but the real power comes from understanding what the data tells you. Shares are arguably a much better indicator of great content than simple views or even likes. A "like" is passive, but a "share" is an active recommendation.

What a High DM Share Count Means

When you see that paper airplane number looking healthy, it usually means your content is:

• Highly Relatable: Content that makes people say, "This is so me," or "This is totally you."
• Genuinely Useful: A helpful tip, a tutorial, a little-known fact, an insightful quote, or a must-try recipe.
• Funny or Entertaining: Memes, funny videos, and anything that makes someone audibly laugh is prime DM-sharing material.
• Newsworthy or Surprising: Shocking stats, breaking news, or a unique take on a current event that makes people want to talk.

Actionable Advice: Look at your most-shared Stories. Identify the format and topic. Was it a simple text slide with a relatable thought? A behind-the-scenes video? Double down on what's working. If a meme format crushed it, create more content in that style. These are the pieces of content sparking conversations, so give your audience more to talk about.

What a High Reshare Count Means

When other accounts reshare your Feed posts or content you're tagged in, it's a huge sign of:

• Brand Alignment: They believe your message and aesthetic reflects well on them.
• High-Quality Visuals: The content is beautiful, inspiring, or aesthetically pleasing enough to be featured on their own profile.
• Community Connection: They feel a part of your community and want to show it.

Actionable Advice: When someone publicly reshared your content, treat it as gold. Here's a simple engagement strategy:

1. DM Them: Send a quick, personal message thanking them for the share. Don't automate it, make it genuine.
2. Reshare Their Share: When appropriate, screenshot their share and add it to your own Story, tagging them back. It shows mutual appreciation and rewards users for their support.
3. Engage with Their Profile: Leave a thoughtful comment or a few likes on their recent posts. This turns a simple interaction into a real connection.

What if My Share Count is Low?

Don't worry! It’s all just data. A low share count is a signal to try something new. The easiest way to get more shares is to simply ask for them. End your Story with a clear call-to-action like:

• "Send this to a friend who needs a laugh today."
• "Share this with someone who needs this reminder."
• "Does this sound like someone you know? Send it to them!"

An explicit prompt can dramatically increase shares because it removes the guesswork for your audience and plants the idea in their minds.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, figuring out who shared your Instagram Story depends on *how* they chose to share it. You can see a direct count of private DM shares by swiping up on your Story slide and looking for the paper airplane icon. For public reshares of your Feed posts or content, you can often see the specific accounts directly. Using both metrics will give you a much clearer picture of what truly connects with your followers.

Once you've identified the content styles that get the most shares, scheduling more of that winning formula is the key to consistent growth. At Postbase, we designed our platform to make planning and scheduling all of your social media - especially video-first formats like Stories and Reels - incredibly simple. With our drag-and-drop visual calendar, you can map out your entire content plan, ensuring you're posting what your audience loves to see and share, every single day.