You’ve stumbled upon an awesome Story while scrolling through your Instagram, but when you wanted to share it, you noticed it’s not possible. Instagram allows you to share Stories, but only in some instances.
If you’re interested in learning why you can’t share someone else’s Instagram Story, you’ve come to the right place. This article will discuss everything you need to know about sharing Instagram Stories.
Why Can’t I Share Someone Else’s Instagram Story?
The main reason you can’t share someone else’s Instagram Story is that you’re not tagged in it.
Primarily, Instagram allows you to reshare a Story only if you were tagged in it by the person who posted it. When you’re tagged, you receive a notification that someone mentioned you in their Story. Once you open it, you’ll see the “Add to your Story” option.
If you were mentioned in a Story, but there’s no option to share it, there might be something wrong with the app. Troubleshoot possible causes like:
- Your app is not updated – if you’re using an old version of Instagram, you might lose some of its features, including resharing Stories. Always ensure your app is up to date.
- The Story expired – as you know, Instagram Stories last for 24 hours. If the Story expires, you won’t be able to open or repost it.
- Violated community guidelines – if you weren’t behaving according to the Instagram community guidelines, the app may prevent you from sharing someone else’s Story, even when you’re tagged in it. Reach out to Instagram’s support to try and resolve this issue.
Workarounds
Even though Instagram doesn’t allow you to reshare someone else’s Story if you weren’t tagged in it, there are ways to work around this. Try these options if you find a Story you feel compelled to share.
Screenshot
First of all, you can always take a screenshot and share it in your Story. Keep in mind that Instagram won’t notify the user you’ve taken a screenshot and reshared it unless you tag them in the Story.
Third-Party Apps
You could also use third-party apps that enable you to save Stories and then share them. As you know, Instagram doesn’t offer an option to save a Story to your device. However, apps such as Story Saver for Android and Instant Save for iPhone allow you to download a Story to your phone and share it.
If you’re using an Android, follow the steps below to download and share a Story with the Story Saver app:
- Download the Story Saver app from the Play Store.
- Launch it and log in with your Instagram username and password.
- You’ll see a list of the people you follow and their Stories.
- Tap on one of the profiles, and you’ll see all the Stories they posted in the last 24 hours.
- Select one of the Stories.
- Tap the arrow.
- The Story will be downloaded to your phone. Find it in your Gallery and add it to your Story.
If you’re using an iPhone, follow these steps to download and share a Story with the Instant Save app:
- Download the Instant Save app from the App Store.
- Log in to the app with your Instagram username and password.
- Scroll through the Stories posted by the people you follow and select the one you want to save.
- Tap the save icon.
- Find the photo in your folder and repost it as your Story.
- You can also copy the link of a Story, insert it in the app, and reshare it.
Send the Story to Your Followers
Even though you can’t reshare a Story, you can forward it to the people you follow:
- Open Instagram.
- Find the Story you want to share and tap the arrow at the bottom-right corner.
- Select the person to forward the Story to.
- Tap Send.
If the person who posted the Story has a public account, everyone can open it. However, if the person has a private account, your follower won’t be able to open the Story unless they follow the person, too.
Ask the Person Who Posted the Story to Repost It
If you’re in someone’s Story and they forgot to mention you, Instagram won’t offer the option to share it. In this case, you can always ask the person who posted the Story to repost it and tag you.
Why Can’t My Followers Repost My Instagram Story?
Your followers can’t repost your Story if you didn’t tag them. If you’re not sure how to tag people in your Stories, follow the steps below:
- Open Instagram and select the photo you want to share on your Story.
- Type @ and the name/username of the person you want to tag. Repeat the process if you want to tag more people.
- Tap Done in the top-right corner.
- Tap Send to.
- Tap Share next to Your Story.
The person(s) you tagged will receive a notification saying they’ve been mentioned in your Story. They can repost it by tapping “Add to your Story.”
Additional FAQs
Can You Share Someone Else’s Instagram Story Without Being Tagged?
It’s not possible to share someone else’s Instagram Story as your own if you weren’t tagged in it. However, you can share it with your followers via a direct message. Keep in mind that they will be able to open it only if they follow the person who posted the Story.
Alternatively, you can always take a screenshot of the Story and share it.
Can You Share Someone Else’s Instagram Story Without Them Knowing?
If you were tagged in a Story and you share it as your own, the person who originally posted it will always receive a notification about it.
However, if you share someone else’s Story through direct messages with your followers, the person who posted it won’t receive a notification. It’s important to keep in mind that you can always check who saw your Stories. So, if you share someone else’s Story with your friend, and the friend opens it, the person who posted the Story will see their username under Seen.
Tell Your Story
Sharing Stories is a great way to keep your followers in the loop about your everyday life. If you want to post a Story with your friends, don’t forget to tag them. Otherwise, they won’t be able to share your Story with their followers.
If you can’t share someone else’s Instagram Story, it’s most likely because you weren’t tagged in it. There are various ways to get around it, like taking a screenshot of the Story and sharing it or using a third-party app.
Do you often post Instagram Stories? Have you ever had problems sharing them? Tell us in the comments section below.
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