Instagram Story GIFs: A Guide

Nothing is quite as expressive as a GIF. These looping animations have become ubiquitous on social media because they’re perfect for conveying a mood, delivering a punchline, or making a cultural reference.

GIFs are a great addition to Stories for exactly that reason. Here’s how to add one to your Story:

How to add GIFs to Instagram Stories

There are two ways to add GIFs to an Instagram Story:

How to add the GIF sticker to your IG Story:

  1. Open the Instagram camera by tapping the camera on the upper left corner of your screen, swiping right anywhere on your feed, or tapping the + icon that appears on your profile photo at the top of the feed.
  2. Take or add a photo or video.
  3. In the Story editor, tap the sticker icon (the square smiley with a corner peeled up) at the top of the screen.
  4. In the sticker tray, select the GIF sticker with the magnifying glass.
  5. Search for a GIF using keywords, or just scroll through until you find one you want to add.
  6. Tap the GIF to select it.
  7. Drag the GIF to move and resize it.

How to add the Create Mode GIF to your IG Story:

  • Open the Instagram camera as above, but this time swipe right on the bottom menu to reach Create Mode.
  • Now swipe left on the menu that appears above it to select GIF.
  • Tap “Search GIPHY” and type your keywords to search for the GIF you want.
  • Swipe through the options and tap the one you want to select.

Regular GIF Stickers vs. Create Mode GIFs

The difference between GIF stickers and Create Mode GIFs is how they appear in your Story:

  • When you use a GIF sticker, the sticker will be placed on top of the background image you selected to add to your story.
  • When you use the Create Mode GIF background, the GIF you select will be tiled as the background image.

Each option creates a different look and feel.

How do GIFs Increase Engagement?

GIFs are much more dynamic and entertaining than static images. They add a ton of character to your posts, and especially appeal to the fandoms who will get a kick out the references to their favorite shows and movies.

Instagram’s GIFs are all from GIPHY, but you don’t have to limit yourself. StoryBoost has its own collections of GIFs and stickers to add to your Stories and make them more fun and appealing.

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