Instagram stories stay visible for exactly 24 hours before disappearing from your profile. If you’re wondering how long does IG story last, the platform lets you share 7-second photos and videos up to 60 seconds long—perfect for quick updates that grab attention.
Your story options have been expanding since Instagram Stories launched in 2016. Instagram Stories now reach over 500 million daily users, making story duration a key factor in getting more engagement.
This guide shows you the exact story time limits, ways to make stories last longer, and the best times to post them. You’ll learn how to use every second of your 24-hour window to get better results from your stories.
Instagram Story Time Basics
Your Instagram stories need specific time limits to work well. Here’s what you need to know about story duration rules.
How Long Does IG Story Last: Story Duration Rules
Instagram stories remain visible for exactly 24 hours. They vanish from your profile, feed, and messages after this time. Story highlights let you keep these posts on your profile permanently.
Video Length Rules
Story videos now run up to 60 seconds long. This gives you more room than the old 15-second limit. Instagram cuts any video longer than 60 seconds to fit.
Your videos need a 9:16 ratio at 1080×1920 pixels for the best look. Feed videos shared to stories only show 15-second previews.
Photo Time Limits
Photos in Instagram stories display for 7 seconds. You can’t change this time limit. Remember – viewers get just 7 seconds to read any text you add.
Make your stories work better with these rules:
- Use short text – stick to 1-2 sentences
- Break longer messages into multiple stories
- Add more frames for bigger topics
You control how your story flows. Photos stay up for 7 seconds, videos run for 60 seconds, and you pick how many segments to use.
Need more time? Try Reels – they allow 90-second videos. These time limits help you make quick, engaging stories that keep people watching. Knowing these rules makes planning and posting stories much easier.
Making Stories Last Longer
Story Highlights and series creation help your stories stay visible past the 24-hour limit. These tools work great for keeping your best content in front of viewers.
How Long Does IG Story Last: Story Highlights Basics
Story Highlights show up right under your bio where profile visitors see them first. You group stories by theme and keep them visible until you decide to remove them.
Setting up highlights takes just a few steps:
- Click “New” on the left side of your profile
- Pick stories from your archive
- Add a cover image
- Give your highlight a name
Your highlights fit up to 100 photos and videos. Instagram saves all your stories automatically, so you can add old stories to highlights whenever you want.
Story Series That Work
Story series turn random posts into themed content your followers expect and enjoy. Regular series posts keep people coming back to see what’s next.
Make your series work better:
- Set regular posting days
- Pick an engaging type – try Q&As or tutorials
- Keep series posts in specific highlights
- Tell followers about upcoming posts
The best series uses interactive elements like polls to get people talking. Save these themed stories as highlights so new followers find them easily.
Check your story stats through your dashboard to see which series types work best. Businesses use highlights to show FAQs, products, and customer feedback in one easy spot.
Story series plus smart highlighting creates content that keeps working long after 24 hours. Your stories stay fresh and keep connecting with viewers day after day.
Best Times to Post Stories
Story timing makes a big difference in how many people see your content. These posting times get your stories the most views.
Peak Hours That Work
Weekday afternoons generally yield the highest engagement rates. Your stories get maximum attention between 11 AM and 2 PM during lunch breaks. Here’s when to post each day:
- Monday: 12 PM – 2 PM brings steady views
- Tuesday: 8 AM – 10 AM catches early birds
- Wednesday: 11 AM – 1 PM hits peak activity
- Thursday: 12 PM – 2 PM keeps views strong
- Friday: 4 PM – 6 PM grabs end-of-week browsers
Weekend patterns look different. Saturday stories work best from 10 AM to 1 PM, though views drop during activities. Sunday engagement picks up from 5 PM to 7 PM as people get ready for the week.
How Long Does IG Story Last: Story Posting Frequency
Your posting schedule needs the right balance to keep followers interested. Instagram head Adam Mosseri suggests multiple stories each day. Posting between one to seven stories per day generates optimal results.
Story posting rules that work:
- Space out stories throughout the day
- Post regularly on weekdays from 3 PM to 6 PM
- Take breaks some days to avoid overwhelming followers
- Watch your stats to find peak engagement times
Posting more than seven stories daily often loses viewer interest. Focus on making each story count instead of posting too many.
Your Instagram stats show exactly when followers watch stories most. Check these numbers often to find your best posting times.
How Long Does IG Story Last: Story Duration Strategy
Story length affects how many people watch your full content. The right duration depends on what you share and how viewers respond.
Short vs Long Stories
Short stories with one to five frames keep viewer retention rates above 70%. Quick updates work best in short stories. Longer stories with 20+ frames still finish strong, getting 50% completion rates.
Your first frame matters most. About 20% of viewers leave before the second frame. Start with your best content to keep people watching.
Multiple Story Segments
Longer messages need multiple segments. Studies of 15,000 stories from top brands show one to seven frames get the best results. More than seven frames drop completion rates below 70%.
Instagram splits videos longer than 60 seconds into 15-second pieces. This helps you tell longer stories while following platform rules.
How Long Does IG Story Last: Getting More Story Views
Make stories people want to watch. Try these proven methods:
- Switch between photos and videos
- Add stickers and polls people can click
- Tell viewers what to do next
Posting up to five stories daily keeps viewer rates above 70%. Take breaks between posts to avoid overwhelming followers.
Strong stories grab attention fast. Show behind-the-scenes content that feels special. Polls and questions get people involved and help your stories reach more viewers.
Story Success Tips
Instagram story timing rules help you create content people want to watch. Story Highlights keep your best posts visible past the 24-hour limit.
Your stories work better when you follow proven patterns. Post between 11 AM and 2 PM on weekdays to reach more viewers. Keep your stories between one to seven frames – this gets you 70% viewer completion rates.
Good stories beat perfect timing every time. Short, engaging stories outperform long ones, especially with polls and questions added. Regular posting plus smart content planning builds stronger connections with followers.
Story success comes down to using every second well. Whether you pick 7-second photos or full-minute videos, make content your audience finds valuable.
