How To Post GIFs on Your Instagram Story: Top Methods

Because of their endless variety, GIFs let you tell a story, capture a mood, or grab attention without saying a word. These looping animations add personality to messages and social media posts, which makes them perfect for spicing up your Instagram Stories. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how to post GIFs on your Instagram Story so you can make your content stand out.

How To Post GIFs on Instagram Story Using the App

The easiest way to post a GIF on your Story is through Instagram’s Create function. With this feature, your GIF can take up your Story’s whole screen. Here’s how to do it: 

1. Make a new Story — Open Instagram, and choose your profile picture in the top-left corner. This will launch your camera.
2. Choose “Create” — On the right-hand side of your screen, select the “Create” button (a capital A next to a lowercase a).
3. Find a GIF — Scroll to the GIF section at the bottom of the screen. Search GIPHY and select your favorite option.
4. Post — Hit “Next,” and Instagram will create a gallery layout that stacks the GIF so it fills the screen. Choose “Your story” to share the post on your profile.

How To Post GIFs on Instagram Story With GIPHY

If you’d rather search GIPHY’s library directly, you can find your favorite loops in the app and upload them to Instagram:

1. Open GIPHY — Launch the app and log into your account.
2. Choose a GIF — Browse through the library, and once you find the GIF you love, tap the “Share” button (the paper plane icon). 
3. Upload to Instagram — The app will show several sharing options. From that page, select Instagram and choose “Story.” A 15-second GIF will appear in the Story creation tools.
4. Post the GIF — Pinch to resize the GIF to fit the screen, then upload it to your Story.

How To Post GIFs on Instagram Story With Boomerang

With the Boomerang feature, you can combine GIFs to create a customized meme. Here’s how to do it:

1. Launch Instagram — Open the app and tap “Your story” at the top of the home screen. 
2. Access Boomerang — On the left-hand side of the screen, select the infinity symbol to start Boomerang.
3. Record your Boomerang — Hold the “Record” button to capture a quick Boomerang. Instagram will create a looping video that plays forward and backward.
4. Tap the “Sticker” button — After recording, choose the smiling square icon at the top of your screen to start customizing your Story.
5. Select the GIF option — From the sticker menu, choose the “GIF” option. 
6. Add and adjust your GIF — Once you've chosen a GIF, tap to add it to your Boomerang. Resize and drag it around your screen to position it.
7. Post your Boomerang — Once you're happy with how everything looks, hit "Your story" to post your Boomerang with the GIF. 

How To Post GIF Stickers on Instagram Stories

If you want to add a little extra flair to your Instagram Story, GIF stickers are a fun and easy way. Here’s how to use this feature:

1. Select an image or video — Choose what you want to post.
2. Open settings — Click the “Sticker” button (a square with a smiley face inside).
3. Search — Select the GIF option and look for your favorite.
4. Paste — Tap to insert the sticker, then resize or drag it around the frame.‍
5. Upload — Click the arrow button in the bottom-right corner of the screen to post to your Story.

Upgrade Your Instagram Stories With Captions

GIFs add a unique touch to your Stories, keeping your content fresh and engaging to your followers. To make your videos even more impactful, try Captions. 

With our AI editing tools, you can effortlessly customize and enhance your videos in no time. Find GIFs in our media library and tailor them to each post. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, let Captions do the work — our platform automatically adds B-roll to your posts based on the content of your footage. 

With Captions, editing Instagram Stories has never been simpler.

FAQs 

Can I Post GIFs Directly From My Camera Roll?

No, Instagram doesn’t allow users to upload GIFs directly from their camera roll. Instead, you can convert GIFs into MP4 file formats and upload them as videos. Or, import them from a third-party app like GIPHY, Tenor, or Imgur.

Here’s a quick guide on how to download a GIF for your Instagram Story:

1. Create a GIF — Head to a platform like GIPHY, Tenor, or Imgur.
2. Download — Choose a GIF you like, then download it in an MP4 format so it’s compatible with Instagram.
3. Upload — Start a Story and upload the downloaded file from your gallery.

Can I Create My Own GIF for Instagram Stories?

Yes — you can use tools like Canva or Photoshop to make a GIF and convert it to MP4 for Instagram compatibility. 

Can You Pin GIFs on Instagram Stories?

Yes, you can pin GIFs to specific points in your Instagram Stories. After adding a GIF, press and hold it until a “Pin” option appears. Then, move the GIF to your desired spot, which will stay fixed as your video plays.

How Can I Send a GIF in a Direct Message on Instagram?

Here’s a quick guide on how to send a GIF on Instagram:

1. Open a conversation — Go to your direct messages.
2. Tap the “Sticker” icon — In the text box, tap the smiley face to open the GIF options.
3. Search and select — Use the search bar to find your desired GIF, then tap to send it.