Instagram Story Not Uploading? Fixes for Stuck Stories, Missing Stickers and More

Does this match what you see?

• Your story is stuck on waiting for connection or fails to post.
• A long video posted as several short clips.
• A sticker you’ve seen others use isn’t in your Stickers menu.
• A story you posted is gone from your profile.

iPhone & iPadAndroid

Meta says sharing to your story isn’t available on computers. Official steps are from Instagram’s Help Center (Android, iPhone, iPad, Instagram Lite). Fixes marked as user reports come from Meta-hosted summaries of what users say, not official help.

Why this happens: the possible causes

Why a story might not upload (how common each is, is our estimate).

• A weak or unstable connectionCheck this first

  A Meta “Answers” page that summarizes what users report says a weak or unstable network is the reason people mention most, with stories stuck on “waiting for connection”.

• An app glitch or old versionCheck this first

  Our note: restarting and updating the app fixes many upload problems. Meta says to update the app if you’re missing stickers.

• A content or policy issuePossible

  Users report that stories removed straight after posting are often linked to a policy violation notice on the account.

• A temporary problem on Meta’s sidePossible

  The same user-report summary says Meta has had outages that stopped stories and reels uploading on Instagram and Facebook, lasting minutes to hours.

How to fix it, step by step

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.

Story removed straight after posting?

Users report that when a story is removed right away, there’s often a policy violation notice on the account, sometimes only visible on instagram.com in a browser rather than in the app.

• Our advice: check your Account Status (your profile > Menu > below More info and support, tap Account Status), and look on instagram.com too.
• If something was removed by mistake, see Instagram content removed for how to request a review.
• Repeated removals can limit other features too. For example, Meta says past Community Standards removals can stop you going live (see Can’t go live on Instagram).

Story not sharing to Facebook?

• Users report this is usually a broken link between the accounts or a sharing setting that’s off.
• Our advice: check your Instagram account is linked in Accounts Center, and to only one Facebook account. See Facebook and Instagram not linking.
• Then check that sharing your story to Facebook is turned on in Instagram’s settings. Our note: for reels, Meta’s official checks are in Accounts Center > Sharing across profiles (see reels not sharing to Facebook); the same place may cover stories.
• If stories reach Facebook but not Instagram, users report that logging out and back in fixes the sync. Our advice: make sure you know your password and can get your login code first.

Why your video was split into clips

Meta says a video up to 60 seconds long appears as one clip in your story. Longer videos are broken up into multiple clips, which you can edit with the video trimmer at the bottom. Meta says the trimmer is currently only available on iOS (iPhone and iPad), so Android users won’t see it.

Can’t find a sticker?

• Meta says to make sure the app is updated to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play.
• Meta also says not all stickers are available to everyone, or available for reels.
• Meta’s stickers page also notes that a feature “may be unavailable in Japan and for countries located in Europe”, without making clear which one.
• To add one: after you create a story or record a reel, tap Stickers at the top, then pick a sticker.

Your story disappeared?

• Meta says stories disappear from your profile, Feed and messages after 24 hours, unless you add them to your profile as highlights.
• Meta says Stories Archive and Highlights aren’t available for all accounts.
• Public accounts can still see a story’s insights for up to two years after it expires, Meta says, though the story itself isn’t viewable (see Instagram insights).
• If you delete a story from your archive, Meta says it’s also removed from other places you shared it on Instagram, such as highlights.

Delete a story, an archived story or a comment

A current story

1. Tap Your story at the top of Feed.
2. On the photo or video, tap Options or More (usually bottom right; top right on some versions).
3. Tap Delete (or Delete story), then Delete again.

If you shared the story to Facebook, Meta says you can choose Delete from both or Delete from Instagram only. Our note: if you choose Instagram only, it stays on Facebook.

A story in your archive

1. Go to your profile, tap Menu in the top right, then (below How you use Instagram) Your activity.
2. Tap Archived, then the story.
3. Tap Options in the bottom right, then Delete (on iPhone and iPad, Delete story), then Delete again.

Turn story comments off (or back on)

• For all stories: tap Add > Story > Settings in the top right > Story > below Commenting, tap Allow comments > Off.
• For one story before posting: while editing it, tap Options in the top right > Turn off Commenting.
• For one story after posting: tap your profile picture to view it > Options in the bottom right > Turn off commenting.
• Who can comment by default: Meta says that on a public account, anyone you follow can comment on your stories; on a private account, only followers you follow back. Anyone who can see a story can see its comments.
• Meta says comments stay visible to you in your archive after the story expires, and to viewers if you save it as a Highlight. You can also comment on your own stories.
• To comment on someone’s story: tap the story, tap Comment at the bottom, type, then Send. Meta says you can only comment if you follow each other, or if they’ve turned on comments for all their followers. Story comments can be up to 60 characters, including emojis.
• Report a story comment: tap any comment to open the list, tap and hold the comment, then Report. See Instagram scams and reporting for more.
• Our note: if people say they can’t comment on your story, check these settings, and whether you follow them.

A comment on your story

1. Tap your profile picture to view your story, then tap Activity in the bottom left.
2. Tap Options next to the comment, then Delete comment.

Add Yours sticker: who can see it

The Add Yours sticker lets you post a prompt that others respond to with their own stories or reels. To add one: Stickers > Add Yours, write a prompt (or tap Random or See more prompts), then Done. To join someone else’s, tap Add yours on their sticker.

Why can’t someone see that I started the prompt?

Meta says people won’t see your “Started by” credit if:

• you’ve blocked them
• your account is private and they don’t follow you
• you shared it with Close Friends and they aren’t on the list
• you deleted the original story or reel, or your account
• you chose to hide your username from the credit (iPhone and Android: tap Options on your story or reel)

Why can’t someone see what I added?

Meta says only your selected audience can see your response. If your account is private, only your followers can, and accounts you’ve blocked can’t.

How to post a story

1. Tap Create at the top or swipe right anywhere in Feed (on iPad, Create on the left), then scroll to Story at the bottom.
2. Tap Record to take a photo, or tap and hold to record a video. To use something from your gallery or camera roll, swipe up anywhere on the screen.
3. Add Draw, Text or a Sticker if you like. To remove text or a sticker, drag it onto Delete at the bottom.
4. Tap Your Story in the bottom left.

Instagram Lite: tap Create at the top > Story > Camera, tap Record to take a photo (or tap the photo on the left to pick one from your gallery), then tap Your story at the bottom.

How to know it worked

• Your story posts and shows at the top of Feed.

Still not working? Your next steps

1. Instagram crashing or the camera won’t open? See Instagram keeps crashing.
2. Problem with Facebook stories instead? See Facebook story not showing or won’t upload.

Frequently asked questions