Instagram is all about expressing yourself and Stories is allowing users to do that in even more intricate and captivating ways! With over 300 million daily users (and growing), Instagram Stories is a platform you need to be active on. Instagram recently rolled out two brand new features: Stories Highlights and Stories Archives. They both allow for more flexibility and creativity when it comes to incorporating Instagram Stories into your profile. We can't wait to see how brands and users utilize these exciting new additions. Read on to find out how you can use and integrate these new features on your own grid!

Stories Highlights

This new feature is located on your main profile, and allows you to highlight specific stories you've already shared. You are now able to express your personality or tell a visual brand story by grouping previously shared stories into highlights and featuring them on your profile. This feature is also helpful for keeping certain stories for longer than 24 hours! Your Stories Highlights will show up right below your bio, so they're easy for your followers to see and click through. How to Use:

• In order to create a highlight, you can do it three ways: within your Stories, in the Archive section, or tap the "New" circle on the far left below your bio.
• Within your Stories:
  1. You will see an option at the bottom of your screen (second icon with the "heart in a circle" with "HIGHLIGHT" below it on the right side).
  2. Tap on the + (plus) icon to add, then name it.
• Within the Archive section:
  1. Go to your profile.
  2. Tap on the Archive Icon (clock with a turned back arrow) located at the top right of your screen.
  3. Tap on the More Icon (three dots) located at the top right of your screen.
  4. Tap on "Create Highlight"
• From the "New" circle on the far left below your bio (this is appear in your bio once you have at least one highlight saved):
  1. Next, choose whichever stories you'd like to share from your archive, choose a cover image, and name it.
  2. Once you've done that, your highlight will show up as a circle on your profile, and your followers can click to watch it as a stand-alone story. The Stories Highlights will stay on your profile until you decide to delete them, and there is no limit to how many highlights you can have!
  3. Simply tap and hold the desired highlight on your profile to remove or edit.

*Tip: You can create Stories Highlights out of anything you've shared to your Stories previously. Use this feature to share your favorite moments, highlight a new product launch, share a giveaway, and so much more!

Stories Archive

The new Stories Archive feature goes hand-in-hand with Highlights. From now on, whenever you post Instagram Stories, they'll be automatically saved to your archive once they expire - so they'll be filed away for safekeeping! That way, you can easily view them or share them again in you Stories Highlights! How to Use:

• In order to view your archived stories, click on the "Archive" icon at the top of your profile (top far right corner).
• Once there, you can access your Posts Archive and Stories Archive. Archived Stories will appear in a grid with the most recent ones at the bottom. There is also a date indicator on the first story from each day to help you easily keep track of your archived stories.
• Click on any story within your archive to view, add to your Instagram Stories, share as a post, or add it to your Stories Highlights on your profile! You are the only one who can view your Stories Archive.
• Feel free to turn off the auto-archiving feature in your profile settings.

We hope this overview will help you navigate Instagram's amazing new story features! We're excited to start using them to make our own profile even more inspirational and informative. Let us know if you have any questions - we're only a DM away!