Stories, or short-lived photos and videos shared on Instagram, have become increasingly popular. Users can now view stories for up to 24 hours after they are posted, but then they disappear. This issue may leave users wondering how to see older Instagram stories that they missed. Fortunately, there are some tricks and methods that can help users access these stories even after they have expired.
One common method involves using a third-party app or website. These tools allow users to download and save Instagram stories before they expire. Some popular options include StorySaver, Repost for Instagram, and Ingramer. Once the stories are downloaded, users can view them at any time, even after they have been deleted from Instagram. However, it is important to note that using third-party apps may violate Instagram’s terms of service and could result in an account being banned.
Another option for viewing older Instagram stories is to contact the user who posted them. If the user has not deleted the stories from their archive, they may be willing to share them with you. To do this, send the user a direct message and ask if they can send you a copy of the story. This method is more reliable than using third-party apps, but it requires the cooperation of the user who posted the story. Additionally, not all users may be willing to share their stories, so this method may not always be successful.
Accessing Archived Stories
Step 1: Access Your Profile
To retrieve your archived stories, start by logging into your Instagram account. From the home screen, tap on your profile icon located at the bottom right corner. This will take you to your profile page.
Step 2: Go to the Archive Tab
On your profile page, you will see three horizontal lines located at the top right corner. Tap on them to open a drop-down menu. From the menu, select the “Archive” option.
Step 3: Navigate Through Different Archive Types
Upon entering the Archive tab, you will notice different archive types displayed as tabs at the top of the screen. These tabs include “Stories,” “Posts,” and “Live Videos.” Click on the “Stories” tab to access your archived story content.
Step 4: Locate Your Desired Stories
The “Stories” archive displays all your saved stories in chronological order. To find a specific story, scroll through the list or use the search bar located at the top of the screen. You can filter your search by date or type using the “Filter” option.
Step 5: View or Share Your Stories
Once you have found the story you wish to view, tap on it to open it. You can then watch the story and interact with it, if desired. To share the story, tap on the share icon located at the bottom right corner.
Using Third-Party Apps
If you’re running out of patience, there are third-party apps that can help you view older Instagram Stories. While Instagram doesn’t natively allow you to do this, these apps provide a convenient solution. Simply download the app, such as “Story Saver” or “Regrammer,” from the App Store or Google Play Store. Once installed, follow the app’s instructions to access and view those elusive older Stories.
However, it’s important to use these apps with caution.
First, make sure they are reputable and have good reviews. Second, be aware that these apps may require access to your Instagram account, so only use apps that you trust.
Here’s a table summarizing the key features of two popular third-party apps for viewing older Instagram Stories:
| App | Features |
|---|---|
| Story Saver | – Saves Instagram Stories to your device – Can view older Stories |
| Regrammer | – Reposts Instagram Stories to your own account – Can access older Stories |
Downloading Instagram Stories
You can also download Instagram stories directly to your device using a third-party app or website. Here’s how:
- Find a reputable third-party app or website that allows you to download Instagram stories.
- Log in to your Instagram account through the app or website.
- Locate the story you want to download and click or tap on it.
- Follow the app’s or website’s instructions to download the story.
Once you’ve downloaded the story, you can view it offline or share it with others. Here are some tips for choosing a third-party app or website to download Instagram stories:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Compatibility | Make sure the app or website is compatible with your device and operating system. |
| Security | Choose an app or website that has a good reputation and strong security measures. |
| Features | Consider the features that are important to you, such as the ability to download multiple stories at once or download stories from private accounts. |
Scrolling through Your Own Stories
1. Open the Instagram app
To begin, launch the Instagram app on your mobile device and sign in to your account if prompted.
2. Tap on your profile picture
Locate your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the app’s main interface. Tap on it to access your profile page.
3. Swipe down to view older stories
Once on your profile page, swipe down on the screen. This will reveal a chronological list of all your past Instagram stories, including those from years ago.
4. Browsing specific older stories
To access stories from a particular timeframe, follow these steps:
a. Scroll down to the “Stories Archive” section at the top of the list.
b. Tap on the “Archive” tab.
c. Select the year and month you’d like to view stories from.
d. Tap on the story you want to watch.
e. Alternatively, you can use the search bar at the top of the Archive page to find older stories.
| Date Range | How to Access |
|---|---|
| Within the past 24 hours | Go to your profile, tap your profile picture, and swipe up on the story you want to view. |
| Older than 24 hours | Go to your profile, tap your profile picture, and follow the steps outlined in the “Browsing specific older stories” section above. |
5. Other ways to view older stories
In addition to the methods mentioned above, you can also view older stories by:
• Visiting the profile of a friend or follower who has shared them.
• Using a third-party app or website that allows you to download Instagram stories.
Using Web Archive Tools
Another method to view older Instagram stories is through web archive tools. These tools, such as the Wayback Machine, periodically capture and archive web pages, including Instagram profiles. By using them, you can access a cached version of an Instagram profile and view stories that may have been deleted:
1. Open the Wayback Machine website
Visit the Wayback Machine website (archive.org) and enter the Instagram profile URL you wish to explore.
2. Specify a Date Range
Set a date range to identify the period when the stories you’re interested in were likely published. This will help narrow down your search.
3. Explore the Timeline
Examine the calendar interface to determine which dates have available captures. Click on a specific date to access the cached version of the profile.
4. Navigate to the Stories Section
Within the cached profile, locate the “Stories” section. This will display a list of captured stories from the selected date.
5. View Deleted Stories (Advanced)
If the desired stories are not visible, consider utilizing a more advanced technique. Right-click on any page element (e.g., the profile picture) and select “View Page Source” from the context menu. Within the HTML code, search for the following snippet:
| <!– Instagram stories start –> |
| <script type=”text/javascript” src=”https://www.instagram.com/static/bundles/es6/StoriesViewer.js/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.js”></script> |
| <!– Instagram stories end –> |
Replace the “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX” segment with the string of numbers found in the URL of the desired cached story. Reload the page to view the deleted story. Note that this technique may not work for all stories.
Contacting Instagram Support
If you’ve tried all the methods above and still can’t find the Stories you’re looking for, you can reach out to Instagram Support for help. Here’s how:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three lines in the top right corner and select “Settings.”
- Scroll down and tap on “Help.”
- Tap on “Report a Problem.”
- Select “Something isn’t working.”
- Follow the prompts to explain your issue and submit your report.
Instagram may take some time to respond to your request, but they should be able to help you recover your lost Stories if they’re still available on their servers.
Here are some additional tips for contacting Instagram Support:
- Be clear and concise in your explanation.
- Provide as much detail as possible about the Stories you’re trying to recover.
- Be patient and wait for a response from Instagram Support.
| Method | Steps |
|---|---|
| View Past Stories | Tap “Your Story” at the top of your home feed. Then, tap the archive icon in the bottom left corner |
| Ask a Friend | Message a friend who you think may have saved your Story. |
| Restore from Backup | If you have automatic backup enabled, you can restore your Stories from your phone’s backup. |
| Download Data | Request a copy of your Instagram data and download it to your computer. |
| Enable “Save to Archive” | Go to your profile and tap the three lines in the top right corner. Then, select “Settings” and enable “Save to Archive”. |
| Contact Instagram Support | Explain your issue and follow the prompts to report it to Instagram Support. |
Exploring Hashtags and Locations
Hashtags and locations are powerful tools for discovering older Instagram stories that align with your interests and travels. Here are some strategies to use them effectively:
Hashtags
When a user adds a hashtag to their story, it becomes visible to anyone searching for that hashtag. To find older stories related to a specific topic, use the search bar at the top of the Instagram app and type in relevant hashtags. For example, searching for “#travel” will show you stories from all over the world.
| Hashtag | Description |
|---|---|
| #travel | Stories related to travel and adventure |
| #nature | Stories about the natural world and outdoor activities |
| #food | Stories featuring delicious dishes and culinary experiences |
Locations
Similar to hashtags, Instagram stories can be tagged with locations. By searching for a specific location, you can see stories from that area. This is a great way to explore a new city or discover hidden gems in your own hometown.
Utilizing Google Image Search
Google Image Search is a powerful tool that can be used to find older Instagram stories. By searching for specific keywords or hashtags, you can often find stories that have been archived or deleted from Instagram’s servers.
To use Google Image Search to find older Instagram stories, follow these steps:
1. Go to Google Image Search.
2. In the search bar, type in the name of the person or brand whose stories you want to find.
3. Click on the “Search” button.
4. Scroll through the results until you find an image that looks like an Instagram story.
5. Click on the image to open it in a new tab.
6. If the image is an Instagram story, it will open in a pop-up window.
7. You can now view the story by clicking on the “Next” or “Previous” buttons.
8. To save the story, click on the “Download” button.
Checking Ex-Followers’ Accounts
To check the stories of ex-followers, you need to find their usernames first. You can do this by using a third-party app, such as “Followers Assistant” or “FollowMeter.” Once you have their usernames, enter them into the search bar at the top of the Instagram app.
If the person you are searching for has a public account, you will be able to see their stories by tapping on their profile picture in the search results. If the person has a private account, you will need to send them a follow request before you can see their stories.
If you are not able to find the username of your ex-follower, you can try searching for them by their name or email address. Alternatively, you can try reaching out to them directly and asking them to send you their username.
Once you have found the username of your ex-follower, you can follow the steps below to view their stories:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Tap on the profile picture of your ex-follower in the search results.
- Tap on the “Stories” tab at the top of their profile.
- Scroll through their stories to view them.
Inspecting User Profiles
To see older Instagram stories of a user, you can inspect their profile. Here are the steps to do it:
1. Go to the user’s profile page.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner of their profile.
3. Select “Inspect.”
4. In the Developer Tools window that opens, click on the “Network” tab.
5. Reload the page.
6. In the Network tab, filter the results by “media”.
7. Look for requests that end in “.jpg” or “.mp4”. These are the images and videos that make up the user’s stories.
8. Click on one of the requests to open it in the Preview tab.
9. You can now see the older stories of the user.
10. To see more stories, repeat steps 7-9 until you have found all the stories you are interested in.
| Filename | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| IMG_20200101_123456.jpg | Image | January 1, 2020 |
| VID_20200101_123456.mp4 | Video | January 1, 2020 |
How To See Older Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories, ephemeral content that disappears after 24 hours, can be a fleeting glimpse into the lives of our friends and followers. But what if you want to revisit an older story that you missed or want to see again? There are a few ways to do this.
You may able to view archived stories by following these steps:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three lines in the top right corner and select “Archive.”
- Here, you will see a list of all your archived stories. Tap on the one you want to watch.
If you don’t see the “Archive” option, it means that you have not enabled the story archive feature. To enable it, go to your profile settings and tap on “Story Settings.” Then, toggle on the “Save to Archive” option.
Another way to view older Instagram Stories is to use a third-party app. There are a number of apps available that allow you to download and save Instagram Stories. Once you have downloaded a story, you can watch it as many times as you want, even after it has disappeared from Instagram.
People Also Ask
How do I view expired Instagram Stories?
If you have enabled the story archive feature, you can view expired Instagram Stories by going to your profile and tapping on the “Archive” option.
Can I see someone’s Instagram Stories without them knowing?
No, there is no way to see someone’s Instagram Stories without them knowing. Instagram will notify users whenever someone views their story.
How do I download Instagram Stories?
You can download Instagram Stories using a third-party app. There are a number of apps available that allow you to do this, such as Story Saver and InstaSave.
