It finally happened: Instagram has removed the 24-hour upload limit on Instagram Stories!
A few months ago, we revealed that Instagram was testing removing the time limit, but we just learned today that the feature is now available on the latest version of the app (version 22.0 on iOS).
Yep, that’s right. You can now upload any photo or video to your Instagram Stories, regardless of when it taken! Here’s what we know so far:
Prior to the update, whenever you selected photos from your phone’s library to post to your Stories, you could only see the ones that were taken in the last 24 hours.
And while there were a few ways to get around the 24-hour limit, they just added extra steps to what’s usually a pretty simple process.
How to Upload Any Photo or Video to Instagram Stories
Now, with the new update, you no longer have to “hack” your Instagram Stories to upload photos older than 24 hours!
Just update your app and open the Instagram Stories camera by swiping right from from your feed or tapping the camera icon in the top left corner of the screen.
Then, swipe up to access the photos and videos on your phone’s library or gallery.
If you took any photos or video in the past 24 hours, you’ll find them under the header “Last 24 Hours.”
Otherwise, you’ll see the header “Camera Roll.”
Under “Camera Roll,” you can scroll through an endless feed of the photos and videos saved onto your device, even if they were taken 2 or 3 years ago.
When you select a photo that’s older than 24 hours, a date sticker with the day, month, and year that the photo was taken will automatically appear.
You can tap the sticker to change it’s color — either white, red, or black.
Or if you prefer, you can drag the date sticker to the trash bin and remove it altogether.
Other Updates: New Filters for Instagram Stories
Along with the ability to post Stories that are older than 24 hours, Instagram rolled out a bunch new filters for Instagram Stories!
Now when you swipe left or right on a photo or video, you’ll be able to access 15 filters in total.
The Benefits of Uploading Stories Older than 24 Hours
As we mentioned before, the new feature could open the floodgates for brands to jump on Instagram Stories!
One of the biggest reasons businesses hold back from Instagram Stories is because of the time commitment, and the pressure to constantly be creating content in real time. You’ll notice a lot of businesses don’t have Instagram Stories on the weekend, for example, because their employees are not in the office then.
By removing the 24-hour time limit, Instagram has added yet another incentive for businesses to join the platform and post on their Instagram Stories.
It could also mean we’ll see more businesses running ads on Instagram Stories!
What do you think of the new feature? Will you be posting to Instagram Stories more now that the 24-hour limit has been removed?
Need help with your Instagram Stories strategy? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Stories for Business!
