Posting an Instagram story in a hurry often leads to missed tags. Maybe you forgot to mention a friend, a brand, or a business account. The good news is that Instagram still allows you to tag people even after your story is live. You just need to follow the correct steps.
This guide explains how you can add tags to an Instagram story after posting, what options are available, and what limitations you should know.
Also read: How To Remove Sent Messages On Instagram Before Others See Them
Can You Tag Someone After Posting an Instagram Story?
Yes, Instagram allows tagging after posting, but not by editing the story directly. Once a story is published, the content itself cannot be changed. Instead, Instagram gives you a built-in option to add mentions separately and notify the person you want to tag.
This method works on both Android and iPhone.
How to Tag Someone on an Instagram Story After Posting
Follow these steps carefully:
- Open Instagram and go to your profile
- Tap on your active story
- Tap the three dots icon at the bottom or top of the story
- Select the option to add mentions or mentions list
- Search for the username you want to tag
- Select the account and confirm
Once added, the person will receive a notification that they were mentioned in your story.
What Happens When You Add a Tag Later?
When you tag someone after posting:
- The user receives a direct notification
- They can reshare the story if allowed
- The original story content stays unchanged
- The tag is not visually added to the story design
This means viewers will not see the tag on the story screen, but the tagged person is still notified.
Why Instagram Uses This Method
Instagram does not allow full editing of stories after posting to keep content authentic and time-based. Allowing separate mentions helps users fix small mistakes without altering the original story.
It is useful for creators, businesses, and regular users who forget to tag collaborators or friends.
Common Situations Where This Feature Helps
- Forgetting to tag a friend in a group story
- Missing a brand mention in a promotion
- Adding a collaborator after feedback
- Tagging someone who joined the conversation later
This feature saves you from deleting and reposting the entire story.
Important Limitations to Know
- You cannot move or style the tag visually
- Hashtags cannot be added later
- Location stickers cannot be added after posting
- The story must still be active to add mentions
Once the story expires, tagging is no longer possible.
Best Practice Tip
If visual tagging is important, it is better to delete the story and repost it with proper tags. But if notifying the person is your main goal, adding a mention after posting works perfectly.
Also read: Create WhatsApp Stickers Without Installing Any App on Android and iPhone
Final Thoughts
Forgetting to tag someone on Instagram stories is common, especially when posting quickly. While Instagram does not allow full editing, the post-publish mention feature is a helpful workaround. It lets you notify people without losing views or engagement from the original story.
Knowing this small feature can save time and help maintain better connections on Instagram.