Most social media feeds are almost distracting – full of photos, videos, and text updates from friends and brands you follow. Instagram is different – you can only view one post at a time.
Instagram’s simple, clean interface makes it easy to focus on users ‘beautiful photography and interesting videos, but it also leaves a lot to be desired: the ability to easily republish other users’ content.
But do not worry: the Internet has provided a solution for every problem. We tested four different ways to repost content on Instagram in a few easy steps. All of these methods are free, but some require you to download an app from the iOS App Store or Google Play first.
Disclaimer: According to Instagram’s Terms of Use, you must first contact the Instagram user whose content you wish to reproduce and obtain written permission to do so. You can do this by commenting on and asking the picture, or by sending them an Instagram direct message, which you can access by tapping the paper airplane icon in the top right corner of the app.
Repost on Instagram
In order to republish someone else’s Instagram post, you must first get that person’s permission to reuse their content. You can then use an external app such as Repost for Instagram, Instarepost or DownloadGram. You can also take a screenshot of the photo with your mobile device.
Using Repost for Instagram
1. Download Repost for Instagram.
Download Repost for Instagram for iOS or Android. Both devices are compatible with this app, which is built right into Instagram, so you can share content from other Instagram users from your mobile device.
2. Identify a photo or video that you want to republish.
Open your Instagram app and find a photo or video that you want to repost from your own Instagram account. Tap the selected photo in the photo gallery of the original poster to see the full view, as shown below.
(Psst – are you following HubSpot on Instagram?)
3. Copy the post’s share URL to your clipboard.
Once you’re on the photo or video’s landing page, tap the “…” icon in the top right corner of the post. Then tap on “Copy Share URL” (the button looks the same on Android devices).
4. Open Repost for Instagram.
Once the photo is copied to your phone’s clipboard, open Repost for Instagram. The post you copied is automatically displayed on the app’s start page (see below).
Tap the arrow on the right side of the post. There you can edit how you want the repost icon to appear on Instagram.
Tap on “Repost”. Then tap on “Copy to Instagram” where you can add a filter and edit the post.
5. Edit the post’s caption and share your repost.
Tap on “Next”. If you want to insert the caption from the original post, tap the caption field and click “Insert”. The original caption is displayed there with a quote that credits the original poster with your newly published photo.
When you’re ready to share, just like you would a regular Instagram post, tap Share. This is how the post appears in your Instagram profile:
Using InstaRepost
1. Download InstaRepost.
Download InstaRepost for iOS or Android devices to share content from other Instagram users from your own Instagram account through your mobile device.
2. Give InstaRepost access to your Instagram account.
Open InstaRepost, sign in with your Instagram credentials, and authorize it to access photos, friends, and similar content associated with your Instagram account.
3. Use InstaRepost to look up the username of the original poster.
InstaRepost only shows you a small selection from your Instagram feed. Once you know what post you’re looking for, tap the magnifying glass icon on the bottom toolbar of the InstaRepost app to access the Browse tab. Enter the username of the person whose photo you want to repost.
4. Save the photo to your phone’s camera roll.
When you’ve found a post that you want to share again, tap the arrow in the lower right corner. Then tap Repost again and then Repost again. This will first save the photo on your mobile device’s native camera roll and retrieve it in the Instagram app.
Navigate to your Instagram app and tap on “Library”. You will see the post saved on your phone’s camera roll. Tap the photo to drag it to Instagram.
5. Add a filter and a quote and share your repost.
Add a filter and edit the post like you would any other. Then select “Next” and tap the caption field to insert the original caption. The repost does not automatically contain a quote. So we recommend adding one by typing “@ +” [username]”to credit the original poster of the content. Then press” Share. “
This is how the post appears in your Instagram profile:
Using DownloadGram
DownloadGram allows Instagram users to download high resolution copies of Instagram photos and videos to republish from their own accounts. Fortunately, there isn’t an app that you need to download to republish using this procedure. That’s how it’s done:
1. Open Instagram and find a photo or video to repost.
Open your Instagram app and find the post you want to repost. Tap the “…” icon in the top right corner of the post and click “Copy Share URL” (this button is the same for iOS and Android mobile devices).
2. Paste the share’s share URL into DownloadGram.
Open your mobile internet browser and navigate to DownloadGram – or simply downloadgram.com. Paste the URL into the text box that appears on the website home page. Then tap on “Download”.
Tap the green “Download Image” button that appears below on the DownloadGram homepage.
3. Download the post.
You will be directed to a new web page where the content can be downloaded. Tap the download icon – the box with the upward pointing arrow (see image below) – then tap Save Image.
4. Open Instagram and find the photo or video in your camera roll.
Return to your Instagram app. The image will be saved on your phone’s native camera roll. So edit it like any other Instagram post.
5. Add a caption and share your repost.
The repost does not contain a quote. So we recommend adding one by typing “@ +” [username]”To add the photo or video to the original poster. Then press” Share “. This is how the post will appear on your Instagram profile:
Take a screenshot
This method does not require any or different websites to be republished on Instagram. It’s worth nothing that this method only works for reposting photos and not videos. That’s how it’s done:
Find a photo on Instagram that you want to repost and take a screenshot with your phone.
- For iOS: Press the Home and Lock buttons at the same time until your screen flashes.
- For Android: Press the Sleep / Wake and Volume Up buttons at the same time until your screen flashes.
Tap the “New Post” button at the bottom center of your Instagram screen. Resize the photo so it is cropped properly in the Instagram photo editor.
Edit and filter the post like you would any other Instagram post. Remember, your phone will take a screenshot of everything on your screen, not just the photo you want to repost. So be prepared to crop the sides of the screenshot to include only the picture you want to share with your followers.
The repost does not contain a quote. So we recommend adding one by typing “@ +” [username]”To add the photo you are republishing to the original poster. Then press” Share “. This is how the post will appear on your Instagram profile:
After learning how to repost on Instagram, you can diversify your profile with content that comes from friends, family, and brands. Use the methods above – be sure to cite the source of the original post – to quickly and easily re-share your favorite content.
Looking for more ideas on how to source and create Instagram content for your brand? Download our free guide to using Instagram for business here.