Free Instagram story templates

Stories are where followers check in every day. Our story templates are built at 1080 × 1920 px with text kept clear of the app buttons at the top and bottom, so nothing important gets covered.

Pick a design for a sale, a new product, an event countdown, a quote or a “link in bio” reminder, change the words and photos, and download a crisp PNG ready to post — or share the same design as a WhatsApp status.

Browse 40 free Instagram story templatesStart from a blank page

Free Instagram story templates

See every Instagram story template →

How to make a Instagram story for free

  1. 1

    Pick a template

    Browse the Instagram story designs below and open the one you like.

  2. 2

    Make it yours

    Click any text to change it, swap the photos for your own, and adjust colours and fonts.

  3. 3

    Download or share

    Download a print-ready PDF, or a PNG / JPG for WhatsApp, Instagram and email.

Popular uses

  • Sale and discount stories
  • New product launches
  • Event countdowns
  • Quotes and tips
  • WhatsApp status updates

Tips for a great Instagram story

  1. 1

    Stop the scroll

    You have about a second. Bold colour, a face, or a surprising headline makes people pause.

  2. 2

    Design for the 4:5 crop

    Instagram shows 4:5 portrait posts largest in the feed. Use 1080 × 1350 px for more screen space than a square.

  3. 3

    Keep a consistent look

    Use the same two fonts and colour palette every time so followers recognise your posts. Save them in a brand kit.

  4. 4

    Turn one post into a set

    Resize a post into a story and a LinkedIn image in one click, so one idea works on every channel.

  5. 5

    Carousels get saved

    Tips, steps and before/after carousels are saved and shared more than single images — and saves help reach.

What to put on your Instagram story

  • A hook in the first line of the design
  • One idea per post — or one per slide in a carousel
  • Your handle or logo, small
  • A call to action in the caption: save, share, comment or visit

Before you download

  • Look at it at phone size — if you can’t read the headline at a glance, make it bigger.
  • Keep important text away from the very top and bottom of stories, where app buttons sit.
  • Download PNG for crisp text, JPG for photo-heavy posts.
  • Write the caption and add the link before you post, so the design and caption work together.

Common Instagram story sizes

FormatSizeBest for
Instagram portrait1080 × 1350 pxFeed posts
Square1080 × 1080 pxInstagram, Facebook
Story / Reel cover1080 × 1920 pxStories, WhatsApp status
LinkedIn / Facebook1200 × 627 pxLink posts

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free?+

Yes. Every template, the editor and every download format are free, with no watermark. A free account lets you save designs and come back to them.

What size is an Instagram story?+

1080 × 1920 pixels, a 9:16 ratio. Every story template here is already that size.

Can I turn a post into a story?+

Yes — open any post template and use Resize to change it to a story in one click.