If you’re on a current paid plan, you can plan and schedule Instagram Stories ahead of time in Later to stay organized and keep your audience engaged.

This article covers how to schedule, edit, and manage Instagram Stories in Later.

For other Instagram post types, see:

• Schedule & Publish Instagram Single-Photo Posts
• Schedule & Publish Instagram Multi-Photo (Carousel) Posts
• Schedule & Publish Instagram Reels
• Publish Instagram Posts Using Notification Publishing
• Instagram Publishing Restrictions in Later

Requirements & Key Details 

• Instagram Stories can only be scheduled from Later on desktop. Stories scheduling is not available in Later’s mobile apps.
• Each Instagram Story board counts as 1 post toward your Instagram post limit.
• Auto Publish for Instagram Stories is only available for Instagram business profiles. Creator profiles must use notification publishing.
• Instagram Stories scheduled for Auto Publish must have an aspect ratio between 16:9 and 9:16.
• Team collaboration and content approval features aren’t available for Stories.
• Only one Instagram profile can be selected when scheduling Stories. If multiple profiles are selected, the Stories button won’t be visible.
• Videos must be trimmed to 60 seconds or shorter to be included in Stories.

Instagram Story Publishing Options

There are two ways to schedule Instagram Stories in Later: Auto Publish and notification publishing.

Auto Publish

With Auto Publish, your Story publishes automatically at its scheduled time. No further action is required.

Auto Publish is available for Instagram business profiles only.

Auto Publish is best when:

• You want your Story to publish automatically.
• Your Story uses supported photos or videos.
• You don’t need to add Instagram-native features like stickers, polls, music, links, or effects.

Notification Publishing

With notification publishing, Later sends a notification to your mobile device at your scheduled publishing time. You’ll open the notification and finish publishing your Story in Instagram.

Notification publishing is required when:

• You have an Instagram creator profile.
• You want to add Instagram-native features like stickers, polls, music, links, or effects.
• You want to tag users or locations in Instagram.
• You need to complete final edits in Instagram before publishing.

For full publishing steps, see Publish Instagram Posts Using Notification Publishing.

Auto Publish vs. Notification Publishing

Story Requirements & Limitations

Stickers, Polls, Music, Links, and Effects

Stickers, polls, music, links, and other Instagram-native effects aren’t available when scheduling Stories through Later.

To use these features, schedule your Story using notification publishing. When it’s time to publish, you can add stickers, polls, music, links, effects, and other Instagram-native features in the Instagram app.

User and Location Tags

Users and locations can’t be tagged when scheduling Stories through Later.

To tag users or add a location, schedule your Story using notification publishing and add your tags in Instagram when you publish.

Story Duration Limits

Images in Stories play for 5 seconds. This duration can’t be adjusted in Later.

Videos must be trimmed to 60 seconds or shorter to be included in Stories.

Multi-Frame Stories

You can schedule Stories with multiple media items in Later.

When using Auto Publish, if one Story in a multi-frame batch fails to publish, subsequent Stories in that batch will fail as well. This prevents Stories from being published out of order.

Aspect Ratio

Instagram Stories scheduled for Auto Publish must have an aspect ratio between 16:9 and 9:16.

Schedule an Instagram Story

You can schedule and edit Instagram Stories in Later from desktop using either the Post Builder or the Stories Timeline.

Use the Post Builder if you want to create a Story from the Calendar.

Use the Stories Timeline if you want to visually plan Stories across a 24-hour timeline.

Schedule a New Story from the Post Builder

1. From Later on desktop, go to your Calendar

2. Make sure you’ve selected the correct Instagram profile from the top of the Calendar page

   Note: Only one Instagram profile can be selected when scheduling Stories. The Stories button won’t be visible if multiple profiles are selected.
3. Select Create Post
4. Select or upload your media item or media items

5. Next to Post Type, select Story from the dropdown

   

6. From the top-right of the Post Builder, select Auto Publish or Send Notification
7. Select a date and time for your Story to be published
8. Select Schedule Post to schedule your Story as-is, or continue editing your Story before scheduling

Alternatively, select the down arrow next to Schedule Post > Save as Draft to save your Story as a draft and come back to it later.

If you selected Auto Publish, your Story will publish automatically at its scheduled time.

If you selected Send Notification, Later will send a notification to your mobile device at your Story’s scheduled time. To finish publishing, see Publish Instagram Posts Using Notification Publishing.

Schedule a New Story from the Stories Timeline

1. From Later on desktop, go to your Calendar.

2. Make sure you’ve selected the correct Instagram profile from the top of the Calendar page.

   Note: Only one Instagram profile can be selected when scheduling Stories. The Stories button won’t be visible if multiple profiles are selected.

3. Select Stories in the top-right to open the Stories Timeline

   

4. From the Side Library, select one or more media items

5. Drag the media items to the Stories Timeline. This will create a new scheduled Story and open the Stories Editor

   

   Note: Story time slots are shown horizontally, with each horizontal block representing a 24-hour period. The blue line indicates the current time in your time zone, as set in your Account Settings.

6. From the top-left of the Stories Editor, adjust your scheduled time and select your publishing method

   

   Note: Auto Publish is selected by default if it’s enabled in your account

7. To add another media item to your scheduled Story, drag it to the + area in the Stories Editor below the timeline

   

   Important: If you schedule multiple Stories for Auto Publish and one fails to publish, subsequent Stories in that batch will fail as well. This prevents Stories from being published out of order.
8. To remove a media item from your Story, select x in the top-right corner of that item
9. Select Save Story to schedule your Story as-is, or continue editing your Story before saving

If you selected Auto Publish, your Story will publish automatically at its scheduled time

If you selected Send Notification, Later will send a notification to your mobile device at your Story’s scheduled time. To finish publishing, see Publish Instagram Posts Using Notification Publishing.

Edit a Scheduled Story

You can edit scheduled Stories from the Post Builder or the Stories Timeline, depending on where the Story was created and which publishing method you’re using.

Edit a Scheduled Story from the Post Builder

1. From the Post Builder, select Edit on a media item
   

2. Add text to photos, or trim or crop photos and videos

   Tip: Use the Instagram Stories crop option when editing.
3. Select Change Media to switch or re-order the media items in your Story
4. Optionally, add Clipboard Text in the textbox below your media
   
   • If you’re using notification publishing, any text added here will be copied to your clipboard when you go to post your Story. This lets you quickly paste it using Instagram’s text tools.
5. When you're done, select Schedule Post
   • Alternatively, select the down arrow next to Schedule Post > Save as Draft to save your Story as a draft and come back to it later.

Edit a Scheduled Story from the Stories Timeline

1. Open the Stories Timeline
2. Select your scheduled Story block
3. From the Stories Editor, select Edit on a media item

4. Add text to photos, or trim or crop photos and videos
   
    

   Tip: Use the Instagram Stories crop option when editing.
5. Optionally, add Clipboard Text in the textbox to the right of your media
   • If you’re using notification publishing, any text added here will be copied to your clipboard when you go to post your Story. This lets you quickly paste it using Instagram’s text tools..
6. Rearrange media items by dragging and dropping them into a new order
7. When you’re done, select Save Story

Remove a Scheduled Story

You can remove a scheduled Story from the Calendar or the Stories Timeline.

Remove a Scheduled Story from the Post Builder

If you scheduled your Story through the Calendar, you can remove it from your Calendar if Story visibility is turned on.

1. Select your scheduled Story from the Calendar
2. Select the trash can icon in the lower-left of the Post Builder
3. Select Discard to confirm

If Instagram Story visibility is turned off in your Calendar, delete the Story from the Stories Timeline instead.

Remove a Scheduled Story from the Stories Timeline

1. Select Stories from the top of the Calendar page to open the Stories Timeline
   
2. Select your Story block from the Stories timeline
3. Select the trash can icon from the Stories editor
4. Select Discard to confirm

Show or Hide Stories on Your Calendar

By default, scheduled Instagram Stories are displayed as posts on your Calendar. You can choose whether scheduled Stories appear on your Calendar.

1. From the top of your Calendar page, select your Instagram profile
2. Select the gear icon from your Calendar page to access your Calendar settings:
   
    
3. Next to Instagram Stories, toggle Show Instagram Stories on Calendar on or off:
   
4. Select Close

Publish Stories Using Notification Publishing

If you schedule your Instagram Story using Auto Publish, no further action is required. Your Story will publish automatically at its scheduled time.

If you schedule your Story using notification publishing, you’ll need to open the notification sent to your mobile device at your scheduled time and finish publishing in Instagram.

Notification publishing is also how you can add Instagram-native Story features like stickers, polls, music, links, effects, user tags, and location tags.

For full steps, see Publish Instagram Posts Using Notification Publishing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add music to Instagram Stories scheduled in Later?

Yes, but music must be added in Instagram.

Music isn’t available when scheduling Stories directly through Later. To add music, schedule your Story using notification publishing, then add music in Instagram when it’s time to publish.

Can I add stickers to Instagram Stories scheduled in Later?

Yes, but stickers must be added in Instagram.

Stickers aren’t available when scheduling Stories directly through Later. To add stickers, schedule your Story using notification publishing, then add them in Instagram when it’s time to publish.

Can I add polls to Instagram Stories scheduled in Later?

Yes, but polls must be added in Instagram.

Polls aren’t available when scheduling Stories directly through Later. To add polls, schedule your Story using notification publishing, then add them in Instagram when it’s time to publish.

Can I add links to Instagram Stories scheduled in Later?

Yes, but links must be added in Instagram.

Instagram Story link stickers aren’t available when scheduling Stories directly through Later. To add a link, schedule your Story using notification publishing, then add the link sticker in Instagram when it’s time to publish.

Why are some Stories published through notifications?

Some Stories need to be published through notifications because Instagram-native features must be added in the Instagram app.

Use notification publishing if you want to add stickers, polls, music, links, effects, user tags, or location tags.

Instagram creator profiles must also use notification publishing for Stories.

Can I Auto Publish Instagram Stories?

Yes, but Auto Publish for Instagram Stories is only available for Instagram business profiles.

Creator profiles must use notification publishing.

Can I schedule Instagram Stories from mobile?

No. Instagram Stories can only be scheduled through Later on desktop.

Can I schedule multiple Story frames at once?

Yes. You can schedule Stories with multiple media items in Later.

For Auto Publish, if one Story in a multi-frame batch fails to publish, subsequent Stories in that batch will fail as well. This prevents Stories from publishing out of order.

How long can Instagram Story videos be?

Videos must be trimmed to 60 seconds or shorter to be included in Stories.

Images in Stories play for 5 seconds. This duration can’t be adjusted in Later.

Where can I find all Instagram publishing restrictions?

For a broader list of Instagram publishing requirements and limitations in Later, see Instagram Publishing Restrictions in Later.