The Forward button lets you send a story someone shared to your own contacts, but it doesn't notify the original poster
When you see a Forward button on an Instagram story, it's the arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Tapping it opens a list of people you can send that story to — either as a direct message or by sharing it to your own story. The person who originally posted the story won't see that you forwarded it, and they won't get a notification.
This is different from the other story buttons. The heart icon sends a reaction the poster will see. The reply button sends a message only the poster sees. The Forward button is for sharing something with your own contacts without looping in the original creator.
Key Takeaways
- Forward sends a story to your direct messages or to your own story, but the original poster gets no notification.
- You can forward to one person, multiple people, or to your story where all your followers see it.
- The original poster cannot see who you forwarded their story to or that you forwarded it at all.
- Forwarding respects the original poster's privacy settings — if they've restricted who can share their story, you won't see the Forward option.
How to forward a story to a direct message
Open the story you want to share. Tap the forward arrow in the bottom right corner. A menu appears with your recent contacts at the top and a search bar below. Tap the name of the person or group chat you want to send it to. The story appears in their direct messages as a forwarded item, with your name attached as the sender.
You can forward to multiple people at once by tapping more than one name before you confirm. Instagram will send the same story to each person or group you select. Each recipient sees it as a message from you, not as a link back to the original poster's account.
How to forward a story to your own story
Tap the forward arrow on the story you want to share. At the top of the menu, you'll see "Add to your story" as an option. Tap it. The story appears in your story editor, where you can add text, stickers, or drawings before you post it. When you share it, your followers see it as part of your story, and it's labeled as a repost or forward depending on your Instagram version.
If the original poster has allowed reposts, their name and profile picture usually appear on the forwarded story so your followers know where it came from. If they've turned off the repost option, you won't see "Add to your story" in the forward menu at all.
When the Forward button doesn't appear
Some stories don't have a Forward button. This happens when the original poster has turned off the ability to share or repost their story. Business accounts and creators often use this setting to control how their content spreads. If you don't see the forward arrow, you can still reply to the story or send a reaction, but you cannot send it to others.
Stories from accounts you've muted or restricted also won't show the Forward button, because Instagram limits your interaction options with those accounts. If you've muted someone's stories, you can still see them if you visit their profile directly, but the sharing options are removed from your view.
The difference between forward and other sharing options
Instagram gives you several ways to share a story, and each one works differently. Forwarding sends it as a message or to your own story without the original poster knowing. Replying to a story sends a message only the poster sees. Reacting with a heart or emoji sends a notification the poster will see. Screenshotting the story and sharing it elsewhere is outside Instagram entirely, though Instagram does notify the poster if you take a screenshot of their story.
If you want to share something but keep it quiet, forward is your option. If you want to engage with the poster directly, reply or react. If you want to preserve the story for later without sharing it, you can save it to your Saved folder — the bookmark icon in the bottom right — and the poster won't know.
Privacy and what the original poster can see
The original poster cannot see your name in a list of people who forwarded their story. They don't get a notification that you forwarded it. They have no way to know unless you tell them or they see it reposted on someone else's story and recognize it. This is by design — Instagram treats forwarding as a private action, similar to how you can screenshot a text message without the sender knowing.
The only exception is if you forward the story to your own story and the original poster follows you. Then they might see it when they look at your story, but Instagram doesn't tell them you forwarded it. They just see it as part of your content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the person know if I forward their story?
No. The original poster gets no notification and cannot see that you forwarded their story. They have no way to know unless you tell them or they happen to see it reposted on someone else's story.
Can I forward a story to someone who doesn't follow me?
Yes. You can forward a story to anyone in your direct messages, whether they follow you or not. If you forward to your own story, only your followers will see it.
What happens if I forward a story and then delete it from my story?
If you forwarded it to a direct message, it stays in that conversation. If you forwarded it to your own story and then delete your story, it disappears from your profile but the person you sent it to in DMs still has it.
Why can't I forward some stories?
The original poster may have turned off the repost or sharing option in their privacy settings. Some business accounts and creators restrict this to control how their content spreads. You also won't see the Forward button if you've muted or restricted that account.