Add photos from your phone's camera roll in three steps

To add pictures to an Instagram post, open Instagram, tap the plus icon at the bottom of the screen, select "Post," then tap "Select from library" to choose photos from your phone. You can pick one photo or multiple photos at once — Instagram lets you add up to 10 images or videos to a single post. After you choose your photos, you arrange them in the order you want, add captions and tags, and then share.

The process is the same whether you use an iPhone or Android phone. The main difference is where you find the plus icon and how your phone's file system looks, but the Instagram steps stay identical.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the plus icon, choose "Post," then select "Select from library" to pick photos from your phone's camera roll.
  • You can add up to 10 photos or videos in a single post, and you can rearrange them by dragging them into a new order.
  • After selecting photos, you can crop, rotate, or adjust filters before you write your caption and share.
  • If you want to add a photo you just took, tap "Take a photo" instead of "Select from library" to use your camera directly.

Step-by-step: Adding photos from your library

Step 1: Open Instagram and tap the plus icon. On both iPhone and Android, the plus icon sits at the bottom center of your screen in the navigation bar. Tap it once.

Step 2: Select "Post" from the menu. Instagram shows you options for what you want to create — "Story," "Reels," "Post," and others. Tap "Post."

Step 3: Tap "Select from library." This button appears at the bottom of the screen. It opens your phone's photo library so you can browse and choose the images you want to add.

Step 4: Choose your photos. Tap each photo you want to include. A blue checkmark appears on photos you have selected. You can pick one photo or multiple photos — up to 10 total. The order you tap them in becomes the order they appear in your post, but you can rearrange them later.

Step 5: Tap "Next" or "Add." The button name varies slightly by phone, but it appears at the bottom right. This takes you to the editing screen.

Rearrange, crop, and filter your photos before posting

After you select your photos, Instagram shows them in a row at the top of the editing screen. If you added multiple photos and want to change their order, drag each photo left or right to move it. The photo on the far left will appear first when someone views your post.

Tap any photo in that row to edit it individually. You can crop it by pinching and dragging, rotate it by tapping the rotate icon, or apply a filter by swiping through the filter options at the bottom. These changes only affect that one photo, not all of them.

If you decide you do not want one of the photos anymore, tap it in the row and then tap the trash icon or "Remove" button. You can add a different photo by tapping the plus icon that appears in the row.

Add captions, tags, and location information

After you finish editing your photos, tap "Next" to move to the caption screen. Here you write the text that goes with your post. You can type directly into the caption box, and Instagram will show you how many characters you have used.

Below the caption box, you can add tags by tapping "Tag people" — this lets you mention other Instagram accounts in your post. You can also add a location by tapping "Add location" and searching for the place where the photo was taken or where you want to tag it.

If you want to turn off comments or limit who can see the post, tap "Advanced settings" to find those options. Most of these settings are optional — you can skip them and just post with a caption if you prefer.

Share your post or save it as a draft

Once your photos are edited and your caption is written, tap "Share" at the bottom right to post immediately. Your post will appear on your profile and in the feeds of people who follow you.

If you are not ready to post yet, tap the back arrow instead of "Share." Instagram will ask if you want to save your post as a draft. Tap "Save draft" and your photos and caption will be saved. You can come back to finish and post it later by tapping the plus icon, selecting "Post," and then tapping "Drafts" at the top of the screen.

Take a new photo instead of choosing from your library

If you want to take a photo right now instead of using an old one, tap the plus icon and select "Post," then tap "Take a photo" instead of "Select from library." Your phone's camera opens and you can take a picture immediately. After you take the photo, you can retake it, use it, or go back to your library.

You can also mix new photos with old ones — take a photo, use it, and then tap the plus icon in the photo row to add more photos from your library to the same post.

Troubleshoot common problems

If you cannot see your photos when you tap "Select from library," your phone may not have given Instagram permission to access your photos. On iPhone, go to Settings, scroll down to Instagram, tap it, and turn on "Photos." On Android, go to Settings, tap "Apps," find Instagram, tap "Permissions," and turn on "Photos and media." Then try again.

If Instagram crashes when you try to add photos, close the app completely and reopen it. If the problem continues, restart your phone. You can also try deleting and reinstalling Instagram, though this is rarely necessary.

If your photos look blurry or low quality after you post them, Instagram may have compressed them. This is normal — Instagram reduces file size to save space on its servers. The photo will look sharper on your phone than it does on Instagram.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add photos to a post after I have already shared it?

No, you cannot add photos to a post that is already live. You can only edit the caption, tags, and location of a post after you share it. If you need to add more photos, you have to create a new post or delete the old one and repost with all the photos together.

What happens if I add photos but do not share the post?

Instagram saves your post as a draft if you tap the back arrow before sharing. Your photos and caption stay saved for up to 24 hours. You can return to finish it by opening the plus icon, selecting "Post," and tapping "Drafts." After 24 hours, drafts are deleted.

Can I add the same photo twice to one post?

Yes, you can select the same photo multiple times when you are choosing images. Instagram will add it as a separate image each time you tap it, so you can include it twice or more in the same post if you want.

Why do my photos look different colors in the post than they do on my phone?

Instagram applies a slight color adjustment to all photos to make them look consistent across different phones and screens. You can adjust this by tapping a photo during editing and using the filter or brightness controls before you post. The changes you make will show in the final post.

Can I post a photo and a video in the same post?

Yes, you can mix photos and videos in a single post. When you select from your library, both photos and videos appear together. Tap the ones you want to include, and Instagram will add them in the order you selected them. You can rearrange them by dragging.