How to Save Your Instagram Stories Forever With Just a Few Easy Steps

In terms of the ways that we can share our daily lives with our followers online, Instagram Stories are in a league of their own. Often regarded as the cornerstone for other "Stories" of its type (think Twitter and YouTube), they are a fun way to keep everyone in the loop with what you're doing and the things that you like to share.

However fleeting our Stories may seem (they are only available for 24 hours, after all), every once in a while, we post something that just deserves to be saved for posterity. With that being said, how exactly do you go about saving Instagram Stories? Keep reading to find out!

For as long as anyone can remember, saving an Instagram Story was as simple as hitting the download button next to the specific Story itself. Now the app has somewhat concealed the option, but it's still relatively easy to find.

If you've already posted something to your Story and want to save it, it's as simple as clicking on your Story and then clicking on the three white dots labeled "More" at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. When you click that, a few options will come up, one of which will be labeled "Save." Upon clicking the "Save" button, you will be prompted to select to save either just the one specific Story post you are viewing or the entire Story you posted that day. Make that selection and that's it!

But that isn't the only way to save a Story. If you want to just use Instagram's wonderful Story-making tools to create something for yourself and not share it online, that's easy too! Simply swipe to the far left of the app to create a Story, add whatever media and effects you'd like, and then tap the three white dots (which are now in the top right-hand corner of the screen) and click "Save." This will save the Story to your camera roll and allow you to close out without posting it.

Many users aren't aware that there is actually a surefire way to go back and save Instagram Stories that have already expired, even months or years later. To do this, navigate to your profile and tap on the "New" icon beneath your bio (or tap the plus sign right above it). This creates a "Story Highlight," which brings up an archive of every Instagram story post you've made.

While in the archive, simply add whichever Stories that you want to save to a new "Story Highlight," and then return to your profile. By returning the Stories to your profile in the form of a "Story Highlight," you can re-view them on your profile (so can any of your followers, just FYI).

Although Instagram hasn't added a feature under its "More" option for "Story Highlights" that allows saving yet, simply hold down on your screen to make the Instagram HUD disappear, and then either screen shot or screen record the post you want to save.

Happy Story posting!