Instagram thrives on connection. The rule of thumb on the platform is usually “the more views and engagements, the better,” but sometimes, you may want to share your moments with a curated group of people. This is where the Close Friends feature comes in.
This feature allows you to create stories that are visible only to a chosen list of accounts. This curated experience lets you share personal updates, funny memes, or behind-the-scenes glimpses with your closest friends.
Here, we’ll give you a comprehensive guide on how to create Close Friends stories on Instagram.
Build Your Close Friends List
Before posting your secret stories, you need to handpick your inner circle. Here’s how to select users you want in your Close Friends List:
- Navigate to Your Profile: Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Access the Settings and Activity Menu: Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to access the “Settings and Activity” menu.
- Find the Close Friends Feature: Scroll down and tap on “Close Friends.” This will open up a list of your followers where you can do the next step.
- Craft Your Circle: Here’s where the magic happens. Browse your follower list and select the people you want to include in your Close Friends list. You can search for specific friends or scroll through your list. Click on “Done” at the bottom when you’ve put everyone you want in.
Pro-Tip: There’s no limit to the number of people you can add to your Close Friends list. However, choose wisely to maintain the intimate feel of this feature.
Create a Close Friends Story
Now that your inner circle is assembled, you can craft a story just for them.
- Capture Your Moment: Swipe right from the home screen or tap the create (+) icon at the center of your home screen to access the creation screen. Tap on Story, then capture a photo or video as usual for a regular story. You could also select media from your device storage.
- Edit to Your Heart’s Content: Add text, stickers, drawings, or polls to enhance your story and make it interactive for your close friends. Toss in some filters if you want, and make your post look good.
- Sharing with the Chosen Few: Here comes the crucial step. Before sharing your story, look for the “Close Friends” button at the bottom of the screen next to “Your Story.” It should be unselected by default. Tap on this button to send the post to your Close Friends List.
Your close friends will be notified when you share a Close Friends story. These stories will appear with a green circle around your profile picture in the stories bar at the top of the feed to distinguish them from regular stories.
Your Close Friends list is fluid. You can always modify it to add more people or remove anyone who doesn’t fit anymore.
Conclusion
With a curated Close Friends list and some creativity, you can create a space for intimate connections and share moments with your closest circle on Instagram. So go forth and start crafting those exclusive stories.
