How to Delete Instagram Story Before or After Posting?
Instagram Stories are great for sharing moments that vanish after 24 hours. But sometimes, a Story doesn’t look right, you post it by mistake, or you simply change your mind. Luckily, Instagram makes it easy to delete or manage your Stories at any point — whether it’s a live Story, a highlight, or one saved in your archive.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to delete Instagram Story across Android, iPhone, and web browsers. You’ll also discover how to remove Stories from your Highlights, delete old archived Stories, and manage drafts safely.
Understanding How Instagram Stories Work
Before diving into deletion steps, it’s helpful to know how Stories behave on Instagram:
- Stories stay visible for 24 hours by default.
- After expiration, they move to your Story Archive (if enabled).
- You can delete Stories manually any time — before or after the 24-hour mark.
- If you’ve added a Story to Highlights, deleting it from Highlights won’t affect your archive copy (and vice versa).
How to Delete an Active Instagram Story?
If your Story is currently live (visible to followers), you can delete it instantly from the app.
On Android and iPhone
- Open Instagram and tap your profile picture at the top to view your active Story.
- Tap the three dots (⋯) in the bottom-right corner.
- Select Delete → Confirm.
Your Story will be removed immediately from your followers’ view.
Pro Tip: If you accidentally uploaded multiple clips, you can delete individual Story segments one by one using the same steps.
On Web Browser
- Visit instagram.com and log in.
- Click your profile icon → View Story.
- Click the three dots (⋯) → Delete.
This option is convenient for brands or creators managing content from desktop dashboards.
How to Delete Multiple Stories at Once?
Instagram doesn’t support multi-delete for active Stories, but you can bulk-remove them once they’re archived.
Steps:
- Go to your profile → Menu (☰) → Archive → Stories Archive.
- Tap Select (top-right).
- Choose multiple Stories.
- Tap Delete → Confirm.
This method is ideal for cleaning up old Stories in one go.
How to Delete a Story Before Posting?
Sometimes you start creating a Story and change your mind before publishing.
To delete it while still editing:
- On the Story creation screen, tap the back arrow (←) in the top-left corner.
- Choose Discard when prompted.
This removes the draft Story completely from your camera roll (if unsaved).
If you’ve saved it to your gallery, you’ll need to delete it manually from your phone’s Photos or Gallery app.
How to Delete Instagram Story Highlights?
Story Highlights live on your profile even after the original Story expires.
To remove a Highlight:
- Open your profile.
- Tap and hold the Highlight you want to edit.
- Choose Delete Highlight.
To remove only specific stories within a Highlight:
- Open the Highlight.
- Tap the three dots (⋯) → Edit Highlight.
- Uncheck the Stories you want to remove → Done.
Pro Tip: Removing a story from Highlights doesn’t delete it from your archive unless you manually remove it there too.
How to Delete Instagram Stories from Archive?
If your Story Archive is full of old content, you can easily clear it up.
Steps:
- Go to your profile → Menu (☰) → Archive.
- Tap Stories Archive.
- Open any Story you want to delete.
- Tap the three dots (⋯) → Delete → Confirm.
This keeps your archive organized and saves space in your data backup.
How to Delete Instagram Story Drafts?
When you create Stories and save them as drafts, they remain on your account until deleted.
To delete drafts:
- Tap the plus (+) icon → Story.
- Tap Drafts at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Manage → Select → Discard on the drafts you no longer need.
Note: Drafts are stored locally and may automatically expire after 7 days or if you reinstall the app.
How to Delete Instagram Stories from Desktop?
If you’re managing your Instagram account from a computer, here’s how to remove Stories:
- Go to instagram.com.
- Click your profile picture → View Story.
- Click the three dots (⋯) → Delete.
- Confirm your action.
This works the same way for both personal and business accounts.
Can You Delete Instagram Stories for Someone Else?
No — you can’t delete a Story someone else posted. However, if a Story violates privacy or community rules, you can report it:
- Tap the three dots (⋯) on their Story.
- Select Report → Follow the on-screen steps.
Instagram reviews the report and may remove it if it breaks guidelines.
How to Delete Story Mentions or Tags?
If someone tags you in their Story and you want to remove the mention:
- Tap the mention notification in your DMs.
- Choose Remove Me from Story (available in some regions).
Alternatively, block or restrict the user to prevent future mentions.
How to Delete Stories Faster: Privacy & Time-Saving Tips
- Use Archive Cleanup: Delete multiple expired stories at once.
- Set Close Friends: Share private Stories to a small list and avoid unwanted exposure.
- Disable Story Sharing: Prevent others from resharing your content.
- Manage Highlights regularly: Keep only your best-performing Stories public.
Common Issues When Deleting Instagram Stories
Problem: Delete button not showing
- Fix: Update the Instagram app. The delete option might not appear in older versions.
Problem: Story still visible after deletion
- Fix: Refresh your profile or restart the app. Sometimes the cache shows old data.
Problem: Can’t delete archived story
- Fix: Check if the Story is still in a Highlight. Remove it from the Highlight first.
Problem: Deleted Story still appears on Facebook (linked account)
- Fix: Delete it manually from Facebook Stories if cross-posting was enabled.
FAQs
1. Can I delete an Instagram Story after posting?
Yes, you can delete an active Story anytime before it expires.
2. Will deleting a Story notify followers?
No. Instagram doesn’t notify anyone when you remove a Story.
3. Can I delete a Story from Highlights but keep it in Archive?
Yes — removing from Highlights won’t affect your archive.
4. Can I delete all Stories at once?
Yes, from the Story Archive section by selecting multiple and deleting them together.
5. Are deleted Stories gone forever?
Yes. Once deleted (and not saved to Archive), they can’t be recovered.
Conclusion
Instagram gives you full control over your Stories — from quick deletions to long-term archive management. Whether you’re fixing a typo, protecting your privacy, or cleaning up your profile, deleting or archiving Stories ensures your content reflects only what you want the world to see.
To recap:
- Delete live Stories anytime directly from your profile.
- Use Archive for safe storage and bulk deletion.
- Manage Highlights separately to keep your profile clean.
For more Instagram cleanup guides, explore related posts like: Delete Instagram
