The quickest way to change your story background

Open Instagram, tap your profile picture to start a new story, then tap the smiley face icon at the bottom of the screen. Swipe left through the filter options until you see solid color backgrounds — they appear as plain colored circles. Tap the color you want, and your entire story canvas becomes that color. You can now type text, add stickers, or post as-is.

If you don't see color options in the filters menu, make sure you're on the latest version of Instagram. The feature is built into the app itself, so there's no separate download or tool needed.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap the smiley face icon at the bottom of the story camera to access filters, including solid color backgrounds.
  • Swipe left through the filter carousel to find the plain color options, which look like solid circles.
  • You can layer text, stickers, and drawings on top of a colored background after you select it.
  • The color background feature works on both iPhone and Android versions of Instagram.

Finding the color filters in your story camera

When you open a new story, the camera screen shows several icons at the bottom. The smiley face icon (also called the effects or filters button) is usually in the middle or toward the left. Tap it once to open the filter menu.

The filters appear in a horizontal row. Most show preview images of effects or face filters. Swipe left to scroll through them. The solid color backgrounds don't have preview images — they're just plain colored circles. Common colors include white, black, red, blue, yellow, and pink, though the exact selection can vary by region and app version.

Customizing text and other elements on a colored background

Once you've selected a color background, you can add text by tapping the "Aa" icon at the top of the screen. Type your message, then tap and drag it to position it where you want. You can change the text color by tapping the color wheel that appears after you've typed.

You can also add stickers, drawings, or your location to a colored background. Tap the sticker icon (looks like a square smiley face) to browse stickers, or tap the pen icon to draw freehand. All of these layers sit on top of your background color.

What to do if you don't see color options

If the color backgrounds aren't showing up in your filters menu, check that you're running the most recent version of Instagram. Open your phone's app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store), search for Instagram, and tap "Update" if one is available. Close and reopen Instagram after updating.

If you've updated and still don't see colors, try closing the app completely and reopening it. Sometimes the filter menu needs a fresh load to display all options. If the problem persists, the feature may not yet be available in your region — Instagram rolls out features gradually to different countries.

Using a gradient or pattern instead of a solid color

Some versions of Instagram also offer gradient backgrounds (colors that fade from one shade to another) or patterned backgrounds in the same filter menu. These appear alongside the solid colors when you swipe through the filters. Tap any gradient or pattern the same way you would a solid color.

If you want more control over the exact shade or want to create a custom background, you can take a photo or video with a colored object filling the frame, then use that as your story background. This gives you more options than the built-in colors.

Posting and sharing your colored story

After you've set your background color and added any text or stickers, tap the "Your Story" button at the bottom to post it. The story will appear at the top of your followers' feeds and will be visible for 24 hours unless you delete it sooner.

You can also send the story directly to specific people by tapping "Send to" instead of "Your Story." This lets you share it as a direct message rather than posting it publicly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my own photo as a story background instead of a solid color?

Yes. Instead of tapping the filters button, tap the image icon at the bottom left of the camera screen to upload a photo from your phone. You can then add text and stickers on top of it. This gives you more background options than the built-in colors.

Why does my colored background look different on my phone than on my friend's phone?

Screen brightness and color settings vary between phones. The background color itself is the same, but how it displays depends on each person's device. This is normal and not a problem with the feature.

Can I change the background color after I've already started typing?

No. You need to select the background color first, then add text and other elements. If you want to switch colors, you'll need to start a new story. You can save your current story as a draft by closing the camera without posting, then start fresh with a different color.

Do colored story backgrounds work on Instagram Direct Messages?

No. The colored background filters are only for stories that post to your main feed or close friends list. Direct message stories use a different camera interface and don't have the same filter options.