How to Change the Background Color in Instagram Stories

The Instagram Story feature lets you share temporary content with your followers.

You can add striking visuals, engaging text, stickers, and other interactive features. You can also customize them to suit your content and audience.

You may not realize it, but the background color is one of the most customizable aspects of Stories.

Some content creators ignore this part of story creation, but the right color can make a story more readable. It can also help make a brand more visible and content more appealing.

Knowing how to change and optimize the background color in your Instagram Stories is a great skill.

Changing the Background Color in Instagram Stories

There are different ways to use background color in your Instagram stories. For instance, if you want to post a story with a solid background color, you should:

• Open Instagram and access Stories.

• Tap the Your Story icon or swipe right.

• Select Create mode, which will appear as the Aa icon. You may see a gradient or solid background at this point.

• Tap on the color palette situated in the top-right corner. Scroll through the preset colors and choose your favorite or the one that fits your design.

• If you want a custom color, you will have to use a third-party app, as you cannot fully customize the background in Create mode.

• You can also use the Aa icon to type messages once your background color is in place.

• Tap the Your Story button to share your story with your audience.

Changing the Background Color When Uploading a Photo

You may have noticed that Instagram creates a background when you upload a photo. You can change this background color by:

Using the draw tool

You can choose between Solid Pen and Highlighter Pen if you tap the Pen icon. This will allow you to choose a color from the palette at the bottom of the screen.

You can also long-press for the full-color palette. Long press again to fill the background with the color you chose.

Keep in mind that long press does not work if your photo fills the entire screen.

Use a cutout effect

If you want the whole image to stay visible in your colored background, use the eraser tool.

With this tool, you can erase parts of the background to reveal part of the photo you want to showcase.

Changing the Background Color for a Reshared Post

The app automatically creates a gradient background if you want to share other content creators’ posts with your stories.

You can change this to a custom background if you prefer.

• Tap the Share button on a feed post and select Add to Your Story.

• The post will appear in your Stories editor with its default background.

• You can use the draw tool to select a color and long press on the background to fill it.

• You can also add a color overlay by selecting a color, tapping Highlighter Pen, and long-pressing.

Changing the Background Color for Text-Based Stories

You can also change the background colors for text-based stories. All you need to do is open the stories feature and swipe to Aa mode. You will get a default color here.

Tap the color circle in the bottom-right corner to find more color options. The draw tool will bring up the custom color options.

You can add text, ensure your alignment is correct, and post.

Third-Party Apps for Custom Backgrounds

If you find Instagram’s background options limiting, use third-party apps for advanced customization. Apps like Canva provide ready-made templates that instantly fit story sizes on Instagram.

To design your background, open the app and create the right size canvas for a story (1080 x 1920 pixels).

Select either a solid color or gradient for your background. You can also add text or branding elements if you need them.

Save the design to your camera roll and upload it to Instagram.

Tips on Choosing the Best Background Colors for Your Instagram Stories

The point of choosing the perfect background color for your stories is to increase engagement. This can only happen if you use the colors correctly.

For instance, you want to create high contrast for text stories. If the text's color and background are completely different, it is easier to read.

Moreover, you should use colors that align with your brand identity if you want your followers to recognize your content more easily.

To evoke emotion, you can use bright, warm colors for energy and joy or cool colors for a calming effect.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

You may run into some issues if you haven’t experimented with background colors before.

For instance, long-press may not work for you if you are not using the correct tool.

You must use the draw tool and press firmly (not hard) on the screen. You may have to update your Instagram app if the feature does not work.

If the color you want to apply looks inconsistent, switch between solid and highlighter pen options. Depending on your device’s brightness and contrast settings, colors may display differently.

As mentioned above, if you accidentally fill your photo with color, you can use the eraser tool to create a cutout effect. The erase tool can also highlight specific parts of your photos.

It is also possible that you may experience limitations in your Instagram color palette. A third party might be a better option if the default palette does not meet your needs.

Remember that Instagram constantly updates its features; sometimes, certain options may be removed for a while.

If you cannot figure out a specific issue, it is best to check Instagram’s help center for a solution.

Customized Background Colors Elevate Your Instagram Stories

If you want to improve the visual appeal of your Instagram stories or branding, background colors can help.

Using the above techniques and tips, you can create impactful stories in 2025 and enjoy increased engagement.

Do not get discouraged if your first attempts are not as successful as you had hoped.

Experiment with color schemes until you find what matches your style, brand identity, and storytelling.

Doing this will allow you to adapt your background colors according to seasons, product launches, etc.

And, if you stay updated with Instagram’s latest features, you can maximize the impact of your background and make your online presence even more appealing.