Instagram Launches Customizable Templates For Stories

Starting today, Instagram is rolling out a new feature that will encourage users to share and build on one another's stories using custom templates for the Add Yours sticker. With this new update, it'll be easier than ever to create your own meme, kick off a new trend, or participate in anything that's already going around. 

The Add Yours sticker has been around since 2021 and lets users respond to prompts on other users' stories, creating a chain of photos, GIFs, and more with the same running theme. However, now anyone can create their own Add Yours template and post it to Stories. Once that template is live, anyone else can then use that template — currently, there's no way to make it private or restrict who uses it. If you're using someone else's custom template, you can't change it, but you can add to it and make it your own. Templates can be anything from taking photos of your post-workout meal to making a list of New Year's resolutions.

Once you start creating a story, a new Add Yours template can be made after you've added the images, text, and GIFs you want by selecting Add Yours Templates from the Sticker Tray. From there, choose whatever additional text, images, and stickers you'd like to pin to the template before posting. Anyone can then build on your template when they see your story by tapping on the Add Yours sticker that's included. This will allow them to see all the elements you've used in your template, and let them play around with them or add their own. Finally, by tapping on the faces on the left side of the sticker, you can see who has already customized the template. 

As Instagram continues to compete with TikTok by adding fun features, the new customizable Add Yours templates joins other new tools added to Instagram Stories and Reels. Earlier this year, the ability to create Reels using pre-made templates was added. In a similar vein to the new Stories templates, users can now reuse elements from another reel and add their own photos and videos. Instagram says the purpose of this feature is to make it "easy for you to find inspiration for your next reel."

Another big feature added to Stories shortly before customizable Add Yours templates was the addition of AI. Generative AI seems to be finding itself implemented into all sorts of apps and services lately, so it's no surprise Instagram has jumped on the bandwagon with its new Backdrop feature. Users can now tap a button when creating a story to engage with the AI background tool. By simply typing a text prompt, Backdrop's AI can interpret what you typed and change the background of your photo accordingly.

For example, if you're posting a selfie of you sitting at the office, you can tell the AI to change the background to "Miami Beach." Within seconds, you'll have a doctored photo of you taking a selfie from Miami Beach that you can then upload to your Stories. It's likely Backdrop and customizable templates aren't the last features Instagram will add to help you boost the quality of your Reels and Stories.