Title: 6 Easy Ways to Recover Instagram Deleted Stories URL Source: https://recovery-next-web.pages.dev/blog/recover-deleted-stories-instagram Published Time: 2025-09-11T04:01:41.000Z Markdown Content: ![Image 1: iPhone Data Recovery Predictor](https://resource.gbyte.com/20251211/original/Group%201000008143.webp) iPhone Data Recovery Predictor Not sure if your iPhone data can be recovered? Find out in 30 seconds. [](https://recovery-next-web.pages.dev/blog/recover-deleted-stories-instagram)[Test Now](https://www.gbyte.com/iphone-data-recovery-predictor) An Instagram Story is a temporary post that lasts for 24 hours. After this period, it disappears from your profile and your followers’ feeds. Instagram designed Stories for casual, real-time sharing, but many users still want to preserve them. And sometimes you may delete a story by mistake, leaving you unsure whether it can still be recovered or viewed later. The good news is that there are multiple ways to recover deleted Instagram Stories, depending on how and when they disappeared. In this guide, we’ll walk you through each method, explain how Instagram’s settings work, and highlight the limitations so you know exactly what to expect. Method 1. Restore Deleted Instagram Stories from Recently Deleted ----------------------------------------------------------------- In February 2021, Instagram introduced the Recently Deleted feature. When you delete a Story, Post, Reel, or IGTV video, it moves into this folder for 30 days before being permanently removed. This gives you a grace period to restore content that you may have deleted by accident. ![Image 2: Steps to Find Instagram Recently Deleted](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250911/large/instagram-recently-deleted-path.webp) **Step 1.**Go to your profile and tap the menu (☰) in the top-right corner. **Step 2.**Select **Your activity**>**Recently deleted**. ![Image 3: Recover Stories in Instagram Recently Deleted](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250911/large/recover-stories-instagram-recently-deleted.webp) **Step 3.**Switch to Stories Tab, and find your deleted Story. **Step 4.**Tap **More** in the bottom right corner **Step 5.**Tap **Show on profile** to recover it. ![Image 4: module-pros-icon](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250416/original/module-pros-icon.webp) When to Use * You intentionally deleted a Story within the last 30 days. * You want to quickly undo a deletion. ![Image 5: module-cons-icon](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250416/original/module-cons-icon.webp) Limitations * Cannot recover Stories from years ago. Method 2. Restore Deleted Instagram Stories from Archive -------------------------------------------------------- If your Story expired naturally after 24 hours (not manually deleted), Instagram automatically saves it to your Archive. This setting is usually enabled by default. The Archive allows you to browse all past Stories, even from years ago. ![Image 6: Recover Archived Instagram Stories](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250911/large/recover-archived-instagram-stories.webp) **Step 1.**Go to your Instagram profile, tap the menu (☰) and select **Archive**. **Step 2.**Choose **Stories Archive** at the top. **Step 3.**Browse through your archived Stories and tap the one you want. **Step 4.**Tap **More**in the bottom right corner and tap **Show on Profile** to restore. Things to Know * Expired Story Archiving is enabled automatically for most users. * It’s the most complete way to access old Stories, even they expired from years ago. Method 3. Recover Deleted Instagram Stories via Messages -------------------------------------------------------- You may share your Stories with friends or groups through Instagram Direct Messages (DMs). In these cases, the Story may still be visible to the recipient for as long as it was active. However, according to Instagram’s help center, once a Story expires or is deleted, it will no longer appear in chats. The only chance is if the recipient has saved, downloaded, or taken a screenshot of the Story before it disappeared. Try to ask your friends you shared the Story with to see if they saved it. If that doesn’t work, you can try a recovery solution. Gbyte Recovery can perform a deep scan of your iCloud backups to [retrieve deleted Instagram messages](https://www.gbyte.com/blog/recover-deleted-messages-on-instagram)—including Stories, videos, and photos that were once shared through them. **Step 1. Start a Scan** – Download the PC version or sign up via your mobile browser to begin a quick, free scan. ![Image 7: recovery-logo](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250415/original/recovery-logo.webp) #1 Social App Data Recovery Recover chats, photos, videos & files from 10+ social apps * Instagram Recovery: Restore old Instagram chats, photos, and videos with ease. * Free & Secure: 100% free scan with encrypted data protection. * No Backup Needed: Recover your lost data even without a prior backup. [Free Download](https://download.gbyte.com/downloads/mac/intel/gbyte-recovery-ios.dmg) ![Image 8: cta1-bg](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250415/original/cta1-bg.webp) **Step 2. Select Data** – Choose what you want to recover. Be sure to select Instagram and Photos. ![Image 9: Choose Which Data You Want to Recover on Gbyte](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250905/large/scan-data-type-gbyte.webp) **Step 3.****Let the Scan Run** – The software will search your iCloud or device backups. Once finished, mobile users receive a completion email, while PC users see an on-screen notification. **Step 4.****Preview & Restore** – Review the scan results, then select the specific photos, messages, or other content you’d like to restore. ![Image 10: Recovered Instagram Photos and Chats on Gbyte](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250909/large/scanning-results-on-gbyte-en.webp) Method 4. Recover Deleted Instagram Stories from Facebook Account ----------------------------------------------------------------- When you share a Story, Instagram often asks if you’d like to post it to Facebook as well. Later, if you delete that Story from Instagram, you’ll be prompted to choose whether you also want to remove it from Facebook. If your accounts are linked and you chose **not** to delete it from Facebook, there’s a chance your Story may still be available in your Facebook account. **Step 1.** Open the Facebook app. **Step 2.** Go to your profile or the Stories section. **Step 3.** Look for the Story you shared from Instagram. **Step 4.**If available, download or screenshot it to keep a copy. ![Image 11: module-pros-icon](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250416/original/module-pros-icon.webp) When It Works * Your Instagram account was linked to Facebook. * You enabled cross-posting of Stories. ![Image 12: module-cons-icon](https://resource.ilocationchanger.com/20250416/original/module-cons-icon.webp) Limitations * If you deleted the Story on both Instagram and Facebook, it’s gone. * Older Facebook Stories also expire after 24 hours unless saved. Method 5. Find Deleted Instagram Stories from Local Storage ----------------------------------------------------------- If you enable the right settings, Instagram can automatically save a copy of every Story you create to your phone. This means that even if the Story disappears from Instagram, a local version may still exist in your device storage. * **On Android:** These copies are stored in a dedicated folder (e.g., _Pictures > Instagram_), accessible through the Gallery or a File Manager app. * **On iOS:** They are saved inside the Photos app, automatically organized into an **Instagram album**. Even if you uninstall Instagram, the app’s cache is removed, but the saved copies in your phone’s albums usually remain. This means many of your old Instagram photos and videos may still be stored on your phone without you realizing it. **Checklist** * **Open your Photos or Gallery app.** * Look for folders named _Instagram_ or _Stories_. * Check your “Recently Deleted” album in your phone’s storage. Things to Know * This option is not enabled by default; you must have turned it on manually. * Only saves the original file, not stickers, polls, or interactive elements added in Instagram. Method 6. Retrieve Deleted Instagram Stories from Cloud Backups --------------------------------------------------------------- Most cloud services automatically sync photos and videos from your camera roll in the background. This means that even if a Story is deleted from Instagram and your local storage, it might still exist in your cloud backup. Extra Tips: How to Avoid Losing Instagram Stories Again ------------------------------------------------------- While recovery methods exist, prevention is always better. Here are some best practices: 1. **Use Archive instead of Delete** If you don’t want a Story visible, archive it instead of deleting it. This way, you can restore it anytime. 1. **Enable Auto-Save to Archive and Camera Roll** ![Image 13: Steps to Enable Instagram Story Auto-Save ](https://resource.gbyte.com/20250911/large/set-auto-save-to-instagram-archive-and-album.webp) Step 1. Go to Profile > Menu in the top right corner. Step 2. Scroll down and find Archiving and downloading. Step 3. Make sure Save story to archive and Save story to Camera Roll are open. 1. **Regular Backups** Use Google Photos or iCloud to keep an extra copy of your Stories. 1. **Share to Facebook** Cross-posting ensures a backup copy on another platform. Conclusion ---------- Recovering deleted Instagram Stories is possible in several ways, depending on how they disappeared. Each method has its limitations, but combined, they greatly increase your chances of restoring lost memories. To avoid future frustration, enable automatic saving and archiving, and consider regular backups. That way, your Instagram Stories will never be truly lost again.