Can you post 2 pictures in one story?

Yes, it is possible to post 2 pictures in one Instagram story. Instagram allows users to add multiple photos and videos within a single story. There is no limit on the number of images you can include in one story on Instagram.

How to post 2 pictures in one Instagram story

Posting 2 pictures in a single Instagram story is easy to do directly within the Instagram app. Simply follow these steps:

Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile photo or the camera icon in the top left corner to begin creating a new story.

Take or select the first photo you want to include in your story. You can take a new photo straight within Instagram or select one from your camera roll.
After selecting the first photo, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the media tray.
In the media tray, tap the Square icon with the + symbol to add another photo to your story.

Select the second photo you want to include. This can again be a newly snapped photo or one from your camera roll.
The first and second photo will now appear together with the first photo on top and the second photo on the bottom.
If desired, use the text, drawing, sticker, emoji tools in the top right to customize your story further.

When finished, tap “Your Story” in the bottom left to share your 2-picture story.

And that’s all there is to it! The photos will display in your story one after the other just like any other story. Instagram does not place any limits on how many photos you can add to a single story, so you can use this same process to create a story with 3, 4 or even more photos if you wish.

Tips for posting multiple photos in one story

Here are some tips to keep in mind when combining multiple photos in a single Instagram story:

Choose photos that flow together – Select images with similar themes, color schemes, etc. to make the story feel cohesive.
Mix up orientations – Add some variety by including both landscape and portrait photos.
Use stickers to transition between photos – Use arrows, gifs or text to help guide viewers between one image to the next.

Tell a broader story – Use the photos to share different moments from an event or experience rather than random unfinished thoughts.
Keep text short – Avoid overloading the images with too much text so the visuals remain the focus.

Creative ways to use multiple photos in one story

Posting 2-3 pictures in one story opens up lots of creative possibilities. Here are some ideas for making engaging multi-picture stories:

Document an event – Share highlights from a wedding, conference, party or other event.
Take viewers behind-the-scenes – Give a sneak peek into a photoshoot, your work area or the prep for a meal.
Showcase a location – Feature different spots and angles from a venue.

Share a collection – Highlight different pairs of shoes, jewelry pieces, recipes etc.
Outline a process – Display steps in a DIY project, makeup routine or fitness sequence.
Tell a story – Use a short sequence of 3-5 photos to convey a funny anecdote or interesting tale.

Benefits of combining multiple photos in one story

Packing more visual content into your Instagram stories has many advantages:

Keep viewers engaged – Multiple photos are more dynamic and less likely to be skipped through.
Increase reach – You can share more in one story, reducing the need for frequent posting.

Highlight different perspectives – Showcase an event, product etc. from different angles.
Adds variety – Mix up standard selfies or static snaps with photo sequences.
Creates a narrative – Use a series of connected images to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end.

Makes better use of story space – Fill the full screen time rather than a single fleeting image.

Potential challenges with multiple photos in one story

While combining photos into one Instagram story opens up creative possibilities, there are some potential downsides to keep in mind as well:

Can feel disjointed without smooth transitions between photos.

Important images may be overlooked if viewed quickly.
Text and stickers don’t automatically flow from one image to the next.
Viewers may not realize they need to swipe to see the next photo.

Uploading multiple photos takes more time than sharing a single snap.
Instagram compresses images which can degrade quality.

However, you can avoid most of these issues by taking some care when creating your multi-picture stories and using stickers, text and captions intentionally to connect the images into a cohesive narrative.

How many photos are ideal in a single story?

When deciding how many photos to include in a single Instagram story, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

1-2 photos – Gives you room for text while keeping things clean and simple.
3-4 photos – Allows you to share key moments from an event/experience.

5-6 photos max – Don’t overwhelm viewers with too many visuals at once.
Odd numbers work well – Arrange images in sets of 3, 5 etc. for balanced stories.
Consistency throughout stories – Use a similar number of images for each story in a multi-part set.

Ultimately the ideal photo count depends on the specific purpose of your story. Here are typical use cases and recommended numbers of images:

Story Purpose	Ideal Photo Count
Showcase a product	2-3 photos
Share an anecdote/joke	1-2 photos
Document an event	3-5 photos
Show step-by-step process	3-6 photos
Highlight a location	3-4 photos
Promote an upcoming sale	1-3 photos

How to view stories with multiple photos on Instagram

When someone posts multiple photos within one Instagram story, viewing the content is easy:

Tap on their profile picture/story circle to open the story.

The first photo will appear on screen. View for up to 15 seconds.
Swipe left on the screen to progress to the next photo in the story.
Continue swiping left to view each subsequent photo.

Swipe right to go back and re-view previous photos.
Tap left/right to skip stories from other people in between multi-picture stories.

The number of dots at the top of the story indicates how many photos it contains. Swipe left until you’ve viewed all the dots to ensure you see the full story.

Instagram Stories automatically progress forward on their own. But with multi-photo stories, swiping yourself ensures you view at your own pace rather than missing images as they auto-advance.

Do Instagram Stories allow you to post videos and photos together?

Yes, Instagram Stories also support mixing photos and videos within the same story. To do this:

Start a new story and add your first photo using the steps above.

Now instead of adding another photo, select the Video icon from the media tray at the bottom to add a video clip next.
You can continue alternating between photos and videos within the same story.
The photos and videos will play in the order you arranged them.

This makes it easy to share both images and short video clips from the same event or experience within one story. You have complete flexibility in the mixing and arrangement of media.

The same principles apply when combining videos and photos. Pick similar videos that flow together well and utilize stickers, text and captions to connect the elements into a complete narrative.

Posting to Instagram feed vs. stories

On Instagram you have the choice to share visual content either via your main feed or through temporary stories. Here’s how multiple photos work for each:

Instagram Feed: You can only upload one photo/video per post. However, you can include up to 10 images in one post by using an image carousel. This arranges your photos into a swipeable gallery.
Instagram Stories: There is no limit on how many photos/videos you can include in a single story. Viewers tap or swipe through the images which disappear after 24 hours.

The carousel feature makes your Instagram feed more dynamic. However, ephemeral stories are better for rapidly sharing multiple snapshots in real-time without cluttering your main feed.

Other social apps that allow multiple photos

The ability to share multiple photos in one post isn’t unique to Instagram. Many other leading social media platforms also offer this capability:

Facebook: Image albums allow up to 100 photos/videos in one Facebook post.
Snapchat: My Story combines Snaps together. Camera Roll adds multiple photos to one Snap.

Twitter: You can attach up to 4 photos/videos in one Tweet.
Pinterest: Lets you create multi-image Pins with up to 20 photos.
TikTok: Photo formats like Carousel let you swipe through up to 10 images/videos.

However, Instagram Stories popularized the concept of tap-and-swipe ephemeral photo stories on social media. The Stories format has since been adopted by Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and other apps due to its immense popularity and engagement.

Conclusion

Posting multiple photos within a single Instagram story is now a commonly used feature on the platform. Following the steps outlined above, you can easily add 2, 3 or more images to create engaging visual stories.

When planning multi-picture stories, curate photos that work cohesively together. Use stickers, text and captions intentionally to connect images into a complete narrative. Avoid overwhelming viewers with too many visuals at once. Most standard Stories benefit from 3-5 photos at maximum.

Combining photos and videos creatively within Instagram Stories keeps viewers interested, shares more content, and allows you to showcase experiences in greater detail. Just remember to guide viewers through each element as seamlessly as possible. With some thoughtful planning and strategic execution, Stories with multiple photos can be an impactful way to share content and engage your Instagram audience.