So, we all know that IG Stories are a really cool feature that deserves to be used by now. Stories give you the chance to relax and post stuff you don’t necessarily want on your feed forever, they’re perfect for sharing real-time news, and they’ve got crazy high engagement rates.
Their biggest benefit is, on the other hand, also their biggest downfall — your Instagram Stories only stay up for 24 hours. So, what do you do when you have a Story that’s simply too awesome to part with? You add it to your Story Highlights, of course! If you already know it’s going to be a great story, you can pave the road ahead by writing amazing Instagram highlight captions for your Stories.
Wondering how it’s done? We’ve prepared a huge collection of catchy, ultra-readable, and super short highlight captions for Instagram to make it easy for you. You can use them our captions as inspiration for your own Instagram highlight captions, or if you spot one that already matches your vibe perfectly, you can simply go ahead and copy/paste!
What Are Instagram Highlight Captions?
OK, so Instagram highlights are essentially a collection of your very best Stories — the ones you think deserve a permanent spot in your feed, rather than drifting off into cyberspace after 24 hours. These highlights will appear right under your bio and profile pic, making it easy for anyone to scroll through them, so pick carefully!
Story highlights have a few different “moving parts” to them. They include the highlight’s title (which can only be up to 15 characters long) and a custom image, which you can set in any way you like. From there, followers and others who tap your highlights can see your original Stories and Instagram highlight captions.
It’s kind of like scrolling through an interactive photo album, basically — and that means your followers and viewers won’t usually be in the mood for ultra-long captions. That’s where dedicated highlight captions for Instagram come in. They’re short, catchy, and easy to read. Instagram highlight captions should aim to simply give people the (you guessed it) highlights of your Story, because chances are they’re planning to scroll through all the highlights that catch their eyes.
A Quick Guide to Writing Great Highlight Captions for Instagram
Have you been using Instagram Stories for a while now, but are you new to the highlights feature? As your IG followers scroll through, they’ll get a little look at your life and see you at your most spontaneous. As they do this, they’re more likely to skim-read your Instagram highlight captions than to really pay all that much attention, and that forces you to experiment with a different, more concise caption style.
Writing Story captions that will look great in your highlights is a bit of an art, but these quick tips will help you get started:
- Keep your highlight captions for Instagram short. Like, really. Instagram allows you to get rather wordy with its 2,200 character limit, but you should never be taking up all that much space when you’re writing Story captions — much less captions for Stories you plan to add to your highlights. Always ask yourself how you can make your caption even shorter without spoiling the vibe before you post it. You can, for example, use “U” instead of “you” or “&” instead of “and.”
- Make it really easy for your Instagram followers to understand what your highlight is all about. Setting a central theme for your caption will help with that. After that, go ahead and use words that make the highlight extra easy to find — like “lunch,” “birthday,” “launch party,” “camping trip” and so on.
- Highlight captions for Instagram still more or less function as regular captions, though, and that means you do need to try to make them catchy and engaging as well as clear and short. Add a little humor or mystery to get your followers to pay extra attention!
- You can’t go wrong with a mini call to action when you write Instagram highlight captions. Calls to action, which are lines that inspire people to take some sort of action (follow, join, try it out, go hiking with me — whatever you fancy!), are a must for business Instagram accounts. Regular Instagram also benefit from using them, though!
What does that look like in action? Take a look at our collection of highlight captions for Instagram to get a better idea — and write your own great captions from there! (Just in case it wasn’t clear, the answer is “yes!” You can absolutely “steal” some of our highlight caption ideas if they fit your Story like a glove! We’re happy to help!)
Sneak Peak Highlight Captions for Instagram
1. This party is just getting started!
2. It’s preview time! Get ready for the main show.
3. Shhh! Just a little hint. Can you tell what it is?
4. Treasure hunt, Instagram edition.
5. I hope you’re just as excited about Part 2 as I am!
6. Gotta keep ‘em guessing!
7. ‘Cause even the longest journeys start with a single step.
8. In case you couldn’t wait for the big reveal…
9. Just revving the engines! Come take a peak!
10. Good things come to those who wait!
Cool Instagram Highlight Captions About Travel
11. Watch me pack my suitcases. Yes, plural.
12. Gotta love the airport! It’s the portal to adventure!
13. Leave only footprints, take only selfies…
14. Up, up, and away!
15. Free as a bird.
16. Travel: The perfect excuse for a food tour! Come see my picks!
17. Setting sail for the nearest tropical paradise. Join me!
18. Watch me get lost!
19. Waiting for my flight. Come keep me company? Pretty please?
20. First time hiking in Brazil! Watch me!
Cute Highlight Captions for Instagram
21. Wake up with me!
22. But first, coffee.
23. It’s tea time! Who’s excited to join us for a cozy chat?
24. Morning yoga and big smiles!
25. Watch me (attempt to) make paella!
26. You, me, and a cup of positivi-tea!
27. POV: You’re drinking your morning coffee with me.
28. I’m not cold, but I still live for the chill.
29. It’s all good vibes and chill times today!
30. Thought I’d try something different. WDYT?
Funny Instagram Highlight Captions
31. Watch me make a fool of myself… while you still can.
32. Skip leg day with me?
33. Cat + laser pointer = the cure for boredom.
34. Shh! It’s the surprise party planning committee!
35. Highlight-ception: Watch me get highlights!
36. Came for the spaghetti, left after polishing it all off.
37. Being lazy together beats being lazy alone any day.
38. More mess = more creativity. Facts!
39. All I need is tea and WiFi. Anyone else?
40. Warm blankets, soft socks, and a whole lot of Netflix.
Lit Highlight Captions for Instagram With Friends
41. Life is just a walk in the park with friends like these…
42. Squad goals, house hunting edition.
43. Retail therapy, but with friends.
44. On Wednesdays, we wear cheesy grins.
45. It’s always pizza o’clock when you’re us!
46. Just hangin’ with the crew, how about you?
47. Laughter, good vibes, and… pranks?
48. Day 1 of yoga class. Keep us company!
49. Something smells good here!
50. Vacay + besties = watch us get lost.
Instagram Highlight Captions About Makeup and Fashion
51. Makeover, Sephora style. Yes or no?
52. 1, 2, or both? Help me pick!
53. Get ready with me! (Spooky edition!)
54. Welcome to my toddler’s makeup tutorial.
55. Work in progress!
56. Look good, feel good!
57. I’m a fashion-holic and it’s been 0 days since my last purchase.
58. Sorting through my closet. Ditch? Keep?
59. Don’t watch me. Watch the dress!
60. Fashionably late, hope I didn’t miss the party!
Motivational Highlight Captions for Instagram
61. Let’s conquer Monday together!
62. Rise and grind… with a touch of sparkle.
63. Work hard, play hard, part 1.
64. All you need is coffee and hard work.
65. Let’s get through that pile of tasks together!
66. Work pays. Keep at it.
67. Come grab some cool productivity tips!
68. To-do list? Conquered!
69. Bujos are just a procrastination tool. Proof!
70. 4 o’clock! Let’s race to the end!
Love and Dating Instagram Highlight Captions
71. Date night vs rock climbing. Which will win?
72. Today’s highlight is sponsored by the avocado to my toast.
73. Just the two of us.
74. You + me + candles = always.
75. My personal brand of crazy.
76. Love in the air, or is that just the smell of lasagna?
77. This is what love looks like.
78. Tickets for 2, ‘cause I love U.
79. Me & my everything, gearing up for a fresh adventure!
80. Love, but now with extra popcorn.
Sarcastic Highlight Captions for Instagram
81. Mondays are my love language. More coffee, anyone?
82. Sarcasm is my native language, but I’m also fluent in coffee.
83. Thanks, cat! Love you most when you knock my plants over!
84. I’m totally not nervous about the launch! No, sir!
85. Freebies? Meh. If you really want, I guess…
86. Nothing to see here. 100% boredom. Don’t even look.
87. Yeah, I lift, bro. My coffee cup!
88. Oh, me? I’m on a mission to lose my appetite!
89. It’s all overtime and happy vibes here!
90. It’s a shopaholic thing. You wouldn’t understand.
Happy Vibes Instagram Highlight Captions
91. Namaste! It’s yoga retreat o’clock!
92. May the retail therapy be with you!
93. Coffee shop vibes are the best vibes, and here’s proof.
94. If you have to die, why not die of laughter?
95. Rooftop fun with a view!
96. Road trip + squad = miles of smiles!
97. When happiness is spelled “sesame seed ice cream!”
98. Ditchin’ the city and spreadin’ my wings!
99. Radiate positive energy and OMG it’s here!
100. Breaking news: New fenestrated Monstera leaf!!!
Inspirational Quotes for Highlight Captions for Instagram
101. “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” — Oscar Wilde
102. “Without music, life would be a mistake.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
103. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” — Babe Ruth
104. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
105. “Always do what you are afraid to do.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
106. “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” — Plato
107. “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
108. “Every drop in the ocean counts.” — Yoko Ono
109. “May you live every day of your life.” ― Jonathan Swift
110. “Peace begins with a smile.” ― Mother Teresa
Self Love Quotes for Instagram Highlight Captions
111. “I like me. I like my story and all the bumps and bruises.” — Michelle Obama
112. “Be the love you never received.” — Rune Lazuli
113. “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” — Rupi Kaur
114. “I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.” — Jean Bell
115. “Keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again.” — Lalah Delia
116. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” — George Elliot
117. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
118. “You alone are enough, you have nothing to prove to anybody.” — Maya Angelou
119. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” ― Mae West
120. “Confidence is contagious.” — Vince Lombardi
Extra Short Highlight Captions for Instagram
121. Yes, I can!
122. Woohoo! It’s HERE!
123. Let the good times roll!
124. Shopping trip!
125. Say yes to brunch.
126. Windy day = good mood.
127. Grab your hiking boots!
128. Cat on lap, can’t talk.
129. Window down, volume up!
130. Back to nature!
FAQ About Instagram Highlight Captions
Can I add emojis to my highlight captions for Instagram?
Yes, you can — and you probably should, because emojis get your followers’ attention faster than words can. We didn’t add any to our ideas for Instagram highlight captions, because the best emojis to include depend on the mood of the Story.
Can I edit my Instagram highlight captions after posting the highlight?
Nope. Although you can edit the highlight title and cover image whenever and as often as you like, the caption you posted in your original Story will stick around as long as you have the highlight up. That’s why it’s so important to write good highlight captions for Instagram if you’re pretty sure your current Story deserves a spot in your highlights. You can, on the other hand, edit your Story captions while your Story is active.
