Instagram is the world’s most famous visual playground, so captions don’t always get the attention they deserve. You might spend hours perfecting your photography skills and curating your feed, but there’s a hidden power in the captions. They allow your personality to shine brightly, encouraging your followers to like and comment on your posts.
There’s no faster way to discover just how vital Instagram captions are than to post a terrible one! We’ve all been there! An embarrassing typo that completely changes the meaning of your message (or just makes you look illiterate) might have slipped through, you may have said something you now regret, or your caption might simply not have resonated with your audience.
That’s when you start wondering, with the burning desire of a thousand suns. Can you edit captions on Instagram? Here’s the good news. You can always edit your caption faux passes, even after your post goes live.
Don’t know how? No worries, we’ll fix that for you. This step-by-step guide shows you how to edit Instagram captions and covers everything else you need to know!
How to Edit Caption on Instagram in the Mobile App
Most Instagram users log in through the mobile app, so chances are that you do, too. We’ll start off by showing you edit captions on Instagram through there. The process of editing caption on Instagram is the same for Android and iOS users, so don’t worry about the kind of phone you have — and just replace the caption you’re not happy with with something much better!
Start by launching the app (obviously) and then follow along with these steps to edit the offending caption!
Step 1: Find the Post
You can find the post you intend to edit in your Instagram feed and select it, but you can also locate the post through your Profile page. To do that, tap your image or icon on the bottom right, scroll down to find the post in question, and select it.
Once the post is selected, simply tap the three dots menu at the top right.
Step 2: Tap Edit
Selecting Edit from the three dots menu gives you a chance to change your Instagram caption, pretty much the same way you would if you were entering a caption for the first time. Rather than there being a specific Instagram edit caption option, you can just craft a new caption in the Write a Caption field.
You’ll find this spot underneath photo posts and to the right of your video posts.
Step 3: Edit Your Caption or Write a New Instagram Caption
Make sure your caption says exactly what you want it to — and proofread it to be on the safe side!
Step 4: Save Your Instagram Edited Caption
Android users will hit the checkmark to save their edited captions, while iOS folks tap Done.
And that’s it! That’s all there is to it! You now know how to change caption on Instagram via the mobile app.
How to Change Captions on Instagram’s Website
Can you edit Instagram captions on the website, too? You bet! Whether you prefer to get a closer look at your caption, hate typing on your phone, or simply prefer to use the browser version of Instagram all the time, you have another option. If you want to edit caption Instagram also provides this option through its website.
Start by navigating to the Instagram website and logging in, and then follow along with these steps.
Step 1: Locate the Post to Edit Caption on Instagram
You can find the post you’re looking for within your feed, or you can go to your Profile page and look for it there. In the browser version of Instagram, you’ll find your icon at the top right, after which you have to pick Profile from the provided drop-down menu.
Once you locate the post you want to edit, click on the three dots menu. This will open a pop-up window.
Step 2: Choose Edit From the Menu
Edit is the second option in the menu that opens up after clicking on the three dots menu. Hitting it opens a new window again, and you’ll be able to edit Instagram captions there.
Step 3: Edit Your Caption
You can add a caption to a post that didn’t have one yet, edit typos or other content in the middle of the caption, or add new sentences to your caption. If you like, you can even entirely delete your old caption so your Instagram post no longer has one.
Step 4: Save Your Changes
Once you’re completely satisfied with your new Instagram caption, you can save it by clicking on Done on the top right while you’re using the browser version of Instagram. Click the window away, and give your new caption a final once over to check that everything is in order.
If you were worried about how to edit a caption on Instagram, you may be surprised it’s not harder, but that’s all you need to do!
How Often Can You Edit Captions on Instagram? What Can You Change?
How often can you edit Instagram captions, and what you can change? You’re not alone if you have either of these questions. Let’s take a closer look at that!
Instagram actually doesn’t place any limits on how often you can change your captions. That’s handy, because captions play a huge role in the engagement your post will get. You can change everything about your caption, including:
- The text of your caption. You can add captions to posts that didn’t have them, delete captions entirely, or edit existing captions as you please.
- Your emojis. If the emojis you picked for your existing post didn’t quite hit the mark, or you’d like to add some to an Instagram caption that didn’t have emojis yet, you can do that!
- Your hashtags. You can add or delete hashtags to better match the vibe of your Instagram posts.
Are there any limitations? Well, when you use the Instagram edit caption option, you still can’t exceed the total character limit (2,200) or add more than 30 hashtags. If a caption is longer than 120 characters, your followers won’t be able to read the entire captions from their feeds, and they’ll have to tap the More button to see everything.
Can Your Followers See That Your Instagram Captions Were Edited?
Once you figure out how to edit Instagram captions, you may also wonder if your followers can see your Instagram edit history. They can. Edited posts have an asterisk in the top right corner, and there is an “Edited” label at the bottom of the caption as well.
Can You View Your Caption Edit History on Instagram?
No. Instagram doesn’t provide users with a caption edit history, so if you want to hold onto a previous caption (in case you want to post it again later), you would be advised to save it somewhere.
Your readers and followers can’t see your caption history, either.
Tips On Editing Instagram Captions
Many Instagram users want to edit captions because they contain typos or don’t quite sound as good as intended. In other cases, people decide to delete captions they regret posting.
Those aren’t the only reasons to edit Instagram captions, though! Captions play a huge role in building engagement and even attracting new followers, and Instagram users may want to experiment with caption styles to discover which kinds of captions attract the largest number of views, likes, and comments. This is especially important for brands using Instagram as a marketing tool.
Experimenting with different types of captions by editing them is a perfectly valid approach, but you do want to avoid creating confusion in the comments. Things might get weird if the comments respond to a caption that no longer exists, after all!
To avoid that kind of confusion, it’s best not to radically change the content of your caption, and instead to focus on style and tone edits.
Don’t rely on the fact that you can edit captions on Instagram, either. Commenters are still bound to zoom in on awkward typos and bad grammar, so always proofread and edit your caption before posting it!
Troubleshooting: Why Can’t You Edit Instagram Captions?
If you get a “can’t continue editing” error while trying to edit an Instagram caption, it’s best to explore a couple of common culprits first.
It’s most likely that:
- There’s something wrong with your internet connection.
- You’re logged out of Instagram, or you’re logged into a different account (for people with multiple Instagram profiles, such as a personal and business account).
- You haven’t given the Instagram app the permissions it needs.
However, it’s also possible that your edited caption is too long or you have included too many hashtags. When in doubt, try editing a different post, or log out and back in again.
How to Edit Caption on Instagram Reel
Autogenerated captions are a handy feature that can add charm to your Reels while improving accessibility. It’s easy to get started with autogenerated captions. Just head over to the Reels creation section and:
- Upload or record your video.
- Choose Captions from the editing menu.
Instagram doesn’t always get these captions right, though. Can you edit caption on Instagram Reels? Fortunately, yes — and it’s not difficult. Simply tap on the autogenerated captions to review them and make any edits you need to. Then, tap Done, and Bob’s your uncle!
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