You need a business account and 10,000 followers to use the link sticker

Instagram lets you add clickable links to your stories, but only if you meet two requirements: you must have a business or creator account (not a personal account), and you must have at least 10,000 followers. If you have fewer followers, you can still add links through other methods, which are covered later in this article.

The link sticker is the most direct way to add a URL to a story. When someone views your story, they see a "Link" button at the bottom and can tap it to open the URL in their browser or app. This is different from adding a link in your bio or in a caption — the link actually lives in the story itself.

If you do not have a business account yet, you will need to switch your account type first. Open Instagram, go to Settings, tap Account, then select Account Type and switch to Business or Creator. This takes about one minute and does not affect your followers or content.

Key Takeaways

  • You need a business or creator account with at least 10,000 followers to use the link sticker in stories.
  • The link sticker appears as a button at the bottom of the story that viewers can tap to open your URL.
  • If you have fewer than 10,000 followers, you can add links through the bio link or by mentioning the URL in text.
  • The link sticker works on both iOS and Android, and the steps are nearly identical on both platforms.
  • You can edit or remove a link sticker after you post the story, as long as the story is still live.

Steps to add a link sticker if you have 10,000+ followers

Open Instagram and create a new story the way you normally do — take a photo, record a video, or upload from your camera roll. Once you have the image or video on screen, you will see a row of icons at the top of the editing screen. Look for the sticker icon, which looks like a square with a folded corner.

Tap the sticker icon. A menu will appear showing different sticker types: GIF, Poll, Question, Countdown, and Link. Tap Link. A text field will appear asking you to paste or type the URL you want to add. Paste the full link — for example, https://www.example.com — and tap Done or the checkmark.

The link sticker will now appear on your story as a small button or label. You can move it around by dragging it, resize it by pinching, or rotate it by using two fingers. Position it somewhere visible but not covering the main subject of your image or video. When you are happy with the placement, tap Your Story to post it.

Once the story is live, viewers will see a "Link" button or label at the bottom of the screen. When they tap it, the URL opens in their browser or in the app you linked to. You can see how many people tapped the link by opening the story and swiping up — Instagram shows you the number of link taps in the story insights.

What to do if you have fewer than 10,000 followers

If you do not yet have 10,000 followers, the link sticker will not appear in the sticker menu. You have two alternatives that work on any account type and follower count.

The first is to add a link in your Instagram bio. Tap your profile picture, go to Edit Profile, and paste a URL into the Website field. This link appears on your profile page, not in the story itself, but it is the most reliable way to direct people to a specific page. You can change this link whenever you want, so you can update it for different campaigns or promotions.

The second is to type or write the URL directly in the story as text. Use the text tool (the "A" icon in the editing menu) to type the URL, and position it prominently. This does not create a clickable link — viewers have to manually copy and paste the URL into their browser — but it works on any account and makes the link visible to everyone who sees the story.

Common mistakes that prevent the link sticker from working

The most common mistake is forgetting to include the full URL, including the https:// at the beginning. Instagram needs the protocol (https or http) to recognize the text as a valid link. If you paste just example.com without the https, Instagram may not accept it or the link may not work when viewers tap it.

Another mistake is trying to use the link sticker on a personal account. Even if you have 10,000 followers, the sticker will not appear unless your account is set to Business or Creator. Switching account types is free and takes one minute, so do this first if you are not sure what type of account you have.

A third mistake is adding a link to a story and then deleting the story before viewers have a chance to tap it. Stories disappear after 24 hours by default, so if you want people to use the link, make sure the story stays live long enough. You can also add the same link to your story multiple times throughout the day or week if you want to reach more people.

How to edit or remove a link after posting

If you posted a story with a link sticker and need to change the URL or remove the link entirely, you can do this without deleting the whole story. Open the story, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner, and select Edit. The editing screen will open, and you can tap the link sticker to change the URL or delete it.

Make the change and tap Done. The story will update, and viewers who see it after the edit will see the new link. This is useful if you made a typo in the URL, want to point to a different page, or realize the link is broken.

Using link stickers with other story features

You can combine the link sticker with other stickers, text, and filters on the same story. For example, you might add a link sticker, a poll sticker, and some text all on the same image. Instagram layers these elements, so you can arrange them however you want. Just make sure the link sticker is not hidden behind other elements and is easy for viewers to find and tap.

If you are running a promotion or campaign, consider adding context around the link. For example, you might write "Tap the link to shop now" or "Link in story" so viewers know what to expect when they tap. This increases the chance that people will actually use the link instead of scrolling past it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a link sticker to a story I posted yesterday?

No, you can only add a link sticker when you first create the story. Once the story is posted, you can edit the existing link or remove it, but you cannot add a new link sticker if one was not there originally. If you need to add a link to an old story, you will have to repost it as a new story.

What happens if the link I added is broken or no longer works?

Viewers will see an error message when they tap the link, or the page will not load. You can edit the story and update the URL to a working link. Check the URL before you post to make sure it works — copy and paste it into your browser to test it first.

Can I see how many people tapped my link sticker?

Yes. Open the story, swipe up from the bottom, and Instagram will show you the number of link taps along with other story insights like views and replies. This data is only visible to you, not to your followers.

Do I need a business account to add links in my Instagram bio?

No, any account type can add a link in the bio. Only the link sticker in stories requires a business or creator account with 10,000 followers. If you want to direct people to a website, adding a bio link is the simplest option and works for everyone.

Can I add multiple links to one story?

Yes, you can add more than one link sticker to the same story. Each sticker can point to a different URL. However, too many links can make the story look cluttered, so use this sparingly and only when it makes sense for your content.