What are Instagram reposts?
Instagram reposts are a built-in way to pass another person's public Reel or feed post to the people who follow you. You do not download the video, take a screenshot or upload anything again. You tap one button, and the post shows up on your side with the creator's name still attached.
Before the button existed, people "reposted" with screen recorders and third-party apps. That meant blurry copies, lost captions and arguments over credit. The official Repost button replaces all of that. The post stays the creator's post, and you simply point your audience at it.
If you are asking what reposts on Instagram are in one line: a repost is a public thumbs-up that also hands the post to your followers. A like says "I enjoyed this". A repost says "my followers will enjoy this too".
This guide covers the whole feature: how the button works, where reposts go, how to see and undo them, how to switch them off, and what to know before you buy reposts for a post of your own.
When did Instagram add the Repost button?
Meta announced Instagram reposts on August 6, 2025. The button arrived in the same update as two other features: the Friends tab in Reels and the Instagram Map.
The feature covers public Reels and public feed posts. Instagram's help page also notes that the feature is not yet open to every account. So if a friend has the button and you do not, the cause can be a slow rollout, not a fault on your phone.
Here is the feature at a glance.
| Detail | What Instagram says |
|---|---|
| Launch date | August 6, 2025 |
| What you can repost | Public Reels and public feed posts |
| Where you do it | The Instagram app on your phone |
| Who gets credit | The original poster |
| Who sees it | Your friends and followers, in their feeds |
| Where it lives | A separate Reposts tab on your profile |
| Reposting a repost | Not allowed |
| Comments on a repost | Arrive as direct messages to you |
How do Instagram reposts work?
A repost is a pointer, not a copy. When you repost, you do not upload anything new. Instagram shows the creator's post to a new group of people, with the creator's name on it, and comments on your repost reach you as direct messages.
Meta's announcement says reposts are recommended to your friends' and followers' feeds. That is the key part. A person who follows you but has never heard of the creator can now meet that creator's post, because you put it in their path.
Three rules shape every repost:
- The post has to be public. Private posts have no Repost option.
- The creator has to allow it. Creators can switch reposts off for their posts and Reels.
- The chain stops at one step. You cannot repost a repost, so every repost points straight back to the original.
That last rule matters more than it looks. It means credit never gets lost down a long chain of accounts. For the full detail on who sees a repost and in which order, read our guide on how do Instagram reposts work.
How to repost on Instagram in a few taps
The Repost button sits with the other action buttons under a public post or Reel. The steps are short.
- Open the Instagram app. Reposting is an app action, not a computer one.
- Find the public Reel or feed post you want to pass on.
- Tap Repost.
- To add your own words, tap the bubble next to your profile picture at the bottom left.
- Type your note, then tap Save.
The post now sits in the Reposts section of your profile. Your note travels with it, so your followers see why you picked it.
A short note makes a repost far more useful. "Saved me an hour on my taxes" tells people why to watch. A repost with no note asks them to guess. Keep the note to one line and make it about the viewer.
Reels and photo posts follow the same steps. For screen-by-screen help, fixes for a missing button and the difference between the two formats, see how to repost on Instagram.
Where do Instagram reposts go?
A repost shows up in more than one place, and each place serves a different person.
| Place | Who sees it | What they see |
|---|---|---|
| Your profile, Reposts tab | Anyone who opens that tab on your profile | Every post you have reposted |
| Friends' and followers' feeds | People connected to you | The post, recommended because you reposted it |
| Your activity, Reposts | Only you | A list you can manage or bulk delete |
| Your direct messages | You and the commenter | Comments people leave on your repost |
| The creator's profile | Everyone who can see the creator | The original post, unchanged |
Notice what does not move. The original post stays on the creator's profile with its own likes and comments. Your repost adds a new doorway to it, nothing more.
Your own grid also stays clean. Reposts sit in their own tab, apart from the posts you made yourself. For each location in detail, read where do Instagram reposts go.
How to see reposts on Instagram
There are two ways to look at your reposts, and they suit different jobs.
To browse them like a gallery: tap your profile picture at the bottom right of the app, then tap the reposts tab on your profile. You see the posts you have passed on, all in one place.
To manage them: go to your profile, open the menu, tap Your activity, then tap Reposts. From here you can select several reposts at once and tap Delete to remove them in one go.
The gallery view is best when you want to see your profile the way visitors do. The activity view is best for a clean-up, for example after a busy month of reposting.
Seeing who reposted your own post is a different question, and Instagram's help page on reposts does not describe a list for it. We cover what you can and cannot check in how to see reposts on Instagram.
How to undo or delete a repost
Changed your mind? Undoing a single repost takes one tap. Go back to the Reel or post you reposted and tap Repost again. The post leaves your Reposts tab.
For many reposts at once, use the bulk route from the section above: profile, menu, Your activity, Reposts, select, Delete. This removes your reposts. It does not touch the creator's original post, which stays on their profile.
A simple rule keeps your Reposts tab useful: if you would not recommend the post today, remove it. Visitors judge your taste by that tab, so an old repost that no longer fits your account is worth clearing.
How to turn off reposts on Instagram
Creators control whether other people can repost their work. The switch sits in your settings.
- Go to your profile and open the menu.
- Under "How others can interact with you", tap Sharing and reuse.
- Find Reposts on posts and reels and switch it off.
With the switch off, other people cannot repost your posts or Reels. Instagram's help page states that you can only repost when the original creator allows reposts.
The same Sharing and reuse screen holds a second switch, Posts and reels to stories. That one controls whether people can add your posts to their Stories. The two switches are separate, so you can allow one and block the other.
Think before you switch reposts off. Every repost puts your post in front of people who follow the reposter, including people who do not follow you. Turning reposts off closes that door. Our step-by-step guide on how to turn off reposts on Instagram covers the trade-offs in full.
Reposts vs Story shares vs sending in a chat
Instagram gives you three ways to pass a post on. They look alike but behave very differently.
| Repost | Share to your Story | Send in a chat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Button | Repost | Share, then Add to story | Share, then pick people |
| Where it appears | Reposts tab and followers' feeds | Your Story | The chat only |
| Who sees it | Friends and followers | People who view your Story | The people you send it to |
| Credit | Credited to the original poster | Viewers can see who first posted it | The post shows its creator |
| Creator switch | Reposts on posts and reels | Posts and reels to stories | No switch named on the help page |
| Public post needed | Yes | Yes, and resharing must be allowed | Not stated |
A chat message is the most private choice. Instagram's help page says messages "won't appear in feed, search or your profile." A Story share is public to your Story viewers. A repost goes the widest, because it sits on your profile and is recommended in feeds.
Pick the tool that matches the goal. Send a post to one friend who needs it. Add a post to your Story for a quick mention. Repost when you want the post to stay on your profile as a lasting recommendation.
Why can't I repost a post on Instagram?
A missing or greyed-out Repost button nearly always has a simple cause. Work down this list.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Repost button on any post | The feature is not on your account yet | Update the app and check again later |
| No Repost button on one post | The account is private | Send it in a chat instead |
| No Repost button on one creator's posts | The creator switched reposts off | Respect it, or ask the creator |
| Button missing on a post someone reposted | You are looking at a repost | Open the original post and repost that |
| Nothing on a computer | Reposting is a phone app action | Use the Instagram app |
The repost rule causes the most confusion. When a friend reposts a Reel, you cannot repost their repost. Tap through to the creator's original, and the button will be there if the creator allows reposts.
How to get reposts on Instagram
People repost what they want their own followers to see. So the question "how do I get reposts on Instagram" really means "how do I make posts people are proud to pass on". These habits help.
- Keep the post public and reposts switched on. Check Sharing and reuse first. A blocked switch means zero reposts, whatever the content.
- Make it useful to someone else's audience. A clear tip, a checklist or a strong how-to travels further than an inside joke.
- Hook in the first second. Instagram's ranking guide says Reels ranking predicts whether you will watch a reel all the way through. A strong opening keeps people watching long enough to act.
- Keep Reels under three minutes for new viewers. Reels can now run up to 20 minutes, but Instagram's help page says Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences.
- Ask for it plainly. A last line such as "Repost this for a friend who is job hunting" gives people a reason and a step.
- Post when your followers are online. Instagram's own advice is to post when your audience is awake and most active, and to check Insights for their habits.
A post that earns reposts also tends to earn sends. In January 2025, Instagram head Adam Mosseri named watch time, likes and sends as the top three ranking signals. He said sends matter a little more for people who do not follow you. Reposts were not on that list, so treat them as a way to reach new people, not as a proven ranking signal.
Do Instagram reposts help reach?
Reposts help a post reach new people in one clear way. Meta's announcement says a reposted post can reach the reposter's followers, even people who do not follow the creator. Each repost adds a new group of possible viewers.
What Instagram has not published is a rule that a repost lifts a post in the wider ranking system. Its public ranking statements name watch time, likes and sends. So the honest answer is this: reposts widen the audience directly, and anything beyond that is not stated by Instagram.
You can measure the effect yourself. Open the post's insights and watch Views and Viewers. Viewers counts unique accounts, so a rise in Viewers after a big repost shows new people arriving. Our guide on do Instagram reposts help reach walks through that check step by step.
Can you buy Instagram reposts?
Yes. Rizula sells reposts for one post or Reel per order, alongside likes, views, shares and saves. The order steps are the same as for any Rizula service.
- Copy the link to your post or Reel.
- Paste it into the Rizula order form.
- Switch on reposts and set an amount from 100 to 20,000.
- Check the total, go to checkout and type your email.
- Send the order on WhatsApp, Telegram or by email. Rizula replies with a payment link.
Delivery starts within minutes after payment is confirmed. Orders complete within 0 to 24 hours. Rizula never asks for your Instagram password, because it only needs the post link.
| Reposts | Price |
|---|---|
| 100 | $0.99 |
| 250 | $1.89 |
| 500 | $2.89 |
| 1,000 | $4.49 |
| 2,500 | $9.49 |
| 5,000 | $16.99 |
| 10,000 | $31.99 |
| 20,000 | $59.99 |
Reposts use the same price list as shares for now. Amounts between two rows get a price between those rows. For a closer look at the numbers, read how much do Instagram reposts cost. For the order flow and the checks to run first, see how to buy Instagram reposts, or jump straight to the reposts section on the homepage.
Before you buy, know the rules. Meta's spam policy bans selling, buying or exchanging engagement. The US FTC rule 16 CFR Part 465, in force since October 21, 2024, bans buying or selling fake indicators of social media influence for a commercial purpose, and its list of indicators names reposts. If you plan to use bought numbers for business, get legal advice first. Our likes guide explains what the rules on buying say, and the wider picture is in buying Instagram engagement.
One practical check: keep Reposts on posts and reels switched on for the post you order for. A post with reposts blocked cannot take reposts from anyone.
Instagram reposts in one list
Here is the whole feature in eight lines, ready to save.
- Reposts launched on August 6, 2025, for public Reels and feed posts.
- Tap Repost in the app; tap the bubble by your picture to add a note.
- Reposts land in a separate tab on your profile and in followers' feeds.
- The creator always keeps the credit.
- You cannot repost a repost.
- Comments on your repost come to you as direct messages.
- Tap Repost again to undo, or bulk delete from Your activity.
- Creators control reposts under Sharing and reuse.
Reposts are one of the simplest ways to share good work without stealing it. Use them generously, add a note that tells people why, and keep your own posts open to reposts so others can do the same for you.