Is nothing new happening in your life? And because of that, you have got no new pictures or videos to share on your Instagram stories? Ahh, well, it’s okay. You can simply use your old pictures and videos again by modifying their time. Isn’t this smart? It’s called sustainable Instagramming (yeah, I came up with this term), and it’s a highly recommended practice! But wait. Do you know how to change time on Instagram? If not, read this article till the end to find out!
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Here’s How To Change Time On Instagram Story In 3 Smart & Easy Ways!
I don’t think you knew that changing the time of your pictures and videos was a possible thing. Because Instagram itself decides what time it is going to show along with a picture and doesn’t let users customize it. However, even though the app doesn’t provide users with a direct feature to change the time of a post, some workarounds make this possible. For example, you can use your PC to change the picture’s properties, take a screenshot of it and then save it, or use a third-party app for the purpose.
All of this might sound pretty complicated to you, but it’s really not! Plus, this article will tell you how to change time on Instagram story in the simplest way possible. So, if you want to know more, just keep scrolling!
How To Change Time On Instagram Story Using Your PC?

If the old photo you wish to upload on your Instagram stories is stored on your Mac, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to change its time:
- Upload the photo to iPhoto.
- Once the photo is uploaded, click on it.
- Go to the Photos tab and choose the “Adjust Date and Time” option from the drop-down menu that appears on the screen.
- From the pop-up that will then appear on your screen, choose the date and time you wish to modify the photo to.
- Once you’ve selected the time, click on “Adjust.”
- Then, share the picture with yourself. You can use iMessage so that saving the picture on your iPhone is easier.
And, done! Wasn’t it so simple? This method will work wonderfully for you if you use Instagram on an iPhone!
How To Change Time On Instagram Story By Taking A Screenshot?

Another simple way of changing the time on an Instagram story is by taking the image’s screenshot. Well, you see, when you take a screenshot of an image, it basically gets saved in your device again.
So, if you’re screenshotting an old image, you’re saving it as a new image.
This means when you upload the image to Instagram, it is going to have the current time, thereby making it look new. Sound genius, right? Well, it is!
If you want to know how to change time on Instagram by taking a screenshot, follow these steps (the steps may slightly vary depending on the device)
- Launch the Gallery/ Photos app on your phone.
- Locate the photo and open it.
- If you use an Android: press and hold the lower volume button and the power button at the same time to take a screenshot. A preview of the screenshot taken will appear at the top right corner of the screen for a second or two.
- If you use an iPhone: press the Top button and the Home button at the same time and then release them. A preview of the screenshot you’ve taken will briefly appear at the bottom left corner of the screen.
- Once you’ve taken a screenshot, go to it and check its properties. You will see that the date and time of the picture are the same as when the screenshot was taken.
And, done! This method works well with both Android and iOS devices and gets the job done in literally seconds!
How To Change Time On Instagram Story Using Pixelgrade?

You can also change the time of your photos by editing their metadata. The metadata comprises information like lens aperture, focal length, and of course, the time and date the picture was taken at. If you change the metadata of an image, you can trick Instagram into believing that you had taken the image in the past 24 hours or so.
Apps like Pixelgrade help you do this. Pixelgrade is a free tool that lets you add, remove, or change the date, time, geotags, etc. of an image. The best part here is that Pixelgrade is free to use and download. But, the image that you will have using the free version will be watermarked. And, to remove the watermark, you will have to get yourself the $1.99 premium version!
Final Words
Okay then, people! This was how to change time on Instagram story! This article discussed three simple ways using which you can change the date/ time of a picture that you wish to share over your stories. The task seems daunting n the surface, but using the above-mentioned workarounds, I believe it is going to be super easy for you! So, pick whichever method you like the best and get the work done! However, if you’ve got any doubts regarding any of the above-mentioned methods, feel free to mention them in the comments!
Can an Instagram story be 5 seconds?
Yes, an Instagram story can be up to 5 seconds! The maximum duration of Instagram stories as of now is 60 seconds. Anything less than this limit works fine as well. But, if you want to upload a longer story, then Instagram is going to cut the story into two.
Why my Instagram story is not 60 seconds?
If your Instagram stories are not 60 seconds currently, then you may be using an older version of Instagram. So, go to the Google Play Store or the App Store and update to download the latest version of Instagram. Once the pending updates are installed, you will be able to have 60-second-long Instagram stories!
Are Instagram Stories in time order?
No, Instagram stories are not in time order. The way your Instagram stories are going to appear at the top of your screen is determined by Instagram’s algorithm. If there’s a user whose stories you’re particularly interested in watching then those stories are going to appear first.
How do I control my time on Instagram?
You can control your time on Instagram by going to the “Your Activity” section of the app and selecting the “Time Spent” section. From there, you can tap on “Set daily time limit” and set the duration you will be using Instagram for each day. Tap on “Turn On” to save the changes you’ve just made.