Free Instagram Story Template Maker
Design a full 1080 by 1920 Instagram story in your browser. Pick a template, set the background, headline, and handle, then download a ready-to-post PNG. Free, no sign-up, and any image you use never leaves your device.
Design your story
100% in your browser. Any image you upload is drawn on your own device and is never sent to a server.
Turn your story into a live Instagram feed on your site
Your story earns views on Instagram. Add a free Common Ninja Instagram Feed widget so those visitors land back on your website, auto-updating with every new post. No code.
Put Your Story to Work
You made something worth sharing. These free CommonNinja widgets turn that attention into followers and website visitors.
Instagram Feed
Pull your best posts right onto your website. The content that stops the scroll on Instagram keeps working for you on your own site.
Instagram Slider
Show your Instagram posts in a clean horizontal slider on your site, so visitors browse your visuals without leaving.
Instagram Carousel
Display your posts in a tappable carousel. Visitors swipe through your visual story on any page.
Social Share Buttons
Make it one tap for visitors to share your story graphics. Every share extends the reach of the design you just made.
Explore More Free Tools
Other free tools to create shareable social content.
Free Quote Card Maker
Turn any quote into a clean, shareable graphic for your feed and stories in seconds.
Use Tool →Free Instagram Carousel Maker
Split one wide image into seamless, swipeable carousel slides in posting order.
Use Tool →Free Text Behind Image Maker
Place bold text behind your subject for the viral depth effect. Automatic cutout, all in your browser.
Use Tool →Free Meme Generator
Add classic top and bottom captions to any image and download a meme PNG.
Use Tool →How It Works
How to make an Instagram story in three steps
No account, no sign-up, completely free. Everything is drawn in your browser, so any image you use is never uploaded to a server.
Pick a template
Start from Announcement, Quote, Sale, New Post, Question, or Link in bio. Each one sets a background, copy, and layout you can then change.
Make it yours
Edit the headline, subtext, and handle, choose a solid, gradient, or image background, then set the font, color, alignment, and vertical position.
Download and post
Preview it live, then download a full-resolution 1080 by 1920 PNG with one click and post it straight to your story.
Why Stories Work
Why stories earn attention
Stories sit at the very top of the app, fill the whole screen, and feel personal and in-the-moment. That combination is why they are one of the most direct ways to reach the people who already follow you.
full screen + top placement + 24 hours = urgent, focused attention
A story takes over the entire screen, so there is no competing content next to it. Because it is gone in a day, viewers give it a quick, focused look, which is exactly why a clear design and one clear message matter so much.
Stories are also where casual followers become an engaged audience. Polls, questions, and links invite a direct response in a way a feed post rarely does. A steady rhythm of simple, on-brand stories keeps you visible at the top of the app day after day.
The trade-off is that stories vanish. A great frame you post today is gone tomorrow unless you save it to a highlight or, better still, point viewers to something more permanent like your website or feed. Design the story to look good and to move people somewhere that lasts.
Sizes & Specs
Story sizes and where they fit
This tool exports at the native story size of 1080 by 1920 pixels. That same vertical frame works across every major short-form format, so one design covers a lot of ground.
| Use case | Typical size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram / Facebook story | 1080 × 1920 | The native full-screen 9:16 story canvas this tool exports Great fit |
| Instagram Reel cover | 1080 × 1920 | A vertical cover frame that matches the story shape Great fit |
| TikTok / YouTube Short | 1080 × 1920 | The same vertical design reused across short-form platforms Great fit |
| Pinterest idea pin | 1080 × 1920 | Tall pins that fill the mobile screen Also works |
| WhatsApp / status | 1080 × 1920 | Vertical status updates outside the main feeds Also works |
Sizes reflect common 2026 platform recommendations.
Templates
Which template fits your post?
Each preset is a starting point you can fully edit. Here is when to reach for each one and what it is built to do.
| Template | The look | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | Bold headline centered on a bright gradient | Launches, reveals, and any post you want people to notice fast |
| Quote | A single line centered on a dark, calm background | Testimonials, motivational lines, or a standout sentence from a post |
| Sale | A big offer with a short supporting line | Discounts, drops, and limited-time promotions |
| New Post | A photo background with a dark overlay and low text | Driving story viewers to a fresh feed post or reel |
| Question | A clear prompt centered on a solid brand color | AMAs and story replies that spark direct messages |
| Link in bio | A short call to action set low on a deep gradient | Sending viewers to a link, shop, or landing page |
Troubleshooting
Why does my story fall flat?
Almost every story that underperforms comes down to one of these six. Most are about the design and the message, not the tool.
Wrong aspect ratio
A square or landscape image gets cropped hard in a story. Design at 1080 by 1920 from the start so nothing important is cut off.
Always 9:16Text in the safe zone
The top and bottom of a story are covered by the profile, caption, and reply bar. Keep key text away from those edges.
Mind the edgesText you cannot read
Light text on a busy photo disappears. Add a dark overlay or pick a solid background so every word stays legible.
Contrast firstToo much on one frame
A wall of text loses viewers in the two seconds they give a story. One idea per frame, then move to the next.
One idea per frameNo consistent look
Random fonts and colors make a brand forgettable. Reuse the same template, palette, and handle across your stories.
Keep it on-brandNo clear next step
A story that looks great but asks for nothing is a missed chance. Tell viewers exactly what to do next.
Add one CTABest Practices
8 tips for stories people actually watch
All CommonNinja widgets mentioned below are free to start. Apply these while you design and after you post.
01
Design for the thumb, not the desk
Stories are watched on a phone held at arm’s length. Make the headline big enough to read in a glance and keep the layout simple.
02
Respect the safe zones
Leave clear space at the top and bottom of the frame. Use the vertical position slider to pull text into the middle band where nothing overlaps it.
03
Use a dark overlay on photos
When you use an image background, a light dark overlay lifts your text off the photo so it stays readable no matter how busy the picture is.
04
Pick one font and stick with it
A single, clear typeface reads faster than mixing several. Consistency across frames is what makes a set of stories feel like one brand.
05
Bring the audience home to your site
A story disappears in 24 hours. Embed your Instagram feed on your website so the people you reach can find and follow you long after the story is gone.
Add Instagram Feed free →06
Make every graphic easy to reshare
Reach grows when sharing is effortless. Add share buttons to any page your story graphics live on so visitors can pass them along in one tap.
Add Share Buttons free →07
Always end with a clear ask
Tell viewers what to do: tap the link, reply, swipe, or check the feed. A story with one clear call to action beats a pretty one with none.
08
Build a repeatable house style
Save your colors, font, and handle as your default template. Reusing the same look turns one-off stories into a recognizable content series.
Glossary
Story terms, briefly
Six terms that come up whenever you design stories. Bookmark this if you create them for a brand or a team.
From the Blog
Further reading on social content
More from the CommonNinja blog. Free, no sign-up, just practical posts on creating content that grows your audience.
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