Instagram quietly saves your old stories and shows you “memories” from the same day in past years. Here is where to find them.
Turn on story archive first
Memories only work if Story Archive is on.
- Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines).
- Tap Archive.
- Tap the three dots, then Settings.
- Make sure Save story to archive is on.
Where to find memories
- Open your profile and tap the menu.
- Tap Archive.
- Use the dropdown at the top to choose Stories archive, Posts archive or Live archive.
- Scroll to the bottom of the stories archive to see the On this day memories section, if available for that day.
Instagram may also show a memory at the top of your feed or in a notification.
Share a memory again
Open the memory and tap Share. You can add text, stickers or music and post it as a new story. Many creators use “throwback” memories to show their growth journey, which followers love.
Find old posts quickly
- Tap the menu, then Your activity, then Photos and videos to sort posts by date.
- Use Interactions to see posts you liked or commented on.
Memories not showing?
- Story archive might have been off on that date.
- The app may need an update. See our guide on how to update Instagram.
- Some features roll out to different accounts at different times.
Use your past content for growth
Old posts that did well can be reworked into new Reels or carousels. Check which ones performed best with our Engagement Rate Calculator, then refresh them for today’s audience.
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