If you’re on Instagram and you don’t live under a rock, then you’ve seen those super cute Instagram Stories Highlight Icons and you’ve been like, OMG! How do I make them?
Still not sure what I’m talking about? Here, these are mine:
Click here to connect on Instagram!
So yes, people have been creating these cover images for their Instagram highlights and they can help your brand look nice and cohesive – aka, it makes you look like you’ve got your shit together.
Sure, you can buy some of these Instagram Stories Highlight Icons on sites like Creative Market, but I made mine in like 10 mins for free last night using Canva, so I thought I’d show you guys how to do it.
Related Reading: How To Start A Blog – A Step by Step Guide With Screenshots
Related Reading: Instagram Stories Hacks That’ll Blow Your Mind
Related Reading: My New Blogging Course: Side Hobby To Side Hustle
STEP #1: CREATE A CANVA ACCOUNT
I’ve been using Canva FOREVER, so I already had a ton of projects that I’ve worked on in my library.
STEP #2: FIND TEMPLATE
On the left hand side, click on find templates. They you’ll want to type “Instagram Stories” in the search box and you’ll get a ton of Instagram Stories templates you can use. These are good to use for regular Instagram stories btw, but to make these highlight icons, I’m just using a template to make sure I get the sizing correct.
Choose any of these templates, really doesn’t matter which one and click on it. After you’ve selected the template, hit that green button on the top right that says “Use This Template.”
STEP# 3: DELETE EVERYTHING FROM TEMPLATE
Select each of the elements from the template and delete them. Delete the cupcake background. Delete the text. Even delete this background with the sky and the grass.
Now you’ll be left with a clean template to work with like this:
Related Reading: How To Take Your Instagram To The Next Level
STEP #4: CHOOSE YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR
On the lefthand side, click on “Background” and choose what you want your background to look like. You can pick a solid color or use one of the textured ones in the lower section.
STEP #5: CHOOSE YOUR ICONS
Now the fun part! Again, on the lefthand side, click on “Elements.”
Then start searching for the kind of icons you’d like to use. This is where you get to be creative. Think about the sorts of icons you’d use to represent the different topics you want to cover in your stories. Post a lot about home decor? Okay, so let’s look for a house icon. Type the word “house” in the search bar and you’ll see what your options are. I like to look at the “Illustrations” because photos aren’t really good to use for icons.
*NOTE: A lot of these icons are free, but some icons you’ll need to either pay for (usually $1) or you’ll have access to if you upgrade to Canva Pro.
STEP #6: EDIT YOUR ICONS
So let’s say I picked the third house icon. I clicked on it and it and it gave me that booger green house. NOT the color I want. You can change the color of your icon by clicking on the little square on the top left where it says “Pick A Color.” I changed this one to white which looks way better.
You can then resize your icon. I chose to make this one a little smaller, but that’s the size I used for my icons, more or less (make sure it’s centered on the background).
WOOHOO! You officially have one icon completed!
STEP #7: MAKE ALL THE ICONS YOUR HEART DESIRES
Now that you’ve made one, you can make as many as you damn well please! Click those two rectangles on the right that say “Copy This Page” and start over!
STEP #7: DOWNLOAD FILES
All done? Awesome! Once you have all your icons ready, click “DOWNLOAD” at the top and I like to save them as JPGs. Select which pages you want to download and hit that green button.
You’ll get a message that looks like this, and once it’s done, you’ll have the images on your computer.
And that’s it! That’s how you make them! Once you’ve downloaded them, send them to your e-mail or find a way to save them to your phone and then upload them to your Instagram Stories and save them as the covers to your Instagram Highlights!
Hope that helps, guys! And again, if you’d like to connect on Insta, follow me and let me know that you read this post! Always looking to make new friends and I spend sooo much time there!
A lot of people have also been asking me how I edit my photos on Instagram, so if you’re curious, I shoot with my Sony A5100 (which I love) and then edit on Lightroom. If you’re ever interested in my editing services, connect with me and let me know how I can help you!
Or you can check out these super cute Lightroom presets for bloggers that’ll really help your photos stand out from the crowd!
Until next time!
xoxoxox,
Kayla
P.S. – Thinking of starting a profitable blog of your own? Here’s my super easy step-by-step guide (with screenshots). I’d love to walk you through it!
Resources for creative professionals:
Books:
- Blog, Inc.
- Creative, Inc.
- How To Blog For Profit Without Selling Your Soul
- 365 Blog Topic Ideas: For The Lifestyle Blogger Who Has Nothing To Write About
- #GirlBoss
- Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job, Kill It In Your Career, Rock Social Media
- Crush It
- Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
- Thrive
So great that you share this. I die a litle every time someone says they charge like $50!
I have been wondering how to do this, super helpful tutorial thank you so much!!!
Those little icons are so cute! I actually prefer to feature a photo related to the topic instead but I know the icons are really popular. Canva makes everything so easy! It’s definitely one of my favorite blogging tools.
Thank you so much for sharing this! Who knew?! lol
EXCELLENT JOB..KEEP IT UP..THANKS
Thank you so much for this tutorial I was looking at some one’s shop as they were selling them and I thought surely you can make them for free. Thanks so much for saving me $20
Thank you so much for the help! 😀
Kisses from Portugal*
This was very helpful. Thank you!
This is awesome!! Super helpful – thank you so much for sharing!
So helpful, just what I’d been looking for. Thank You!
Thanks for this post! Do you have to upload it to your story and keep it on for 24 hours? Before it will be saved to the highlights?
Great, practical article, thanks!
This was so helpful, thanks for sharing!
This was so helpful. Just wondering whether it will be in the center or not! haha! Nevertheless, perfect!
Thank you!!
Hi did you do this on the app on your phone? The options to design are totally different on the one I downloaded I don’t have a sidebar! Xx
Wow, Canva is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, saving me so much time.
This is awesome! Been using canva for a while. It was my go to app. Initially wasn’t sure I was right about it, but your steps confirmed it. It’s a great online platform for a range of things. Makes marketing and events planning a breeze. Easy access to thousands of funky designs. Thanks again.
Thank you for this it was VERY HELPFUL!!
Thanks for sharing. This is very helpful. Seems I might have to purchase some packs since the free ones aren’t so great though
Thank you for this – it was super helpful! I already had Canva, but having your step-by-step instructions was a life-saver.
Great article, I’ll use it for my personal Instagram. Thanks.
Thank you for this! Super easy, but I had no idea. 🙂
This was incredibly helpful! 🙂 Just gave your Insta a follow!
Thank you so much! This was so helpful!!!
Yay! Glad I could help! 🙂
Hi there! I just read your blog post on creating Instagram stories/ icons with Canva. So I just created an account and I added the upgrade model. I’m trying to follow your step by steps on how to create my icons! So I’m already stumped at the first step… lol I don’t have the “find template” button on the left side of my screen. I have everything else but that!! Heeellllpppp!!!
This was so helpful. Thanks!
Hello Kayla,
Thank you so much for this easy-to-follow DIY highlight process.
Baby steps, but I’m on my way.
Hi Sonya,
I know I’m late here, but I’m glad you enjoyed it! If you need help with anything else, please let me know! xoxox, Kayla