HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN INSTAGRAM HIGHLIGHT COVERS

 Go to Canva and click on create a design. I find Canva works better in Chrome verse Safari if you’re on a Mac.

Click on blog graphic

Click elements  on the left-hand side

Click grids and select the first plain picture on the left

Click on backgrounds and select a color or background of choice. You can customize the color by clicking the [+] box. You can also upload any picture if you want to use a styled background instead of a solid color. Get creative here, but you want to make sure they aren’t too busy and easy for people to read.

Click on text then click add heading and slide it to the canvas. Type out the title for your IG story graphic 

Pick your favorite font and contrasting color (I used white because I’m faithful to my IG theme 😉

Click elements again then click shapes

Search the icons you want to use for the highlight covers you plan to add to your profile. My highlight covers are beauty, style, life, home, bloopers, and blog. I picked cute simple icons that went with these topics. Drag the icon to the center of the post. Canva helps you align things easily! You can also change the color of the simple images to match your style. Again, I choose white. Try to keep the icons a similar size when adjusting them.

Click download as .JPG

I kept the same template for each highlight cover and just changed the title and image after saving it to save some time and make sure it was cohesive, but you can create individual graphics if you’d like to spend the extra time doing so. Some tips, try to keep the icons a similar size when adjusting them.

You’re one step closer to having Instagram highlight covers!

HOW TO ADD INSTAGRAM HIGHLIGHT COVERS

Now that you’ve made Instagram highlight covers to use, it’s time to add them to your Instagram Highlights! I uploaded the graphics to my dropbox, then saved them on my phone. There are multiple ways to transfer graphics from your computer to your phone, but Dropbox is the method I like to use. For now, the only way to add to your Instagram highlights is by uploading them through your stories, so upload each graphic you plan to use and share them on your story. I gave my followers a heads up prior to doing this so they weren’t completely confused about the random graphics. Now you’re ready to make them your highlight covers.

Click [+] NEW on your Instagram profile page. This is right under your bio.

All of your posted Instagram stories should come up. Click on a cover graphic and any Instagram story you want to add to that highlight. They will show up in the order you posted them to your stories

UPDATE: I’ve had a few questions about how to get the IG highlight cover before certain stories. As of now, they will only show up in the order they were posted (chronologically). If you want to include older IG stories to a newer highlight, then you will have to re-upload them to your stories after you post the cover.

Click edit cover and align the icon how you want it to show as the cover. Then type in the title and click add in the top right corner.

Boom, you now have pretty Instagram highlight covers. Just repeat these steps to add all of your topics you want to include on your page.

MAJOR UPDATE! You can add a highlight cover without uploading it to your stories. Click edit cover and scroll to the LEFT and you will be able to upload a photo from your iPhone. YAY!