- Sharing a Spotify song to your Instagram Story
- Adding your Spotify link to your Instagram bio
- The catch: only a share from Spotify links back
- Which way should you use?
- Making the shared story worth tapping
- A short note for artists
- If the Instagram option is missing in Spotify
- What I'd do
- Frequently asked questions
To put a song on your Story, open it in the Spotify app, tap Share, then Instagram Stories, and Instagram opens with the cover art and a 'Play on Spotify' link viewers can tap. To keep a Spotify link on your profile, copy your profile, playlist or artist link in Spotify and paste it in Instagram under Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link.
Those are two different jobs, and there's a third one people mean when they ask this: artists who want their own music inside Instagram. That one doesn't happen in either app's settings. It goes through the company that distributes your music. Pick the row below that matches what you're after, and skip the rest.
| What you want | Where you do it | What followers see |
|---|---|---|
| Share a song, album, playlist or podcast to your Story | The Spotify app, using Share | Cover art plus a 'Play on Spotify' link at the top of the story |
| A Spotify link that stays on your profile | Instagram, Edit profile, then Links | A tappable link in your bio |
| Your own tracks in Instagram's music library | Your music distributor | Your song available in the music sticker and on Reels |
Sharing a Spotify song to your Instagram Story
This is the route that gives you the tap-through link, so start in Spotify, not Instagram.
- Open the Spotify app and find the song, album, playlist or podcast episode you want to share.
- Tap the three dots or the Share icon on that item.
- In the share sheet, tap Instagram Stories. If you don't see it, scroll along the row of app icons.
- Instagram opens with the cover art already on a story, plus the 'Play on Spotify' link at the top.
- Add text, stickers or a mention if you like. Move the artwork around by dragging it.
- Tap Your story or Close Friends to post it.
Anyone who views the story can tap the link to open that track in Spotify. If the Share menu looks different in your version of Spotify, look for the Instagram icon in Spotify's share sheet.
Adding your Spotify link to your Instagram bio
A story disappears. A bio link stays, which suits a playlist you keep updating, a podcast, or an artist profile.
- In Spotify, open your profile, playlist, podcast or artist page.
- Tap the three dots, then Share, then Copy link.
- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Tap Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link.
- Paste the Spotify link, add a title if Instagram offers a box for one, and save.
- Go back to your profile and tap the link once to check it opens the right page.
If menu names look different in your version of Instagram, search the app's settings for the word 'Links'.
The catch: only a share from Spotify links back
The 'Play on Spotify' tap-through only appears when you share from inside the Spotify app. A screenshot of Spotify won't link anywhere. Instagram's own music sticker won't either, because it plays from Instagram's own music library, not from Spotify. So if you want people to land on your playlist or track in Spotify, use Spotify's Share button every time.
The two can still work together. If you'd like the song to play while people watch your story, add Instagram's music sticker for the sound and paste the Spotify share for the link, or post two story frames back to back. If the music sticker isn't showing for you, here's why you can't add music to an Instagram story and what to try.
Which way should you use?
- Sharing a song you love: the Spotify share to Stories. It's quick and people can tap straight through.
- Promoting a playlist or podcast you run: put the link in your bio, then share new episodes or updates to Stories.
- Adding music to a photo post or Reel: that's Instagram's music library, not Spotify. See how to add music to an Instagram post.
- Releasing your own music: use both, plus the artist steps below.
Making the shared story worth tapping
A bare cover image on a plain background is easy to scroll past. A few small touches give people a reason to tap through:
- Say why you're sharing it in a short line of text, such as what the song reminds you of or who the playlist is for.
- Keep the background simple so the artwork stands out, and add one colour that matches it if you're adding text.
- Leave the top of the story clear so the 'Play on Spotify' link isn't hidden behind your text or stickers.
- Add a question sticker asking for song suggestions if you want replies, not just taps.
A short note for artists
If you make music, there are two separate jobs and they're often mixed up.
First, sending fans to your music on Spotify. Spotify for Artists has its own share assets and promo tools, so you can make story artwork that looks tidy and still carries the link. Put your artist profile link in your Instagram bio so it's always one tap away, and share each new release from the Spotify app so the 'Play on Spotify' link is attached.
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Second, getting your track into Instagram's own music library, so you and your fans can use it as the sound on Stories and Reels. That doesn't happen through Spotify at all. You go through a music distributor, the company that delivers your releases to streaming services, and pick Instagram and Facebook as a destination where they offer it. Each distributor has its own terms, so check them before you sign up. This guide to promoting your music on Instagram covers the rest of the plan.
If the Instagram option is missing in Spotify
A few things to check before you give up:
- Update both apps. Older versions sometimes don't show Instagram in the share sheet.
- Make sure Instagram is installed on the same phone and you're logged in.
- Try sharing a different track, to see whether the problem is with one item or with every share.
- On iPhone, check that Instagram hasn't been switched off in the share sheet's app list.
- Restart the phone, then try again.
Still stuck? Copy the link from Spotify and add a link sticker to your story in Instagram instead. It isn't as pretty as the cover art version, but it still sends people to the right track.
What I'd do
If it were my account, I'd keep one Spotify link in the bio and share every new track or episode from the Spotify app, never as a screenshot. That way every story does a job, and nobody has to go looking for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I connect my Spotify account to Instagram permanently?
There's no permanent account link for regular users. You share items from Spotify to your Story each time, and you can keep one Spotify link in your Instagram bio.
Why doesn't my Spotify story have a Play on Spotify link?
The link only appears when you share from inside the Spotify app using Share, then Instagram Stories. Screenshots and Instagram's music sticker don't link to Spotify.
Can I add a Spotify song to an Instagram post or Reel?
Not as a Spotify link. Feed posts and Reels use Instagram's own music library. Add the song from there, and put your Spotify link in your bio.
How do I get my own song into Instagram's music library?
Through a music distributor that delivers to Instagram and Facebook. Spotify itself doesn't place songs in Instagram's library.
