To overlay pictures on an Instagram story, open your story with a background photo, tap the sticker icon at the top, choose the photo sticker and pick a second picture. It sits on top, so you can drag and resize it. For a neat grid use Layout, and for a cut-out subject use Cutouts.
The photo sticker is the tool for this. You choose one picture as the background, then add more pictures on top from your camera roll, each as its own movable layer. Instagram describes it as the way to layer additional photos onto your background.
There are two other tools people mix up with it. Layout puts photos side by side in a grid, and Cutouts lifts just the subject out of a photo, with no background. Here's how each one works and when I'd pick it.
Layer a photo on top with the photo sticker
- Open Instagram and start a new story.
- Take a photo or pick one from your camera roll. This is your background.
- Tap the sticker icon (the smiley) in the top toolbar.
- In the sticker tray, tap the photo sticker.
- Choose the picture you want on top.
- Drag it into place and pinch to make it bigger or smaller.
- Repeat steps 3 to 6 for each extra picture, then share.
Each added picture behaves like any other sticker, so you can move it around, tilt it and stack several over one background.
Three ways to combine photos in one story
| Tool | What it does | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Photo sticker | Layers extra photos on top of a background | You want one main image with smaller ones over it |
| Layout | Splits one frame into a grid of up to 6 photos | Before and after shots, or a tidy set of pictures |
| Cutouts | Turns the subject of a photo into a sticker with no background | You want a person or object to float over another scene |
Instagram also has Collage, an AI tool that makes an animated collage from 5 or more photos. It's quicker, but you get less control over where each picture sits.
Use Layout for a grid
- Tap Create, then Story.
- Tap Layout on the left.
- Tap the grid icon to change how the frame is split.
- Take a photo for each panel, or pick pictures from your camera roll.
- Tap Approve, then finish your story and share.
Layout doesn't overlap pictures, which is why it looks cleaner. If overlapping is the look you're after, go back to the photo sticker.
Use Cutouts to float a subject over a photo
Cutouts is the most striking of the three. It takes a photo with a clear subject and cuts it out automatically, so you can place, say, your face or a product over a completely different background.
- Start your story with the background you want.
- Tap the sticker icon, then tap Cutouts.
- Pick a photo with a clear subject.
- If Instagram picks the wrong thing, tap Select manually. You can only pick one object at a time.
- Place the cut-out on your story. It's also saved at the top of your sticker tray for next time.
The catch with Cutouts
Here's the bit nobody mentions. Instagram says that if you delete a sticker you made with Cutouts, any stories or reels you've created with that sticker are deleted too. And if you made a cut-out from someone else's post and they delete that post, your content that uses it gets removed too. So don't tidy up your saved cut-outs without thinking about where you've used them.
Tips for overlays that look good
- Use a plain background. Instagram's own tip: take or upload a photo, tap the brush, pick a colour, then tap and hold the screen to fill the whole background. Overlaid pictures stand out far more on a solid colour.
- Leave space at the top and bottom. Your name and the reply bar sit there, so keep key pictures in the middle.
- Stick to two or three pictures. More than that and each one becomes too small to read on a phone.
- Do it on your phone. Instagram says you can post stories from a browser with basic edits, but some features, like certain stickers, are mobile-only.
Why you can't find the photo sticker
- You're on a computer, where many stickers aren't available.
- Your app needs an update. The sticker tray changes often, so scroll the whole tray or use its search.
- You haven't added a background yet. The sticker icon appears once you've captured or picked a photo.
Stories are one of the easiest ways to stay visible without filling your grid, which I cover in getting followers without posting every day. And if you're weighing up other apps for photo editing, have a look at my round-up of Instagram alternatives.
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My verdict
For overlapping pictures, the photo sticker is the one you want. It's quick, it's built in, and you don't need a separate editing app. I'd use Layout when you want things tidy and Cutouts when you want a bit of wow, just remember that deleting a cut-out takes its stories with it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I put a picture on top of another picture on my Instagram story?
Start your story with a background photo, tap the sticker icon, choose the photo sticker and pick a second picture. You can drag and resize it.
How many photos can I put in one Instagram story?
With Layout you can split one frame into a grid of up to 6 photos. With the photo sticker you can layer several pictures over one background.
How do I layer photos on an Instagram story without the background?
Use Cutouts in the sticker tray. It turns the subject of a photo into a sticker with no background.
Can I overlay photos on an Instagram story from my computer?
Instagram says some features, like certain stickers, are mobile-only, so use the app on your phone.
What happens if I delete a Cutouts sticker?
Instagram says any reels or stories you've created with that sticker are deleted too.
