Important: At the moment, Elfsight’s Instagram Feed widget can display Instagram posts and reels on your website, not Stories. This article explains what’s technically possible with Stories, which workarounds exist, and how you can still showcase Instagram content on your website using a no-code customizable widget.
With a 70% completion rate, Instagram Stories outperform most content formats in holding viewer attention from start to finish, making them essential for brands looking to drive real-time engagement.
But here’s the challenge: can you actually embed Stories directly on your website? The short answer is no – at least not natively. Stories are ephemeral content designed to disappear after 24 hours, and Instagram’s API strictly limits access to Stories data, preventing direct embedding.
In the sections ahead, you’ll discover a detailed breakdown of Stories’ limitations in 2026, realistic alternatives, and step-by-step setup for what works best.
- Native Stories embedding isn’t possible — Instagram’s API doesn’t officially support it, and Stories are designed to disappear after 24 hours.
- Third-party tools exist but are paid — they can sync live Stories, require Business accounts and cost $20-50+/month.
- Manual archives are an option — you can export Stories as images/videos and create static galleries, but it’s labor-intensive and not automated.
- Posts & reels are better for websites — they reach far beyond followers via hashtags and Explore, stay permanent, and integrate seamlessly with Elfsight.
Instant Setup: Add Instagram Content to Your Website in Minutes
While there is no direct method to embed Stories on your website, you can still add your Instagram content with a simple, no-code widget. Here’s how:
- Open the Elfsight editor and select a template.
- Customize your Instagram feed widget.
- Click ‘Add to Website’ and copy the installation code.
- Paste the code into your website’s backend & save.
🚀 Build your custom Instagram Feed in the interactive editor!
Embedding Stories: Instagram Graph API Constraints
Though Instagram Stories deliver a remarkable 70% completion rate – meaning 7 out of 10 viewers watch through to the end – they pose a significant technical hurdle for website embedding. Unlike posts and reels, which Elfsight handles seamlessly, Stories operate under strict platform limitations that prevent direct, automatic embedding. Understanding why is essential before exploring workarounds.
🔐 The API Barrier
Instagram’s Graph API explicitly does not support Stories publishing or direct embedding for general use. Only Business and Creator accounts can access limited Story data via third-party applications, and even then, only live Stories from the last 24 hours are retrievable. The API documentation states that “Stories are not supported” for publishing, and read access is severely restricted compared to posts or reels.
🕑 The Ephemeral Nature
Stories are designed to disappear after 24 hours by default – a core feature that distinguishes them from permanent feed content. This ephemeral model makes automated, evergreen website embeds problematic. While third-party tools can display stories in real-time, once a Story expires on Instagram, it’s automatically removed from the embed (unless manually archived).
🔗 Rate Limiting & Account Type Requirements
Instagram’s Graph API rate limits of 200 calls per hour per account (reduced from previous higher limits) make frequent Story syncing impractical for large-scale widget systems compared to a simpler post-fetching architecture. Moreover, only Business or Creator accounts connected to a Facebook Page can access Story data via the API, eliminating personal Instagram users from embedding Stories on their websites.
What’s Actually Possible with Stories: 3 Workaround Options
If embedding Stories on your website is critical to your strategy, here are the realistic paths forward:
Option 1: Third-Party Story Widgets
Tools like EmbedSocial, SociableKIT, and Curator offer Story embedding widgets that automatically pull live Stories from your Business account and display them on your website.
Basic workflow:
- You connect your Business Instagram account via Facebook authorization.
- The tool fetches your current Stories and displays them in a widget.
- As new Stories are posted, they appear automatically; old Stories fade away after 24 hours.
Option 2: Story Archives as Static Galleries
Instagram Story Highlights allow you to save Stories permanently on your profile, but third-party tools cannot automatically pull Highlights via API due to restrictions. However, you can manually export Stories and recreate them as static galleries on your website.
Here’s how:
- Export Stories you want to preserve (screenshots or video files).
- Create a gallery or carousel on your website displaying these manually.
- Update the gallery regularly when you have new Stories to showcase.
Option 3: Promote Posts & Reels Instead
The simplest and most sustainable approach: consider posts and reels as a more practical alternative, which Elfsight handles perfectly.
Why this makes sense:
- Posts and reels are permanent, discoverable via hashtags and Explore, and reach far wider audiences.
- Stories excel for real-time engagement within the Instagram app, not for long-term website presence.
- Your audience’s engagement patterns likely favor posts/reels anyway – Stories are 24-hour impulse content, not something users expect to see archived on external websites.
Comparison: Stories Embedding Options vs. Posts/Reels
| Aspect | Third-Party Story Widgets | Manual Story Archives | Elfsight Posts & Reels (Instagram Feed Widget) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time sync | Yes | No | Yes |
| Content lifespan | 24 hours (automatic removal) | Permanent | Permanent |
| Setup ease | Medium (auth required) | Easy | Easy |
| Cost | $20-50+/month | Free | Free Tier Available |
| Account requirement | Business + Facebook Page | None | Business Account |
| Maintenance | Low | High (manual updates) | Low |
| Reach & SEO | Limited (ephemeral) | Better (static archive) | Best (permanent, discoverable) |
The Bottom Line
Direct, automated Instagram Stories embedding remains impossible due to platform and technical constraints. If Stories are a priority, third-party paid tools are your only option.
Posts and reels reach far beyond your followers through hashtags and Explore, stay visible indefinitely, while Stories remain siloed to your existing followers and disappear after 24 hours. Unless you’re running time-sensitive promotions (flash sales, event countdowns, time-limited announcements) that genuinely benefit from Stories’ ephemeral, in-app urgency, Stories belong on Instagram, where they thrive – not archived on your website.
How to Add Instagram Posts & Reels Step-by-Step
Given these constraints, the smarter play is displaying your Instagram posts and reels – content that reaches beyond followers, stays permanent, and drives real engagement. Ready to embed your feed?
1. Choose a Template
When you open the widget editor, the first thing you’ll do is pick a template. Each template sets the starting look of your Instagram Feed – whether it’s a clean gallery grid, a sleek slider, or a bold highlight style.
Click “Continue with this template” once you find one that feels right.
2. Add the Content Source
Next, tell the widget where to pull content from. Click “Add Source” and connect your Instagram account (personal or business) or set up a hashtag feed. You can even add multiple accounts and hashtags at once to combine different types of content into one feed.
Filters let you control what shows up, so you can hide posts with certain keywords or limit by media type.
You can even add multiple accounts and hashtags at once to combine different types of content into one feed. Filters let you control what shows up, so you can hide posts with certain keywords or limit by media type.
3. Configure the Layout
Now decide how your posts will be arranged in the feed. The Layout tab gives you several options:
- Grid: Posts appear in neat rows and columns.
- Slider: A carousel with navigation (arrows, swipe, or dots) and optional autoplay.
- Masonry: A Pinterest-style grid where posts adapt to their image size.
- Highlight: One post takes center stage, with others placed around it.
You can also adjust the number of rows and columns, set mobile vs. desktop layouts, and add a custom feed title if you’d like.
4. Customize Post Display
In the Post tab, you’ll control how each individual post looks. You can set the aspect ratio (square, original, or custom), decide whether to show usernames, captions, likes, comments, or dates, and choose what happens when someone clicks a post—open in a popup, link to Instagram, or stay static.
You can also decide whether more posts should load automatically as users scroll, or only when they click “Load More.”
5. Adjust the Style
This is where you make the feed look like part of your website. Under the Style tab, you can select a preset color scheme (light, dark, or custom), tweak button shapes and hover effects, adjust padding and spacing, and style the popup viewer.
For full control, use the Custom CSS option – it’s perfect if you need to follow strict brand guidelines or want to make advanced design tweaks.
6. Configure the Settings
The Settings tab is where you finalize details. Choose your widget’s language (auto-detect works well for multilingual websites)and enable lazy loading for faster performance.
Add custom JS or CSS if you need advanced behavior.
7. Get the Installation Code
When everything looks good, click “Add to website for free.” This generates your personal installation code. Copy the code – you’ll use it in the next step when placing the widget into your website.
8. Add the Widget to Your Website
Simply insert the code into the desired location on your webpage. Elfsight’s Instagram Feed widget supports most popular CMS platforms, and can work as an inline or floating solution. For more guidance on platform-specific installation steps, check out our Help Center tutorials.
What Makes Posts & Reels Embedding Powerful
While third-party Story tools are expensive and API-dependent, Elfsight’s Instagram Feed widget offers a simpler, more reliable solution. Here’s what you get when you embed posts and reels instead:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Content Types Supported | Instagram posts, videos, carousels, and Reels |
| Content Sources | Display by Instagram username, hashtag, or mentions & tags; combine up to 5 sources in one widget |
| Layout Options | Slider (carousel) or Grid layout with customizable columns, rows, and spacing |
| Post Templates | Tile template (photos only) or Classic template (with user info, likes, comments, date) |
| Customization Options | 50+ customization settings, including title, size, grid layout, and responsive mobile optimization |
| Content Filtering | Exclude or show posts by specific hashtags, words, or links in captions |
| Interactive Elements | Popup mode for full-size image viewing, Follow button, Share icon, and Comment display |
| Call-to-Action Buttons | Shoppable Instagram Feed with CTA buttons linking posts to product pages |
| Color Schemes | 12 predefined color schemes + custom color painting for 12 interface elements |
| Auto-Updates | Content refreshes automatically every 48 hours with cloud-based caching for performance |
| Platform Support | WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Elementor, and 35+ other builders with no coding required |
| Free Tier | Full feature access available with free plan; no credit card required |
With automatic updates, flexible layouts, and seamless integration across 35+ platforms, Instagram Feed delivers evergreen, low-maintenance social proof on your website – no API hassles or 24-hour expiration dates like Stories require.
Instagram Feed Widget: Common Questions
Does Elfsight support Instagram Stories?
My Instagram Feed isn't showing new posts. What should I do?
Why isn't my Instagram Feed displaying on mobile devices?
Do I need to reconnect my Instagram account regularly?
Why does my Instagram Feed load slowly?
Conclusion
Instagram Stories are powerful for real-time engagement, but embedding them on your website is neither practical nor strategically sound. The technical barriers are real: Instagram’s API doesn’t support native Stories embedding, the 24-hour ephemeral nature defeats the purpose of permanent website content, and third-party workarounds cost $20-50+/month while remaining fragile and API-dependent.
The better move? Focus on what actually works: Instagram posts and reels. They reach far beyond your followers through hashtags and Explore, stay visible indefinitely, and drive significantly more engagement for website visitors. Elfsight’s Instagram Feed widget is purpose-built for exactly this – seamless, automatic, no-code integration across 35+ platforms with zero API complexity.
Stories belong on Instagram, where they thrive as ephemeral, in-app content. Your website deserves permanent, discoverable content that converts. Start with Elfsight’s Instagram Feed, and showcase your best Instagram moments exactly as they deserve to be seen.
