Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio @pexles

Instagram draft—a highly valuable feature that many Instagram users don’t know about. Like every other feature, Instagram Drafts has brought new dimensions to posting on the picture app.

If you want to learn about this neglected feature, our guide brings you knowledge.

Although it may not seem like it, the drafts feature gives users the chance to plan posts in advance. In other words, using Instagram drafts is pretty much like scheduling posts. The only difference is that you can edit the content before finally posting it.

Imagine that you’ve just taken an amazing picture at a great location, but you struggle to come up with a perfect caption. This is where drafting your post will come in handy. You can simply upload the picture now and save it as a draft for when you get your caption inspiration. Easy peasy!

To crown it all, this feature is absolutely free, making it great for online content marketing.

So, are you ready to take advantage of this update?  In this guide, we will look at what Instagram drafts mean for users in 2022 and how to use the feature.

What are Instagram Drafts?

An Instagram draft is a special feature designed for users that love editing and saving posts for future sharing. The feature allows users to save posts that they are still editing. This way, they don’t lose the posts, but, at the same time, they don’t upload them online for the public to see.

Sometimes, Instagram creators devote time to adding filters to photos and writing the right captions that will make their posts go viral. But because the stress of doing all these at once can be overwhelming, some creators can decide to leave some of the edits for later.

For instance, you can edit and save pictures of a photographed dish, then add the captions and publish the photos later.

Basically, this feature gives you the opportunity to be more flexible. It also helps you keep your unfinished content organized. Thankfully, the process of using the drafts feature is straightforward, especially if you have first-hand knowledge of how to go about it.

Note: For the time being, Instagram drafts are an app-only function. While you may publish to Instagram from your computer, the web app does not allow you to create or view Instagram drafts.

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?
Image by Helena Lopes @Pexels

How to Use Instagram Drafts on iOS Devices

Here are simple steps that will guide you in creating and saving Instagram drafts on your iPhone; 

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app on your iPhone

Step 2: Tap on the “+” icon at the top right corner

                { You will see four options; Post, Story, Reel, Live}

Step 3: Take a new photo or upload a photo/video from your gallery

Step 4: Tap the “Next” option to get to the editing page

Step 5: Add Effects, Filters, Caption or Location to your post

Step 6: Tap the back arrow to go back to the “Edit” and “Filter” page

Step 7: Select the “Save Draft” option to save your post

Note: If you don’t edit the post by adding filters or captions, you can’t save it as a draft.


How to Use Instagram Drafts on Android Devices

Learn how to use Instagram drafts on your Android by following the steps listed below.

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app on your Android phone

Step 2: Click the “+” icon at the top right corner { when you press the + sign, your screen brings up five options; feed Post, reel, Story, story highlight, and IGTVs video}

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Step 3: Select any of the five options in accordance with where you want to post.

Step 4: Add a photo from your gallery or take a photo with your camera

             {A preview window will display to show the image you want to upload}

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Step 5: Tap the “blue forward arrow” at the top right corner

Step 6: Choose a “Filter” in the editing window to edit your photo

             {You need to edit your post to enable the “save draft” option}

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Step 7: Make necessary adjustments to your post by pressing the ‘edit’ option. You must add filters or edit your photo as well.

Step 8: Press the ‘back’ button and tap “Save Draft” on the display screen to save your post as a draft.

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

How to Publish Posts Saved as Drafts

Your draft posts may be difficult to find because there is no apparent button that will lead you to the draft images that you have saved for later. So, here’s how to locate the Instagram drafts you’ve saved, publish them and gain more followers.

Step 1: Click the “+” icon at the top right corner

Step 2: Tap the kind of post you want to share. You’ll find a “Drafts” option right next to the Gallery. Tap on it to view your drafts.

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?

Step 3: Choose the draft post you want to upload and tap “Next.” Then add a caption or insert your location.

Step 4: Click the “Share” tab to publish the saved draft.

Once you’ve saved a post as a draft, you can share it by following the exact steps you use to publish  your everyday news post.

Note: You have the right to discard a post you’ve saved as a draft if you no longer need it

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?
Image by Nicole Michalou @Pexels

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Instagram Drafts

You can learn more about the Instagram Drafts feature through answers to these FAQs;

  • Is it possible to save Reels as drafts on Instagram?

You can save Reels as drafts the same way you save posts and Instagram stories as drafts.

  • Do Instagram drafts disappear after a while?

Instagram drafts don’t have a lifespan, which means they won’t disappear no matter how long ago you’re created them. However, if there’s a glitch with your app, the post might disappear.

  • Is it possible for anyone to see my Instagram drafts?

It’s impossible for people to see your drafts. Until they’re published, your drafts are kept secret and are visible to you alone.

  • Can I recover my drafts if I delete and reinstall the Instagram app?

Once you delete the Instagram app and reinstall it, you will lose all your drafts. And there’ll be no chance of recovery.

  • Is there a fixed time for sharing drafted posts on Instagram?

You are free to share your Instagram drafts whenever you feel like it.

  • Is it true that my Instagram drafts are saved on my phone?

The answer is both yes and no. You see, your Instagram drafts are stored as Cache data on your phone. As a result, they won’t show up on your phone’s gallery app. However, if you remove and reinstall the Instagram app, all of your Instagram drafts will be permanently lost.

  • Why can’t I see my Instagram drafts?

Check if you have the most recent version of Instagram loaded on your phone. If not, update your Instagram app. Simply go to the play store and search for the Instagram app. If an “Update” button appears, click it. Some users said that upgrading their Instagram accounts restored their  Drafts.

Quick guide: What are Instagram drafts and how do you see it?
Image by PNW Production @Pexels

Conclusion 

Using Instagram drafts is quite easy if you understand the steps involved. You have the freedom to save as many drafts as you want and then edit them when you need to post them.

This is one of the most useful features available on Instagram. It might not be as enticing as other features, but it’s one that will come in handy whenever you need to delay a post for later.

You can share your life moments at different time intervals through Instagram drafts. So, ensure you make the most of this amazing Instagram feature while you can.

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