INSTAGRAM STORY IMAGES
AI Instagram story images you build one request at a time
An Instagram story fills the screen vertically and disappears after 24 hours unless it is pinned to a highlight. The standard frame is 9:16, and Instagram's help center recommends uploading at the highest resolution the camera or tool allows so the platform keeps the detail. ImageQuarry lets you describe a full-screen scene or upload a photo and then ask for changes in words: a text-safe zone at the top, a swipe-up area at the bottom, a brand color wash. Each request creates a new version, and every earlier one stays.
Stories vanish in a day, but a highlight cover lives on the profile. Treat story images as disposable drafts and save the polished version for the highlight.
Last updated October 2026
From a blank screen to a story-ready image
- 01
Describe the full-screen scene
Name the subject, the background and the mood. Because stories fill the screen, describe vertical composition: where the subject sits, where text will go, where the tap zones are.
- 02
Edit the layout in words
Ask for a clear area at the top for a headline sticker, or a color band at the bottom for a link prompt. Say what to keep: "Keep the subject centered and the background." Each version builds from the one before it.
- 03
Download and check before uploading
Compare versions, choose the one that leaves room for stickers and text, and download it. Verify the file is vertical and high resolution before uploading to Instagram.
Requests written for Instagram stories
Each card is a request you could type. None is a result.
Product reveal with a countdown zone
A product launch story needs space for the countdown sticker near the top. Ask for the product lower in the frame.
Behind-the-scenes texture
A candid, unpolished feel works for BTS content. Ask for warmth and grain rather than clean studio light.
Swipe-up teaser
The bottom of the frame is where the swipe-up prompt sits. Keep it clean.
Poll background with two clear halves
A poll sticker needs two distinct sides. Describe the split.
Brand-colored gradient for text
A solid or gradient screen carries a long text story. Name the brand colors.
What Instagram story images need to get right
Stories fill the screen
The 9:16 vertical frame covers the full device display. Subjects placed near the very top or bottom edges may fall behind the username bar or the reply field, so leave a margin.
Stickers and text claim real estate
Instagram's story editor layers polls, questions, countdowns and music stickers over the image. Planning the clear zones at the description stage is faster than cropping later.
Highlights outlive the 24-hour window
A story pinned to a highlight stays on the profile until removed. The highlight cover thumbnail crops to a circle, so center the key element if a story will double as a cover.
Every version keeps its path
Each change produces a new version and the earlier ones are preserved, with the prompt, the uploaded source and any references that produced them.
Choose a model when the style needs to shift
ImageQuarry offers Nano Banana 2.1 by default, plus Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5 Flare and GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst. Switch when you want a different result for the same request.
Story layouts and what to ask for
Five story layouts that recur across brand accounts, with a starting request for each.
| Layout | What it carries | Request to start from |
|---|---|---|
| Product lower third | Countdown or headline sticker above | "Sneakers in the lower third, dark background, top third empty." |
| Split screen | Poll or quiz sticker | "Left half: latte. Right half: iced tea. Same counter." |
| Full gradient | Long text overlay | "Navy to sand gradient, vertical, no objects." |
| Close-up detail | Swipe-up or link sticker below | "Close-up of fabric texture, subject fills the top two thirds." |
| Behind the scenes | Engagement sticker anywhere | "Hands wrapping a box, warm light, wooden table, film grain." |
What an AI Instagram story image is
An AI Instagram story image is a full-screen vertical visual created from a written description, or changed from a photo you upload, instead of captured with a phone camera. In ImageQuarry it starts a conversation: describe the scene, ask for changes, and keep every version along the way.
It is not a story template with drag-and-drop fields, and it is not a filter. If the story needs a real photo of a real event, use a camera and use the AI image for mood boards or styled backgrounds.
Questions about AI Instagram story images
What size should a story image be?
Instagram stories fill a 9:16 vertical frame. Describe a vertical composition in words, then check the downloaded file is tall enough and high resolution before uploading.
Can I leave room for a sticker?
Yes. Describe where the clear zone should be: "upper third empty" or "bottom 15 percent solid color." Then add the sticker in Instagram's story editor after uploading.
Can I reuse a story image as a highlight cover?
Yes. The highlight cover crops to a small circle, so center the key element when you describe the image. Branch from the story version and ask for a centered crop to make a cover variant.
Can I start from a photo of a real event?
Yes. Upload the photo and describe what should change: the lighting, a color wash, a vertical crop. The original stays as the first version.
Can I add a color reference for brand consistency?
Yes. Add a reference image of the palette and ask for those tones. References guide the result, so review each version to see how closely it follows them.
What does ImageQuarry cost?
Every plan is paid: Starter at $9 per month with 100 image credits a month, or Pro at $29 per month with 300 image credits a month.
Pricing
| ImageQuarry plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $9 per month | 100 image credits a month; optional metered overage at $0.12 per extra credit, off unless you turn it on |
| Pro | $29 per month | 300 image credits a month; optional metered overage at $0.09 per extra credit, off unless you turn it on |
Create an image. Edit it with words. Keep refining.
Describe the story. Then keep refining.
Start with the vertical scene, ask for one change at a time, and keep every version until the sticker zones and the composition are right.
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