Create Blank Instagram Highlights: A Quick Guide

So, you want to know how to make blank Instagram Highlights? You've come to the right place! Creating blank or invisible highlights on Instagram is a cool trick to clean up your profile, add a touch of mystery, or achieve a minimalist aesthetic. It’s super easy, and I'm going to walk you through the process step by step. Let's dive in!

Why Create Blank Instagram Highlights?

Before we get started, let's quickly chat about why you might want to do this.

First off, a blank highlight can serve as a placeholder. Maybe you’re revamping your content strategy and want to keep a spot reserved without anything showing just yet. Secondly, it adds a minimalist touch. Some users prefer a clean and uncluttered look, and a blank highlight definitely contributes to that. Thirdly, it can be a fun way to tease upcoming content. You can create anticipation by having users wonder what’s behind the empty highlight.

Understanding Instagram Highlights

Okay, so let's make sure everyone's on the same page about what Instagram Highlights actually are. Highlights are basically collections of your Instagram Stories that you've saved and grouped together. Unlike regular Stories that disappear after 24 hours, Highlights stick around on your profile until you decide to remove them. They appear right below your bio and above your posts, making them super visible to anyone who visits your profile. Think of them as curated collections of your best or most important content.

Highlights are great for a bunch of reasons. For businesses, they're perfect for showcasing products, sharing tutorials, or providing customer support info. For personal accounts, they're awesome for organizing your travel adventures, favorite recipes, or daily life updates. Basically, they're a fantastic way to give your followers a quick snapshot of what you're all about. And now, with the ability to create blank ones, you've got even more creative control over your profile's look and feel. Got it? Great, let's move on to the how-to!

Steps to Create a Blank Instagram Highlight

Alright, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Here’s how you can create those elusive blank Instagram Highlights. Don't worry; it's way easier than you might think!

Step 1: Create a Blank Story

The first thing you need is a blank Story. Now, Instagram doesn’t exactly have a “blank canvas” option, so we need to get a little creative. There are a few ways to do this, and I'll share the easiest ones:

Solid Color Background: Open your Instagram Story and select any color from the color picker. Tap and hold on the screen. Voila! You've got a solid color background. You can choose any color you like, but if you want it truly blank, go for white or black.
Using a Photo: You can also use a photo as a background. The trick here is to use a completely plain photo. This could be a picture of a white wall, a blank piece of paper, or anything that's just a solid color. If you don’t have one, just snap a pic of your desk or any surface!
Download a Blank Image: Head over to Google and search for “blank white image” or “blank black image.” Download one of these to your phone's gallery. Then, upload it to your Instagram Story. Easy peasy!

Step 2: Upload the Blank Story

Once you’ve got your blank canvas ready, it's time to upload it to your Instagram Story. Here’s how:

Open Instagram and swipe right to access the Story feature.
If you created a solid color background, simply hold your finger on the screen until the background fills with the color you selected.
If you’re using a photo, tap the photo icon in the bottom-left corner to access your gallery. Select the blank image you saved.
Now, here’s a crucial step: add a single character or a dot (.). Why? Because Instagram needs some content to recognize it as a valid Story. You can make this character tiny and place it in a corner so it’s virtually invisible. To do this, use the text tool (the “Aa” icon), type a single dot or character, reduce the size to the smallest setting, and drag it to a corner of the screen.

Step 3: Add to Highlights

Now that your blank Story is live, it’s time to add it to your Highlights. Here’s what you need to do:

While viewing your Story, tap the “Highlight” button at the bottom of the screen. If you don’t see this button, make sure your Stories are being saved to your archive in your settings.
You’ll be prompted to add it to an existing Highlight or create a new one. To create a new blank Highlight, tap the “New” button.
Give your Highlight a name. You can name it something like “Blank,” “.”, or even use an empty space. Just remember, the name will be visible unless you use a trick to hide it (more on that later!).
Tap “Add,” and you’re all set! Your blank Instagram Highlight is now live on your profile.

Step 4: Customize the Highlight Cover (Optional)

Okay, so you’ve got a blank Highlight, but the cover might not be as minimalist as you’d like. By default, Instagram uses the first Story in the Highlight as the cover image. But don’t worry, we can change that!

Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the blank Highlight you just created.
Tap the “More” button at the bottom-right corner (it looks like three dots).
Select “Edit Highlight.”
Tap “Edit Cover.”
Now, you have a few options. You can choose a frame from the Stories within the Highlight, or you can upload a new image from your phone's gallery. For the ultimate blank look, you’ll want to upload a completely white or black image. You can find these online just like we did for the Story.
Once you’ve selected your cover image, tap “Done.” Your blank Highlight now has a clean, minimalist cover!

Tricks for a Truly Invisible Highlight

Want to take your blank Instagram Highlight to the next level? Here are a few tricks to make it truly invisible.

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Invisible Highlight Name

Instagram requires you to name your Highlight, but that doesn't mean the name has to be visible. Here’s a neat trick to create an invisible Highlight name:

Open a text editing app on your phone (like Notes).
Copy an empty space character. You can find these online by searching for “invisible character” or “blank unicode character.”
Go back to Instagram, edit your Highlight, and paste the invisible character into the name field.
Save your changes, and voila! Your Highlight now has no visible name.

Invisible Dot

As mentioned earlier, you need to include at least one character in your blank Story for Instagram to recognize it. Instead of a regular dot, use a tiny, virtually invisible character. The process is the same as with the Highlight name:

Find an invisible character online and copy it.
When creating your blank Story, use the text tool to add the invisible character instead of a dot.
Reduce the size of the character and place it in a corner of the screen.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Here are a few common issues you might encounter and how to fix them.

Highlight Not Showing Up

If your blank Highlight isn’t showing up on your profile, here are a few things to check:

Check Your Archive Settings: Make sure your Stories are being saved to your archive. You can find this setting in your Instagram settings under “Privacy” and then “Story.” The “Save to Archive” option should be enabled.
Refresh Your Profile: Sometimes, all it takes is a simple refresh. Close and reopen the Instagram app, or pull down to refresh your profile.
Check Your Internet Connection: A poor internet connection can sometimes prevent Highlights from loading properly.

Cover Image Not Updating

If you’re having trouble updating the cover image for your blank Highlight, try these steps:

Use a High-Quality Image: Make sure the image you’re using for the cover is of good quality and the correct size. Instagram recommends images that are 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Clear Instagram Cache: Clearing the Instagram cache can sometimes resolve display issues. You can do this in your phone's settings under “Apps” and then “Instagram.”
Restart Your Phone: A simple restart can often fix minor software glitches.

Examples of Creative Uses for Blank Highlights

Okay, so now you know how to create blank Instagram Highlights, but how can you use them creatively? Here are a few ideas:

Placeholder for Future Content

Use blank Highlights as placeholders for upcoming content. This is a great way to build anticipation and keep your followers guessing. For example, if you’re launching a new product, you could create a blank Highlight with an invisible name and update it with teasers leading up to the launch.

Minimalist Aesthetic

If you’re all about that clean, minimalist look, blank Highlights are your best friend. They add a touch of simplicity and elegance to your profile. Pair them with a minimalist bio and a cohesive feed for a stunning visual effect.

Hidden Easter Eggs

Get creative and use blank Highlights as hidden easter eggs for your followers. You could post a series of cryptic Stories in the Highlight and challenge your followers to decipher them. This is a fun way to engage your audience and reward them for paying attention.

Conclusion

So there you have it! Creating blank Instagram Highlights is a simple yet effective way to customize your profile, add a minimalist touch, or tease upcoming content. Whether you're aiming for a clean aesthetic or want to keep your followers guessing, these tricks will help you achieve the perfect look. Now go ahead and give it a try, and let your creativity shine! Happy Instagramming, guys!