Instagram Collab Post: How to Invite and Remove
How to make an Instagram collab post: invite a collaborator, who can accept, the 5-account limit, how it shows on both feeds, and how to remove one.
Published October 18, 2026
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An Instagram collab post is one post or reel with up to 5 invited co-authors; once they accept, it shows on all their profiles and goes to all their followers. To start one, tap Tag people, then Invite collaborator, before you publish.
The invited account has to accept first. Collabs work on feed posts and reels, and not on Stories. More on growing with partners is in the Instagram growth strategy.
How to make an Instagram collab post
Create your post or reel, tap Tag people, tap Invite collaborator, pick the account and tap Done. Instagram Help lists these steps for the iPhone and Android apps, and says the feature is not available on computers.
- Create your post or reel as usual.
- Tap Tag people before you publish.
- Tap Invite collaborator.
- Search for the account and tap it.
- Tap Done, then share the post.
The invited person gets a message in their inbox. Until they accept, the post is only yours.
How to accept or decline a collab invite
Open Messages, tap the conversation holding the invite, tap the invitation, tap Review, then tap Accept or Decline. Instagram Help gives this path.
Once you accept, your username is added to the post, it appears on your profile, and your followers see it in their feed.
Who you can invite
Who you can invite follows your privacy setting, per Instagram Help:
| Your account | Who you can invite |
|---|---|
| Public | Any public or private account |
| Private | Public or private accounts, but only ones that follow you |
If a public account accepts a private account's invite, the post becomes visible publicly through that collaborator. Instagram shows private accounts a warning about this the first time they invite someone.
How a collab post shows
A collab post is attributed to both accounts in its header and is shared with each account's followers in feed. Instagram Help says it also appears on the collaborator's profile.
Accounts that accept can see all the likes and comments on the post, and the invited account can remove itself at any time.
Before inviting a partner, compare their audience with the engagement rate calculator. If money changes hands, the influencer pricing calculator gives a rate range.
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Collab vs tag vs mention
A tag or mention doesn't share your post with anyone's followers, and a collab does. Instagram Help draws this line:
| Collab | Tag or mention | |
|---|---|---|
| Shown to the other account's followers | Yes | No |
| Other account listed as an author | Yes, after accepting | No |
| Needs the other account's approval | Yes | No, unless they review tags |
| Works on Stories | No | Mentions only |
How to remove a collaborator
Open the post, tap Options, tap Edit, tap Tag people, tap Remove next to the collaborator's name, then tap Done. Instagram Help describes this for published posts.
To remove someone before you publish, tap Tag people, then Remove beside their name. A collaborator can leave themselves: on the post, tap Options, then Stop sharing.
If you block the collaborator, or they block you, the collab ends. The post stays on the original author's profile either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add a collaborator after the post is published?
Yes. Instagram says the original author can add or remove a collaborator at any time, per its collab overview. On a published post, tap Options, then Edit, then Tag people. The new invite has to be accepted like any other.
Does it matter who posts a collab?
Yes. The person who creates the collab is the primary author, and their account settings decide the post's settings. If they switch to private, only their followers can see it. Only they can delete it, and deleting removes it from every collaborator's profile too.
Why can't I invite a collaborator?
The invite follows your privacy setting: a private account can only invite people who follow it. Instagram also says accounts that broke its Community Standards may lose access to collabs. Check you are in the iPhone or Android app, since the option isn't offered on computers.
Can I collab on an Instagram Story?
No. Instagram says you can mention other accounts in your Stories but you can't add collaborators to them. A mention tags the account but does not share the Story with their followers. For a partnership that should reach both audiences, use a feed post or reel.
Sources
- Instagram Help, Create collaborative posts on Instagram
- Instagram Help, About collab posts on Instagram
- Instagram Help, Collaborate with others on Instagram reels
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