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Link in bio basics

How to add a link in bio on Instagram

By NoizPublished 4 min read

The short answer

Open Instagram on your phone, go to your profile and tap Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link. Paste the address and tap Done. Instagram lets you add up to five links this way, and you can change their order under the same Links screen. The option is in the app only: Instagram does not offer it on a computer.

These are the steps Instagram's own help center gives for the iPhone app, and the Android app follows the same path. You need the app: the help center says the feature is not available on computers.

  1. Tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile.
  2. Tap Edit profile at the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Links, then Add external link.
  4. Paste the address of the page you want to link, then tap Done.
  5. Tap Back. The link now shows on your profile.

To take a link off again, open the same Links screen, tap the link and choose Remove link.

Up to five: that is the limit Instagram's help center gives. The article names no follower minimum and no requirement to switch to a professional account first.

Order matters, because the first link is the one most people see. To change the order, go to Edit profile, then Links, tap Options, then Reorder links, and drag a link up or down. Tap Done when you are finished.

Five links sounds like enough, and for some accounts it is. The trade-off is control. Instagram's list shows links the way Instagram decides to, it only exists on Instagram, and every change means editing your profile in the app.

A link-in-bio page moves that list somewhere you own. It can hold more than five things, show your other profiles as icons, play a track or a video in place, and count which links get tapped. The same address works on TikTok, YouTube and X, so you update one page instead of four profiles.

Instagram's built-in links next to a single link to your own page
Instagram's five linksOne link to a link-in-bio page
How many linksUp to fiveAs many as you want
Where it worksInstagram onlyEvery profile you paste it into
DesignInstagram's listYour page, your colors and media
Changing a linkEdit your Instagram profileEdit the page once
Seeing what gets tappedDepends on your account's insightsThe tool's analytics, if it has them

Plenty of creators use both: the link-in-bio page first, and one or two direct links after it for the things people ask about most, like a store or a booking form.

Your bio is not the only place. Instagram has a link sticker for Stories: add it to a story, and anyone who taps it goes to the website you linked.

Post captions are the exception. Instagram has long kept web addresses in captions from being clickable, which is why "link in bio" exists at all. Write the address in a caption and people have to copy it by hand, so point them to your profile instead.

Tell your Instagram traffic apart

If you link the same page from your bio and from a story, you may want to know which one worked. Add a UTM tag to each address: for example ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio on the bio link and ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=story on the sticker.

Noiz analytics already separates visitors from Instagram, TikTok, X and other sites by referrer, and groups tagged visits by campaign, so you can compare two placements on the same app. Sharing your profile has the details.

  • Use the phone app. The help center says adding links is not available on computers.
  • Update the app. Menus move between versions, and an old version may lay Edit profile out differently.
  • Check the address. Paste the full address, including https://, and open it in a browser first to make sure it loads.

Questions

Can I add a link to my Instagram bio from a computer?
No. Instagram's help center says adding a website to your profile is not available on computers. Use the Instagram app on a phone or tablet.
How many links can I put in my Instagram bio?
Up to five. You add each one under Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link.
Why are links in my Instagram captions not clickable?
Instagram does not make web addresses in post captions clickable. Put the link in your bio or on a story with the link sticker, and tell people where to find it.
Do I need a business account to add a link?
Instagram's help article on profile links names no account type and no follower minimum. The steps are the same Edit profile, Links, Add external link path.
Should I use a link-in-bio page if Instagram allows five links?
If five plain links cover everything, you may not need one. A page is worth it when you have more to show, want the same link on other apps, or want to see which links get tapped. What is a link in bio? explains the idea.

Sources

About Noiz

Noiz is a customizable link-in-bio and creator-profile builder for artists, gamers, streamers and VR communities. The free plan has no time limit, and Premium is €4.99 once, with no subscription.