How to design Instagram Highlight icons in 2023

Learn how to elevate your Insta profile by customizing highlight icons.

Instagram highlight icons are a great way to make your profile stand out.

They’re a fun and easy way to organize your stories, promote your brand, and showcase your style. The best part is that you don’t need to be a designer to create them.

In this article, I’ll teach you everything you need to know about designing your Instagram highlight covers, from choosing the right design style to creating your icons and uploading them to Instagram.

How to create Instagram highlight covers?

Having unique highlight covers will make your page feel more polished. It’s essential if you are working with a brand or a small business. There are brand colors, logos, particular styles, etc. So, finding a pre-made set that’d be a perfect fit might be quite a challenge.

But what if I say it will take you less than 10 minutes? Let’s get down to business!

1. Open Mega Creator. 

2. Go to “Start designing.”

3. Choose “Instagram story” and “Start from scratch.”

Here’s where the fun begins. 

4. Go to “Icons” and choose the style that fits the page’s or brand’s aesthetic. For me, “Cute Color” just hits the spot.

5. Choose an icon and put it at the center of the canvas. You can save and post it, but I want to add color.

6. Go to “Backgrounds” and choose the color that fits your profile. You can also add some extra elements. I’ve chosen a cute light orange aesthetic today (I miss those sunny days). So just click on the colors you want to choose and go for it.

10. When you’re done with your highlight cover. Click on “Export.” Choose “PNG” – “Medium size” – click “Download.”

11. Done! Your highlight cover is ready to post. Just choose the icons from one style, throw them on the background and voilà! You have your perfect highlight icons.

Key steps to design Instagram highlight icons

1. Define your purpose

• Categorization. Determine what categories or themes you want to showcase in your highlights. This could range from “Travel,” “Recipes,” to “Behind the Scenes,” etc.
• Audience engagement. Think about what your audience interacts with the most or what you’d like them to focus on.

2. Choose a design tool

• Professional tools. Platforms like Lunacy or Photoshop are great for those with design experience.
• User-friendly platforms. For those new to design, Mega Creator, Crello, or Canva are intuitive and come with many customizable templates for Instagram highlight icons.

3. Stick to a cohesive aesthetic

• Brand colors. Using consistent colors that match your overall brand or Instagram feed can create a harmonious look.
• Style consistency. Whether you go for minimalistic designs, vintage vibes, or cartoonish icons, ensure all your covers follow the same style.

4. Use icons or images

• Icon-based covers. These are simple and clear. If you are looking for diverse icons, check out our collection of hand-crafted icons for various aesthetics and niches.
• Image-based covers. These can be photographs or graphics that represent the content of the highlight.

5. Opt for simple designs

• Avoid clutter. Given the small size of highlight icons, it’s best to keep the design clean and straightforward for easy recognition.
• Legibility. If using text or icons, ensure they are large enough to be easily discerned.

6. Consider backgrounds

• Solid colors. A plain background color can make the icon or text pop.
• Gradient or patterns. For a more dynamic look, consider using subtle gradients or patterns. Just ensure they don’t overshadow the primary symbol or text.

7. Integrate text (if necessary)

• Short and sweet. If you choose to use text, keep it concise. “Travel,” “Food,” and “BTS” are examples.
• Font consistency. Stick to one or two fonts that align with your brand’s voice.

8. Save in the right format

• High-quality PNG. This format retains quality and supports transparent backgrounds.
• Instagram’s dimensions. Ideally, save the images in 1080×1920 pixels to fit Instagram’s requirements perfectly.

9. Upload to Instagram

• Edit highlight. Go to your Instagram profile, click on a highlight, tap ‘Edit Highlight,’ and then tap ‘Edit Cover’. From there, you can upload your newly designed cover.
• Adjust positioning. Use your fingers to zoom in/out or adjust the position of your cover to make it look just right.

10. Review and iterate

• Feedback. Once you’ve uploaded, ask peers or even followers for feedback. This can help in fine-tuning your designs.
• Regular updates. Trends evolve, and so do personal preferences. Don’t hesitate to refresh your highlight covers periodically to keep things fresh and aligned with your current content.

There you have it! Sometimes, things are much more accessible than they seem.