How do you do line breaks on Instagram?
Stop wasting your time and start growing your influence with this simple hack for how to add line breaks on Instagram – without a generator!
As a blogger and actual Instagram user, I can tell you that the Instagram space generator and brackets method are completely unnecessary.
It might be harsh, but it’s true!
Contrary to popular belief, Instagram formatting like IG line breaks for your bio and captions, doesn’t need to be done anywhere other than the app itself!
Anyone who tells you otherwise, doesn’t really understand how Instagram works.
This guide covers how to add line breaks on Instagram – bio and captions – without using a generator or other app.
We’ll go over:
- how great formatting increases engagement
- myths about spacing in Instagram
- a tutorial for creating line breaks
- the two things you’re doing wrong when writing captions in the app
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I could earn a small commission if you make a purchase using them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Add Line Breaks on Instagram: Bio & Captions Guide for 2021
You’re about to have a legendary Aha moment when you learn the two simple changes you need to make in order to create spaces in your IG bio and captions – and all from within the app itself!
Each IG line break that you see in the screenshot below was done successfully using this method for creating space in your bio and captions.
This tutorial also features new screenshots taken from an image posted on November 13th, 2019.
How to Increase Instagram Engagement with Formatting
The best influencers on this platform know the importance of spaces in Instagram:
- bio
- captions
They look far less intimidating to read for your followers and will actually improve your Instagram engagement rate, since it’ll be that much easier for them to follow along with what you’ve taken the time to write!
The most highly engaged IG posts have a few things in common and formatting for Instagram is definitely one of the most important aspects on this list.
If you’re like me, you too probably skip the huge blobs of text and quickly skim through those that are neatly organized only going back to the start of the caption if it’s something that’s genuinely intrigued you.
Time is precious, which is exactly why we’re covering how to format Instagram posts and your bio in one step!
Time is money, especially when you do blogging and/or social media full time, right?
So, it’s crucial to have strong images, profile branding, like unique highlight covers, and strong written presentation!
Hence, spaces in Instagram – bio and captions – are vital!
Tip #1: Make your captions easy to read and save your time by doing your Instagram spacing in the app.
Posts related to Instagram formatting:Â
- 365 Exciting Instagram Post Ideas Your Followers Will Love
- 10 Flat Lay Photography Tips Your IG Profile Needs
Myths Surrounding Spacing for Instagram
How do you get spaces in your Instagram bio and captions?
There are a couple of myths surrounding how to add line breaks on Instagram posts and bios. These include the ideas that you:
- need to use an Instagram line break generator app
- have to copy and paste spaces inside brackets
- cannot do it directly within the app
All of these statements are 100% false.
Whether you refer to it as an Instagram line break generator, space generator, spacer, or line breaker, I can tell you one thing…
You don’t need to ever rely on it again once you learn this super easy hack!
So, let’s start creating spaces in Instagram – bio and captions!
How to Add Spaces in Instagram: Post + Bio Guide
Instagram line breaks not working?
There are only two basic reasons you may experience difficulty obtaining that glorious white space!
Keep reading to find out what they are and accompany those beautifully edited images with thoughtfully formatted captions.
Whether you choose to do it with keyboard characters, emojis, or clean blank space, spacing on Instagram is going to change the way your audience interacts with your IG posts!
So, let’s start with the basic rules of creating working spaces in Instagram.
(1) Write Captions in the Instagram App
I only use a notes app to write my captions when they’re sponsored or very long! Like pushing the character limit long!
Otherwise, open the IG app on your phone now and find a post you want to experiment with.
Here’s the caption I’ve gone with written out in the Caption box of our production company’s Instagram account – isn’t it clever? 😉
(2) Make Sure to Leave Absolutely NO SPACES After the Last Word in Each Paragraph
Read that one more time!
This is the MOST IMPORTANT PART of how to add line breaks on Instagram within the app!
So, you see the way I have the cursor sitting after the word “add”? Every line needs to look like this to create spaces in Instagram!
You can guarantee clean white space in your captions AND bio if you check that there are no spaces after your cursor following each text section!
For the line break that comes after your text sections, make sure your cursor is in the furthest left position with no spaces to the right! Just like this.
Jump down to your next desired section of text and boom, you just created an Instagram line break without a generator!
It’s as easy as that!
Many of us have the tendency to add a space following the period that ends our previous sentence – save that habit for your blog post writing instead!
It’s not doing you any good when it comes to spacing on Instagram posts.
Again, this strategy also works perfectly for Instagram bio spacing!
All it takes is making sure that there’s nothing after that cursor on each individual line of your caption.
No Instagram line break generator, emojis, or punctuation marks required!
How simple was that?
Now, onto an important next step!
Tip #4: Don’t leave any blank spaces after your paragraph is finished. Use a punctuation mark and hit return twice to start your next text section.
(3) Do NOT end your sentences with emojis!
Save your emoji use for the middle of your paragraphs OR the very last line of your caption!
Whether writing your captions directly in the app and even in your notes app, adding any emojis will prevent your Instagram formatting from showing line breaks correctly – IG treats an emoji like a space.
Tip #2: End your thought with a punctuation mark and save your emoji use for the centre of your paragraphs and end of your captions.
(4) Do a Spacing Check with Your Cursor
Scan your text sections and the line breaks that proceed them to ensure that you haven’t accidentally used a space or an emoji at the end of your paragraph.
(5) Enjoy Your New Instagram Post Format!
Once you’re satisfied with the image and overall look of your caption, hit the Share button and enjoy admiring your patience and hard work!
Boom!
Isn’t that formatting beautiful? Now imagine how good it’ll look when you use full sentences, haha!
Wait for your following to start engaging, promote your new post on stories, or with IGTV, and consider using these lesser known ideas to gain more real followers.
Better Ways to Use Your Notes App for Instagram
(1) Copy and Paste Hashtag Sets
Adding hashtags here and creating hashtag sets to go with all of your different post types is an incredibly effective and easy way to plan your posts ahead of time.
Consider saving a few hashtags for each day of the week as a starting point too – these trendy tags are great for boosting impressions.
(2) Reviewing Your Instagram Captions
The larger the device you are writing on, the more of an overview you can get of your caption as a whole (sometimes the layout of the text as a whole can be improved or you’ll find that you’ve overused a few words during your thought process).
Also, anyone who follows me on IG knows that I’m a bit of an emoji addict (after all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?)!
So, in those instances of captions that are probably way too long anyway, I’ll feel the need to take it back a bit and cut out a few of those cute little icons.
Aesthetic is a major part of success on this platform and gorgeous captions are another part of maintaining a beautiful feed.
You may also feel the need to cut down on things like exclamation marks, ellipsis, or other punctuation marks, in addition to moving paragraphs around in your caption to create smoother thought and word flow.
Tip #3: If need be, use the notes app for proof-reading and organizing your hashtags. For shorter content, just write it in the Instagram app!
Related: 5 Apps You Need to Grow Your Instagram Profile
Congratulations on mastering the art of paragraph spacing.
No Instagram line break generator required!
In summary, the key to creating beautiful Instagram line breaks is to remember that you must:
- Not leave any spaces after the end of sentences which mark your new IG line break
- Not finish your sentences with emojis – unless its the very last section of your caption line for Instagram since IG treats them as spaces!
Enjoyed this incredibly easy IG hack for how to add line breaks on Instagram? Share your experience in the comments below! Be sure to pin this post and spread the word to your friends on IG!
Happy formatting, friends 🙂
Ready to post 31 days of IG content without wondering what to post? Sign up for the Free Pro Blogger Bundle + Instagram Content Planner to get yours!
Enjoyed this post? I’m so glad you stopped by! You might find these other topics helpful as well!
Hey Nikki,
This is a great little hack for Instagram.
No more having to leave full stops to space out paragraphs.
This will do my OCD a world of good.
Thanks,
David
Thank you for this tip! Loved this post!