Chicago · 17th Edition
How to Cite an Instagram Post in Chicago Style
Learn how to cite Instagram photos and videos in Chicago 17th edition. Includes bibliography and footnote format with real examples.
Quick Answer
To cite an Instagram post in Chicago style (17th edition), use: Author Name (@handle). "Caption." Instagram, Month Day, Year. URL. Place the author's real name or display name first, then their handle in parentheses. Use the post's caption as the title, enclosed in quotation marks. If the post has no caption, write a brief description in square brackets: [Photograph of the Pillars of Creation]. Use full, unabbreviated month names. Link to the specific post permalink, not the user's profile page. For footnotes: Author Name (@handle), "Caption," Instagram, Month Day, Year, URL. For author-date in-text: (NASA 2024). Example: NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail from the James Webb Space Telescope." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/. Only cite publicly accessible posts — if a post is private or requires login, note this limitation. CiteMe generates both footnote and bibliography formats for Instagram citations in Chicago style.
Quick answer: To cite a instagram post in Chicago (17th Edition), use this template: Author Name (@handle). "Caption." Instagram, Month Day, Year. URL.
Citation template
Full example
Reference / Bibliography
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail from the James Webb Space Telescope." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/.
In-text citation
(NASA 2024)
Source breakdown
- author
- NASA (@nasa)
- title
- The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail from the James Webb Space Telescope
- site
- year
- November 15, 2024
- url
- https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/
Tips
- ✓Use the caption text as the title, in quotation marks.
- ✓Write the handle in parentheses after the real name.
- ✓Use full month names — Chicago does not abbreviate months.
- ✓Link to the specific post permalink, not the user's profile.
Common mistakes
- ⚠Linking to the profile instead of the individual post.
- ⚠Abbreviating the month name.
- ⚠Forgetting the period at the end of the citation.
- ⚠Omitting the handle from the author entry.
Before & after
Linking to profile instead of specific post
Wrong
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/nasa/.
Correct
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/.
Always use the specific post permalink, not the user's profile page. The profile URL does not identify which post you are citing.
Abbreviating month names
Wrong
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, Nov. 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/.
Correct
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/.
Chicago uses full, unabbreviated month names. Write "November," not "Nov." — this differs from MLA style.
Forgetting the period at the end of the citation
Wrong
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/
Correct
NASA (@nasa). "The Pillars of Creation in stunning new detail." Instagram, November 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DC5examplepost/.
Chicago bibliography entries end with a period, including after the URL.
Frequently asked questions
What if the Instagram post has no caption?
Write a brief description in square brackets (e.g., [Photograph of the Pillars of Creation]) and use it as the title.
Can I cite a private Instagram post?
Only cite publicly accessible posts so readers can verify your source. If a post requires an account to view, note this limitation in your citation.
Related resources
Other Chicago guides
Learn more