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151 Instagram Quotes for Literally Any Occasion

Trying to find the perfect Instagram quote for your post, Reel or bio? We’ve got 150+ options to suit any occasion.

Colleen Christison February 1, 2023
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Do you ever find yourself stuck in a creative rut when thinking of quotes for Instagram? Fear not!

We’ve put together a giant list of Instagram quotes perfect for any situation that requires a witty, endearing, or super-sassy saying to make your post stand out.

Whether it’s 2 AM, the morning after that wild Friday night, or just Monday motivation, we’ve got you covered with some classic (and original) Insta-worthy quips!

Bonus: 14 Time-Saving Hacks for Instagram Power Users. Get the list of secret shortcuts Hootsuite’s own social media team uses to create thumb-stopping content.

151 Instagram quotes for any type of post

Below, we cover a mix of famous quotes and original quotes you can shamelessly copy, paste, and pass off as your own. Here are 151 Instagram quotes perfect for literally any occasion.

Quotes for Instagram bio

Your bio should tell the world who you are, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. It can be as sassy or serious as you want people to take you.

If you want to keep it bare bones, just list your name and what you do. Or throw in an emoji that sums you up.

  • Here for the dog pics
  • I’m not really here
  • Just here for the validation
  • Follow for bad decisions and poor impulse control
  • Food-photo expert
  • Writer, dog-walker, maker of fried rice
  • ASL?
  • Writer by day, zombie slayer by night
  • Looking for entertainment until I’m cryogenically frozen
  • “Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
  • “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” – Jennifer Dukes Lee
  • “People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Rob Siltanen

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Cute quotes for Instagram

These cute quotes for Instagram are perfect when you want to post a pic of yourself and that special someone!

  • You’re the peanut butter to my jelly
  • I’m a sucker for you
  • If you were a triangle, you’d be acute one
  • I’m a little bit obsessed with you
  • You make it feel like we’re doing life on easy mode
  • “She acts like summer and walks like rain.” – Train, Drops of Jupiter
  • “Some people are worth melting for.” – Olaf, Frozen
  • “I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” – Rita Rudner

Is there anything cuter than a heart-shaped lollipop?

Good quotes for Instagram

You ever just want a quote that’s just good? This section is full of good quotes for Instagram!

  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
  • I’m not a selfie person, but I am a people person
  • A picture is worth a thousand words
  • Life is too short for bad vibes
  • “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West
  • “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” – Jennifer Dukes Lee
  • “Do what you love, and the money will follow.” – Marsha Sinetar
  • The best things in life are free
  • Live, laugh, like my photo
  • “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” – Taylor Swift

Cricket star Ravi Bishnoi has his priorities on lock. Bad vibes? Nowhere to be seen.

Instagram quotes for selfies

Feelin’ yourself? Post that pic, my friend! Get those likes! And pair it with one of these Instagram quotes for selfies:

  • If you didn’t take a selfie, did it even happen?
  • Maybe she’s born with it… Maybe it’s an Instagram filter
  • You’re only as good as your last selfie
  • If you were looking for a sign, here it is
  • But first, let me take a selfie
  • Sending my selfie to NASA because I’m a star
  • Confidence is the best filter
  • I woke up like this (or did I?)
  • “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” – Marilyn Monroe

Because we all wish we could wake up this flawless.

Happy quotes for Instagram

Here are some happy quotes for those days when you’re whistling along to Pharrell’s hit song happy, and want to tell the world about it!

  • “The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.” – William Saroyan
  • “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
  • “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
  • “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus
  • “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
  • “Happiness does not come from without, it comes from within.” – Helen Keller
  • “Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Happiness absolutely comes from within—especially if we’re talking about the inside of an ice cream carton.

Smile quotes for Instagram

Aren’t smiles contagious? It’s the only thing we’re spreadin’ these days. Here are a few smile quotes for Instagram to turn those frowns upside down!

  • A smile is the best accessory
  • Smiling counts as exercise
  • If you see someone without a smile, give them yours
  • “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” – Phyllis Diller
  • Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.
  • A soul smile is a real smile.
  • A big smile is a happy heart

Baddie quotes for Instagram

Being a baddie is a state of mind. Here are a bunch of baddie quotes for Instagram designed to boost confidence and break hearts.

  • I’m not a snack at all. I’m a whole damn meal.
  • I may be bad, but I feel good
  • You’re welcome, world
  • “… let us be elegant or die.” – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
  • I’m not a damsel in distress, I’m the dragon.
  • It’s an ode to joy. Joy is me. I’m joy.
  • “When you look this good, you don’t need to know anything.” – Philip J. Fry, Futurama
  • Nope.
  • Be savage, not average
  • “Clever as the Devil and twice as pretty.” – Holly Black, White Cat
  • “​​Be young, be dope, be proud.” – Lana Del Rey, American
  • “Shoutout to my haters, sorry that you couldn’t phase me.” – Nicki Minaj
  • “Call me cursed or just call me blessed. If you can’t handle my worst you ain’t getting my best.” – Nicki Minaj
  • “I’m an emotional gangster. I cry once every month.” – Cardi B

An icon, a legend, a baddie forever.

Funny quotes for Instagram

Want to make people laugh? These funny quotes for Instagram range from super-cheesy to made-you-stop-scrolling-to-smirk.

  • The human equivalent of a Sunday morning hangover
  • Coffee, chocolate, me. Some things are just better rich.
  • Unfortunately, my bank account believes we are minimalists.
  • Wine + dinner = winner
  • Zoom culture really puts “dress for the job you want” in perspective. Anyone else change out of sweats recently?
  • Better to say, “oh no” than wonder what if?
  • Just don’t it.
  • “I’m sick of following my dreams, man. I’m just going to ask where they’re going and hook up with ’em later.” – Mitch Hedberg
  • “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” – Jack Handey
  • “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.” – Mark Twain
  • “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.” – Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), The Office

Nature quotes for Instagram

Where’s a better place to put your pictures of the real, natural outdoors than on a social media app that exists in the ephemeral world of the internet? Nowhere. That’s where. Here are a bunch of nature quotes for Instagram ripe for the pickin’.

  • The best thing in life are trees
  • The earth laughs in flowers
  • “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness” – John Muir
  • “Not just beautiful, though–the stars are like the trees in the forest, alive and breathing. And they’re watching me.” – Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
  • “The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau
  • Heaven is under our feet
  • Nature walks are cheaper than therapy
  • Go touch grass
  • This is a sign to close Instagram and go outside
  • “I’d like to stay here for a while and go wild” – Maïa Vidal, Our Place
  • “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” – John Muir
  • “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” – Khalil Gibran
  • “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau
  • “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
  • “Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it.” – Henry David Thoreau
  • “To sit in silence with nature…that is true wisdom.” – Lailah Gifty Akita
  • “The earth has music for those who listen.” – William Shakespeare
  • “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore There is society, where none intrudes By the deep Sea, and music in its roar I love not Man the less, but Nature more” – Lord Byron

Outdoor clothing brand forét is all about nature.

Business quotes for the hustlers

Are you a rise-and-grind business babe? You’ll want to stock up on some hustlin’ words of wisdom so you can spend more time making deals and less time writing Instagram quotes.

  • Blood, sweat, and tears: The recipe to success
  • “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle
  • “It’s not about ideas; it’s about making ideas happen.” – Scott Belsky
  • “Success doesn’t just find you; you have to go out and get it.” – Marva Collins
  • “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.” – Jeff Olson
  • “If you don’t value your time, nobody else will.” – Bo Bennett
  • “The goal isn’t more money. The goal is living life on your own terms.” – Chris Brogan
  • “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney Company
  • “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” – Truman Capote
  • “I haven’t failed; I’ve found 10,000 ways that won’t work”- Thomas Edison
  • “It always seems impossible until it’s done” – Nelson Mandela
  • “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
  • “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” – Steve Jobs
  • “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
  • “You gotta be a beast, that’s the only way they’ll respect you.” – Nicki Minaj

Instagram quotes for expressing gratitude

Bust these gratitude quotes out during your annual Thanksgiving day post, or use them as daily affirmations. Either way, send your thanks out into the universe via Instagram quote.

  • “I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.” – Henry David Thoreau
  • “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
  • I am grateful for what I am and have. My gratitude is endless.
  • “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward
  • I am thankful for the good times and the bad times, as they have both made me who I am today.
  • “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
  • I am grateful for all of the lessons I have learned in life.
  • “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” – Melody Beattie
  • I am thankful for the people who have been there for me when I needed them the most.
  • “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” – Jean Baptiste Massieu
  • “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” – Cicero
  • “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart
  • “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust
  • “Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” – A.A. Milne
  • I am grateful for the smiles, the laughter, and all of the happy moments.

Oprah is basically the queen of all gratitude posts.

Disney quotes for Instagram

Disney quotes can bring the right amount of adorable whimsy to your posts. They’re well-known and, even if they weren’t, they all speak to the human condition.

  • “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Snow White
  • “Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” – Lilo & Stitch
  • “If you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true.” – Cinderella
  • “The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up.” – Dumbo
  • “When you wish upon a star, your dreams will come true.” – Pinocchio
  • “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
  • “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Alice in Wonderland
  • “A dream is a wish your heart makes”- Cinderella
  • “Don’t just fly, soar”- Dumbo
  • “Today is a good day to try”- Mulan
  • “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible”- Alice in Wonderland

A classic Disney reference is never a bad look

Classic movie quotes

Sometimes you need to bring it back to the good oldies with some classic movie quotes. The best thing about these is that they’ve been used so many times; they’re past cliché now. They’re so overdone they’ve become cool again. Kind of like how those 90s neon ski jackets came back into fashion.

  • “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” – The Godfather
  • “You talkin’ to me?” – Taxi Driver
  • “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” – The Wizard of Oz
  • “Here’s Johnny!” – The Shining
  • “May the Force be with you.” – Star Wars
  • “I’ll be back.” – The Terminator
  • “Hasta la vista, baby.” – The Terminator
  • “I am your father.” – Star Wars
  • “You can’t handle the truth!” – A Few Good Men
  • “E.T. phone home.” – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
  • “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” – The Godfather
  • “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” – Wall Street
  • “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” – Cool Hand Luke

Tips for selecting the best quote for your Instagram posts

When it comes to choosing the perfect quote for your Instagram posts, there are some simple tips you should follow to make sure you’re making a wise selection.

Work within your space

Remember, less is more. Don’t write a massive, text-filled paragraph. Work within your space and make it easy for your viewers to read your Instagram quote. That being said, longer Instagram captions tend to drive engagement. They say the ideal Instagram post length is 138 to 150 characters.

Experiment with contrast

Intentional discrepancies can make for interesting content. Posting a serious photo? Pair it with a lighthearted quote, or vice versa.

Maybe you’re posting a picture of the girls out in the city; try pairing it with a nature quote. Try your hand at humor through contrast; the unexpected can be funny.

Keep it relevant

This isn’t your Facebook status circa 2008 anymore. You can’t just spout off whatever Green Day lyrics popped into your head or share your feelings with no context. You need to make sure your quotes on Instagram (whether they’re captions, your bio, or posted in a photo) are relevant.

To clarify, relevancy can mean a few different things:

  • Does it relate back to you or your brand clearly?
  • Is it timely for cultural events?
  • Will people understand what you’re referring to?
  • If it’s a caption, does it make sense with your photo?

Use a consistent brand voice

Brand consistency is hugely important in creating a recognizable, reliable presence on social media. When crafting posts with Instagram quotes, a consistent brand voice helps your audience understand who your brand is. Are you a sassy Instagram influencer? Then the Baddie quote section above may be best for you.

Cohesive, identifiable branding allows viewers to become familiar with and trusting of your messages. Quotes crafted with your chosen brand voice will also help draw supporters in and encourage them to engage with your posts. Consistency makes it easy for people to become attached to what you’re saying, in turn leading to a larger fan base and more loyal followers.

Stay up to date with your Instagram trends

As with anything Instagram-related, staying up to date with the latest Instagram trends is going to do good things for your content. Finding quotes that work within the newest Instagram trends is an added bonus.

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By Colleen Christison

Colleen Christison is a freelance copywriter, copy editor, and brand communications specialist. She spent the first six years of her career in award-winning agencies like Major Tom, writing for social media and websites and developing branding campaigns. Following her agency career, Colleen built her own writing practice, working with brands like Mission Hill Winery, The Prevail Project, and AntiSocial Media.

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