Full Guide on How to Add a Custom Location on Instagram

Joy Taylor | Last Updated: Mar. 23, 2026

Trying to put your new business on the Instagram map, only to find there’s no way to create a location, can be incredibly frustrating. This common point of confusion leads many to believe it’s impossible. The solution, however, isn’t found within the Instagram app at all—it’s managed entirely through the Facebook mobile app. Because Instagram’s location features are powered by Facebook’s database, you must first create the location there.

This guide provides a clear, tested procedure to get your unique spot registered. The steps are based on hands-on testing on iPhone (iOS 17) and Android (Android 14) devices running the latest versions of the Instagram and Facebook apps. This exact method has been verified across multiple accounts and device types to confirm its effectiveness.

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The Core Method: Create a Location for Instagram Using Facebook

To make your location appear on Instagram, you must first add it to the Facebook Places database using the mobile app’s “Check In” feature. Before you start, it’s essential to enable location services for the Facebook app in your phone’s settings, as the process will not work without it.

This technique adds your new spot to the central database that Instagram uses for every geotag.

Here is the step-by-step procedure:

Step 1. Open the Facebook App: Tap the “What’s on your mind?” status box at the top of your news feed to begin creating a new post.

Step 2. Select “Check In”: From the menu of options that appears at the bottom (like “Photo/Video” or “Tag people”), tap the red location pin icon for “Check In.”

Step 3. Search for Your Location: A list of nearby places will appear. Use the search bar at the top to type the exact name of the custom location you wish to create (e.g., “Sophie’s Morning Brew Café”).

Step 4. Add a New Place: If your location doesn’t exist, it won’t appear in the results. Scroll to the very bottom of the search results list and tap the + Add a new place button. If you don’t see this option, it’s almost always because location services for Facebook are turned off in your phone’s settings.

Step 5. Enter Location Details: You’ll be taken to a new screen. Fill out the form with the Place Name, Address, and City. Accuracy is key here. You can also select a specific category (like “Coffee Shop” or “Park”) to help users find you.

Step 6. Save and Post: Tap “Save” or “Create” in the top-right corner. To ensure the location is registered in Facebook’s system, you must complete and publish the check-in post. If you don’t want this post appearing on your main feed, you can set its privacy setting to “Only Me” before sharing.

How to Find and Use Your New Instagram Location Tag

After you create your custom location on Facebook, it will not appear on Instagram instantly. A delay is normal as the new data syncs from the Facebook Places database to Instagram’s system. This can take a few minutes, several hours, or, in rare cases, up to a day. Patience is the most important part of this step.

Once the new Instagram location tag is available, you can add it to your content.

Add Location to an Instagram Post

Step 1. Open the Instagram app and start creating a new feed post.

Step 2. On the final caption screen, tap Add Location.

Step 3. In the search bar, type the exact name of your newly created custom location.

Step 4. Select it from the search results when it appears.

Step 5. Share your post. The clickable location tag will now appear at the top of your image.

Add Location to an Instagram Story

Step 1. Open Instagram and create a Story by taking a photo or video.

Step 2. Tap the Sticker icon (the smiling square) at the top of the screen.

Step 3. Select the Location sticker from the sticker tray.

Step 4. Search for your custom location, select it, and place it on your Story.

Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I Find My Location on Instagram?

If your new location isn’t showing up after a reasonable amount of time, don’t worry. The issue is typically one of a few common problems. Before retrying the process, review this troubleshooting checklist.

For Business Owners: Taking Control of Your Location

For a business owner like Sophie, creating an Instagram custom location tag is a powerful tool for local marketing and discoverability. While anyone can add a generic place, establishing an official location linked to your Instagram business profile provides far more benefits. When you create the location in Facebook, selecting the correct business category (e.g., “Restaurant,” “Clothing Store,” “Local Service”) is critical. This helps your business appear on the Instagram map when users explore your area.

However, after you create the location, Facebook often generates an “unmanaged” or unofficial page for it. This page is a placeholder. To unlock its full potential, you must claim it to gain administrative control.

How to Find and Claim Your Unmanaged Facebook Page

Claiming your page verifies you as the official owner, allowing you to update business hours, add a website, and connect it properly to your Instagram account. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Find the Unmanaged Page: Open the Facebook app and search for the exact name of the location you just created. You should see a new page with your business name and address, but it will lack a profile picture or cover photo. It may have a note on it that says “Unofficial Page.”

Step 2. Start the Claim Process: On the page, look for a link or button that says “Is this your business?” or “Claim this Page.” It is typically located below the cover photo area or under the “More” tab.

Step 3. Provide Verification: Facebook will require you to prove you own the business. This can be done in several ways, such as:

Step 4. Wait for Approval: After submitting your verification information, Facebook will review it. This can take a few days. Once approved, you will have full administrative access to the page.

An official, claimed location appears more professional and serves as a trusted hub for customers finding you on social media.

The Technical Reason: Why Instagram Relies on Facebook Places

The entire reason you must use Facebook to create an Instagram new location tag is due to the platforms’ shared infrastructure. Here is the key insight: Instagram does not have its own location database. It pulls 100% of its location data directly from the Facebook Places system.

When Facebook acquired Instagram, it integrated many backend systems. Since Facebook already had a massive, well-established mapping and location database, it was more efficient for Instagram to use it rather than build a separate one. Therefore, when you add a new place via Facebook’s “Check In” feature, you are adding an entry to this shared, central database. After it’s processed and synced, the Instagram app can access and display that location. This technical relationship is why the creation process must happen on Facebook first.

We continually monitor changes to the Instagram and Facebook platforms and will update this guide if the location creation process is modified.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Creating a custom Instagram location is a straightforward procedure once you understand that the work must be done through Facebook. This method moves past the initial frustration of searching within Instagram for a feature that doesn’t exist and gives you direct control. By learning how to add a location on Facebook first, you can permanently add your business, event, or unique spot to the map for millions of users to discover and tag. This not only enhances your own posts but also empowers your customers to promote your location, boosting visibility and engagement. You now have the solution to create any Instagram geotag you need.

Joy Taylor

Joy Taylor is a seasoned technical writer with over a decade of experience in mobile technology. At iMobie, she specializes in producing in-depth content on iOS data recovery, iPhone unlocking solutions, and iOS troubleshooting.