5 Instagram Settings Every Creative Should Check to Help Protect Their Work

How to stay in control of your content without disappearing from social media.

If you're a designer, illustrator, photographer, maker, artist or small business owner, chances are Instagram has become part of your portfolio.

It's where you showcase your work, attract new clients and build your community.

But recent headlines surrounding Meta's new AI image generator, Muse Image, have reminded many of us how important it is to understand exactly how our content can be shared and reused online.

The feature briefly allowed people to generate AI images using content from public Instagram accounts before being withdrawn following significant criticism from creators and privacy experts.

While that specific feature has been removed, it sparked an important conversation that isn't going away:

How much control do we really have over the content we share online?

The good news is there are a few simple settings worth checking.

1. Review your "Sharing and reuse" settings

This is probably the most useful setting most creatives don't know exists.

To find it:

Instagram → Profile → ☰ → Settings and activity → Sharing and reuse

Under "Allow people to create with and reuse your content" you'll see options for:

• Posts

• Reels

• Comments and captions with mentions
  

Should you switch them off?

It depends. If you're a photographer, illustrator or artist who wants greater control over how your work is reused, you may prefer to turn Posts and Reels off.

However, this isn't the right choice for everyone.

Many businesses actually want people to reuse their content. Perhaps you're encouraging customers to remix a Reel, share a template, use your content in Stories or help spread your message. For some brands, that extra visibility is incredibly valuable.

There isn't a right or wrong answer. The important thing is understanding what these settings do, so you can choose what's right for your business.

2. Decide whether your account really needs to be public

If you want the highest level of protection, making your account private prevents your public content from being used in these features. For many creatives and businesses, though, a public account is essential for attracting new customers. If that's you, there's no need to panic. Simply reviewing your sharing settings and being intentional about what you post is a sensible first step.

3. Share web-sized versions of your work

There's rarely any need to upload full-resolution artwork or photography to Instagram.

Instead:

• Export images at web resolution.

• Keep your original high-resolution files safely backed up.

• Store your editable working files.

If someone does copy your work, they'll have a much lower-quality version than your original.

4. Keep evidence that you created it

One of the simplest ways to protect your work is also one of the easiest to overlook.

Keep:

• Original RAW files

• Photoshop, Illustrator or Canva working files

• Sketches and drafts

• Export history

• Dates of creation

These all help demonstrate ownership should you ever need to.

5. Remember that your website is still your biggest asset

Instagram is brilliant for getting discovered but your website is the one place you truly control. Algorithms change. Features change. Terms and conditions change. Your own website remains the best place to showcase your portfolio, collect enquiries and build an audience you own.

Don't let AI stop you sharing your work

It's easy to read headlines and think we should all stop posting online.

We don't think that's the answer. Instead, understand the platforms you're using, review your settings every so often and make informed decisions about how you want your work to be shared. Technology will continue to evolve. The more we understand it, the better placed we'll be to make it work for us, not against us.

A quick five-minute task for today

Take two minutes to check your Sharing and reuse settings on Instagram.

Ask yourself:

• Am I happy for people to create with and reuse my content?

• Does this setting reflect how I actually want my work to be shared?
  

A couple of small tweaks today could help you feel much more in control of your creative work tomorrow.