Blocks » Story Block
The Story block allows you to combine photos and videos to create an engaging, tappable full-screen slideshow on your site’s posts and pages. Stories published on your site won’t disappear after 24 hours and you can edit or add to stories after they are published.
Here is how it looks when added to a post.
Requirements
The Stories block is available on WordPress.com sites and self-hosted Jetpack sites using the block editor on:
About Stories on WordPress
On WordPress, Stories appear as a block in a blog post. The Story block displays a preview of the Story content where the first slide is the cover image.
![A Story Preview](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_story_preview.png?w=726)
When a visitor to your site clicks on the Story preview, the Story autoplays in a full-screen view. Visitors can reply to your Story by commenting on or liking the post.
![A Story viewed fullscreen](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_story_fullscreen.png?w=886)
Stories on WordPress are different from stories on other platforms in a few ways.
- Posts with Stories won’t disappear after 24 hours.
- The Story content can be added to and edited after publishing.
- Anyone visiting your site can view the Story.
- You can share your Story on any platform using the post permalink.
How to Use Stories on Your Site
Stories are great for:
- Step-by-step guides and tutorials
- Recipes
- Showcasing progress on your DIY and art projects
- Travel journals
- And more
Creating a Story in the WordPress App
First, if you don’t already have the free WordPress app, download it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and sign in with your WordPress.com account.
Create a new Story post
From the app’s home screen, tap the floating pink button above the tab bar. Then select “Story post” from the menu.
![Tap the pink floating button to access the "Add new" menu.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_create_button.png?w=688)
![Select the "Story post" option from the Add new menu.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_add_new_story.png?w=738)
Select media to add
On Android devices, tap the pink camera button to take a photo or choose photos and videos to add to your Story from your device files or your site’s Media Library. Then tap the check icon to confirm your selection.
![Tap the camera button to take a photo or the WordPress icon to access your Media Library.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_media_choose.png?w=475)
![Tap the checkmark icon to add the media to your Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_media_selected-1.png?w=475)
![Edit and preview your Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_media_added.png?w=475)
On iOS devices, take a photo or tap the thumbnail icon to select an image from your device or site’s Media Library. Then tap Add to confirm your selection.
![On iOS, tap the circle to take a photo or tap and hold to record a video. Tap the thumbnail icon to select photos and videos from your library.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/story_block_ios_camera-1.png?w=375)
![After selecting media, tap the Add button to add the media to your Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/story_block_ios_media_picker-1.png?w=375)
![Edit and preview your Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/story_block_ios_editor.png?w=375)
Now you’re ready to edit, customize, and preview your Story.
Customize Your Story with a Text Overlay
To add a text overlay to your Story slide, tap the “A” button. After typing out the text, you can customize the text style, color, alignment, and size. When you’re done customizing, tap the checkmark button to apply the text to the slide.
![Tap the "A" button to add a text overlay.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_text_add.png?w=475)
![Customize the alignment, style, color, and size of your text.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_text_color.png?w=475)
![Tap the check icon to apply you text changes.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_text_save.png?w=475)
Pinch, zoom, and drag the text overlay to where you want it to appear. To delete the text overlay, long press on it until the trash icon appears. Then drag it to the trash icon.
![How to resize and delete text.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_delete_text.gif?w=200)
Adding, Reordering and Deleting Slides
Tap the the thumbnail with the plus icon and select the photos and videos to add more slides to your Story.
![How to add slides to your Story](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_slide_add.png?w=475)
To change the order of the slides, press and hold on a thumbnail and drag it until it reaches the right position.
![How to reorder slides](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_slide_reorder.gif?w=200)
To delete a slide on Android devices, press and hold on the slide you want to delete. A trash icon will appear on the screen. Tapping on the trash button will display confirmation to delete the slide.
![How to delete slides](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_slide_delete.gif?w=200)
To delete a slide on iOS, press and hold on the slide you want to delete and drag it towards the center of the screen. A trash icon will appear and dragging the slide to it will delete the slide.
![How to delete slides on iOS](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/story_block_ios_deleteslide-3.gif?w=200)
Publish Your Story
When you’re ready to publish your Story, tap the arrow button at the top of the screen. Give your Story post a title, then publish the post or schedule the post to publish at a later date and time.
![Tap the arrow button when you're ready to publish your Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_publish.png?w=475)
![Give your Story a title then publish it.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_publish_sheet.png?w=475)
Editing a Story in the WordPress App
A Story block on WordPress can be edited and updated after publishing. You can add to your Story by selecting new photos and videos to include. And Story slides can be reordered or deleted.
In the WordPress mobile apps, if you are editing a Story block using the same device the Story was originally created with, you’ll be able to edit and reposition text in the Story.
To edit a Story in the WordPress apps:
- Go to My Site → Posts (or Pages).
- Open the post or page with the Story you want to edit.
- Tap the paintbrush icon at the top of the Story preview.
- Make edits to your Story.
- Tap the check mark icon to save your changes and return to the post or page.
- Tap Update to publish the updated post to your site.
![Tap the paintbrush icon at the top of the Story preview to edit the Story.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_editing_block_editor.png?w=475)
![Tap the check mark icon to save your changes and return to the post.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_editing_story_editor.png?w=475)
![Tap "Update" to publish the updated post to your site.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/story_block_editing_block_editor_update.png?w=475)
Creating a Story from the Block Editor on the Web
Adding a Story Block
To add a Story block, use the Add Block button, or you can type /story
and press enter.
Detailed instructions on adding blocks can be found here.
Adding Images and Videos
When you add a Story block, you’re given two options: Upload and Select Media.
![Example of how to add images and videos from the Media Library, Google Photos or Pexels Free Photos using the Story Block.](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211007011845im_/https://en-support.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/story-block-select-images.png?w=1024)
Upload allows you to upload new media or multiple media files from your computer to your website. Supported media are images and videos.
Select Media lets you choose from previously uploaded media in your Media Library, or choose images from Google Photos or the Pexels Free Photo library.
The order of the images in your story is determined by the order in which you select the images.