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How to Disclose AI Content on Instagram

Being upfront about AI builds trust, and for some content Meta requires it. Here's when to disclose and how to do it.

Published by Km Anjali · Last reviewed November 2026

When disclosure is required

Meta has said people must use its disclosure tool when they post organic content with a photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio that was digitally created or altered, and that it may apply penalties if they don't.

Still images are generally not covered by that same requirement, according to secondary guides, but they may still be labeled automatically. Check Meta's current policies, because they do change.

How to add the label

Reported steps, which may differ in your version of the app:

1. Posts and Reels: on the final screen before sharing, look for the option to add an AI label and turn it on.
2. Stories: look under Options for the AI label setting.

When you should disclose even if it isn't required

• The image shows a realistic person, place, or event that didn't happen.
• It's used to promote a product, where looks can influence a purchase.
• Your audience would reasonably assume it's an unedited photo.
• The topic is sensitive, such as news, health, or elections.

Write a clear caption

A platform label is short. A caption can say what actually happened:

• "Created with an AI image generator."
• "Real photo. Background extended with AI."
• "AI-assisted illustration based on my own sketch."

Other rules that may apply

• Laws: rules such as the EU AI Act include transparency duties for some AI content. Check what applies where you and your audience are.
• Paid partnerships: advertising rules may require disclosure in sponsored posts.
• Brand and client contracts: many now include terms about AI use.

This page is general information, not legal advice.

The account-level label

Instagram has a separate AI-generated profile label for accounts that feature an AI-generated person. Instagram says creators who simply use AI tools in their work don't need it. See our guide to the AI-generated profile label.

Disclosing on other platforms

• Facebook and Threads: Meta's rules are shared across its apps. Its help page says a label may be required for photorealistic video and realistic-sounding audio. See our Facebook guide.
• TikTok: use the AI-generated content setting before posting. TikTok says a label can't be removed after posting, so decide first. See TikTok AI labels.
• Pinterest: creators can apply the AI modified label themselves, according to Pinterest's help page.

What a good disclosure looks like

• Visible: in the first line of the caption, not buried in hashtags.
• Specific: it says what AI did, such as "background extended with AI," and not just "#ai".
• Honest about scale: it doesn't call an AI image "edited" or a heavily generated scene "lightly touched up".
• Consistent: the same wording across your posts, so your audience learns what it means.

If you work with brands

Sponsored posts often carry two disclosures: that the post is paid, and that AI was used. Agree on both with the brand before you post, and keep a record of which tools touched each image. Many contracts now ask for this directly. If the brand wants AI disclosure removed from a realistic image, treat that as a red flag.

Written by Km Anjali

An entrepreneur on the EraseAILabel team who writes about photo privacy and AI labels. How we test

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