Erica
An Instagram link in bio is the clickable web address on your profile, and for years you could only have one. Since April 2023 that is no longer true, so this guide explains what your options are now: Instagram’s own multi-link feature, a separate link-in-bio page, or a simple single link.
We did desk research only. We did not sign up for or test any link-in-bio service, and this guide names tools in plain text without linking to them. What we say about Instagram comes from the reports cited below, and what we say about Bio.fm comes from its homepage, all read on 21 October 2026. Our 2019 version of this article is replaced by this one.
Quick answer: start with Instagram’s built-in links. Go to Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link, and you can add up to five links, each with a title. Use a separate link-in-bio page only if you need more than five links, a branded landing page, email capture or click analytics. Building such a page does not need your Instagram password.
Status: Instagram multi-link is live; Bio.fm, the tool our 2019 article covered, still loads. Price: Instagram’s links are free. Safety: no password sharing needed for any of these routes.
What a link in bio is
Instagram does not make links in captions clickable, so the website address in your profile is the one place where followers can click through to your site, shop, video or article. That is why “link in bio” became a standard phrase in captions and stories.
For a long time the profile allowed a single link. Creators got round it with a landing page that collects many links behind one address. Linktree is the best-known example: according to Wikipedia, it was founded in Melbourne in 2016, and platforms that allow only one link in a profile inspired it. We cover it in our Linktree review.
If you run a business account, the link is also where your followers become customers, so it deserves some thought.
Instagram’s built-in links
On 18 April 2023, Social Media Today reported that Instagram had launched the ability to add up to five links to your bio. The bio shows how many links there are, and tapping it opens a list of them, much like a link-in-bio page. The same report says Instagram had been testing the feature since 2021, and that you can drag and drop to change the order.
We could not load Instagram’s own help article on this feature, which returns only a page title when fetched. Because of that, check the options in your own app, as Instagram may have changed the limits or the wording since the 2023 report. We have not confirmed the current limit from an Instagram page.
What it does well
- Free, with nothing to sign up for.
- No third-party page, so no extra click and no extra site to maintain.
- Each link gets its own title.
- No Instagram password given to anyone.
Where it stops
- Capped at five links as reported in 2023.
- Only the first link is shown on the profile itself, with a count for the rest.
- No page design, no email sign-up block and no per-link click statistics that we could find described in the reports we read.
How to add links, step by step
These steps follow the Social Media Today report. The labels may differ slightly in your version of the app.
- Open your profile and tap Edit profile.
- Tap Links, then Add external link.
- Paste the web address and give it a short title, for example “Latest video” or “Shop”.
- Repeat for up to five links.
- Drag the links into the order you want. Put the most important one first, because it is the one shown on your profile.
Then check the result on someone else’s phone or a second account. Links open inside Instagram by default, according to the same coverage, so test that each page loads quickly on mobile.
Link-in-bio pages
A link-in-bio page is a small web page that you build once and place in your profile. Visitors tap one address and land on a page of buttons, videos, a mini shop or a sign-up form. Services of this kind usually offer a free tier and paid plans that add things such as analytics, scheduling and removal of the provider’s branding. Our Linktree review shows the typical split between free and paid features.
These pages are worth considering when you need:
- More than five destinations, such as a catalogue of products or a series of articles.
- A page that matches your brand colours and fonts.
- An email collection form or a payment button.
- Statistics on which link gets clicked.
- One address you can also use on other platforms, not only Instagram.
If you also manage posts from a computer, our list of Instagram business tools shows where link pages sit among the rest, and our Content and Scheduling category covers related tools.
Built-in links vs a link-in-bio page
| Question | Instagram built-in links | Separate link-in-bio page |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Usually a free tier, with paid plans for extras |
| Number of links | Up to five (reported April 2023) | Set by the provider and plan |
| Design control | None | Varies by provider and plan |
| Extra tap for visitors | Yes, to open the list | Yes, to open the page |
| Works on other platforms | No | Yes |
| Needs your Instagram password | No | No, for page builders |
For most small accounts, the built-in list is enough. Move to a page when you outgrow five links or want to measure and design.
What happened to Bio.fm
Our 2019 article recommended Bio.fm, a free service that builds a page of content blocks from your Instagram, YouTube and other accounts. As of 21 October 2026 its homepage still loads, with sign-up and sign-in links, no shutdown notice and no redirect. The page describes multiple links, email collection forms, GIFs, social icons and drag-and-drop blocks, and says “Your bio is free”.
We could not confirm the details we gave in 2019. That includes the four-block limit on the free plan, the $10 a month Premium plan and the logo removal. We have not repeated them. Check the provider’s current page before relying on any of it.
Which links to put in your bio
Five slots, or a page of buttons, still need a plan. Treat the first link as the most valuable, because it is the only one visible without a tap. A workable set for a creator or small business:
- Your main goal right now, such as a launch, booking page or shop.
- Your newest piece of content, such as a video or article, and change it when you publish.
- Your most-used evergreen page, such as a guide or portfolio.
- A way to contact you or get on your list.
- Another platform you want followers on.
Match the link to what you say in posts. If a caption says “link in bio for the recipe”, the recipe should be the first link, not buried at number four. Strong profile photos and captions help people decide to click, so see our guides on taking Instagram photos and building a following.
Safety and risks
Adding links in Instagram’s app uses your own login inside the official app, so nothing is shared. A link-in-bio page builder only needs the address of your page; if a service asks for your Instagram password to create one, that is a warning sign. Services that log in as you and automate follows or likes are a different category, and Instagram has said it acts against them. In November 2018 it announced it would remove fake likes, follows and comments from third-party apps and ask affected accounts to change their password.
Two practical risks remain with any link-in-bio page. If the provider closes or changes its plan, the address in your bio can stop working, so keep a note of your page content. And pages from third parties can be blocked or flagged if they point to spam, so link only to pages you control.
Next, you may want cute Instagram bio ideas and how to get verified on Instagram.
Link in bio FAQ
How many links can I put in my Instagram bio?
Up to five, according to Social Media Today’s April 2023 report. We could not confirm the current limit on an Instagram page, so check Edit profile in your app.
Do I still need Linktree or a similar tool?
Not for a handful of links. A separate page helps if you need more than five links, design control, email capture or click statistics.
Is a link-in-bio tool safe for my account?
Page builders do not need your Instagram password. Be wary of any service that asks for it.
Can I put clickable links in captions?
Instagram does not turn web addresses in captions into clickable links, which is why people write “link in bio”. You can make hashtags and @mentions clickable.
Is Bio.fm still available?
Its homepage was loading on 21 October 2026 and described a free page. We could not confirm its old plans or limits.
Which link should come first?
The one you most want visitors to open now, because it is the one shown on your profile.
Further reading
Pages read on 21 October 2026.