How to transform your Instagram posts into a beautiful Mixbook photo album

Instagram and Mixbook are distinct platforms – Instagram lives entirely in the digital realm, whereas Mixbook transforms the digital into memorabilia you can hold in your hands. Yet, the two are wonderfully compatible.

Mixbookers love Instagram, and Instagram users love Mixbook (follow us @mixbook). You can even enjoy the best of both worlds by transforming the highlights of your feed into a beautiful Instagram photo album.

The new Mixbook Studio with AI technology offers a seamless connection to your Instagram account. Upload your favorite images directly from Instagram into Mixbook, utilize the endless creative potential of the Mixbook Studio, and in moments, you’ll be clicking “order” on a stunning Instagram photo album.

Reasons to transform Instagram posts into a Mixbook photo album

There are some profound benefits to making custom memorabilia from Instagram posts. Just a few include:

• The larger format of a photo book showcases your photos at a scale and quality impossible on a small smartphone screen.
• Some of your friends and loved ones might not use Instagram, and even those that do will appreciate a physical book – plus a break from screen time.
• Looking at a photo on an Instagram feed is a momentary experience, soon to disappear. A photo book lasts a lifetime.
• The term “shareable” has a different meaning when it refers to a book rather than a post. You can share a book with friends and family as a thoughtful gift.
• You can browse a book with loved ones while you sit shoulder-to-shoulder. This tangible experience of sharing is truly incomparable.

How to upload Instagram photos to Mixbook

The steps for creating an Instagram photo album with Mixbook are almost identical to those for creating a photo book from any other source of photos. If you’re an experienced Mixbooker, there’s no learning curve – you just need to know where to click to connect Mixbook with your Instagram account. First-time users of Mixbook can read our guide: Getting Started Mixbook 101.

Follow these easy steps for how to select and upload Instagram photos to Mixbook:

In the Mixbook Studio

1. Start a new photo book project, or open a project you’re already working on.
2. Select “Add Photos.”
3. Click the Instagram icon, which you'll find under “import from other services.”
4. Log in to your Instagram account in the new window.
5. Click “allow” to give permission to Mixbook to connect to your account.
6. Scroll through your Instagram feed to select the photos you want, and click “Open” or “Upload.”

In My Photos

1. Navigate to “My Photos” while logged into your Mixbook account
2. Optionally click “Albums” and create a new album for your Instagram photo book
3. Select “Add Photos”
4. Follow steps 3 to 6 above.

You might find it helpful to organize your Instagram photos in Mixbook. You can do so in the Mixbook Studio by selecting “Sort By” and choosing options such as date taken, day of the week, month, or year.

Make a photo book in an instant With Auto-Create

Take advantage of the Mixbook Studio’s AI-powered Auto-Create feature, which makes it quick and easy to create a cohesive story from your Instagram photos. The feature uses smart photo layouts to create a stunning Instagram photo album in moments.  With or without the Auto-Create option, you still have total control over every element of the photo book design.

Find Insta-worthy layouts and designs

One of the coolest things about Instagram is that each user’s feed showcases a unique aesthetic. Even though Instagram has fixed photo dimensions, a distinct set of filters, and the iconic grid layout, you get to curate the photos and overall feel of your feed. It’s easy to translate this vibe directly into your Instagram photo album with Mixbook.

One way to do this is by choosing the Instagram Book theme, which recreates Insta’s grid and commitment to 1:1 ratio (square) images. Its minimalist look and white background scream “classic Instagram.” (Mixbook has an Instagram Calendar theme as well.)

If you prefer to have total control over the design of your Instagram photo album, start with a Blank Canvas. You can recreate the Instagram look from scratch, using square images and neat grid-style layouts, or nod to it with aesthetic touches.

Here are a few ways to do that:

• Add Text to add Insta-style captions. Choose a sans serif font similar to Instagram’s own typeface, such as Ariel, Futura, Neue Helvetica, or Proxima Nova.
• Customize your photo book’s backgrounds to evoke the modern, minimalist look of Instagram. Choose a solid background (white or a color), or use the search term “gradient” to find a pink/purple/orange gradient similar to Insta’s logo.

Top themes for an Instagram photo album

Mixbook has hundreds of themes available. Browse the options and find one that matches your favorite features of Instagram plus your style. Just a few recommendations include:

• Simple Modern
• Rainbow is My Favorite Color by Ampersand Design Studio
• Hand Drawn Patterns
• Simple Boho Floral

You might browse themes by categories that match the focus of your Instagram feed. If your feed strongly features travel, holiday, or pet photos, find a theme to match. A yearbook theme complements an end-of-year review of your Instagram feed.

More ways to enhance an Instagram photo album

The Mixbook Studio has many additional features that complement Instagram photos and allow for endless design options and customization. Experiment with the following features while creating your Instagram photo album:

• Effects such as filters, borders, shadows, and opacity.
• Flip, rotate, resize, and reposition photos. Embrace the classic Instagram look with square photos, or keep it contemporary with vertical and horizontal photos as well.
• Consider different book shapes – Mixbook offers square, horizontal, and vertical books.
• Add stickers. Use the search term “emoji” to find fun social-media-inspired stickers for your Instagram photo album.

Instagram photo book inspiration

Your Instagram feed is a unique compendium of important, special, and meaningful moments in your life. This makes it a natural source of inspiration for a year-in-review photo book. However, your feed might also inspire another theme for a photo book, such as:

• Travel adventures: Your vacation pics are the biggest highlights of your feed. Turn them into a travel-themed photo book, whether it's dedicated to a single amazing trip or a lifetime of globetrotting.
• 365 days of selfies: This type of Instagram photo book is a fun way to celebrate yourself. It's a great idea for someone who puts a lot of thought into fashion (#OOTD), hair, and makeup.
• Favorite captions, quotes, and comments: Use Mixbook's powerful typography tools to showcase the more meaningful text elements of your Instagram feed, such as quotations, captions, and favorite comments.
• Foodie adventures: If food pictures dominate your feed, turn them into a delicious photo book! This idea works for your foodie creations and recipes as well.
• A fitness journey: If you've been working out, achieving fitness goals, and discovering a new dedication to your health – kudos! Celebrate that amazing story with a photo book.
• Sports fan highlights: If every follower on Instagram can instantly name your favorite team, you might be a sports fan. Turn your dedication to the team into a custom sports photo book – it's extra special if they recently won big.
• Hobby books: Hobbies are meaningful parts of our lives, and some Instagrammers dedicate their entire feed to them. Whether you sew your own garments, decorate cakes, grow the best roses on the block, or dominate the bridge group, it's a worthy theme for a photo book.

Order your Instagram photo album

When your Instagram photo book is complete, be sure to preview it before clicking “order.” Next, you can choose from three cover options, four sizes, two paper finishes, and a glossy or matte cover finish. Look at Mixbook’s photo book pricing for more information about these options.

That’s it! You’ll soon receive your beautiful, high-quality Instagram photo album ready to hold in your hands, browse, gift, or share.

Ready to connect Instagram and Mixbook?

Read more about Mixbook's photo books and get ready to transform your Instagram feed into a real-life treasure.

Share the story of your finished photo album with other Mixbookers and your social media followers using #mymixbookstory.