WordPress guide
Add an Instagram feed to WordPress
Embed a live Instagram feed in any WordPress post or page with a Custom HTML block — free to start, no plugin required, works with any theme. The feed syncs automatically as you post, and images are proxied through Simpleembed so they never expire the way raw Instagram CDN links do.
1Get your Simpleembed feed ID
Create a free Simpleembed account and connect your Instagram account — it needs to be a Business or Creator account (switching a personal account is free and takes a minute in the Instagram app). Create a feed, then open Embed code in the dashboard and copy the snippet. It comes pre-filled with your feed ID:
<script src="https://simpleembed.com/embed.js" data-feed-id="YOUR_FEED_ID" async></script>2Add a Custom HTML block
Open the post or page in the block editor and click the plus icon where you want the feed. Search for Custom HTML and add the block, then paste the Simpleembed snippet into it.
Still on the classic editor? Switch from the Visual tab to the Text tab and paste the snippet where the feed should appear — the visual tab would mangle the script tag.
3Publish and view the page
Click Update (or Publish) and open the live page. The block editor's Previewtoggle on the Custom HTML block won't execute the script, so the live page is where you'll see the feed. It fills the width of its container and adjusts its own height automatically.
This works out of the box on self-hosted WordPress. On WordPress.com, script tags are stripped on the free plan — you need a plugin-enabled plan with hosting features activated.
Customize it
Layout (grid or carousel), columns, spacing, captions, and hover effects are all controlled from the Simpleembed dashboard. Change a setting there and every embed updates automatically — you never need to edit the block again just to restyle the feed.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a plugin?
- No. The feed is a single script tag pasted into a Custom HTML block, so there is nothing to install, update, or worry about breaking with the next WordPress release. It works with any theme.
- Does it work on WordPress.com?
- Yes, on plans that allow custom scripts. WordPress.com strips script tags on the free plan; you need a plugin-enabled plan with hosting features activated to embed the snippet. Self-hosted WordPress sites have no such restriction.
- Will images break when Instagram links expire?
- No. Instagram's CDN links expire after a few days, which is why naive embeds show broken images. Simpleembed proxies and caches every image behind a stable URL, so your feed keeps rendering indefinitely.
- Does it slow my WordPress site down?
- No. The loader script is tiny and loads with the async attribute, so it never blocks your page. The feed renders in its own iframe with lazy-loaded, CDN-cached images.
- Is it free?
- Yes — one Instagram source and one feed are free forever, with a small Simpleembed watermark on the feed. The $7/month plan removes the watermark and unlocks unlimited feeds and sources.
Get your feed ID in about two minutes
Create a free Simpleembed account, connect your Instagram Business or Creator account, and copy your embed snippet. One source and one feed are free forever; $7/month unlocks unlimited feeds, sources, and views.
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