If you have been scrolling Instagram recently, you might have wondered how to get a colourful profile. Perhaps you’ve seen profiles washed in a custom colour—like baby pink or deep blue—instead of the usual white, or noticed a distinctive gold ring around a profile picture.
You’re likely asking: “How can I get this for my profile?”
The short answer is, you can’t. This is not a public feature, but an exclusive award.
These creators are the inaugural ‘Rings winners.’ This is a new, exclusive prize introduced by Instagram in late 2025 to honour just 25 creators on the platform who are recognised for shifting culture and “taking creative chances.”
This award is not just a title; it comes with the unique digital features that change the “colours” of the winner’s profile. This includes the Custom Profile Background Colour, which is the most noticeable change, allowing winners to break from the standard white grid.
They also receive The Gold Story Ring. When a normal user posts a Story, their ring is the familiar pink-and-orange gradient. When one of the 25 winners posts, their ring is a shimmering, animated gold. Finally, a ‘Rings Winner 2025’ Bio badge is added to their profile to certify their status.
These 25 winners were selected by a panel of judges (including figures like filmmaker Spike Lee and YouTuber Marques Brownlee) and also received a physical ring.
It’s important to differentiate these exclusive features from the colourful rings available to all users. For the vast majority of people, there are only two other rings you will encounter:
- The Standard Colourful Ring: (Pink/Purple/Orange Gradient) This is the most common ring. It simply means the user has posted an Instagram Story within the last 24 hours.
- The Green Ring: This ring signifies a ‘Close Friends’ Story. If you see a green ring, it means the user has added you to their private list and shared a Story visible only to that group.
In short, while most colourful rings are just a temporary sign of a new Story, the ability to get a gold ring or an entirely custom-coloured profile page is not a setting you can change. It is an honour reserved exclusively for the 25 creators crowned as Instagram ‘Rings winners.’