Shoulder instability and labral tears are a common cause of shoulder complaints. The hallmark of instability on physical examination is laxity or pain when the clinician attempts to sublux the humeral head. The symptoms can be quite debilitating, and surgery is often required to reduce the pain or stabilize the shoulder. The likelihood of recurrent instability after an initial dislocation depends on age and occurs in one-third to one-half of individuals younger than age 20, but only in 10% of patients older than age 40. Many patients develop recurrent instability not only because labral tears rarely heal but also because the anterior capsule is stretched and remains lax, which allows the humeral head to subluxate more easily. Imaging signs are present in instances of anterior instability, posterior instability, multidirectional instability, and microinstability, which can be parsed using radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, arthrography, and sonography. We discuss the imaging of the major types of instability and labral tears.