Glycogen metabolism in β‐cells may affect downstream metabolic pathways controlling insulin release. We examined glycogen metabolism in human islets and in the rodent‐derived INS‐1 832/13 β‐cells and found them to express the same isoforms of key enzymes required for glycogen metabolism. Our findings indicate that glycogenesis is insulin‐independent but influenced by extracellular glucose concentrations. Levels of glycogen synthase decrease with increasing glucose concentrations, paralleling accumulation of glycogen. We did not find cAMP‐elicited glycogenolysis and insulin secretion to be causally related. In conclusion, our results reveal regulated glycogen metabolism in human islets and insulin‐secreting cells. Whether glycogen metabolism affects insulin secretion under physiological conditions remains to be determined.