Tired of posting on Instagram from your phone? Wondering how to post on Instagram from your PC or Mac instead?
You’ve come to the right place. Posting on Instagram from your desktop can save you time and offer more flexibility in what you can upload (such as edited videos and images).
And you can do it without having to upload them onto your phone first.
Below we’ve outlined three different ways to post on Instagram from your computer.
How to post on Instagram from your computer
Method 1: How to post on Instagram from your computer using Hootsuite
Method 2: How to post on Instagram from a PC or Mac
Method 3: How to post on Instagram from your computer using Creator Studio
How to post an Instagram Story from desktop
How to post an Instagram carousel post from desktop
How to edit an Instagram post from desktop
Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.
Below, you’ll find ways to post on Instagram from your PC or Mac. We’ll also show you how to post via Hootsuite which works on either operating system.
If you’re more of a visual learner, watch this video from our pals at Hootsuite Labs to see how easy it can be:
You can schedule feed posts, Stories, carousel posts, and Instagram ads with Hootsuite.
The instructions below will walk you through the process of posting to your Instagram feed. We cover Instagram Stories and carousels a little further down in this article.
To post on Instagram from a PC or Mac using Hootsuite, follow these steps:
Alternatively, you can also Schedule for later if you want it to post at a different time. For a quick summary of how to post on Instagram from Hootsuite, watch this video:
Voila! Posting photos and videos to Instagram from PC or Mac is that easy.
Method 2: How to post on Instagram from a PC or MacAs of October 2021, all Instagram users can create and publish feed posts from the browser version of the app.
To post on Instagram from your desktop computer (PC or Mac), follow these simple steps:
A Create new post window will pop up.
And that’s it!
At the moment, only feed posts can be created and published directly from Instagram on desktop. Keep reading to find out how to post Instagram Stories from a PC or Mac computer.
If Instagram is your social network of choice and you don’t mind not having all your social networks in one dashboard, Creator Studio could be a good option for you.
Note that when using Creator Studio, you can post and schedule all types of posts other than Instagram Stories.
How to post on Instagram using Creator Studio:
You can post an Instagram Story from your computer using a third-party social media management tool like Hootsuite. Just follow the steps outlined in this short video:
Or, read our step-by-step article on how to post an Instagram Story from your computer.
If you don’t have Hootsuite, you can post an Instagram Story from your PC or Mac through the following steps:
You’re done! It’s practically the same steps as if you were using the Instagram app on a mobile device.
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With Hootsuite, you can also create and easily publish carousel posts (with up to 10 images or videos) directly to Instagram. Here’s how.
1. Go to Planner and tap New post to launch Compose.
2. Select the Instagram account you want to publish to.
3. Include your caption in the Text box.
4. Go to Media and tap Select files to upload. Select all the images you want to include in your carousel. All selected images should appear under Media.
5. Use the yellow Schedule button to select a date and time to publish your post.
6. Tap Schedule. The post will show up in your Planner at the time you have scheduled it for.
That’s it! Your post will go live on the date and time you selected.
How to edit an Instagram post from desktopHootsuite Compose allows you to edit any image directly on your dashboard before you post it. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to edit the image once it’s posted.
Follow these steps to edit:
This brings up Hootsuite Composer’s edit tool. It allows you to customize the aspect ratio of your image to fit practically any social media platform’s image metrics. From the sidebar, you also have the ability to add filters, adjust lighting and focus, add text and stickers, and use the brush too.Voila! You just edited your image from your desktop.
Post to Instagram from your PC or Mac using Hootsuite. Save time, grow your audience, and measure your performance alongside all your other social channels. Try it free today.
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Most people use Instagram on their phone using the social media platform's mobile app, but if you need to post or engage with your followers when you're sitting in front of a computer, no worries — you can use Instagram on the web. Using Instagram on the web, you can post, comment, and interact with your account from any Mac or Windows PC.
Instagram on the web is similar to the mobile app. If you already know your way around the social media service on your phone, using it in a web browser won't be too challenging for you. Even so, the layout is notably different.
To get started, open the Instagram webpage webpage in your browser and log in with your account information. By default, it should open to the feed. At the top of the page, you should see a toolbar with all the major controls at your disposal:
Use the toolbar at the top of the page to navigate through Instagram on the web. Dave Johnson
When you scroll through Instagram posts on any of the pages, you can interact with them using the same tools as on the mobile app.
Directly under a photo, you can:
Click Send. Posting on Instagram on the web is straightforward — just click the create a new post icon (the plus symbol) at the top of the webpage and then select a photo or video from your computer. For all the details, here is how to post on Instagram using your computer.
Instagram on the web offers a similar experience to using the mobile app, but the website is slightly incomplete. The most significant difference is related to Stories: You can't post or add to your own Story, but you can still view your Story and Stories from accounts you follow. In addition, you won't find a Shop tab on the web version of Instagram, as you will with the latest versions of the mobile app.
Dave Johnson
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life.
Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
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3 ways to use Instagram effectively on a computer. It is free and does not require special skills and knowledge. Quickly post publications with a large number of hashtags, use Photoshop to create posts and at the same time save a lot of time, using Android emulators will allow you.
Contents
1 Where to download and how to install Nox For professional management of Instagram accounts, I have been for several years I use Android emulators. It is simply a full-fledged smartphone, only right on your computer. This will save you 4 times more time compared to working on the phone. nine0003
Here I will look at 3 virtual machines that will allow you to professionally use instagram through a computer to get clients:
I give a detailed comparison of these Android devices at the end of the article. However, some conclusions can be drawn from this list. nine0003
And yes, I think you all already know about bluestacks (for those who do not know, I describe the installation and disadvantages of this device in the article too). I decided to compare it with other, more convenient and faster ways to work on Instagram from a computer.
In this publication, I will show you where to get it, how to install it correctly and use one or another virtual machine without any problems.
With the help of emulators, you can make your work on Instagram easier if you need to:
If you are an administrator of several accounts, Android emulators are indispensable.
In addition, virtual devices will solve the problem of using Instagram online from a computer if you have a smartphone running Windows Mobile, Symbian or another closed operating system. nine0003
Websites-services are not without drawbacks - you won't be able to fully "use Insta" like on your smartphone.
One of the disadvantages is security: you essentially transfer all access from your account to someone unknown. If you have 200 subscribers, there is no problem. But what to do if there are, for example, 100,000 fans in the account, in which several thousand dollars are invested? What if your account has 500,000 fans? nine0003
In particular, you can find such alarming comments on the net:
The second drawback: you will not be able to view the publication made as users see it from smartphones and, in which case, make changes.
Thirdly, on almost all such services you will have to pay a subscription.
All these problems are perfectly solved by Android emulators. On all virtual devices under consideration, virtual “geo-location” settings are available, as well as any functions that regular smartphones have. nine0003
This Android player is very convenient and fast. Much faster than bluestacks, it doesn't slow down or crash. Therefore, it can be used not only to use Instagram from a computer, other social networks, but also for Android games. In addition, following the example of the described installation method, you can install both WhatsApp and Viber. And also in general everything that Android offers.
Download the emulator from this link: Download Knox
Important: using this link you will have access to a program without viruses and any "appendages" in the form of Mail.Ru and other spam programs of "useful things".
The file weighs 274 megabytes, so if the Internet speed is low, you will have to wait a bit. We find the installation file, it is located in the "Downloads" folder (if you did not change the default file download location):
Click on it 2 times and in the window that appears confirm the installation by clicking on "Yes":
In the process, select the folder where to install (by default, this folder is: C:\Program Files (x86)). Once the installation is complete, restart your computer and launch Nox. The following window should appear:
After Nox has fully launched and you see what is shown in the photo below, you are already on the verge of using instagram from your computer.
Next, click on the Play Store icon:
When the program asks about adding a new Google account, select "Existing":
After that, enter your data for authorization (you do not need to type it manually - the standard insert Ctrl + C works).
Then accept the agreement by clicking on the "OK" button. Next, in the window that appears, in the search bar "Play Market" type "Instagram". After all the manipulations, you will have:
Here, click "Install", accept all permissions and wait for the installation to complete. Then click on "Open" - Nox will turn to 90° and you will see:
At the very bottom, click on "Login" and enter your login details. That's it, you can work with Instagram online, as if from your smartphone, but using all the convenient methods of a desktop computer.
Based on the use of processor and RAM resources, we can draw conclusions from this screen:
The tests were carried out on a computer with a 2.4GHz processor and 3 GB of operating system. In general, Nox APP Player works very quickly and no "glitches" have been noticed for all the time. nine0003
Genymotion is perhaps the most powerful of all Android emulators in terms of functionality.
This virtual device will allow you to work on a computer LITERALLY on your particular model and version of your smartphone. Available for use on Linux, Mac and Windows. Genymotion also has built-in functions to emulate GPS, Wi-Fi network and all device cameras.
Go to the official page of the emulator: Official page. Click on the "Sign In" button:
Next, click "Create an account" (that is, create a new account):
Enter all the necessary data. After that, a registration confirmation letter will be sent to the specified mailbox. By clicking on the link in the letter, you confirm the registration on the genymotion website. Then click on the "Buy Now" button - do not be embarrassed, you do not need to buy anything:
Then click on the "Dowload" button:
Then download by selecting "Download from VirtualBox" (size 152 MB):
After downloading, go to the download folder and run the installation file.
Complete the installation by selecting English during the process.
Restart your computer. You should have two shortcuts on your desktop. Run the application by double-clicking on the icon on the left:
You will see a window where you need to add a device from which you will work on Instagram. Click on the button with the plus sign "Add":
Next is the most interesting, in the window that opens:
you can choose almost any gadget that exists today with the latest version of Android. That is, on your PC you can work on Instagram, like on the latest smartphone from Sony, Samsung, choose the most advanced Google Nexus, or use any tablet with a large screen for convenience. Enter in the "search" field the gadget from which you want to use Insta (I already entered sony and clicked on the line Sony Xperia Tablet S):
Then click on "Next":
Genymotion will load the parameters of the selected device (in my case it is Sony Xperia Tablet S).
At the end of the installation, click on the "Finish" button. In the main window, you will see the loaded device (Sony Xperia Tablet S). You need to select this “device” by simply clicking on it once:
By the way, you can download several devices at once, that is, several types of tablets and smartphones from different manufacturers. The point is to try what will be more convenient to work with. nine0003
Next, let's launch our Sony by clicking on the "Start" button:
The emulator launched the Sony Xperia and this is what I got:
the case described with Nox.
How many resources Genymotion uses
From the screen, you can draw preliminary conclusions about how much Genymotion "loads" the processor and memory:
In general, in terms of functionality and ease of use, of the devices listed in this article, Genimoushen took first place.
Owners of powerful PCs will most likely like this virtual "device".
However, if your computer has a below average processor and less than 2 GB of RAM, then it is better to opt for other emulators from this article.
Go to the official website of the developers: Bluestacks site and download the installation file:
Click "Download Bluestacks", in the window that appears, select "Save file":
Install and run the emulator:
In general, the whole installation is similar to the one described with Nox. Installing Instagram for a computer is also absolutely identical with Knox. After installing the social network on the emulator, you should see the following:
From here you can launch the app and access Instagram from your computer.
Bluestacks performance rating will not be very high. In terms of PC memory load:
On a ten-point scale in general - three, no more. In the process of work, there are frequent and unexpected "self-completion" of the program. In addition, bluestacks often freezes and is rather slow. And that's just using Instagram online. You can imagine what will happen if you run any game on this emulator. nine0003
This method is given here only because of the great popularity of the player and to compare it with other, more efficient ways to use Instagram from a computer.
I give a visual comparison in the table:
From this article, you can see that android emulators provide more functionality and convenience compared to posting sites.
In addition, unlike online services, virtual devices are free. nine0003
Knox emulator is suitable for those who value simplicity and speed. The Bluestex device is suitable for owners of powerful computers. Jeni Motion will be of interest to those who like to experiment and constantly try various Android devices.
Get sales and promote your business on Instagram with all the convenience and benefits of a desktop computer, all for free.
All the best!
P.S To find out how much Facebook and Instagram advertising clients can cost, please go to the section by clicking the button below:
Go to the “cases” section
If you have an Instagram account, you must have wondered at least once whether it is possible to use it not from a smartphone, but from a computer. Can! And how to do this, we will tell in this article. And let's start with the most popular question.
View likes on Instagram through a computer is not only possible, but quite easy.
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nine0008 That's all the possible actions with likes that you can and would like to carry out using a computer, not a phone. Read the article further and find out what else you can use to fully work Instagram from a PC.
To view the feeds of other users, including your friends and even celebrities, you need to be able to follow their pages. By the way, sometimes there is a need for a reverse action when we want to unfollow someone.
A subscription allows you not only to view other people's news, but also leave your comments there. Let's see step by step how to do it:
As you can see, even a novice user can do this without any problems. nine0003
Important: automatic access to the profile does not appear in all cases. If the account is of a closed type, then you first need to wait for the appropriate confirmation from its owner.
Similarly, the reverse process occurs when we want to unsubscribe from someone's page. Just on the page with the profile of this person you need to find the "Unsubscribe" button, after which the subscription will be terminated.
This means that access to news, photos and messages with this person will be limited. nine0003
In order to be really interesting on Instagram, you need to be able to follow the news of other users, that is, simply follow the feed. First, of course, you need to get into your own account in order to then perform any actions. If authorization is required with a username and password, then you will have to go through this necessary step.
The news section will open automatically as soon as Instagram verifies the user who goes to their profile. From now on, in the search feed, it will be possible to find sections with relevant news in order to spend time to your advantage. In addition, all the news shared by other users to whose pages we are subscribed will be published in the feed. As you can see, Instagram has made it as easy as possible to subscribe to a news feed, which you can even customize to your liking so as not to experience difficulties later.
The only thing you can’t get rid of is annoying contextual and other advertising, which is necessary for the existence of this social network. nine0003
From time to time, a number of users have a desire to change their Instagram profile - it turns out that there are different options for implementing this plan. To complete this procedure, we need the following steps:
In addition to the appearance of your page, here you can edit contact information, settings, and even publications that pop up in the news feed.
Some create multiple profiles to be able to keep a personal diary and a business account to earn money. The main thing is not to forget to save all the changes you have made in order for them to take effect. nine0003
We have already figured out how to view subscribers using this service. Let's find out how you can make new friends. Pay attention to the small window in the top panel of the site. It is for searching. We drive into it the login of the person we want to add as a friend, and we see a list of similar logins in front of us. We find the person we need.
If it is convenient for you to use Instagram from a computer, then you will probably want to send private messages through this network, that is, use the so-called Direct (Instagram Direct). You can do this in two ways. nine0003
The official app for PC allows you to easily write to Direct from your computer.
It is very easy to handle.
By the way, you can attach a photo uploaded from a PC or taken with a camera to a text message. True, in the second case, the picture will be without processing. If you want to apply Instagram branded filters, you need to select a post in "photo" format. nine0003
BlueStacks is a PC emulator that recreates the Android OS on your PC. Download it and start using it.
Since we are talking about this wonderful program, let's find out what else you can do with it from a computer.
Of course, you can upload an avatar and any photos using branded filters and settings. You can accept applications, find friends - absolutely everything that you did before from your smartphone. Moreover, you don't even have to do any unfamiliar and incomprehensible actions, because your Instagram will look exactly the same from a computer as from a mobile one. nine0003
How we update Instagram on PC depends on how we use this social network. All Instagram subscribers coming from a computer can be divided into two categories: those who use the official website and those who use additional services or programs. The official website of Instagram is good first of all because it is official and that actions with it do not require any additional gestures.
