How to switch instagram accounts on macbook


How to Switch Instagram Accounts on Computer: It's Easy & Free!

Want to switch Instagram accounts on your computer?

Perhaps you’ve linked several accounts on your app, and you’re wondering where they are when you login on desktop.

No worries! It’s easy to manage multiple IG accounts on PC or Mac.

  • You don’t have to set up separate Chrome profiles – though we’ll cover that too.
  • You don’t need separate logins on different browsers.
  • You don’t need a third-party tool.

You can manage up to 5 IG accounts in one browser!

And I’ll also show you how to manage more than 5 without logging in and out.

Read on.

How to Add Multiple Instagram Accounts on Computer

First things first – whether you’ve already linked multiple Instagram accounts on mobile or not, you’ve got to add them on desktop.

Note: When adding accounts, you may be logged out of the first account. Be sure you have access to your login info and the device where you can receive a security code, or have backup codes handy.

1 | Go to Instagram.com on a browser and log into an account.

2 | Click on Switch at top right. You have to be on the Home (newsfeed) tab to see it.

I added the black overlay here for emphasis.

3 | If you’ve already added accounts via computer browser, simply choose the one you want. If you don’t see the account you want to switch to, choose Log Into Existing Account.

This older screenshot shows that the accounts I linked in the Instagram app on my iPhone didn’t show here – yet.

4 | Enter the login info for the account you want to add.

Check the box next to Save login info if you wish. Then click the blue Log In button.

If you don’t know your password, click Forgot Password? Remember that if you create a new password, you’ll need it to get back into this account on any other devices, so make a note of it.

5 | You’ll be instantly logged into the account you added, unless you’ve added two-factor authorization. So either find your backup codes, or have your device handy to receive the code. And be aware you’ll need this to switch back to the original account too – if it has two-factor enabled.

Once you’ve entered a security code (if needed), you’ll see the second account’s Instagram profile picture in the upper right, meaning you’re now logged in as this one.

How to Switch Instagram Accounts on Computer

Once you’ve added at least one additional account via your browser, when you’re on the home feed you’ll see the account you’re logged into on the right side, with a blue link to Switch.

Click it to access the Switch Accounts popup.

Then click the account you want to switch to, or choose to add another account via the link at the bottom of the popup.

As I tried to switch back to my first account, I had to receive and enter a security code. Just a heads up that this may happen to you after adding another account!

How Can I Manage More Than 5 Instagram Accounts?

There’s limit of 5 linked Instagram accounts, whether on a mobile device or computer.

But the computer has a big advantage!

If you manage more than 5 accounts, you can create a group of linked accounts on each of several different browsers. Then just switch browsers to access another group.

Or, you can set up as many profiles as you need in Chrome, and add up to 5 linked accounts to each. Again, switching is as easy as a couple clicks.

Details below.

Adding Multiple Instagram Accounts in Chrome

If you’re a Google Chrome user, there’s an easy way to have multiple groups of multiple accounts: People. And it’s free!

Or, you can use this to manage several IG accounts that you don’t want to link, in one browser (as long as the browser is Chrome 😉 ).

1 | Before you start, you might want to think about how many separate accounts, or groups of up to 5 accounts, you’ll need, and how to name them, so you know which group is which.

Let’s say you have an Insta account for each of your pets: 4 dogs, 3 horses, and 5 chickens. So you might decide to create 3 groups named: My Dogs. My Horses. My Chickens.

Or group your businesses or clients in a similar fashion 😉

2 | In the top corner of your Chrome browser, there’s a picture or icon of you. This represents your account.

Tap on this and some options appear for your account settings.

3 | At the bottom is Other People. If anyone else has a login saved on your Chrome, their picture will appear here.

At the bottom, there are two options: Guest and Add.

4 | Click the Add button and a screen opens.

Give the “person” a name. If you have more than one business that you don’t want linked, you can create a separate “person” named for each business. Or add a “person” named Clients to group several accounts you manage for others. Or however you decided to group the accounts you manage.

You can give the “person” an icon to help you spot which one is which.

5 | A new window will open as if you had never used Chrome before.

Now log into the Instagram account you want to be the basis for this separate “person.”

Chrome will ask you if you want to save the password – click Yes but don’t sync with other profiles.

Now to get into this other IG account without logging in and out, click your picture on Chrome and select the “person” you just made.

6 | In the one IG account you added to this “person,” you can add up to 4 more accounts so you can easily switch back and forth between multiple groups. Perfect for managing client accounts!

How to Unlink an Instagram Account

Accounts linked on the computer must be removed on the computer. If they were also linked on your mobile device, then you’ll need to remove them in the mobile app as well.

You can find all the details, with screenshots, here:

How to Remove an Instagram Account.

Conclusion

Now you know how to manage multiple Instagram accounts on desktop or laptop, PC or Mac!

Free, easy, fast solutions, even if you have more than 5 to deal with.

Ready to get even more efficient?

Check into IG-approved schedulers that automatically post to Instagram from computer.

Or learn how to grow your Instagram followers 11 ways!

How to Manage Multiple Instagram Accounts on Desktop - Blog

Updated: November 2. 2021

There’s no just no good way to log into multiple Instagram accounts at once on desktop, or to view those accounts side-by-side or switch between them quickly. If you’re sick and tired of having to log in and out of your different Instagram profiles on the web, downloading the Shift desktop app is the best solution to solve that problem for you! In this article, we will help you learn the best ways to link accounts and switch between multiple Instagram accounts on your desktop with Shift, and manage all of those accounts effectively.

When Instagram first came to be, it was difficult to navigate on desktop, especially with multi-accounts. It was built with only the mobile app in mind, and Instagram on your laptop was forgotten. Instagram has finally released the ability to post photos and videos from desktops. Although this may sound like a very basic feature, Instagram’s desktop functionality has historically lagged well behind what’s possible on its apps. Now in Shift you can have all your Instagram accounts in one place, and post straight to those accounts hassle free.

The problem with multiple Instagram accounts

Switching between multiple accounts on Instagram can be a headache, but if you want to scale your business, run a side hustle, or add a personal account, it becomes necessary. Instagram does not make it easy to link accounts, access all profiles, and switch between a second, third, or even fourth account.

On Instagram, users can 

  • View and comment on images shared by other users.
  • Send direct messages to other accounts. 
  • Follow users to stay up to date on posts.  
  • Track your likes, shares, saves, and comments on a business account.

But, unfortunately, Instagram has yet to master the art of switching between and managing multiple accounts. 

Here’s the trick: Use a third-party app to manage multiple accounts from the same interface (aka Shift!)

Who needs to manage multiple Instagram accounts?

You might have more than one Instagram account if you not only have a personal account, but also one for a hobby, website, or side hustle. Nowadays anyone managing an Instagram profile professionally likely has more than one linked account. Whether you have a personal account, and a brand account or you manage multiple accounts as an influencer or agency, you're likely running two or more accounts. Luckily, you can manage multiple accounts directly in the Shift desktop app. While Instagram doesn't have an official desktop app or an elegant solution for managing multiple accounts, Shift allows you to work with as many Instagram accounts as you like on your PC, Mac or Linux desktop computer. Workspaces in Shift also allows you to easily manage multiple Instagram accounts along with all of your other social media apps. Workspaces makes it easy to groups together all your apps, including Instagram, according to what they're used for. That way you can have Workspaces for social media for business, personal, and side hustle, for example.

Related Post: How to Manage All Your Social Media Accounts in One Place

How to log into Instagram accounts on desktop

Shift is no stranger to the coolest applications, and Instagram is definitely one of our users' favorite apps. It’s the best social media app for sharing and viewing photos and short videos. Our most active users are managing several Instagram accounts in Shift without the hassle of logging in and out since you can stay logged into multiple accounts at once and easily switch between them.

Here is how to add Instagram to your deck of apps in Shift:

1. Go to Add Application [+]
2. Search for Instagram
3. Click the + in the top right-hand corner to install it
4. Enter an account name and choose a color
5. Login using your Instagram account or Facebook

Can I have two accounts on Instagram? 

You can now have up to 5 IG accounts linked together and logged in at once. If you want to add more than five accounts, you can do so, but you’ll have to log in and out to access additional profiles. Every account must have its own email address, so you can’t create multiple accounts from the same email. 

To add an additional account to your Instagram, follow these steps:

  1. Open Instagram on your phone or in Shift.
  2. Click on the icon of your profile photo at the bottom-right of the screen.
  3. Click on your account name.
  4. Select Add Account
  5. Select Create New Account.
  6. Create a username and password.
  7. You’re all set!

How to add a second Instagram account on desktop

You can add a second Instagram account to your desktop, but keep in mind that you cannot post pictures from your computer. Follow these steps to add a second Instagram account on desktop. 

  1. Tap the profile icon in the bottom right or click on your profile picture. 
  2. Click on the 3 bars in the top right and then click on settings. 
  3. Scroll to the bottom and click ‘add account.’
  4. Tap login.

How to switch between Instagram accounts on computer

Switching between your Instagram accounts on your computer simple with Shift. Once you've added your Instagram accounts to Shift, they will show on the left-hand sidebar. All you need to do to switch between them is click on the icon and that account will take over the main window. This makes switching between Instagram accounts on your desktop PC or laptop a breeze compared to logging in and out of accounts in a browser. It’s also easier than switching between Instagram accounts on the mobile app where you have to switch within the app itself, and can’t actually view more than one of your multiple accounts side-by-side, like you can on your computer with the Shift desktop app.

Related Video: How to Manage Multiple Instagram Accounts on Desktop

How to manage multiple Instagram accounts on desktop with Shift

The best part about using Instagram in Shift is how simple it is to manage multiple Instagram accounts. It’s easy to add more than one Instagram account to Shift. To log into more than one account, all you need to do is repeat the above steps for each of the accounts.

1. Click on the add application icon [+]
2. Search for Instagram (there should be a green check mark since you've already signed in once)
3. Click + to install it
4. Enter your account name and choose a color for it
5. Login using a different Instagram account or Facebook

Tip: Choosing a different color and setting a different name for each account will help you to distinguish between them if you're using the compact layout.

You can repeat these steps as many times as you like to get all of the Instagram accounts you manage in one place. Now, you’re all set to manage multiple Instagram accounts in Shift!

How to manage multiple Instagram accounts with Workspaces

With Workspaces in Shift, you can easily manage and switch between multiple Instagram accounts, as well as multiple other social media accounts. Workspaces are dedicated, and fully customizable, spaces for your most important work within Shift. You can add apps, tabs, and bookmarks directly within a Workspace. If you manage multiple Instagram accounts as a social media manager, for example, you can put each Instagram account into its own Workspace. You can also keep all of the social media accounts that you manage for each client together in one Workspace including Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, and TikTok. Another great addition to your Workspace are apps that you use to schedule and manage social media posts, such as Later and Buffer. You’ll even stay logged into all of the social media accounts and management tools within a Workspace so you won’t have to worry about logging in and out of any accounts. It’s so much easier to have all of your social media apps grouped together in a Workspace so you aren’t searching through the sidebar looking for the right Instagram account.

Can you switch between multiple Instagram accounts on Chrome? 

Unfortunately, there’s no simple way to switch between Instagram accounts on chrome. The easiest way to switch between Instagram accounts in your browser is to use Shift and aggregate multiple accounts in the sidebar. There are various functions to make switching to another account simple and save you the hassle of logging in and out.

  • Customize the name of your account
  • Color code your profiles so you can easily differentiate between them
  • Eliminate the hassle of logging in and out of different accounts
  • Create a workspace for each Instagram profile
  • Monitor engagement rates, link clicks, and scale your business

Tip: Save your passwords! Move all passwords from Chrome into your Shift account with the click of a button and never worry about logging in and out again. Store all of your Instagram passwords in Shifts' secure vault and start managing additional profiles efficiently. 

How to upload to Instagram from desktop

Instagram has rolled out the new feature of allowing users to post from their desktop. You can share a photo, video or reel right from your desktop just as you would on the app. This can be done by clicking on the “+” button in the top right corner of the webpage. It will prompt you to select photos from your computer and then filters, captions, and location tags can be added. 

How to get the Instagram app on desktop (Mac & PC)

As you have gathered, accessing multiple IG profiles on desktop can be a real pain and the best way to get around this is using a third-party app. You can get the Instagram app (or multiple instagram apps) using Shift. Shift is supported on both Mac and PC, which means you can organize your multi-accounts with ease.

Use the following guide to add an Instagram account to Shift:

  1. Go to Add Application [+]
  2. Search for Instagram
  3. Click the + in the top right-hand corner to install it
  4. Enter an account name and choose a color
  5. Login using your Instagram account or Facebook

Tip: Easily toggle between Instagram accounts in Shift by adding multiple IG apps to your side bar and customizing your preferences to differentiate between them.

How to use social media management tools for Instagram

If you manage multiple Instagram accounts, chances are you also use social media management tools to schedule and analyze those Instagram accounts. With Shift, you can download all of the best social media management tools and keep them in one place. If you use multiple different tools such as Later, and Buffer then you can use Shift to keep all of those apps organized on your desktop. These tools allow you to schedule Instagram posts which makes it easier to manage multiple accounts.  You can not only schedule posts with these tools, but you can also analyze data to track the engagement of your posts. Analyzing engagement is crucial for taking the management of multiple Instagram accounts to the next level. If you’re taking advantage of the right tools to analyze engagement, you won’t waste your time on Instagram Stories, posts, and IGTV videos that just aren’t performing. And with Shift, that analysis can happen right on your desktop instead of having to use the mobile apps. Who wants to have to view charts and graphs on a tiny phone screen rather than on a desktop monitor, right?

Related Post: The 10 Best Tools for Social Media Management

Instagram on desktop vs mobile

There are a lot of advantages to using Instagram on your desktop instead of with the mobile app. Since photos are displayed in a much larger size on your desktop, it’s easier to make sure all of the photos on your account are of top-notch quality. It’s also easier to access photos, Stories, and IGTV on other profiles on desktop rather than on mobile. You can post to Instagram directly within Shift by opening the Instagram app and clicking on the “+” button on  the top right corner of the webpage. It will prompt you to select photos from your computer and then filters, captions, and location tags can be added. It’s even easier than using the mobile version of apps since you can view the photos you’re posting at a much larger size and higher quality on your desktop monitor. Writing captions is also easier on desktop since you can use a full-sized keyboard and the best editing browser extensions, like Grammarly which is built right into Shift. While using Instagram on mobile is useful on occasion due to the portability phone, ultimately the best Instagram experience is on desktop using Shift.

Ready to manage multiple Instagram accounts better?

Shift is the easiest way to manage multiple Instagram accounts on desktop. It’s also the best way to manage all of your social media apps, and social media management tools, in one place.

Download Shift today to manage Instagram, Gmail, Facebook, WhatsApp, Slack, Trello, and thousands of your other favorite tools in one easy to use desktop app.

Mac Fast User Switching

If you have multiple users on your Mac, your administrator can enable Fast User Switching so that multiple users can be logged on at the same time.

Adding a Quick User Switching Menu to the Menu Bar

  1. On a Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Control Center in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

  2. Select Fast User Switching on the right, click the pop-up menu next to Show in Menu Bar, then select the desired setting.

Adding a Quick User Switching Menu to Control Center

  1. On a Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Control Center in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

  2. Select Fast User Switching on the right, then turn on Show in Control Center. nine0003

Switch accounts via the menu bar

  1. On a Mac, click the quick user switch icon in the menu bar, then select a user name.

    The fast user switching menu in the upper right corner of the screen appears as either the user's picture or the current user's name, depending on the setting selected in Control Center.

  2. Enter your password and press Return. nine0003

Switch accounts using Touch ID

If multiple users are logged in at once, you can quickly switch between accounts using Touch ID. To set up Touch ID, see Use Touch ID.

  • If your Mac has a Touch Bar. Put your finger on the Touch ID sensor and do not remove it until the Touch Bar says "Press Touch ID to switch to a user" [ Your name is ]", and then press and hold the Touch ID button until you hear a click.

  • If your Mac or Magic Keyboard only has Touch ID but no Touch Bar. Press the Touch ID button until it clicks.

Switch accounts via Control Center

If multiple users are logged in at once, you can quickly switch between accounts using Touch ID. To set up Touch ID, see Use Touch ID. nine0003

If the Fast User Switching icon is not displayed in Control Center, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Control Center in the sidebar, then turn on Show in Control Center on the right. (You may need to scroll down.)

See also Change user and group settings on MacChange Desktop and Dock settings on Mac

How to use Instagram on Mac

it is seen. Instagram is a whole ecosystem with great functionality and various business tools. In this regard, one big question is brewing: is it possible to use Instagram on a computer? Upload all your photos through your Mac, share different content, all from the comfort of your desk. Today we will try to figure out whether Instagram on a computer can replace your familiar application on the iPhone. Looking ahead, I want to say that everything is very good. nine0003

Using Instagram on Mac is more convenient than you might think.

I must say right away that I use Instagram from my computer as often as I use the app on my iPhone. Can't say I have any problems with it. Everything works smoothly, podlagivanie minimum. If earlier, when I logged into Instagram on a Mac , I experienced pain and suffering, now everything is more than fine.

Did you know? Top 5 questions about Instagram

Can I use Instagram on a Mac

Years of using Instagram has shown that the most convenient way to use Instagram on a computer is through Safari. Yes, this is not the only way, but the most working one. What’s more, you don’t need to download anything.

To open Instagram on a Mac , follow the simple instructions:

  • Open any browser on your Mac.
  • Go to the official website of Instagram.
  • Interestingly, Instagram offers to download the app from the App Store, but there is no official app for Mac. nine0003

  • Enter your account information and log in to your account.
  • After that, click on the Save data button so as not to re-enter them.

This is what the Instagram feed looks like if you go here through a browser.

Done. Now you can use Instagram directly from your computer. I think that you will understand the interface without problems. It almost completely copies the application familiar to all of us on the iPhone.

Out of features available on Instagram on Mac , I will note the following:

  • The ability to publish photos and videos.
  • Direct messages in full.
  • Likes summary as in the mobile app.
  • Personalized recommendations.
  • Switching between accounts.

There are two shortcomings that I managed to find here. The first is that in the web version of Instagram cannot post Stories. This will hardly seem like a minus to you, especially considering that stories are usually filmed at a fast pace. nine0003

Second, photos may not look as beautiful as you are used to seeing them on a smartphone. This is due to the low resolution of the photo. If it seems to you that SLR cameras have long outlived their usefulness, then here is proof that this is not so.

How to post photos to Instagram from a Mac computer

Literally at the end of 2021, a new feature appeared on Instagram that allows you to post photos directly from your computer. Users for some reason did not appreciate the innovation. I've been using it happily for a few months now. nine0003

To post a photo to Instagram from a Mac, you need:

This is what the video editing tools look like on the desktop version of Instagram.

In terms of functionality, there is also a complete order here. I posted a few photos on my profile and there were no problems. Use boldly.

You may ask me: why upload photos from a computer? I have a simple answer to this: after any photo session, the photographer usually uploads pictures to the cloud. From an iPhone, digging into the cloud is such a thing, which is why the desktop version is usually used for these purposes. Although many of my colleagues do not think so. nine0069 Author AppleInsider.ru Alexander Bogdanov, for example, is an excellent user of Yandex.Disk and knows no grief.

Subscribe to us in Yandex.Zen, where you will find a lot of useful and interesting information from the world of Apple.

Instagram on macOS

Another way to use Instagram on Mac is the Grids app. I tested it back on macOS Big Sur. It was paid in the App Store, so I downloaded it in a not the most honest way. I remember then it seemed to me very laguchy and I had to leave it until better times. nine0003

My experience with Grids has been extremely negative.

Download Grids

I recently decided to go to Grids on Monterey. Congratulations, now the application has become shareware. Anyone can download it. But I immediately warn you: the interface here is not at all the one you are used to in a smartphone.

Plus, a huge number of features are available only in the paid version:

  • Uploading photos and videos, Stories, Reels to your account.
  • View the feed like on a smartphone (without a subscription, everything is in the form of tiles). nine0010
  • Access to Direct, IGTV, bookmarks, like summary and other settings.

If you are going to use the software, you should immediately buy the paid version. Otherwise, you simply won't be able to use it properly.


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