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How to upload onto instagram from mac


How to post on Instagram from Mac, with and without apps

You’ve got to give Instagram credit for staying the course. They have always been dedicated to being an app exclusively for mobile devices. Photographers who shoot with cameras have always been at a disadvantage — having to use an array of workarounds to edit photos on their computers before sharing them to a mobile device. 

One of those workarounds involves sharing your photos to Instagram from your Mac. Unfortunately, it’s not as straightforward as using the mobile app, but once you get the steps down, it almost becomes second nature. 

Is there an Instagram app for Mac?

There is not an Instagram app for posting photos to Instagram from your Mac. You can, however, go to Instagram.com on any computer and log in to your account to view and comment on photos. Uploading photos is another story altogether.

How to post on Instagram from Mac using your browser

Depending on which browser you use on your Mac, the technique for uploading photos to Instagram will be slightly different. In this article, we’ll provide instructions for using the two most popular Mac browsers: Safari and Google Chrome.

How to post to Instagram from Mac using Safari

If Safari is your browser of choice, you can use it to upload a photo to Instagram using developer tools, which will allow you to view Instagram exactly as if you were using the mobile app on your phone:

  1. Open Safari on your Mac.
  2. From the top menu, choose Safari > Preferences.
  3. Choose Advanced from the menu tabs at the top of the window.
  4. Check the box next to “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” 
  5. Now go to Instagram.com in Safari. 
  6. From the top menu, click on Develop > User Agent > Safari > iOS (current version) > iPhone.
  7. You should see Instagram exactly as it would appear on your iPhone.
  8. To upload a photo, tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen, just like you would on the mobile Instagram app. This will open your files on your Mac so you can choose a photo to add.
  9. The rest of the process works just like it does within the Instagram app. The only limitations are that you can’t add videos or gallery posts, just single photos. 

How to upload to Instagram from Mac with Google Chrome

If you’re using the Chrome browser with your Mac, there’s an equally easy way to upload your photos to Instagram on your computer:

  1. Open a tab in Google Chrome.
  2. Click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner and click on More Tools.
  3. Click on Developer Tools.
  4. Developer Tools will open on the right side of your screen. You will see a phone/tablet icon in the upper-left corner of the Developer Tools Screen. Toggle this icon so you see the mobile view in your main window.
  5. If you don’t see the + icon at the bottom of the screen, click on the refresh button, and it should appear.
  6. When you click on the + icon, a window will appear with your Mac files. Choose the photo you want to upload and proceed as you normally would to upload your photo.   

Post to Instagram from Mac using third-party apps

Using Developer Tools in Chrome and the Develop menu in Safari is relatively straightforward, but it does require a few extra steps. If you want to set something up that you can use over and over again without any hassle, consider using a third-party app for Instagram. 

Two Instagram posting apps stand out for their ease of use and beautiful interface — Flume and PhotoDesk. Here’s how to post to Instagram using both of them. 

How to post to Instagram from Mac using Flume

Flume makes it possible to navigate Instagram from your Mac and includes the ability to like and comment on photos, follow and unfollow accounts, and direct message accounts. In order to use the upload feature, you will have to purchase the premium version of the app. 

Here’s how to use Flume to upload a post to Instagram from your Mac:

  1. Get the premium version of Flume on your Mac.
  2. A window will appear with your Instagram feed.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the window and click on the camera icon.
  4. A separate window will appear. You can drag a photo or video from your Mac into this window, or you can click on the camera icon to open your files and choose a photo.
  5. Once you’ve loaded your photo, you can type a caption, add hashtags, and tag accounts. You can also use Instagram’s native filters and edit screen before uploading your photo.
  6. When you are finished creating your post, click the Post button to upload it to Instagram.

How to upload to Instagram from Mac with PhotoDesk

PhotoDesk is another feature-packed app that is perfect for doing all of your Instagram tasks from the comfort of your Mac. It even provides detailed statistics so you can see how your posts are doing within the app. You can start by accessing a free trial, but after that, you’ll have to purchase the premium version. 

Here’s how to upload to Instagram using PhotoDesk. 

  1. Download PhotoDesk and open the app on your Mac.
  2. At the bottom of your dashboard, you’ll see your username with a camera icon next to it. Click on the camera icon.
  3. Choose a photo from your files and click Open a New Image.
  4. A new window will appear with a variety of editing tools. These are similar but not identical to Instagram’s editing tools. 
  5. When you’re finished editing your photo, click Post to go to the next screen.
  6. Now you can add your caption and hashtags.
  7. When you’re finished, click Export to save your photo to Instagram.

Whether you choose to upload photos to Instagram using your browser or a third-party app will depend on the features you want to use. If you’re using a browser, you will have limited functionality and won’t be able to post videos or gallery posts. Using one of the apps mentioned above will give you more features,  but, of course, you’ll have to pay for them. While neither method is perfect, they’ll have to do until Instagram adds the ability to upload from its web browser or develops an app just for Mac users.  

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Tara Schatz

Travel writer. Photographer. Lover of dogs and the outdoors.

How to Post on Instagram from a PC or Mac (3 Methods)

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.

How to post on Instagram from your computer

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:

Method 1: How to post on Instagram from your computer using Hootsuite

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:

  1. Log into your Hootsuite dashboard. If you don’t have an account yet, create one here for free.
  2. From your dashboard, click on the green New Post button at the top.
  3. The New Post window will appear. Under Post to, select the Instagram account where you want to post your content. If you haven’t added an account yet, you can do that by clicking +Add a social network in the box and following the directions.
  4. Drop the image or video you want to post to Instagram in the Media section. Enhance your image and/or video with the photo editor.
  5. Once you’re done, add your caption in the Text section as well as any hashtags you want to use. You also have the option to add a location at the bottom.
  6. When you’ve crafted your post, review it for any errors. Once you’re sure everything is good to post, click the Post Now button at the bottom. 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 Mac

As 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:

  1. Go to the Instagram website (instagram.com) and sign in to your account.
  2. Click the plus symbol in the top right corner of the screen (it’s the same button you would use to create a post in the mobile app). A Create new post window will pop up.
  3. Drag photo or video files into the popup window, or click Select from computer to browse and pick files from your PC or Mac. If you want to create a carousel post, you can select up to 10 files.
  4. Click the frame icon in the bottom left corner of the popup to change the ratio of your image or video. You can also use the zoom feature (looking glass icon in the bottom left) and drag your file to edit your frame. When you’re done, click Next in the top right corner.
  5. Edit your image. You can select one of 12 preset effects in the Filters tab or go to the Adjustments tab and manually adjust specs such as brightness, contrast and fade. Click Next.
  6. Write your caption. Click on the smiley face icon to browse and pick emojis. You can also type in a location in the Add location bar, restrict commenting in Advanced settings and add alt text to your files in the Accessibility section.
  7. Click Share.

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.

Method 3: How to post on Instagram from your computer using Creator Studio

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:

  1. Make sure you are connected to Instagram in Creator Studio.
  2. Navigate to the Instagram section.
  3. Click Create Post.
  4. Click Instagram Feed.
  5. Choose the account you want to post to (if you have more than one Instagram account connected).
  6. Add a caption and a location (optional).
  7. Click Add Content to add photos or videos.
  8. Next, choose between these 2 options:
    • Click From File Upload to upload new content.
    • Click From Facebook Page to post content that you’ve already shared on your Facebook.
  9. (Optional) If you want to simultaneously post this content to the Facebook Page connected to your Instagram account, check the box next to your Page under Post to Facebook. You can add additional details to your Facebook post after you publish to Instagram.
  10. Click Publish.

How to post an Instagram Story from desktop

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:

  1. Go to Instagram.com.
  2. Go to developer mode on either Safari or Google Chrome (see Mac and PC sections above for detailed steps).
  3. Click on the camera in the top left.
  4. Choose an image or video you’d like to add to your story. Edit it with text, stickers, filters, gifs, or whatever else.
  5. Tap Add to your story at the bottom.

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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How to post an Instagram carousel post from desktop

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 desktop

Hootsuite 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:

  1. Log into your Hootsuite dashboard. If you don’t have an account yet, get your free 30-day trial here (no pressure to pay, you can cancel anytime).
  2. From your dashboard, click on the green New Post button at the top.
  3. The New Post window will appear. Under Post to, select the Instagram account where you want to post your content. If you haven’t added an account yet, you can do that by clicking +Add a social network in the box and following the directions.
  4. Drop the images and/or videos you want to post to Instagram in the Media section
  5. To edit, click on Edit Image below the Media section. 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.
  6. Once you’re finished click Save.
  7. Add your caption, hashtags, and location. Then click Post Now. 

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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How to use Instagram on Mac

Now Instagram can no longer be called just a platform for uploading photos and you can see it. 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.

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 went to Instagram on 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 my 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.

  • 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 mobile application.
  • 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.

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.

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. 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.

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).
  • 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. In the comments, users note the almost complete functionality of the application on the iPhone and a lot of lags.

Instagram introduces a paid subscription for users. What does it mean?

It is difficult to recommend something from other applications. In my personal experience, they are all about the same and repeat each other. Previously If you have something in mind, be sure to write to our Telegram chat or in the comments below, I will update the post.

macOS MontereyApp Reviews for iOS and MacApple Tips

How to Upload Photos and Videos to Instagram from a Mac or Windows Computer

So far, Instagram developers are ignoring the launch of the official multifunctional client for macOS and Windows, with which you could edit and upload your favorite photos and videos to a well-known network, third-party developers and enthusiasts will use every opportunity to create workarounds. Today we will talk about several ways to add photos to Instagram from any computer.

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♥ BY TOPIC: How to unfollow a person on Instagram so that they don’t find out (so as not to offend).

How to download Instagram on a computer

Unfortunately, at the moment there is no official Instagram client for computers, but this does not mean that the service cannot be used on Windows and Mac.

♥ BY TOPIC: The most followed people on Instagram are the 35 accounts with the most followers.

How to view photos and videos on Instagram using Safari, Google Chrome, Yandex Browser, Mozilla Firefox and Opera

In May 2017, Instagram developers launched a web version of the service at instagram.com, which allows you to view photos and videos, stories (stories), profile information, leave comments, etc. on any computer.

♥ RELATED: How to see when a user is logged into Instagram and how to turn it off.

How to upload photos and videos to Instagram for free on a computer using the Safari browser on Mac (macOS) used. That is, even if you are working on a laptop or a desktop computer, you can make the site “think” that it is a smartphone and show a mobile version. This is what we are to do.

In the case of Apple's browser, everything is quite simple. Go to Safari → Settings → Add-ons and check the box next to “ Show menu “ Development ” in menu bar ”.

♥ RELATED: How to open the Develop (Developer Console) menu in Safari on Mac and what it's for.

Next, open a new window. Select Development → User agent → Safari – iPhone and go to Instagram. com.

Log into your account and click on the " + " button at the bottom of the screen.

Now you can easily upload images to Instagram directly from your computer.

♥ RELATED: Masks and effects on Instagram photos and videos: how to enable and add new ones.

How to upload photos and videos to Instagram on a Windows or Mac computer using Google Chrome, Yandex Browser, Opera or Firefox

The method for Google Chrome, Yandex Browser, Opera or Firefox is identical to the above and is also based on using the mobile web version of the social network Instagram.

In Google Chrome

Click on the icon with three vertical dots in the upper right corner of Google Chrome and follow the path: Additional tools → Developer tools .

Click the icon to enable the display of web pages in the mobile version.

Reload the page and upload photos or videos to Instagram by clicking the "+" button in the bottom bar.

In Yandex Browser

Click on the icon with three vertical lines in the upper right corner of Yandex Browser and follow the path: Advanced → Additional tools → Developer tools .

Click the icon to enable the display of web pages in the mobile version.

Reload the page and upload photos or videos to Instagram by clicking the "+" button in the bottom bar.

In the Opera browser

Open the menu Developer → Developer Tools.

Click the icon to enable the display of web pages in the mobile version.

Reload the page and upload photos or videos to Instagram by clicking the "+" button in the bottom bar.

In Firefox browser

Click on the icon with three vertical lines in the upper right corner of the Firefox browser and navigate to the path: Web development → Responsive design .

Select iPhone from the mobile selection menu. Reload the page and upload photos or videos to Instagram by clicking the "+" button in the bottom bar.

♥ RELATED: How to create albums from Instagram photos or videos.

Programs for uploading photos and videos to Instagram from a computer , process pictures on desktop computers and only then publish to Instagram. In this case, you have to upload processed images from a computer to a mobile device (for example, via AirDrop or email) - a very troublesome task. We will talk about the most popular applications that allow you to upload photos and videos to Instagram from a computer below.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to set up (enable / disable) any notifications on Instagram.

How to upload photos to Instagram from a Windows or Mac computer using the Windowed app

Once upon a time, a young photographer and developer found out that Instagram cannot upload photos from a computer. He got upset and decided to fix the problem. This is how the Windowed application was born, which is a web application disguised as a mobile browser that supports the interface of the mobile browser version of Instagram.

Windowed allows you to do everything on Instagram that you can do in the browser versions described earlier.

What about security? The developer assures that all important information from the user, including login and password, goes through Instagram, and he does not have access to them. Anyone who is willing (and able) can check his words at any time - the code is posted on GitHub.

Another useful feature of Windowed is support for up to five different Instagram accounts. Quick switching between them is carried out by pressing the button Profile at the top of the screen.

Helpful Hint: if your Mac does not open Windowed and says "The application cannot be opened because the developer could not be verified" or "The program cannot be opened because its author is an unidentified developer" . follow the steps in this manual.

Free Download Windowed for Windows and Mac .

♥ RELATED: Instagram blue checkmark: how to get verified status on Instagram.

How to post photos and videos to Instagram from a Mac or Windows computer using the Uplet application you need to upload a photo or video from your computer to the Instagram feed with a minimum number of settings. After starting the program, you must go through the standard authorization procedure in the account. And here you can observe the first drawback of the client - the lack of support for working with multiple accounts, which, by the way, is available in mobile clients. The function would be relevant for those who promote two or more accounts or several family members work in one Mac account. Next, a super-minimalistic window appears, prompting you to add images to upload. You can do this by clicking on the button and selecting files in the explorer, but a much more convenient way would be to simply drag and drop (Drag-and-drop) photos into the Uplet window.

By pressing the button " Send all ” you will immediately send the content to the network, but there is an opportunity to pre-perform several relevant actions available in the button “Add signature” . Here you can choose a square or leave the original size of the image (for all at the same time or for each separately). The photo can only be tiled over the entire width of the square, and then move the image left and right. But you can’t zoom in on the image and select a specific area (it would be relevant for high-resolution photos).

Before sending, it remains to add comments, hashtags and emoticons (through the built-in tools of the operating system). After pressing " Share all ", we wait for the end of the publishing process and notification from Uplet. Uploading to the network takes some time, of course, not comparable in speed with the regular Instagram client for iOS.

Uplet is purely a tool for uploading images and videos. You cannot edit or delete images that have already been posted.

Learn more