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How to upload photo on instagram by computer


How to post to Instagram from PC

By Cat Ellis

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Post to Instagram from PC via Vivaldi or BlueStacks App Player and easily keep your friends up to date with all your latest adventures

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Learning how to post to Instagram from PC is a nifty little trick to master for those moments when you're desperate to share your latest adventures with your friends and family but find that your phone is completely out of juice. 

If you have one of the best Windows laptops or the best computers, posting to Instagram from there can actually offer you more flexibility in terms of being able to easily upload edited images and videos. Plus, you can view everything on a much bigger screen, which can be really helpful depending on what content it is that you're wanting to share. 

That being said, trying to post to Instagram from PC isn't the most straightforward of tasks by any stretch of the imagination. Still, it's definitely worth the hassle if you're someone who prefers to take picture-perfect snaps with one of the best DSLR cameras instead of a smartphone. There's no denying the cameras on the best phones have come a long way in recent years, but for the those of us who are photography fanatics, you can't beat holding a digital camera in your hands.

The good news is that for all you aspiring content creators out there or anyone who just wants a bit more freedom when it comes to posting to Instagram, we have all the tips and tricks you need to know below to help you figure out how to post to Instagram from PC. And all it takes is grabbing some free software! 

Method 1: Vivaldi

Image credit: TechRadar

1. Get Vivaldi
The super-customizable web browser Vivaldi offers the quickest and easiest way to  post to Instagram from PC or Mac. It does this by running the mobile version of Instagram's website in a web panel.

Download and install Vivaldi , then either run through the wizard to import bookmarks and set your preferences,  or click 'Skip all' and continue with the browser's default settings.

Image credit: TechRadar

2. Create a web panel

Navigate to www.instagram.com , then click the plus icon (Add Web Panel) on the left-hand side of the browser interface. The URL will be filled in automatically, so all you have to do is click the plus again.

The mobile version of Instagram will now appear in a sidebar on the left-hand side of the browser, and will stay there as you browse other sites. Log into your account, then resize the sidebar until the mobile site fits in comfortably.

Image credit: TechRadar

3. Upload to Instagram

Click the plus icon at the bottom of the website to choose a photo from your PC or Mac, apply filters, add a caption and tags, and upload it to your account.

Method 2: BlueStacks App Player

Image credit: TechRadar

1. Get BlueStacks App Player

The Instagram app for Android is superb, and you can run it on your desktop using free Android emulator BlueStacks App Player, enabling you to post to Instagram from PC or Mac.

Download and install BlueStacks , then wait a few minutes while the engine starts for the first time. Dismiss the tutorial using the cross at the top right, make sure the correct language is selected and tap the arrow button.

Image credit: TechRadar

2. Log into your Google account

Click ‘Continue’, then log in using your Google account. Review the terms of service and, if you agree, click ‘OK’.

The next checkboxes are completely optional; if you’re only using BlueStacks to upload to Instagram, feel free to uncheck them all. Click the Next arrow, then enter your name (it'll only be used to personalize some apps).

Image credit: TechRadar

3. Install the Instagram app

You'll now see a version of the Google Play Store. Search for Instagram (the search bar is in the top right), select the official app when it appears and click Install. The app will request access to information including your contacts and location. If that's OK with you, click 'Accept'. 

After a moment, the Instagram icon will appear under the My Apps tab. Click it once to launch it.

Image credit: TechRadar

4. Upload, apply filters and share

BlueStacks will change to the size and shape of a vertically-oriented smartphone. Sign into your Instagram account with your usual details (the login link is at the bottom). Your Instagram feed will appear as it would on a phone.

Click the plus icon at the bottom, then select 'Gallery'. Click the 'Gallery' drop-down menu at the top left and select 'Other', then click 'Pick from Windows'. Find the photo you want to upload, select it and click 'Open'.

You can now crop the picture, add filters and a caption, and share it with your followers via all the usual social networks.

Cat is the editor of TechRadar's sister site Advnture. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better)

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.

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 add photos to Instagram from a computer

Update: 02/12/2021

To work effectively on Instagram, it is not enough to have an application on your phone. Many people need to upload photos from a computer, and often publish at a time when it is not convenient.

Anyone who has ever tried to upload photos to Instagram from a web page through a browser knows that it cannot be done just like that. There are the following ways to solve the problem. Using:

  • browser tools;
  • Creator Studio via Facebook;
  • browser extensions for Android and iOS on PC;
  • delayed posting service SMMplanner.

Let's consider each of them in detail.

Using available browser tools

If you are faced with a one-time task to upload photos to Instagram from a computer, this method is for you. To start uploading a photo:

  • Log in to Instagram through a browser on your computer.
  • Press F12 (or Shift+Ctrl+I, or right-click anywhere on the page, then "Inspect Element") to open the developer window.
  • In the window that appears, click the phone icon.
The icon is called Toggle device toolbar

Please note that the developer window, depending on the browser, can be located both on the side of the page and on the bottom.

  • Refresh the page.
Do not close the developer window!
  • Use it.
Click on the plus and upload a photo

Using Creator Studio via Facebook

This way of posting through the official Facebook service is suitable for those who want to post often and a lot. After authorization in Creator Studio through the browser, you will be able to add and delete photos, set up delayed posting and page statistics.

Mandatory action - linking an Instagram account to a Facebook page after creating Page

Following the instructions, enter the Login and Password for the desired Instagram account, and confirm the link to Facebook from your smartphone.

Features of the service:

  • authorization is carried out through Facebook, Instagram and Facebook accounts are linked to each other;
  • works only with business and Author accounts;
  • Publication of Stories is not yet available;
  • there are additional restrictions due to Instagram permissions.

Via User-Agent Switcher browser extension

Suitable for Opera and Chrome browsers. Using the emulator, you can open Instagram as if it were open on a smartphone.

Click the extensions icon in the upper right corner of the browser, then "Add extensions" In the search bar, enter the name User-Agent Switcher Find the blue planet extension icon, click on it and install

When the installation process is completed, click on extensions icon in the upper right corner of the browser and enable the installed extension by clicking on the button. The extension icon will appear next to the address bar, among other extensions.

Now go to your Instagram page.

By clicking on the User-Agent Switcher, in the window that appears, click the Android icon and the "Update" button in the same window At the bottom of the page there is a button to add a new photo. Click on it and upload a picture from your computer

The disadvantage of this method is the impossibility of cropping and applying some other settings. Also, users complain that when placing text, the preview of the description of the publication does not allow you to see it in its entirety.

Using the SMMplanner scheduling posting service

The scheduling posting service is designed to facilitate the management of Instagram accounts. You plan today, and see the result tomorrow (and even a year later). The way of laying out images through the service is suitable for both those working in this field and amateurs.

SMMplanner allows you to add and remove photos and videos for a minimum amount, publish them to the Feed, Stories and IGTV. You can apply all sorts of filters, settings to the content, edit the general appearance of the page and, of course, make many posts at once and set the time of their publication.

The service provides not only settings for the posts themselves, but also extensive filters for editing photos. On the Internet, there are four working ways to send your image to the Instagram social network from a computer. To whom to download "only once", feel free to use the tools of the browsers themselves. To do this, you do not need to install or register anywhere.

If you are a connoisseur of online games, and an Android emulator is installed on your computer, you can easily access a social network through it.

If posting from a computer to Instagram is your dream or job, take a look at Creator Studio (with some limited features) or SMMplanner, whose capabilities are limited almost only by your imagination.

How to upload photos to Instagram from a computer?

Unfortunately, you can't just open the Instagram website in your browser and post a photo through it. This is because the application is closed source: the system must detect the camera and touch screen in order to allow the publication. This condition greatly complicates the download of photos from a computer. But there are several ways to get around it.

How to add a photo to Instagram from a computer?

Here's the easiest way: it does not require installation of additional programs and applications. We describe how to post a photo through the Chrome browser.

1. Go to the Instagram website and log in to your profile.
2. Press the key combination Ctrl+Shift+I . With this action, you will call the developer console. Another way to call the console is to right-click anywhere on the page and select View Element Code or View Code in the window that appears.
3. Look for the icon , which is indicated by the arrow in the picture below. Clicking on it will turn on the smartphone screen simulation mode. In the settings above the "screen" you can select the type of device that you want to simulate.


4. Reload the page. After that, a button for adding a photo will appear at the bottom of the screen. By clicking on it, you can open a window with computer media files. Select the desired photo and upload it as you would normally do on a smartphone. Mission accomplished!

We publish photos through the official Instagram application on a PC

The second method is more reliable, but also more time-consuming. For it, you need to install additional software: emulator Nox Player or BlueStacks .

1. Install Nox Player. The easiest way is to download it from the official resource.
2. After installing , enter the Play Market . The app will ask you to sign in to your Google account. Find the Instagram app in the store and install it.
3. Place the photos you want to publish in the folder C:\Users\your username\Nox_share\Image .
4. Go to the installed Instagram application, log in to your account. The steps for publishing must be the same as in the mobile version. The only difference is that the photos will be located at: Gallery –> Others –> Internal memory of the device.

Working with the BlueStacks emulator

1. Install the emulator.
2. Also install Instagram from Play Market.
3. Click on the icon shown below in the photo. In the window that appears, select the desired photo.

Learn more