Posting to Instagram from your computer is a bully option if you don't have your phone on mitt or need to access visitor assets on your laptop. Or you lot might just prefer to use a wider screen.

For these reasons and others, you might be wondering, "Tin I mail to Instagram from my computer?" We have some skilful news.

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Why mail on Instagram from your computer?

Instagram is a popular social media network for sharing photos that's most normally accessed through a mobile app. It offers a web version that makes it easy to post assets y'all may only have on your laptop and not your phone.

For instance, let'south say you're a social media manager for a prominent brand. The terminal matter yous desire to practice is accept an absentminded mishap where you accidentally post brand content to your personal Instagram account (or, worse, vice versa) simply because you're logged into both on your telephone.

Alternatively, it might be easier to upload company posts and videos via your desktop, rather than having your smartphone open at work.

Plus, your company's files might be more easily accessible via desktop than mobile. For instance, if y'all use Photoshop to edit company photos, it's likely easier to click "Upload" from your desktop when you're done editing, rather than sending that same photo or video to your personal phone.

Possibly you simply prefer the larger screen of desktop. Or, maybe you don't have access to a smartphone and then you can't download the app on your phone.

And then there are plenty of good reasons to use Instagram on your computer instead. Here's how.

While the social platform is primarily meant to be consumed in-app, information technology offers a near identical experience if y'all admission it on your computer.

On Instagram's web version, you tin can:

  • Watch and reply to other people's Stories
  • Search for hashtags and other users
  • Browse your feed
  • Annotate and similar posts
  • Respond to direct messages (DMs)
  • View your notifications
  • Access the Explore tab
  • Post photos and videos to your profile

In other words — Yes, yous can post to Instagram from your PC or Mac desktop instead of on your mobile device'southward app or browser.

Now, let'due south explore how you tin can post images and videos from your desktop computer.

Whether you lot're on a Mac or a PC, you tin mail service from your desktop reckoner. Instagram'due south spider web version allows you to upload an Instagram post the same manner you would via mobile, regardless of the platform you use. Below, we'll discuss how to do information technology on:

  • Chrome
  • Safari

Once we discuss how you tin post photos, we'll also discuss how to upload a video to Instagram from your desktop.

i. Open up your Chrome browser.

The outset affair you'll desire to do is open upwards Google Chrome. If yous're on Windows, y'all tin can do so by clicking the Windows icon in your task bar. Then, search through the applications you've already installed on your calculator until you detect Chrome.

ii. Navigate to Instagram's website.

how to post on instagram on desktop: access instagram on chrome

Side by side, navigate to https://www.instagram.com by typing information technology into the navigation bar. Log in using your Facebook credentials or by inputting your email, phone number, or username. If you've logged into Instagram's web version earlier, it might include an option to "Continue as [username]," and you'll exist able to automatically log in.

3. Click the "+" button adjacent to the DM symbol.

how to post on instagram on desktop: click the plus buttonInstagram's web version has a tiptop navigation bar that mirrors the navigation bar on the mobile app. It includes a search bar, a abode symbol, a DM symbol, a plus sign, a heart, and a circle with your profile picture. Click the plus sign side by side to the DM symbol.

iv. Click "Select from calculator" to upload your media.

how to post on instagram on desktop: select a file

A popup box volition announced with a blue push button that says "Select from computer." Browse until yous discover the file you'd like to upload.

five. Crop the image, zoom in, or add more media if needed.

how to post on instagram on desktop: crop the image

Instagram gives you several options for editing the image prior to publication. You can change the aspect ratio, zoom in, or add more than media to the same post.

The zoom-in option is right next to the attribute ratio button:

how to post on instagram on desktop: zoom into the image

You lot'll find the "add more than media" button on the lower left-hand corner.

how to post on instagram on desktop: add more media

Click the plus sign to add more images to your post, if desired.

vi. Choose a filter or brand adjustments.

how to post on instagram on desktop: choose a filterNext, cull a filter, merely like you would in the app. You tin can likewise adapt effulgence, contrast, saturation, and other features.

how to post on instagram on desktop: make adjustments

In one case you're done, click Next in the summit right of your screen.

seven. Add together a caption, location, alt text, and tags.

how to post on instagram on desktop: add captionOn the next screen, you'll be able to add a caption, add a location, or tag people.

8. Click Share.

When you're ready, click Share in the summit right of your screen.

Washed! You've now posted on Instagram using Chrome.

1. Open upwardly your Safari browser.

The offset thing you'll want to do is open up up Safari. To practice so, open up Launchpad and find Safari in your list of applications. Alternatively, if you have information technology pinned in your task bar, you tin can open it from there.

2. Navigate to Instagram'due south website.

how to post on instagram on desktop: access instagram on safariNext, navigate to https://www.instagram.com past typing it into Safari'south navigation bar. If yous visit the site often plenty, Safari may besides have a shortcut in your "New tab" page.

Once you become in that location, login with your preferred credentials. If you've already used the web version in the past, Instagram volition allow you to log in with 1 click.

three. Follow steps 3 to 8 from the instructions above.

Once you are able to view Instagram from your Safari browser, you can upload an Instagram post the aforementioned mode you would on Chrome — past clicking the "+" button, calculation a filter or editing the photograph, calculation a location and explanation, and clicking "Share" when you're fix for your postal service to become live.

Want to upload a video instead?

How to Post a Video to Instagram Using a Desktop Computer

You tin can upload videos to Instagram from your desktop — which makes information technology easy to share professionally-shot videos that may not be readily available on your phone. That means you tin share marketing videos and shoots you lot received from a freelancer or your in-house videographer.

Here's how to post a video to Instagram on any web browser.

ane. Head to the Instagram website on your preferred browser.

Once you're there, log in using your credentials.

ii. Click the "+" push button next to the DM symbol.

Just like you lot would if you were posting a photograph, click the + push button in the height navigation bar of your Instagram feed.

3. Click "Select from reckoner" to upload your media.

how to post on instagram on desktop: select a file

Select your video file from the computer. We recommend uploading an MP4 file to avert compatibility issues.

If your video is less than ten minutes long, your file size should be no bigger than 650 MB. For videos between 10 minutes and 60 minutes (which is the maximum length), y'all should aim for a file size smaller than iii.6GB. Read more than about Instagram's video requirements here.

4. Resize your video and add together more media if desired.

how to post video to instagram on desktop: resize videoInstagram gives you 2 options for adjusting your video: Changing the aspect ratio and adding more media. For photos, Instagram also allows you to zoom into the film. The option isn't available for videos.

If you're uploading a horizontal video, we recommend using a 16:9 aspect ratio and then that it's not cut off. If you lot're worried virtually the aesthetics of your feed, stick to a i:1 ratio. That manner, there isn't whatever white space when visitors visit your profile.

5. Choose a cover photograph, trim the video, and toggle audio options.

how to post video to instagram on desktop: choose cover

Next, you tin can choose a cover photograph (the image users will see before they click "Play"). You take the option of uploading a custom cover photo for the video, and yous can too trim the video and turn the sound off if desired.

6. Write a explanation, tag other users, add alt text, and toggle commenting options.

how to post video to instagram on desktop: write captionIn the side by side screen, y'all can write a caption for your video, tag anyone who appears in the video, add alt text, and disable commenting.

seven. Click Share.

Washed! You've now posted your video on Instagram.

Alternative Ways to Post to Instagram from Your Estimator

You don't have to access Instagram'south web version to mail on Instagram. If you find the web version to be too defective for your day-to-day tasks, especially if you lot're a social media manager, you can use a 3rd-party service that offers social media scheduling software.

HubSpot'southward social media direction tool is one of the all-time options you can use to schedule Instagram posts from your desktop — no need to admission the Instagram app or website itself.

Hither's one instance of us scheduling a video post for Instagram using Social Inbox:

posting to instagram from computer using hubspot's social inbox

The great do good of using this method is that you can schedule posts well in accelerate. You lot don't have to admission Instagram every time you want to add together new media to your profile.

If yous're doing this regularly for your job, it might be worthwhile to explore all the social media scheduling tools at your disposal to choose the one best-suited for your business organisation' needs.

Using Instagram Like the Pro You Are

At present that you don't accept to worry about transferring photos to your mobile device or juggling your piece of work's social media account on your own device, you'll be able to grow on Instagram efficiently and effectively. From there, the sky is the limit for creating posts and growing your audience in a scalable way.

Editor'southward annotation: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Nov 4, 2021 iii:00:00 PM, updated November xv 2021