Posting to Instagram from your computer is a nifty selection if you don't have your phone on hand or need to access company assets on your laptop. Or you might simply prefer to utilize a wider screen.

For these reasons and others, y'all might exist wondering, "Can I post to Instagram from my computer?" We have some good news.

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Why post on Instagram from your estimator?

Instagram is a popular social media network for sharing photos that'south nigh commonly accessed through a mobile app. Information technology offers a web version that makes it easy to post assets you may only have on your laptop and not your phone.

For example, permit'south say yous're a social media manager for a prominent brand. The last thing y'all want to practice is have an absentminded mishap where you lot accidentally mail service brand content to your personal Instagram business relationship (or, worse, vice versa) simply because you're logged into both on your phone.

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

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

Peradventure you simply prefer the larger screen of desktop. Or, perchance you lot don't take access to a smartphone so yous can't download the app on your phone.

So there are plenty of expert reasons to use Instagram on your computer instead. Here'southward how.

While the social platform is primarily meant to be consumed in-app, it offers a nigh identical experience if you access it on your estimator.

On Instagram's web version, y'all can:

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

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

Now, let's explore how you can mail images and videos from your desktop computer.

Whether you're on a Mac or a PC, you can post from your desktop computer. Instagram'due south web version allows you to upload an Instagram mail service the same way 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 can mail photos, we'll also discuss how to upload a video to Instagram from your desktop.

1. Open up your Chrome browser.

The first thing you'll desire to practise is open upwards Google Chrome. If you're on Windows, you lot tin do so by clicking the Windows icon in your task bar. And so, search through the applications yous've already installed on your figurer until you lot discover Chrome.

2. Navigate to Instagram's website.

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

Adjacent, navigate to https://www.instagram.com past typing it into the navigation bar. Log in using your Facebook credentials or past inputting your email, telephone number, or username. If you lot've logged into Instagram's web version before, information technology might include an pick to "Continue as [username]," and you'll be 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'south web version has a height navigation bar that mirrors the navigation bar on the mobile app. It includes a search bar, a home symbol, a DM symbol, a plus sign, a center, and a circle with your profile picture. Click the plus sign next to the DM symbol.

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

how to post on instagram on desktop: select a file

A popup box will appear with a blueish button that says "Select from computer." Browse until you lot discover the file you'd like to upload.

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

how to post on instagram on desktop: crop the image

Instagram gives yous several options for editing the epitome prior to publication. You lot can change the attribute ratio, zoom in, or add more media to the same mail.

The zoom-in option is right adjacent to the aspect ratio button:

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

You lot'll detect the "add together more media" button on the lower left-mitt corner.

how to post on instagram on desktop: add more media

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

6. Choose a filter or make adjustments.

how to post on instagram on desktop: choose a filterNext, cull a filter, just like you would in the app. You can also adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and other features.

how to post on instagram on desktop: make adjustments

One time you're done, click Adjacent in the tiptop right of your screen.

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

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

viii. Click Share.

When yous're ready, click Share in the top correct of your screen.

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

ane. Open up up your Safari browser.

The first thing yous'll want to do is open up upward Safari. To do so, open up Launchpad and find Safari in your listing of applications. Alternatively, if you accept information technology pinned in your task bar, you tin open it from there.

2. Navigate to Instagram's website.

how to post on instagram on desktop: access instagram on safariSide by side, navigate to https://www.instagram.com past typing it into Safari's navigation bar. If you visit the site oftentimes enough, Safari may also take a shortcut in your "New tab" page.

Once you get there, login with your preferred credentials. If you've already used the web version in the past, Instagram will let you to log in with one click.

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

Once y'all are able to view Instagram from your Safari browser, you can upload an Instagram post the same way yous would on Chrome — by clicking the "+" button, adding a filter or editing the photo, calculation a location and caption, and clicking "Share" when yous're ready for your post to become alive.

Desire to upload a video instead?

How to Post a Video to Instagram Using a Desktop Computer

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

Here'south how to postal service a video to Instagram on any web browser.

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

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

2. Click the "+" button next to the DM symbol.

Only like you would if yous were posting a photo, click the + push in the pinnacle navigation bar of your Instagram feed.

3. Click "Select from computer" 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 avoid compatibility issues.

If your video is less than 10 minutes long, your file size should be no bigger than 650 MB. For videos betwixt 10 minutes and 60 minutes (which is the maximum length), yous should aim for a file size smaller than 3.6GB. Read more than almost Instagram'due south 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 lot two options for adjusting your video: Irresolute the aspect ratio and adding more media. For photos, Instagram likewise allows yous to zoom into the picture. The choice isn't available for videos.

If you're uploading a horizontal video, we recommend using a xvi:9 aspect ratio so that it'southward not cut off. If yous're worried about the aesthetics of your feed, stick to a 1:1 ratio. That way, there isn't whatever white space when visitors visit your profile.

5. Cull a cover photograph, trim the video, and toggle sound options.

how to post video to instagram on desktop: choose cover

Side by side, you tin cull a cover photo (the prototype users will see earlier they click "Play"). You have the pick of uploading a custom cover photo for the video, and you can besides trim the video and plow the sound off if desired.

vi. Write a caption, tag other users, add alt text, and toggle commenting options.

how to post video to instagram on desktop: write captionIn the next screen, you tin can write a caption for your video, tag anyone who appears in the video, add together alt text, and disable commenting.

vii. Click Share.

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

Alternative Ways to Mail service to Instagram from Your Computer

You don't have to access Instagram's web version to post on Instagram. If you lot find the web version to be besides lacking for your day-to-24-hour interval tasks, specially if you lot're a social media manager, you can use a third-political party service that offers social media scheduling software.

HubSpot'south social media management tool is one of the best options you can utilise to schedule Instagram posts from your desktop — no need to access the Instagram app or website itself.

Here's one example of us scheduling a video post for Instagram using Social Inbox:

posting to instagram from computer using hubspot's social inbox

The smashing benefit of using this method is that you can schedule posts well in accelerate. You don't have to access Instagram every fourth dimension you want to add new media to your contour.

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

Using Instagram Like the Pro You Are

Now that you don't have to worry most transferring photos to your mobile device or juggling your work's social media account on your ain device, you lot'll be able to grow on Instagram efficiently and finer. From at that place, the sky is the limit for creating posts and growing your audience in a scalable way.

Editor'due south annotation: This post was originally published in Oct 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Nov 4, 2021 3:00:00 PM, updated November 15 2021