8 (+1 New) Ways to Post on Instagram From Computer.
Update: May 10, 2017
Now you don’t need any third-party software to upload Instagram pictures from your computer. As of today, Instagram mobile sites allow you to upload images. And you’ve used this workaround on PC as well. Just change your desktop browser to mobile by going to the developer option. And it works like a charm.
Watch the following short video to get started, or read this complete guide here.
Want to post a photo to Instagram from your computer? Well, by reading this post, you will have a crystal clear idea of ​​all the options available and which one is best for you.
Instagram is built to capture the best moments from your smartphone. But what if you don’t have a smartphone or you want to massively publish / schedule photos for some Instagram campaign? Then it makes sense to upload photos to Instagram from your computer. Right?
On the desktop version of Instagram, you can create a new account, view your Instagram feed, and like / comment on your friend’s photos. But there is no way to post a photo (or video) to Instagram from a computer.
But thankfully, there are many workarounds for downloading Instagram photos from PC and macOS.
If you’re not in the mood to read a long article, watch the following video for every possible way to upload Instagram images from your computer. Or keep reading.
See Also: Get More From Instagram With These Android Apps
Post to Instagram from Computer
# 1 Android Emulator
Android emulators are software that allows you to run Android applications on your computer.
People without smartphones use emulators to run their favorite Android apps on their computer. You must first install the Android emulator on your computer, and then launch Android apps inside the emulator.
The most popular Android emulator is bluestacks. But it’s not easy to install. Especially if your computer doesn’t have a graphics card. One way to fix this problem is to try alternatives to bluestacks and we recommend Gennymotion.
Gennymotion is free for personal use. And basically an optimized version of VirtualBox. To get gennymotion, go to their official website and create a free account and only then you will see the download link. So, download the setup and install it on your computer. After installing GennyMotion, you need to install devices in it, just like with VirtualBox. Yes, it was not easy to install the Google Play service on it. But after a little googling I was able to get it to work.
Below is a screenshot of an Instagram powered by GenyMotion.
# 2 Gramblr
Gramblr is the second most popular way to post to Instagram from your computer (PC and Mac). And also allows you to upload videos.
According to Instagram’s policies, you cannot use their API to post images from your computer. But still gramblr somehow succeeds.
So is grambler illegal? Well, we don’t know for sure. But we know that many people have been using gramblr for a long time. And Instagram hasn’t banned anyone yet. At least not for using the third party Instagram client. So you are safe here.
Since gramblr is not an official Instagram app, you will have to manually apply filters and also crop the square before uploading (no longer required).
Update: Gramblr now allows you to crop images, apply filters, schedule photos, and have multiple Instagram accounts. You can even upload videos to Instagram using Gramblr. I’ve tried the Mac and Windows version of Gramblr and they work flawlessly. In general, unless you have special requirements, you should use t hen gramblr. It’s reliable, free and has all the features you need.
If you’re just getting started with it, watch this video tutorial on how to use gramblr.
RELATED: How to Crop an Image to a Perfect Square for Instagram
Video starts at 0.50 seconds
# 3 Download Instagram photos from a computer
The official Instagram app for Windows 10 can also be used to post photos to Instagram. But the catch is that you need a Windows 10 touchscreen laptop. Basically, this app was meant for Windows 10 tablets. And interestingly, Instagram didn’t even mention the computer part in the press released. Guess they really don’t want people to post to Instagram from their computer.
This video explains how to install and use InstaPic on a Windows computer. If you encounter a problem installing it, please try after a while. Then it will work.
# 4 Post photos to Instagram from Mac OS
Just like Windows, macOS has several applications that allow you to bulk upload photos to Instagram from Mac.
Popular is the downloader for Instagram, which is available on the Mac App store for $ 4.99. The good thing about this app is how simple it is. After installing the app, find the photo you want to upload on Instagram, right-click it, scroll down to options and select Share on Instagram. A small window will open where you can apply filters and finally post your photos to Instagram directly from the Mac OS.
If you’re looking for an alternative, try Uplet ($ 9). Like the previous one, Uplet also does not support video, scheduling or multiple accounts
They have a free trial on their website.
# 5 ARC Welding Machine
Update: This is not working now.
ARC Welder is a Chrome extension that lets you run Android apps on your computer. Google did this for developers to test their apps. But we can also use it to upload Instagram images from computer.
It’s easy to install, works with all operating systems, and gives you a pure Android experience without breaking any Instagram rules.
Start by installing this extension from the Chrome store. Once the download is complete, launch the application.
Since it doesn’t have a built-in Play Store like bluestacks, you’ll have to import the Instagram APK file into it. And run it like any Android app.
Video tutorial on using ARC Welder.
# 6 LR / Instagram plugin
Many experienced photographers edit their images in Adobe lightroom (an image processor similar to Photoshop). And later, move those photos to their smartphone so they can post them to Instagram. Quite tiring. Right?
So, a new plugin for lightroom – LR / Instagram, solves this problem. Simply put, it allows you to post any images from Lightroom directly to Instagram. The good part is that the plugin is free ($ 10 additional donation) and works with both the PC and Mac versions of Lightroom. However, if you don’t already have Lightroom, it doesn’t make sense to buy such expensive software just for this simple feature. (Video demo)
# 7 Online scheduling services
Now, while this is not a separate way of uploading Instagram images from your computer, it does help in certain situations. For example, if you are running an Instagram campaign for your business, this method is useful to bulk upload Instagram photos to your computer without compromising image quality.
But since Instagram does not officially allow uploading photos or videos from a computer, most online scheduling services will ask you to click on a push notification to finally post photos.
Simply put, this is how they work.
Go to the online service and upload pictures with signatures and hashtags. Now you can either post this photo now or schedule it for later. Then you will receive a push notification on your smartphone, click on it and the Instagram app will open on your smartphone with photos and signature. And all you have to do is click on the Share button.
Now, which service to choose depends on which feature you want. There are many online Instagram planners on the market, some are free, others are paid. We tried three popular ones – Hootsuite, Schedugram and Later. And after weighing the pros and cons, we recommend Hootsuite. It’s free for 3 accounts, works well and has all the features you need.
The following video shows you how to set up HootSuite to upload images to Instagram from your computer.
# 8 Instagram from Computer – Chrome Extension
I was very surprised with this chrome extension. Like gramblr, this extension also allows you to upload images to Instagram from your computer, but without explaining how it works.
But does it really work? Well yes, but with minor glitches here and there. For example, when I first tried to upload photos, I got an error saying that my Instagram account (a test account was used for this) was blocked. Though later I was able to unlock it with a simple verification code sent to my registration email. And the second time I tried this app, it worked flawlessly. So yes, it works, but only supports jpg format.
The good thing about Instagram for computers is that since it’s a Chrome extension, it will work on any platform, be it Windows, Mac OS, or even Linux. The bad part though is that in order to use this app, you need to enter your Instagram login credentials. There is no API exchange like there is in Hootsuite, and this definitely leads to some trust issues.
Close
Well, there are many ways to upload Instagram photos from computer. As a Chrome extension, Mac OS app, Windows app, or even a room lighting plugin. There is no perfect application that works in every situation, but depending on what you want to do, some applications may be superior to others.
Which app are you using to post to Instagram from your computer? Let us know in the comments.
