Instagram started as a simple photo-sharing app for smartphones. Over the past 15 years, it’s evolved into one of the most powerful tools businesses can use to reach their target audiences. Sprout Social found that 61% of people on social media turn to Instagram to find their next purchase, making it one of the leading social media platforms to discover new products. For small businesses, showing up consistently and professionally through social media posts on Instagram is key to reaching and converting customers.
While Instagram is a mobile-first platform, you can post content using your laptop or desktop computer. Here’s how to post on Instagram from a PC.
We’re used to managing Instagram posts from our mobile devices, but if you’re posting frequently, working from a six-inch screen can make things harder than they need to be. Posting from your PC can simplify the posting process—particularly if you’re already using your laptop or desktop computer to edit the photos. Even if you aren’t, having the extra option and know-how gives you flexibility when your phone isn’t nearby.
Whether you’re posting videos or photos, uploading from the desktop version of the app removes the hassle of sending files from your computer to your phone. This method also allows you to more easily proofread captions and preview visuals on a larger screen, so you can share high-quality Instagram content that helps your brand stand out.
Posting photos to your Instagram feed from your PC is relatively simple. Follow these steps to get your pictures online:
Go to the official Instagram website from whichever desktop browser you use the most (e.g., Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla, etc.) and sign in to your Instagram business account.
Navigate to the left-hand side of your screen, where you’ll see options like Home, Search, Explore, and, toward the bottom, a plus (+) symbol next to Create.
When you click Create, another drop-down menu pops up that allows you to make a selection from several options. If you want to post videos or photos for an organic post that isn’t an ad, you’ll select Post.
You can select either photos from a folder on your computer or drag and drop the file into Instagram. You can also choose more than one photo to create a carousel. Keep in mind, while you will have some editing capabilities, you won’t have access to advanced editing tools, like adding text overlay.
The best file format to upload photos from your desktop is either PNG or JPG. Instagram on desktop doesn’t support uploading high-efficiency image format (HEIC) photos.
Once you select your photo or photos, click Next.
You can select from the original size, 1:1, 4:5, or 16:9 for photos. Select the one that allows you to properly show everything in your photo or designed asset.
You’ll be able to choose filters and make adjustments to the image’s composition. If you’re adding an image straight from your computer, there’s a chance you may have already used other photo editing software (e.g., Photoshop) to edit it. In that case, you can take or leave any additional edits from Instagram’s own library and just upload the photo as is.
Write your caption and tag collaborators. Add additional details (e.g., accessibility descriptions with alt text) and utilize advanced settings (e.g., turning comments off or automatically sharing to Threads or your Facebook page) if you need them.
Once you’re done, click Share to post on your Instagram feed. This will automatically upload your photo to your profile, where it will be visible to all the users who follow you.
Uploading videos for Instagram Reels is relatively similar to uploading a photo on your PC. A recent update from Instagram explains that all videos now automatically get turned into Reels, allowing you to make the most of additional features:
Go to the official Instagram website from whichever desktop browser you feel most comfortable using. Sign in to your Instagram profile if you haven’t yet.
Navigate to the left-hand side of your screen, where you’ll see options like Home, Search, Explore, and, toward the bottom, a plus (+) symbol next to Create.
When you click create, another drop-down menu pops up that allows you to make a selection from several options. If you want to post videos or photos for an organic post that isn’t an ad, you’ll select Post.
You can select either a video file from a folder on your computer or drag and drop the file into Instagram. You can also choose more than one video to create a carousel, but note that the video will be posted in a 4:5 aspect ratio. Once you select your video or videos, click Next.
For an individual video, you can select from the original size, 1:1, 9:16, or 16:9. Once you’ve selected your size, click Next.
You can either select a cover photo that Instagram automatically creates for you, or upload one you’ve already created. You can also trim your video and choose whether it has sound or not, but you won’t have access to editing tools like you do in the Instagram app, like adding text overlay or music. If you’ve already edited the video on your computer, there’s no need to trim it down.
Write your caption and tag collaborators. Add additional details (e.g., accessibility descriptions with alt text) and utilize advanced settings (e.g., turning comments off or automatically sharing to Threads or your Facebook page) if you need them.
Once you’re done, click Share to post on your Instagram feed.
While there is no direct method to post Instagram Stories from your desktop through Instagram’s web version, you can explore posting from social media management platforms like Metricool or Later. Platforms like these allow you to schedule posts, including Instagram Stories.
It’s also possible to post stories by accessing Instagram from a mobile view on your PC through your browser’s Developer Tools. Here’s how:
Go to the official Instagram website from any desktop browser you prefer and sign in to your Instagram profile.
Right-click anywhere on the screen to pull up a menu where you will see Inspect at the very bottom. Click it to open the browser’s Developer Tools.
Above the code, you will see a desktop and mobile phone icon to the left of Elements. Click it to turn the desktop Instagram view into a mobile one.In the upper left of the Developer Tools navigation, you’ll see Dimensions. This is where you can click to see a drop-down menu of various mobile devices to view Instagram on. Select any iPhone.
If the plus (+) sign isn’t visible already, refresh your page. You will then see the same user interface as on mobile, with the plus sign in the upper right-hand corner. Click it to access Stories.
Select files saved on your computer to upload into Stories. Note that you will have limited access to the same creator tools you have while using the Instagram app. Notably, you can’t add music, the stickers function is limited, and any text you add via Developer Tools can’t be moved or manipulated in any way, like you can in the Instagram app. Once you’re done uploading, add to your Story.
Yes, you can post on Instagram from a PC by going to the official Instagram website, logging into your profile, and creating a post. You will need to upload the content from your computer.
One isn’t necessarily better than the other. Posting from your PC offers you the ability to view your content on a larger screen and more easily check your captions for correct spelling and grammar. However, posting from your phone can offer you creator tools in the Instagram app, like adding music, text overlay, and more features to make your content look authentic to the platform.
One of the most effective ways to post on Instagram is to schedule posts with a social media management tool. This allows you to create batches of content at a time to go out on a schedule, so you can post consistently without spending time on each post.
