How to Post on Instagram in 2024 – 3 Best Ways

Instagram posts are among the best ways to capture significant moments in your life or promote a business venture, largely because of the platform’s global popularity.

Additionally, this social media network is completely free to use and accessible nearly everywhere in the world, making the understanding of how to post on Instagram an essential aspect of everyday life.

Unfortunately, as the platform expanded to include more devices, it became challenging to keep track of everything you need to know to post from each one. Therefore, we have created an ultimate guide to assist you.

How to Post on Instagram?

Each platform has its unique characteristics regarding posting from Instagram. For instance, a desktop or laptop computer will use different methods than a mobile device, and that mobile device will also vary from an Android device.

Additionally, you will notice differences depending on whether you post from the Instagram website in your browser or from the dedicated Instagram app.

Finally, each browser has its differences, with the Safari browser being the most notable. Here are the steps you need to follow to post on Instagram on each of the most prominent platforms.

How to Post on Instagram from PC?

First, you need to decide whether you will post on Instagram using the dedicated Windows app or the website version accessed through your browser. The process is nearly identical in both cases, with the only difference being how you access them.

Step 1: Open the Instagram app or visit the Instagram website

Today, Instagram offers an app for Windows 10 and later, which can be easily located by using the search bar in the bottom left corner of your PC screen.

Typing the word “Instagram” will launch the app for you, much like the “Run” command does.

If you are accessing Instagram via a browser, you will need to visit the URL www.instagram.com

If you are logged in, you will be directed to your feed, which will resemble something like this:

Step 2: Click the plus icon at the top of the screen

At the top of your screen, between the messages and explore icons, there is a camera icon resembling a plus sign. Click on this icon to start the process. The resulting screen will appear as follows:

Step 3: Choose the content you want to upload from your desktop or laptop computer

When you press the Select button on the computer, a window will open, allowing you to browse its storage freely. Choose the photo or video you wish to post on your Instagram account, then click “Open.”

Step 4: Customize your photo or video, or add additional content to a post

After selecting the file, you will receive a prompt to utilize additional editing tools. Furthermore, you will have the option to choose and add more files to your Instagram post.

The options are located at the bottom of your photo. If you create an album with multiple photos, they will appear in the order in which you selected them.

Step 5: Finalize Your Post

Before your post appears on your Instagram feed, you will have the option to select a location, add captions, relevant hashtags, and more. All of these tasks can be accomplished through the menu shown in the following image:

You can also access the advanced settings tab, which allows you to hide the number of likes or completely disable commenting. Finally, when you are ready, click “Share” to upload your photos or videos, making them visible to other Instagram users.

How to Post on Instagram from an iOS Device?

Most users posting on Instagram from an iOS device will utilize the dedicated Instagram app. However, there may be instances where you prefer to use the Safari browser, such as when the app is unstable due to a recent update.

That said, the web version operates very similarly to the PC version, so we will focus on the app for now.

Step 1: Launch the Instagram app on your iPhone or iPad

First, locate the app on your iOS device and open it. If you haven’t downloaded the app yet, go to the App Store. The app on your device will appear as follows:

Step 2: Log into your Instagram account and access your feed

If you are already logged in to your Instagram, you can skip that step.

You will need your username and password to access your account. Your iOS device may have saved them from a previous login. After you log in, you will be automatically redirected to your feed.

Step 3: Choose the item or items you want to upload

Your phone will now guide you to upload photos or videos from your gallery. You can select multiple items if you wish, and they will appear in the order they were added to the post.

After selecting the photo or video you want to post on Instagram, you will see a range of filters and other customization options.

Step 4: Tailor Your Instagram Content

Instagram is not only a platform for posting photos or creating an Instagram story. It also offers a convenient photo editing tool that provides various filters, text fonts, and even sound effects to enhance your feed posts and make them more distinctive. Here is how it all looks in practice:

Once you have selected the desired filters (you may choose not to use any), tap “next.”

Step 5: Add captions, hashtags, and more.

Finally, before you post on Instagram, you will encounter a variety of options to choose from, including adding descriptive text to your post, scheduling it for later, controlling who can see it, and preventing people from commenting, among others.

Once you have everything set up, tap the “done” button. This will publish your Instagram post, making it visible to anyone who visits your profile.

How to Post on Instagram from Android?

Although it was initially exclusive to iOS, Instagram has been available on Android for over a decade, featuring a highly functional app in the Google Play Store. Here is how to post on Instagram using this app.

Step 1: Download the App and Log In/Open the App

If you haven’t installed the app on your Android device, you will first need to locate it in the Google Play Store, download it, and then log in to your Instagram account. Once you have completed these steps, tap the app icon to get started.

Step 2: Tap the “plus” icon beneath your feed to access the upload videos/photos menu

You will now see your Instagram feed, along with an icon at the bottom of your screen. The icon in the center will resemble a “plus” sign. Tap the icon to enable your Android device to open your photo and video gallery.

After tapping the icon, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Choose images and videos from your gallery to upload

Android phones and tablets are designed to enable you to quickly find any photo or video in the gallery, even if it is stored in a subfolder.

Tap an image or video to add it to the post. You can also select multiple items. Tap “Next” when you are done.

Step 4: Apply filters and effects to your images and videos

You will now be prompted to enhance your image posts with filters and effects, or to mix the sound of your videos. Instagram offers a robust built-in editing tool for Android, but you can also choose to use a third-party app if you prefer.

After selecting all the desired filters and completing your edits, tap “Next” once more.

Step 5: Add the Finishing Touch

At this point, your Instagram post will be completely edited. All that is left to do is add captions, a location, and hashtags, as well as select any advanced options you desire. You can hide likes, disable commenting on the post, or even schedule it for later in the day.

Once you tap “Share,” your post will be published and visible to the audience you selected.

Other Types of Instagram Posts

Although it was initially designed to cover only photo and video posts, Instagram has since evolved into a broader social network, capable of supporting multi-faceted social media marketing.

Here are some additional methods to add content to Instagram from a desktop computer or a mobile device.

Instagram Stories

The first type of content is Instagram Stories. Stories are photos or videos that last for 24 hours and can be viewed by anyone who visits your profile (and has permission to view them) by clicking on your profile icon or from a bar at the top of their feed.

To post an Instagram story, click on your profile picture and then tap the “Add to Story” button. You will be prompted again to select items from your gallery:

You can further enhance these stories with alt text, various stickers, and even music. Unfortunately, the complete range of this editing tool is available only on mobile devices, while PC still lags behind.

IGTV Videos

Posting an IGTV video is quite simple. Just tap the “plus sign” located at the bottom of your feed or next to your profile name, then choose the option “IGTV video,” as illustrated in the image below:

From there, you will have the option to upload a video from your device or use the IGTV hands-free feature to record one on the spot. You can even link this video to your story.

Unfortunately, IGTV video posts are another mobile exclusive and are currently unavailable in the desktop browser.

Conclusion

Posting on Instagram is something that most people do daily without much thought. However, creating a good post from various devices can be challenging and often requires practice, especially when developers introduce new features.

Furthermore, not everything can be done from any device. For instance, Instagram TV cannot be accessed on PC or MAC and is only available through mobile apps, making it even more essential to understand the intricacies of posting on this immensely popular social media platform.

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