Instagram posts are one of the best ways to preserve important moments of your life or promote a business venture, mainly due to the global popularity of the platform.
Furthermore, this social media network is entirely free to use and available almost everywhere in the world, making the knowledge of how to post on Instagram an essential part of everyday life.
How to post on Instagram in five steps
Regardless of the device or browser you use, there are five main steps to posting any kind of photos or videos to Instagram:
- Locate the Instagram app or website and log in to your account,
- Click or tap the “Plus” sign to open the upload menu,
- Select the desired content from your storage,
- Use filters to edit further the content you are posting,
- Add captions, hashtags, and any other text or sound, then click publish.
Unfortunately, as the platform grew to encompass more and more devices, it became difficult to track everything you need to know to post from each one, so we have created an ultimate guide to help you.
Table of Contents
How to Post on Instagram?
Each of the platforms has its quirks when it comes to posting from Instagram. For example, a desktop or laptop computer will have different methods than a mobile device, while that device will also differ from an Android one.
Furthermore, you will also see differences based on whether you post from the Instagram website in your browser or the dedicated Instagram app.
Finally, each of the browsers 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 notable platforms.
How to Post on Instagram from PC?
First, you must choose whether you are posting on Instagram from the dedicated Windows app or the website version opened in your browser. The process is almost identical in both cases, the only difference being how you access them.
Step 1: Open the Instagram app/Go to the Instagram website
Nowadays, Instagram has its app for Windows 10 and above, which can be found by simply using the search bar of your PC in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Typing the word “Instagram” will open the app for you, similar to how the “Run” command is used.
If you are accessing Instagram from a browser, you will need to go to the URL address www.instagram.com
If you are logged in, it will lead you to your feed, which will look something like this:
Step 2: Click on the plus icon at the top of the screen
On the top of your screen, between the messages and the explore icons, there is a camera icon that looks like a plus sign. Click on the icon to begin the process. The resulting screen will look like this:
Step 3: Select the content that you wish to upload from your desktop or laptop computer
When you press the button Select from the computer, it will open a window allowing you to browse its storage freely. Select the photo or video .you wish to post on your Instagram account, then press “Open.
Step 4: Customize your photo or video, or add more content to a post
Once you have selected the file, you will be given a prompt to use further editing tools. In addition, you will also be able to choose and add more files to your Instagram post.
The options can be found at the bottom of your photo. If you create an album containing multiple photos, they will show in the order in which they were selected.
Step 5: Finalize your post
Before your post appears on your Instagram feed, you will have the option to do things such as choose a location, add various captions, relevant hashtags, etc. All of these things can be done through the menu in the following image:
You can also access the advanced settings tab, allowing you to hide the number of likes on it or disable the commenting entirely. Finally, once 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 use the dedicated Instagram app. In some cases, you may want to use the Safari browser instead, for example, if the app is unstable due to a recent update.
That being said, the web version functions very similarly to the one on PC, so we will focus on the app for now.
Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your iPhone or iPad
First, you will need to find the app on your IOS device and open it. If you haven’t downloaded the app yet, head to the App store. The app on your device will look like this:
Step 2: Log into your Instagram account and access your feed
You can skip that step if you are already logged in to your Instagram.
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 automatically be redirected to your feed.
Step 3: Select the item or items you wish to upload
Your phone will now lead you to upload photos or videos that you want from your gallery. You can select more than one if you wish, and they will show in the order they were added to the post.
Once you have selected the photo or video you wish to post on Instagram, you will be presented with various filters and other customization options.
Step 4: Customize your Instagram content
Instagram isn’t just a way to post photos or create an Instagram story. This platform also features a very convenient photoshop tool, providing you with various filters, text fonts, and even sound effects that you can add to your feed posts to make them more unique. Here is how it all looks in practice:
Once you have selected the filters you want (you can opt not to use any), tap “next.”
Step 5: Add captions, hashtags, etc.
Finally, before you post on Instagram, you will be presented with a whole host of options to choose from, ranging from adding some flavor text to your post to things such as scheduling it for later, controlling who can see it, preventing people from commenting, etc.
Once you have everything set up, tap the “done” button. This will publish your Instagram post, making it visible to anyone who visits your account.
How to Post on Instagram from Android?
While it was initially an IOS exclusive, Instagram has been present on Android for over a decade, with a highly functional app available in the Google play store. Here is how you post on Instagram from this app.
Step 1: Download the App and log in/Open the app
If you don’t have the app installed on your Android device, you will first need to find it on the Google play store, and download it, then log in to your Instagram account. If you have completed these steps, tap the app icon to get started.
Step 2: Tap the “plus” icon under your feed to open the upload videos/photos menu
You will now see your Instagram feed, as well as at the bottom of your screen. The icon in the middle will look like a “plus” sign. Tap the icon to allow your Android device to open your photo and video gallery.
Once you tap the icon, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Select images and videos from your gallery to upload
Android phones and tablets are designed so that opening the gallery will allow you to quickly find any photo or video located on it, even if it is hidden in a subfolder.
Tap an image or a video to add it to the post. You can also select more than one. Tap “Next” when you are finished.
Step 4: Add filters and effects to your images and videos
You will now be prompted to enhance your image posts with filters and effects or mix the sound of your videos. Instagram has a fairly powerful built-in editing tool for Android, but you can also use a third-party app if you wish.
Once you have selected all the filters you wish and finished editing, tap “Next” once again.
Step 5: Add the finishing touch
By now, your Instagram post will be fully edited. All that remains is to add captions, a location, and hashtags and choose any advanced options you want. You can hide likes, prohibit 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 your chosen audience.
Other Types of Instagram Posts
While it was originally designed to only cover photo and video posts, Instagram has since grown to become a much wider social network, capable of multi-faceted social media marketing.
Here are some additional ways 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 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 on top of their feed.
You post an Instagram story by clicking on your profile picture, then tapping the add to story button. You will once again be prompted to select items from your gallery:
You can further edit these stories with alt text, various stickers, and even music. Unfortunately, the full scope of this editing tool is available only on mobile devices, with PC still lagging behind.
IGTV videos
Posting an IGTV video is rather simple. All you need to do is tap the “plus sign” that can be found at the bottom of your feed or next to your profile name, then select the option “IGTV video,” as shown in the image below:
From there, you will be provided with an option to upload a video from your device or use the IGTV hands-free option to record one on the spot. You can even link said video to your story.
Unfortunately, IGTV video posts are yet another mobile exclusive and are currently not available in the desktop browser.
Conclusion
Posting on Instagram is something most do every day without thinking. That being said, knowing how to make a good post from a variety of different devices is difficult and often requires some practice, especially when the developers come up with a new feature.
Furthermore, not everything can be done from any device. For example, Instagram tv cannot be used on PC or MAC and is only available in mobile apps, making it even more crucial to know the ins and outs of posting on this incredibly popular social media network.
FAQ
What kind of content is allowed on Instagram?
Unlike other social media networks, such as TikTok or OnlyFans, Instagram has a stricter SFW policy.
Nudity and adult content are strictly forbidden, as well as breaking any copyright by cross-posting other people’s content without featuring them in the post. For a more detailed list of rules, check the Instagram TOS.
What are the different ways to post on Instagram?
Other than the basic option to share photos and videos, there are also Instagram stories, which have a limited duration of 24 hours, and IGTV posts, which are permanent but go into a separate folder on your Instagram profile.
Is there a limit to how many posts on Instagram you can make?
No, you can post as much as you wish, though making dozens of posts each day may annoy your followers and reduce the popularity of your Instagram posts. Therefore, don’t spam the platform with meaningless posts.
