How do you Post on Instagram from a PC without an App

Do you like to post your photos on Instagram and also want to do it using your computer? Since the service is focused on mobile, uploading to Instagram from your computer is not the primary use. But it's certainly possible to post on Instagram from a Mac, Chromebook, or any other desktop device.

In late 2021, Instagram finally added an official solution for uploading images from a laptop or desktop. Now you can visit Instagram.com in any browser, sign in to your account, and post pictures just like you would on your phone.

Click the Plus button in the top right to start the process, then check out our full guide to Instagram's desktop upload feature for more help if you need it. This is the best and fastest way to post on Instagram from any computer, but we have included other methods below for you to know about.

Apart from the main option above, Windows users can also use the following methods to post on Instagram. They'll work whether you're posting from a Windows laptop or desktop.

Use the Instagram Windows Store app

Instagram doesn't offer a traditional Windows desktop app, but Windows 10 and 11 users can use the Microsoft Store Instagram app. It's basically just a port of the mobile app, so while it's nothing special, it gets the job done.

After installing the app, log in and you'll see your feed as normal. To post on Instagram, just like on the website, click the Plus icon in the top right corner. From there, drag and drop images onto the box or click the Choose From Computer button to select a few.

From here you can use Instagram's familiar user interface to edit images, apply filters and add captions. This is a great method if you prefer to post an application instead of visiting one website at a time.

Use the Instagram mobile website in Chrome

Before there was native support for posting to Instagram using the website, the best way was to use a trick where you posted to Instagram from Chrome. This involves changing your browser's user agent to trick the Instagram website into thinking you're using a mobile device.

For those unfamiliar, a user agent is a small piece of information that your browser sends to websites to let them know a little about your computer. You can override the automatic user agent and easily tell the website you're using something else.

This method is more tedious than any of the above methods, so we do not recommend it at this time. We're adding this here to save steps, but luckily it's no longer necessary.

To try the user agent solution in Chrome, open the Instagram website and sign in. Then press F12 (or right-click and select Inspect) to open the Developer Console. Press the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + M or click the Toggle device toolbar button (highlighted below) to switch to the mobile website for Instagram.

You'll see an interface just like the mobile app, complete with click-and-drag functionality. Click the Plus icon at the bottom center and you can add a photo from your PC. If you don't see this icon, refresh the page with F5 or go to another page and it should appear.

On the created page, use Edit to change the photo and Filter to change its appearance. Click Next for the final steps of adding a location, tagging others, including hashtags, and submitting a caption. After clicking share, you're good to go.

Emulate Android on your PC

If you enjoy methods that are not convenient, you can go ahead and emulate Android on your computer for free. This allows you to access the real Instagram app and do everything with it as you would on your phone.

The easiest way to do this is to use BlueStacks, although you have many ways to emulate Android on Windows. All you need to do is download BlueStacks, sign in with a Google account, download the Instagram app, and sign in to your Instagram account. Watch the video below for more details.

How to post on Instagram from Mac

The steps to post on Instagram from your Mac are similar to the Windows steps, but we're sharing Mac-specific tips here. Remember that by using the main Instagram site, you don't have to worry about any of these solutions.

Use the Instagram mobile website with Safari

We explained how to change your user agent in Chrome above, which also works on Mac. If you prefer to use Safari, follow these instructions.

Open the Safari Preferences window using Safari > Preferences or the Cmd + Comma shortcut. Go to the Advanced tab and check the box below to show the Develop menu in the menu bar.

Then open the Instagram website and log in. Open the new Develop tab in the menu bar and select User Agent > Safari — iOS xx — iPhone.