How To Get Instagram App On Chromebook

While you can browse Instagram on your desktop or laptop, the website doesn't offer a way to upload photos to Instagram. Because Instagram is a mobile-focused service, it wants you to upload your photos through the mobile apps.

However, there is a workaround that lets you post to Instagram with Chrome. This works on Windows, Mac, or a Chromebook—as long as you have access to Google Chrome. Here's how it works.

To start, open Instagram.com in Google Chrome and make sure you're logged into your account. Right-click anywhere on the page and choose Inspect to open the Developer Tools panel. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift+ I on Windows or Cmd + Option + I on a Mac, if you prefer.

This will open a panel on the right side with a bunch of HTML and other page details. But you don't need to worry about any of that.

Step 2: Switch to Mobile View

In the top-left corner of the new Developer Tools window, you'll see an icon that looks like a phone next to a tablet. Click on this to switch to mobile view---you can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + M on a PC or Cmd + Shift + M on a Mac.

This mode effectively tells the website that you're using a mobile device. You'll thus see the interface switch to something that's a lot like you're used to seeing on Android or iOS. Keep the Developer Tools panel open to continue using the mobile interface, as closing it reverts to the normal desktop view.

Step 3: Upload Your Photo to Instagram

At the bottom of the screen, with mobile view enabled, you should see the various icons for Instagram's different tabs. If you don't see this row of icons, refresh the page (F5) and it should appear.

Click the Plus icon in the middle of that toolbar to upload any photo from your computer using File Explorer or Finder.

By default, Instagram only lets you upload a few image types, including JPEG. If you want to upload a PNG or another type of image, you'll need to make a small change first.

On Windows, click the Custom Files box in the bottom-right corner of File Explorer and change it to All Files. If you're on a Mac, click the Options button at the bottom-left of Finder and change the Format box from Custom Files to All Files.

Step 4: Edit Your Image

After you select your image, you have some options on the Edit tab. If it's larger than Instagram's dimensions, you can drag it around to frame the picture as you wish. Use the Rotate button at the bottom-right to spin it 90 degrees at a time. Click the full-size button in the bottom-left to toggle between the full width or a square size (if applicable).

Swap to the Filter tab at the bottom of the screen to apply one of Instagram's many filters. As you'll notice, you don't have access to all of Instagram's editing tools using this method. We recommend using a photo editing app on your computer to make any adjustments before uploading your photos to Instagram.

From here, click the Next button and you can enter a caption, set the photo's location, and tag people if you want. Then you're all set to post your photo. People will never know that you posted it using your computer and not a phone!

Alternative Ways to Post to Instagram Using Your PC

Instagram offers an official Windows 10 app on the Microsoft Store. It's basically a port of the mobile app, and used to let you upload images to your account. However, as of March 2021, the option to upload a photo in the Instagram app is no longer available.

As a result, the above method of posting to Instagram using Chrome (or another browser) is your best bet for now. We've looked at other ways to post on Instagram from your computer, but none are more convenient than this.

You can keep the Windows 10 app around and hope that it gets this functionality back, but there's no guarantee that will happen.

Download: Instagram for Windows 10 (Free)

Post to Instagram From Your PC Using Chrome

This trick isn't perfect, but it's a handy way to post to Instagram from any desktop device that has Google Chrome. It's great if you prefer to edit photos on your computer instead of doing so on your phone.

Next, make sure that what you're posting on Instagram gets noticed.

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