Instagram for Mac does not exist but there are some unofficial Instagram apps that allow you to view and upload photos to your Instagram feed from your Mac.
You can also install Instagram using an Instagram emulator for Mac although this is far more time consuming and complicated.
In this article, we show you both options so you can decide which works best for you.
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Note that there’s no point installing Windows on your Mac and trying to use the Windows Instagram app because although it allows you to view feeds, you can’t upload photos with it.
Here then are the best apps to use Instagram on a Mac in order of ranking.
1. Flume
Flume is the closest thing to having Instagram for Mac on your desktop and easily the best Instagram app for Mac we’ve tried.
Flume is the only app that genuinely allows you to upload photos and videos from your Mac to Instagram. However, it should be noted that you can only upload photos in the Pro version of Flume which you can upgrade to in-app for $10.
However, it’s definitely well worth it and there’s no other app like Flume that comes close to giving you full Instagram functionality on Mac. The Pro version also allows you to add multiple accounts.
You can do many things in Flume that you can in Instagram for iOS and Android including like, comment and share photos.
You can search for users via hashtag or location and it’s even integrated with the Touch Bar MacBook Pros.
Uploading photos is as simple as dragging and dropping them into the Flume interface.
The slight drawback is that the filters aren’t the same as in Instagram. For technical reasons it can only use the same ones as used in Photo Booth.
You can read more about Flume for Instagram on the Flume website.
You can also watch Flume for Instagram in action below:
Apart from Flume, there are other third-party Instagram apps for Mac but none that allow you to upload photos to Instagram.
The following Instagram apps for Mac make viewing your photo feed a little more convenient, don’t require a browser, and add a few other useful little features. If you just want to follow your Instagram feed, then try one if these instead.
2. iTab
iTab (formerly Instamac) is a very simple looking but feature packed Instagram client for Mac which is optimized for retina displays.
iTab supports enlarging of Instagram images, viewing people’s profiles, saving hashtag searches, viewing popular and trending images and bookmarking favorite searches.
You can even turn photos into slideshows based on hashtags or your favorite searches.
3. Websta For Instagram
If you’re already a Google Chrome user on Mac, then Websta for Instagram (formerly known as “Instagram Web”) is a plugin which allows you to check Instagram from your Chrome account.
Once installed, just click on the Websta for Instagram logo in the top right of Chrome, log-in and you can view your Instagram feed.
You can’t do much more beyond searching but it’s basically a slightly more convenient way to access Instagram than visiting the Instagram website.
You can watch Websta for Instagram in action below:
4. Gramblr
Gramblr is a simple photo uploader that doesn’t have the slick interface and flashy features of PhotoDesk but still allows you to upload photos to Instagram from your Mac – and it’s free.
You simply install the Gramblr photo uploader, sign into Instagram, browse to the photo you want to upload, add a caption and click upload.
5. Instagram Online
Finally, you can of course follow your photo feed using the official web version of Instagram but again, the web version does not allow you to upload photos.
These are the best apps to view Instagram feeds on Mac. These Instagram apps have stood the test but there have been others such as Visual Grub for Mac and Carousel for Mac which are long gone.
However, Flume Pro is still the only one that lets you upload photos and videos to Instagram and generally, has the best overall interface so we’d recommend going for that.
If you want all the functionality of the mobile version of Instagram on your Mac, then the only way is to install it via an Android emulator. Please note that setting this up is far more time consuming than installing one of the apps featured above.
The easiest way to install Android apps on Mac is by using Google Arc Welder extension for Chrome. You can find full instructions how to install Android apps on Mac here using Arc Welder.
However, there are a few other ways too. The first method we look at here uses Virtual Box which allows you to install an Android emulator on your Mac and even Windows applications on Mac. The second involves using Bluestacks although Bluestacks is no longer officially supported on Mac anymore and we don’t recommend using it.
Method 1: Using Virtual Box
- Download this ISO image of Android. Download the first file in the list – the one with the most downloads
- Download Virtual Box for Mac. Virtual Box allows you to run other operating systems – such as Android and Windows – on your Mac. Download the file that says “Download Virtual Box for Mac Hosts”.
Install VirtualBox on your Mac and then when you open it, click “New” in the top left corner.
In the Name field, you can write “Instagram” and in the Type just select “Other” as Android is not on the list.
Move the Memory slider somewhere in the middle.
Select the second option “Create a Virtual HardDrive Now”.
Select the first option “VirtualBox Disk Image”.
Select the first option “Dynamically Allocated”.
You can call the new Hard Drive “Instagram”. Click Create.
You’re now ready to setup Android on your Mac. You’ll see your new Instagram Virtual Drive in the left menu. Make sure it is selected and click Start. You’ll then be prompted to select a Virtual Disk which is the Android ISO you downloaded earlier. Browse to the Android ISO file and click Start.
When you see the Virtual Box mouse warning, just click capture and then simply hit “Enter” as the option you need “Run Android -x86 Without Installation” is selected by default. Once your mouse is inside Virtual Box, it is “locked” in there but if you need to get it out to use it in OS X again, simply press the left CMD key next to the spacebar to release it.
Android will now setup automatically. Skip the WiFi setup and Google Account setup stages.
Once setup has finished, you are on the main Android screen. Select the Home Menu button as you would if you were using an Android device. You must first access Settings to disable some features to enable Instagram to work in Virtual Box properly.
First, go to Security and enable Unknown Sources. Click OK when the security warning pops up and Unknown Sources is enabled.
Then go back to the Settings screen and scroll down to Accessibility:
Deactivate Auto-rotate screen otherwise you’ll end up having to use Instagram with your Mac on it’s side!
Finally, go to the Display settings and Deactivate the Sleep mode:There are then two ways to install Instagram on your Mac. The first one is the only one that definitely works at the moment. The second method used to work but at the time of writing, is affected by a bug:
Method 1: By Downloading Instagram Directly
Open the Android browser and go to the following address:
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Click on the Download button at the bottom:The download will start in the top left of the screen. Drag this down with the mouse and click on the downloaded file:When you click on the file, the Instagram installation process will start on your Mac:Then simply follow the installation process. There will be a non essential warning about Google security settings which you can Accept or Decline – whichever you prefer. At the end of it, Instagram will be installed on your Mac. Just click open to start using it: The login page will be on it’s side at first: But don’t worry, with some clever mouse work, try click “Login”, at the bottom and Instagram will revert back to the normal horizontal view: At the time of writing, this is the only way to install Instagram on Mac that definitely works.
Method 2 below is also supposed to work – and is the way you normally install Instagram on an Android device – but due to a known bug with Android devices, does not work properly anymore due to a “device incompatible” error message. However, at some stage, Instagram will be updated to fix the bug so if the above method doesn’t work or you’d rather go via the Play store, here’s how to do it.
- Method 2: Using the Google Play Store: Use the Back button at the bottom of the screen to go back to your Android desktop. Click the dots at the bottom of the screen to reveal your apps and open the Google Play Store:
- Search for Instagram and then install it as if you were installing it on a phone.
Just follow the installation instructions. As mentioned earlier, at the the time of writing you will probably receive a “device not compatible” error. This is a bug that Instagram is looking into with Google and until it is fixed, Google suggests a temporary fix for some users is to clear your Google Play Store data cache by going: Settings > Application Manager > All > Google Play Store > Clear data. If this does not work for you, try method 1.
Method 2: Using Bluestacks
Here’s how to install Instagram on your Mac using Bluestacks:
- Download Bluestacks. Double-click on the DMG file and drag the Bluestacks icon into your Applications folder.
- Open it and click on the search magnifying glass in the top-right corner.
- Search for “Instagram” and click on “Install”.
- You’ll then have to enable the AppStore. Just follow the instructions to set it up.
- You then need to add your Google account to access the store. When you’ve entered your Google account details (such as your Gmail account and password) click “Finish Setup” in the bottom right corner.
- Then click “Proceed” when prompted setup 1-Click Sync Setup.
- Just click “Done” when prompted to setup a device.
- Select Instagram from the AppStore.
- Instagram will then install within Bluestacks.
- Click on MyApps and you’ll see Instagram is now installed on your Mac via Bluestacks.
- Click on it and you’ll be taken to the Instagram login page as if you were using it on a phone.
- You can view your feed as if you were using your phone.
- On your profile page, click on the “Settings” tab in the top right corner.
- Click on Advanced Features
- Deselect “Use Instagram’s Advanced Camera”.
- Now you need to install an extra application so that Instagram can browse and find pictures on your Mac to upload. Go back to Bluestacks App Store and search for a utility called “es file manager”.
- Select ES file manager in the App Store and it will install.Go back to your Instagram profile page and select the image or “take photo” button at the bottom.Select ES File Explorer.
- Select BST folder.You’ll then see your Mac’s image folders. In this case it’s the PhotoBooth folder.
Clicking on that gives access to your Pictures folder from which you can upload images to Instagram from your Mac.
We hope this article has helped you use Instagram on Mac.
In summary, we highly recommend Flume Pro as it offers the easiest way to both view and upload photos and videos to Instagram from Mac. As we’ve seen, the alternative is to install Instagram on a Mac but this is complicated and even then, is not guaranteed to work properly especially with new updates to macOS.
If you have any other problems or questions using Instagram on your Mac, let us know in the comments below.
It's possible to upload photos to Instagram from a PC, if you know the right tricks. It's very handy, allowing you to make tweaks using a free photo editor designed for desktops rather than struggling with mobile apps.
Instagram makes it surprisingly hard to upload photos from your desktop – there's no way to do it using the official app for Windows 10, or the Instagram website. There's no Instagram app for macOS either.
That's a nuisance – particularly if you want to post photos you’ve taken with a digital camera rather than a smartphone, or you want to edit your pictures and videos using desktop software before uploading them.
Thankfully there are a couple of handy ways to get around it and upload photos to Instagram from your PC or Mac. All you need is a little free software.
Method 1: Vivaldi
1. Get Vivaldi
The super-customizable web browser Vivaldi offers the quickest and easiest way to upload photos to Instagram from a PC or Mac. It does this by running the mobile version of Instagram's website in a web panel.
The super-customizable web browser Vivaldi offers the quickest and easiest way to upload photos to Instagram from a PC or Mac. It does this by running the mobile version of Instagram's website in a web panel.
Download and install Vivaldi, then either run through the wizard to import bookmarks and set your preferences, or click 'Skip all' and continue with the browser's default settings.
2. Create a web panel
Navigate to www.instagram.com, then click the plus icon (Add Web Panel) on the left-hand side of the browser interface. The URL will be filled in automatically, so all you have to do is click the plus again.
The mobile version of Instagram will now appear in a sidebar on the left-hand side of the browser, and will stay there as you browse other sites. Log into your account, then resize the sidebar until the mobile site fits in comfortably.
3. Upload to Instagram
Click the plus icon at the bottom of the website to choose a photo from your PC or Mac, apply filters, add a caption and tags, and upload it to your account.
Method 2: BlueStacks App Player
1. Get BlueStacks App Player
The Instagram app for Android is superb, and you can run it on your desktop using free Android emulator BlueStacks App Player, enabling you to upload photos to Instagram from your PC or Mac.
Download and install BlueStacks, then wait a few minutes while the engine starts for the first time. Dismiss the tutorial using the cross at the top right, make sure the correct language is selected and tap the arrow button.
2. Log into your Google account
Click ‘Continue’, then log in using your Google account. Review the terms of service and, if you agree, click ‘OK’.
The next checkboxes are completely optional; if you’re only using BlueStacks to upload to Instagram, feel free to uncheck them all. Click the Next arrow, then enter your name (it'll only be used to personalize some apps).
3. Install the Instagram app
You'll now see a version of the Google Play Store. Search for Instagram (the search bar is in the top right), select the official app when it appears and click Install. The app will request access to information including your contacts and location. If that's OK with you, click 'Accept'.
Instagram Program For Mac
After a moment, the Instagram icon will appear under the My Apps tab. Click it once to launch it.
Instagram For Mac Computer
4. Upload, apply filters and share
BlueStacks will change to the size and shape of a vertically-oriented smartphone. Sign into your Instagram account with your usual details (the login link is at the bottom). Your Instagram feed will appear as it would on a phone.
Click the plus icon at the bottom, then select 'Gallery'. Click the 'Gallery' drop-down menu at the top left and select 'Other', then click 'Pick from Windows'. Find the photo you want to upload, select it and click 'Open'.
You can now crop the picture, add filters and a caption, and share it with your followers via all the usual social networks.
- Check out our list of the best free photo editors