Unlike many other social media apps, Instagram does not have a desktop version. This can often be a problem as the web version does not have the same functionality as the mobile app. And one of those features is the ability to post videos from your PC.
Instagram recently announced that it would make it possible to post videos on its site from a computer. In fact, some users said they already have this option. But, this feature is only meant to be posted on your News Feed, not Instagram Story.
If you're one of those people who don't have this option yet but still want to know how to post a video to Instagram Story from your computer, you've come to the right place. This article will provide several methods you can use to upload videos from your computer to Instagram.
How to post Instagram video from PC
There are several methods you can use to post Instagram video from PC. Some of them require the installation of third-party software. We'll walk you through the steps and the apps you'll need.
As mentioned, Instagram has announced that it will make posting videos from computers possible for everyone. Before moving on to third-party alternatives, check if you can already post videos to Instagram.
If you can, here's how to post a video from your PC:
- Open your browser and go to Instagram website.
- Sign into your account.
- Tap the plus sign in the upper right corner.
- Drag and drop the video you want to post or select it.
Changing the browser user agent
For this method, you will need to use Google Chrome.
Follow the instructions below to post an Instagram video from your computer using Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome. If you don't have it, download it here.
- Go to Instagram website.
- Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Hover over "More Tools" and select "Developer Tools".
- Tap the "Toggle device toolbar" icon. It's the second icon from the left.
- Select "Responsive" under the address bar and choose the mobile interface you want to use.
- Refresh the page.
Now your Instagram will have a mobile interface. Publish the video as you would from your mobile phone.
INSSIST Extension Chrome
This Chrome extension lets you use a mobile Instagram interface and post videos as you normally would with your phone.
We will guide you through the steps:
- Open Google Chrome and visit Chrome Web Store.
- Type âInsistâ in the search bar.
- Select the first extension and press "Add to Chrome".
- Tap "Add extension".
- Tap the extension icon in the upper right corner to open Instagram.
- Enter your login information.
- Tap the plus sign at the bottom if you want to post to your News Feed. You can also post to Story, IGTV, or schedule a post.
- Select the video you want to post.
Instagram creative studio
Another way to post Instagram videos from your computer is to use Instagram Creator Studio. Apart from posting videos from your PC, you can also schedule your posts, tag people, add captions, and more.
Before going into the steps, it is important to note that you must have an Instagram business account to use this method. If not, here's how to get there:
- Open Instagram on your phone.
- Tap your profile picture in the lower right corner.
- Tap the three lines in the upper right corner.
- Tap âSettingsâ.
- Tap "Account".
- Tap "Switch to Business Account".
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finalize the process.
Once you've set up your business account, follow these instructions to post an Instagram video from your PC using Creator Studio:
- Open your browser and visit the Creator Studio website.
- Tap "Connect your account".
- Log into your Instagram account.
- Tap "Create Post" in the top left corner and choose whether you want to post to your News Feed, Story, or IGTV.
- Tap "Add content" and upload the video you want to post.
- Choose whether you want to post it right away or schedule it.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a platform that integrates with different social media networks and allows you to manage multiple social media accounts. You can use it to post Instagram videos directly from your computer.
Follow these steps to use Hootsuite to post Instagram videos from your PC:
- Open your browser and visit the Hootsuite website. Create an account if you don't already have one.
- Tap "New Message" in the top right corner.
- Under "Post to," select your Instagram account. If you just created the Hootsuite account, tap "Add social network" to connect to your Instagram.
- Drag and drop the video you want to download or select it. You can also post multiple videos at once.
- If desired, add a caption and hashtags.
- Choose whether you want to post now or schedule for later.
BlueStacks
BlueStacks is an emulator that lets you use your computer like you would an Android device. Although it was originally designed to be used for Android games, it also works with Instagram and lets you post videos as if you were using your phone.
Follow the instructions below to install BlueStacks and use it to post Instagram videos from your PC:
- Open your browser and visit the BlueStacks website.
- Tap "Download BlueStacks" and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Open BlueStacks and sign in with your Google account.
- Open Play Store and download Instagram. The process is the same as on any Android phone.
- Launch Instagram and log in to your account.
- Tap the plus sign at the bottom to post a video to your News Feed, or tap the one in the top left corner to post it as a story. You can also post the video on IGTV.
Online storage
If you want to post a video from your computer but don't want to use third-party software, there is another option. You can upload the video to cloud storage and use your phone to post it to Instagram. If you don't have a cloud storage account, the setup process may take a little longer.
Here is what you need to do:
- Open your browser and navigate to the cloud storage website. We recommend using Dropbox or Google Drive if you don't already have an account.
- Once you've set up your account or logged in, upload the video you want to post to Instagram.
- Take your phone and open your chosen cloud storage app.
- Find the video and tap "Share".
- Choose âInstagramâ.
Post an Instagram video without your phone
Instagram opened up a whole new world when it announced that it was allowing users to post videos using their computers, which was previously impossible. But until this option is available to everyone, some will have to rely on other means to download their videos directly from your PC. The method you choose depends on whether you want to install third-party tools on your computer, use a specific browser, add extensions, etc.
We hope this article helped you learn how to post a video to Instagram from your PC and found the method that works best for you.
Have you ever posted an Instagram video from your computer? Did you use any of the methods we talked about? Tell us in the comments section below.