{"id":68385,"date":"2020-09-18T16:16:16","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T16:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/?p=68385"},"modified":"2020-09-18T16:16:16","modified_gmt":"2020-09-18T16:16:16","slug":"how-to-post-to-instagram-from-desktop-on-pc-or-mac-from-elegantthemes-com-blog-karen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/?p=68385","title":{"rendered":"How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac From ElegantThemes.com Blog (Karen)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"row-container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column-container\">\n<div class=\"column centered accent-blue\">\n<h1>How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac<\/h1>\n<p class=\"lead\">Posted on September 17, 2020 by\u00a0Will Morris\u00a0 :\u00a0 For BHHS EWM Internal Blog Only<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row-container article-container \">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"column-container\">\n<div class=\"column card accent-blue\">\n<div class=\"post-thumbnail\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/featured-instagram-desktop.png\" alt=\"How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac\" \/><\/div>\n<article id=\"post-137051\" class=\"entry et_box clearfix post-137051 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-marketing tag-how-to-post-to-instagram-from-desktop\">Instagram is an excellent way to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/marketing\/best-time-to-post-on-instagram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reach a younger demographic<\/a>. However, using the platform can be time-consuming as you can\u2019t add content from its desktop version. Instead, you have to transfer any files to your mobile device each time you want to create a post. This can be frustrating for photographers or content marketers who are on tight schedules.Fortunately, there is a way to skip all these unnecessary steps and post to Instagram from your desktop. We\u2019ll show you how to do that, rounding up several tools that can help.Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n<h2>Why You Might Want to Post to Instagram from Desktop<\/h2>\n<p>Until recently, Instagram didn\u2019t allow other apps to post on behalf of users. However, as the platform\u2019s reach has grown to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/09\/25\/how-many-users-does-instagram-have-now-800-million.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over 800 million account holders<\/a>, it\u2019s become a key marketing channel for many brands. To match the increasing demand for business efficiency,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/business.instagram.com\/blog\/instagram-api-features-updates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram changed its API<\/a>, making it possible to schedule photo and video posts without violating its terms of use.<\/p>\n<p>Mass content marketers have to juggle multiple social media platforms at once, on top of blogs and other channels as well. Centralizing all tasks and managing posts from one device can save heaps of time.<\/p>\n<p>However, it\u2019s not just businesses that may benefit from using tools to post to Instagram directly from their desktops. For instance, if you\u2019re a photographer who uses a traditional DSLR camera, you could skip the hassle of transferring your photos between devices and share your work more quickly.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac (6 Top Tools)<\/h2>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve talked about the benefits of posting to Instagram directly from your desktop machine, let\u2019s look at six tools that businesses and individuals can use to do so.<\/p>\n<p>Note that not all of the tools below give you access to Instagram\u2019s full functionalities, such as stories or carousel posts. Some of them only offer a stripped-down version of the platform, while others are fully-fledged social media management hubs with advanced options.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, it\u2019s smart to consider your needs first. Think about what type(s) of content you plan to post to Instagram as well as how often you do so. Your answers to these questions will likely point you in the direction of the tool that\u2019s the best fit for you.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Hootsuite<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137053\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/hootsuite-1.png\" alt=\"The Hootsuite homepage.\" width=\"880\" height=\"364\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Marketers who run campaigns across multiple social media profiles will appreciate content management tools such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hootsuite.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hootsuite<\/a>. This platform enables you to automate your posts from PC or Mac, and integrates with over 35 social media networks.<\/p>\n<p>Note that you\u2019ll need to have an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/business.instagram.com\/getting-started\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram Business account<\/a>\u00a0to use content marketing platforms such as Hootsuite. This should be no problem for brands, but individuals looking to post to Instagram from desktop will need to try another method.<\/p>\n<p>Hootsuite also enables you to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/resources\/hootsuite-a-detailed-overview-and-recommended-use-cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">monitor and analyze engagement<\/a>\u00a0with comprehensive insights, create advertising campaigns, and curate your content all from one dashboard. Apart from posting your images directly to Instagram, you can also create stories and share engaging videos with your audience.<\/p>\n<p>Pricing starts at $39 for Hootsuite\u2019s Professional plan, which gives you access to all its features for one user and unlimited scheduling for up to ten social profiles. There is also a limited free plan that enables scheduling for up to 30 posts across three accounts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:\u00a0<\/strong>Free\/$39 per month |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hootsuite.com\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>2. Later<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137058\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/later-1.png\" alt=\"The Later homepage.\" width=\"880\" height=\"428\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/later.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Later<\/a>\u00a0is another robust social media management platform that enables you to curate your content with an easy drag-and-drop interface. It integrates with Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and you can use it from your PC or Mac.<\/p>\n<p>Later lets you\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/marketing\/later-social-media-scheduling-overview-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visually plan your content<\/a>\u00a0and analyze your posts\u2019 performance with a handy analytics tool. It also includes a Conversation feature for Instagram, which helps you keep track of all your messages and comments from one screen.<\/p>\n<p>You can repost other images as well, which is handy if you want to share user-generated content. Plus, you can make your feed \u2018shoppable\u2019 to promote your products and increase traffic to your online store.<\/p>\n<p>You can use Later for free for up to 30 posts per profile per month. It includes one \u2018social set\u2019 of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you upload content more frequently, pricing starts at $12.50 per month for paid plans.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:<\/strong>\u00a0Free\/$12.50 per month |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/later.com\/pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>3. Hopper<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137061\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/hopper.png\" alt=\"The Hopper homepage.\" width=\"880\" height=\"449\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hopperhq.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hopper<\/a>\u00a0is another solid content scheduling option for PC or Mac. It integrates with Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can use it to bulk upload posts for all your social media accounts and monitor them with built-in analytics. On top of that, you can create and approve drafts, which is handy if you work with a team.<\/p>\n<p>Hopper enables you to visually plan your Instagram grid and customize your images with various editing options. You can also upload videos, create carousel posts, or reshare user-generated content, making this a highly functional platform for posting from your desktop.<\/p>\n<p>Pricing starts at $19 per month, or $16 per month if you commit to a yearly plan. There is also a free 14-day trial to check out whether it\u2019s the right tool for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:\u00a0<\/strong>$16 per month |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopperhq.com\/#pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>4. Bluestacks<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137063\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/bluestacks.png\" alt=\"Bluestacks' Instagram feature.\" width=\"880\" height=\"354\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Using a content marketing platform will give you the most comprehensive feature set. However, you may not have an Instagram Business account or just want basic functionality to upload images from your desktop. In either case, an app such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluestacks.com\/apps\/social\/instagram-on-pc.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bluestacks<\/a>\u00a0may be an optimal solution.<\/p>\n<p>Bluestacks is a free Android emulator that enables you to use Google Play mobile apps on your PC. It\u2019s used mainly for gaming, but you can access the Android Instagram app as well. Note that you need a Google account to use it.<\/p>\n<p>You can add images to your profile by clicking on the familiar plus (+) button, just as you would on your Android phone. You can also create stories, interact with other posts on your feed, and respond to direct messages. However, you won\u2019t be able to add IGTV videos with this app.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:<\/strong>\u00a0Free |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluestacks.com\/apps\/social\/instagram-on-pc.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>5. Deskgram<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137066\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/deskgram.png\" alt=\"The Deskgram homepage.\" width=\"880\" height=\"303\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/deskgram.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deskgram<\/a>\u00a0offers another suitable alternative to a full-blown social media management platform. It comes with a desktop-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality. You can add photos or videos, write descriptions and hashtags, and browse other content on your feed.<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t be able to do much else, but it\u2019s still a reliable option for users who just want to post to Instagram from their desktops. However, large brands will likely be better off with one of the more complex platforms in this post.<\/p>\n<p>Deskgram is a free Google Chrome extension. If you prefer a different browser, this may be a setback. You can follow\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/deskgram.co\/api\/how-it-works\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deskgram\u2019s video tutorial<\/a>\u00a0for instructions on Mac installation. There is also a PC version available for Windows XP and later.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:<\/strong>\u00a0Free |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/deskgram.co\/api\/how-it-works\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>6. Facebook Creator Studio<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137068\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/creator-studio-instagram.png\" alt=\"Creator Studio for Instagram.\" width=\"880\" height=\"463\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Finally, if your Instagram account is connected to Facebook,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/business.facebook.com\/creatorstudio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creator Studio<\/a>\u00a0might be an excellent solution for you. It enables you to post images and videos to both platforms directly from your PC or Mac.<\/p>\n<p>This free option gives you basic scheduling and insights functionality, although it may not be sufficient to manage a massive content strategy. For instance, you won\u2019t be able to create multiple posts at once or upload images in bulk.<\/p>\n<p>Still, Creator Studio could be perfect for small businesses that focus their marketing efforts on Facebook and Instagram. You need a Business or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/help.instagram.com\/2358103564437429\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creator account<\/a>\u00a0to connect your profile to this tool, so it may not work for personal use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:<\/strong>\u00a0Free |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/creators\/tools\/creator-studio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac Manually<\/h2>\n<p>If you prefer not to use any third-party apps or platforms to post to Instagram from your desktop machine, there is another way. Browsers including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge enable you to access their developer tools and \u2018fool\u2019 Instagram into thinking you\u2019re using a mobile device.<\/p>\n<p>Since Chrome is the most popular web browser, we\u2019ll use it for our example in this post. First, go to\u00a0<em>instagram.com<\/em>\u00a0and log in to your account. Then, right-click anywhere on the page and select\u00a0<em>Inspect:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137071\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/instagram-chrome-inspect.png\" alt=\"Opening the Chrome Inspect tool on instagram.com.\" width=\"880\" height=\"447\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You will see a window with code and a menu section. Click on the icon at the top that looks like a mobile device:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137072\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/instagram-chrome-mobile.png\" alt=\"The Chrome Inspect tool mobile device view setting.\" width=\"880\" height=\"481\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll notice that Instagram\u2019s interface changes when you click on this button. Next, go to the\u00a0<em>Responsive<\/em>\u00a0dropdown menu, where you can select from several mobile devices:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137073\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/instagram-chrome-devices.png\" alt=\"Selecting a mobile device from the 'Repsonsive' dropdown in the Chrome Inspect tool.\" width=\"880\" height=\"482\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then, refresh your browser. This step should result in the mobile version of Instagram becoming accessible on your desktop:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"with-border aligncenter wp-image-137074\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elegantthemes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/instagram-mobile-desktop.png\" alt=\"Chrome in mobile view so you can post to Instagram from desktop.\" width=\"880\" height=\"577\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You should be able to follow similar steps using other browsers. For instance, Safari users can access this functionality via\u00a0<em>Develop &gt; User Agent<\/em>\u00a0in the browser\u2019s menu bar<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Instagram is a mobile-centric platform, but that doesn\u2019t mean you have to be limited to publishing content from your phone. There are many tools and tricks that can help you post to Instagram from your desktop so you won\u2019t have to waste your time transferring files between devices.<\/p>\n<p>To recap,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hootsuite.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hootsuite<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/later.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Later<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopperhq.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hopper<\/a>\u00a0are the best solutions for those who need advanced content planning features.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluestacks.com\/apps\/social\/instagram-on-pc.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bluestacks<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/deskgram.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deskgram<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/business.facebook.com\/creatorstudio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creator Studio<\/a>\u00a0are quality low-cost alternatives, but have limited functionality. Finally, you can always change your browser\u2019s user agent to mobile to post to Instagram from your desktop.<\/p>\n<p><em>Image by treety \/ shutterstock.com<\/em><\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Post to Instagram from Desktop on PC or Mac Posted on September 17, 2020 by\u00a0Will Morris\u00a0 :\u00a0 For BHHS EWM Internal Blog Only Instagram is an excellent way to\u00a0reach a younger demographic. However, using the platform can be time-consuming as you can\u2019t add content from its desktop version. Instead, you have to transfer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1439,"featured_media":68386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"saved","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68385"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1439"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=68385"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68389,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68385\/revisions\/68389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/68386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=68385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=68385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=68385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}