Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there, and this is a well-known fact. As a matter of fact, statistics show that as of 2021, Instagram has about 1.074 billion users. On average, these users spend about 53 minutes a day just scrolling through the platform. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Instagram solely focuses on sharing pictures and videos. Other than that, you can follow other people so you’ll see whenever they upload new content on their account.
That being said, Instagram doesn’t have an iPad-optimized app despite its popularity, which is quite interesting. However, we were able to find a loophole to this. If you have an iPad and want to check your Instagram account on it, this article is for you. We’ll show you different ways to access Instagram on your iPad device, so keep reading to find out more!
How to Install the Instagram App on Your iPad
When we say that the Instagram app isn’t optimized for the iPad, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find the app on the App Store. Rest assured that you can still download it normally; it’s just that the app was made for the iPhone specifically. As such, you may notice that the app won’t utilize all of the iPad’s features and benefits due to this fact.
That being said, these are the steps to download and install Instagram on your iPad:
- Turn on your iPad and head over to the App Store.
- Tap on the search function, and then type Instagram.
- Once the app suggestions appear, choose the Instagram app.
- Tap on the Get button.
- Wait for the download to finish, and voila!
Once the app is ready, you can go ahead and launch it. You’ll see that it looks exactly like the app on your Android or iPhone. You can then log into your account or sign up if you’re looking to open a new one. At this point, you may have noticed something peculiar about the app: it’s not on fullscreen mode. This is the result when an app isn’t optimized for a certain device, especially since iPads are significantly bigger than phones.
Why Isn’t There an iPad-Optimized Instagram App?
It’s so strange that a platform as popular as Instagram doesn’t have an iPad-optimized app. With a little digging, it seems there are several reasons why the developers haven’t released something specially made for the iPad. One theory that seems to make sense is that Instagram was initially developed to be a platform where you can upload and share your photos. As such, it makes sense that the app would only be optimized for mobile phones because that’s usually what you use to take pictures. After all, it would be too much of a hassle to use your iPad for picture-taking given how big it is. Plus, it doesn’t have the newer iPhones’ features like Portrait mode.
Other Ways You Can Use Instagram on Your iPad
If you don’t like using the official Instagram app on your iPad, here are some solutions for you.
Access Instagram via Safari
One thing you can do is log in to your Instagram account using your mobile browser or Safari. It’s really that simple, and this way, you can access an optimized version of the platform. When you launch the browser, type in Instagram.com on the search bar. Once redirected, log in to your account and you’re good to go.
Make Use of Third-Party Apps
If the above option isn’t your cup of tea, you can also try using third-party apps such as Padgram and Instapad. These apps may not be by the official Instagram team, but they were created with the sole purpose of providing Instagram users with an iPad-optimized app. If you don’t mind the fact that the UI is different from the original Instagram, then feel free to try these apps out.
Conclusion
It may be a bit annoying, but not having an iPad-optimized Instagram app isn’t the end of the world. For one thing, you can still download the official app through the App Store if you don’t mind how small the virtual screen is. But if you don’t like it, there are some methods you can try out to remedy this issue, such as using third-party apps or logging into your account via Safari.
