Discover the Easy Way to Access Instagram Messages on Your Computer
Let’s dive into the process of checking your Instagram messages on your PC. It’s simpler than you think!
First off, find and open the Instagram app on your computer. Make sure you grant it permission to access your Instagram contacts.
Now, pay close attention to the bottom of the screen where you’ll find the magic button – Sign In. Don’t let it slip past you!
Step 3
Hey there! Let’s get you logged into your Instagram account. Put in your Instagram username and password, and click that login button.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll find yourself on your Instagram feed. It’ll resemble the app on your phone rather than the website you see on your desktop.
So, here’s the thing that sets Instagram apart. You know that little paper airplane icon in the top right corner? Yep, that’s the one.
If you’re on a Windows desktop, go ahead and click it (well, tap on mobile) to access your direct messages.
Ready to Send Messages?
Sending messages on Instagram is super easy. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Let’s Get Started
Click on the button that says Send Message.
Step 2
Alright, here’s what you need to do: in that search box, I want you to type in the name or username of the person you want to message. After that, just click on the circle next to the right person’s name. Easy peasy, right?
Step 3
Once you see the message window appear, simply click on the “Next” button. This will allow you to type your message. After you’ve composed your message, tap on the “Send” button to send it.
Hey there! Sending messages from your phone is as easy as pie!
Sending Images and Videos
If you’re tired of regular messages and feel like sharing a selfie or a cute cat video, then you’ll love the awesome image taking, editing, and sending feature of this cool desktop app.
But before you dive in, you’ll need to give the app permission to access your camera and microphone.
So here’s how to do it:
1. Just locate the camera icon in your message window (it’s at the bottom left) or at the top of your main feed, and give it a click.
2. Look for the button that says “Enable Camera Access” and click on it.
3. Go ahead and click Yes to confirm.
4. Next, click Enable Microphone Access.
5. Once again, click Yes to confirm.
Now, assuming you have a webcam on your PC, look at yourself as if you were about to take a selfie from your smartphone. Simply click the button to snap a photo, or hold it down to start recording a video. After you’ve taken your picture, get creative by adding stickers, captions, and more, just like you would with the mobile Instagram app.
When you’re ready to send your creation, click on Send To. You’ll be redirected to a list of your followers. Choose the followers you want to share with, and then click Send.
Having Trouble Enabling Microphone Access?
If you’re in the same boat as I was when I first tried to do this, you might keep clicking the Enable Microphone Access button without success.
For many people, Instagram’s microphone permissions are turned off by default. But don’t worry, turning them on is a piece of cake.
First, press the Windows key and ‘I’ at the same time. This will open up your settings.
Next, click on Privacy.
Lastly, select Microphone from the list on the left-hand side.
4. So, just scroll down until you see the Instagram option and make sure to turn on the microphone permissions. You’ll know it’s on when the bar turns blue.
After you’ve done this, go back and give it another shot – try enabling microphone access again.
Oh, and keep in mind that even though the desktop app is more powerful than the website, it still doesn’t quite live up to the mobile version.
Instead of just sharing whatever catches your eye, you can snap photos and videos on the spot and share them through direct messaging only. No sharing stuff saved on your computer, and no taking photos or videos and sharing them in general.
Plan B: Acting like a Smartphone
So, let’s say you don’t have Windows 10, or maybe you just don’t fancy the Windows 10 version of the Instagram app.
No worries – if you’ve got any modern computer, there’s another easy way to access your Instagram DMs (and all the other cool Instagram features) on your desktop: just act like a smartphone.
See, one of the nifty things about the Android operating system – which pretty much every non-Apple smartphone uses – is how simple it is to act as if it’s there. And hey, there are quite a few neat Android emulators out there, both free and premium.
What you do is install one of these emulators on your computer, and then you can download the Instagram app (or pretty much any other app) and run it on your computer, pretending it’s a giant smartphone.
(Actually, lots of folks do this for Android games, ’cause playing Android games on a 36″ LCD monitor with a mouse and keyboard is often way more fun than squeezing everything onto a tiny 5-inch screen.)
Right now, there are two fabulous Android emulators on the scene, and I’ll walk you through setting up each one.
BlueStacks
The BlueStacks App Player uses a modified version of the Android OS that works like a charm with emulation. It’s perfect for running apps like Instagram.
Here’s how to set it up nice and easy:
- Download and install the BlueStacks App Player.
- Sign in using your Google account and create a profile.
- Open up the Play Store and load the Instagram app.
When you open up BlueStacks, you’re greeted with a window that’s similar to an Android tablet screen. It has the regular Android interface, but you can control it using your mouse or touchscreen if you have one. BlueStacks currently emulates Android N (7.1.2) as of April 2019.
From there, you can easily download and use Instagram without any problems.
Now let’s talk about Nox. Nox is designed for serious Android gamers who want to play Android games on a larger screen, but it also runs Instagram smoothly. Some Android games are truly incredible when played on a big screen, rather than a small 6-inch display. Like BlueStacks, Nox is not a perfect Android emulator, but it runs apps very well.
To get started with Nox, you need to follow these steps:
1. First, download the Nox player.
2. Then, set up the player by customizing your preferences and defaults.
3. Finally, load Instagram through the Play store.
It’s important to note that Nox runs on Android Kit Kat.
When it comes to pricing, BlueStacks offers both free and premium support, while Nox only has a free service. At the free level, both emulators have occasional ads, but they aren’t intrusive or disruptive. BlueStacks does have a premium membership option for $2 per month, which gives you an ad-free experience, better tech support, and custom desktops.
Now let’s get into the process of installing Instagram on an emulator on your PC. For this walkthrough, I’ll be using Nox, but the steps are the same for both emulators.
Step 1: Start your emulator program.
Welcome to Step 2!
Now, let me show you how to find Instagram on your device. Simply click or tap on the colorful Google Play store icon, or if you prefer, you can type in the word “Instagram” in the search bar. Either way, you’re on your way to discovering the wonderful world of Instagram!
Step 3
Here’s what you gotta do – just click or tap on Instagram. Then, go ahead and click or tap on Install. Don’t worry, it’s safe to grant the app access to your hardware. Next, sit back and let your emulator take care of the rest. It’ll download the app and install it for you in no time!
The Fourth Step
Now it’s time to dive into the exciting world of Instagram! Just like on your phone, you’ll be able to easily access and use the app from your emulator.
Imagine this—you’re sitting at your computer, wanting to use Instagram. But wait, Instagram is only for your phone, right? Wrong!
Guess what? I’m about to let you in on a little secret: you can actually use Instagram on your PC, just like you can on your smartphone. How cool is that?
Here’s a plan: Use Vysor to mirror your smartphone
Vysor is a really useful tool that lets you connect your Android phone to your Windows 10 PC, Mac, or Linux computer. Unfortunately, it’s not available for iOS devices, I’m sorry!
To set it up, you just need to run the Vysor app on your phone and another app on your computer to receive the connection. Once connected, your phone’s screen will be mirrored on your desktop in perfect synchronization.
Using Vysor, you can easily navigate your phone using your computer’s mouse and keyboard. This makes it super convenient to work with big tasks, like managing your Instagram account. The best part is that it’s still your actual phone, just more accessible and user-friendly. Any changes you make to your phone’s files or settings will be reflected right on your desktop. It’s a really elegant solution!
Vysor comes in two versions: free and paid. The free version works well, but it has some limitations. The screen resolution on your desktop won’t be as high as your phone’s, and you’ll need to connect using a USB cable instead of wirelessly.
The premium version offers some additional benefits, like fullscreen mode, drag-and-drop functionality, and the ability to share your Vysor session with others on different computers. The paid version of Vysor costs $2.50 per month, $10 per year, or $40 for a lifetime subscription.
If you use both your smartphone and desktop PC, Vysor is definitely worth considering. Even the free version is great for testing the functionality and seeing if it suits your needs.
Setting up Vysor is pretty straightforward. Let me guide you through it!
Step 1
Start by downloading and installing the Vysor app from the Google Play store on your Android phone. Then, on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer, download and install the Vysor app for desktop.
Step 2: Moving Forward
Alright, so now we’re onto the second step. Let’s keep this momentum going!
First things first, I need to explain what we’re going to do next. It might sound a little confusing at first, but bear with me.
You know how in Step 1, we discussed some important stuff? Well, Step 2 is all about taking those ideas and putting them into action. It’s about moving forward and making things happen.
Now, before we dive in, let me make sure you understand the plan. I don’t want any confusion along the way. So, here’s the deal:
The goal of Step 2 is to rewrite the provided text while keeping the HTML markup exactly as it is. We want to maintain the structure of the content, but give it a unique voice and style.
To keep things clear, we’ll use a conversational tone, just like we’re having a casual chat. I’ll be using contractions, you know, those fancy shortened words like “I’ll” and “don’t.” Trust me, it adds a nice personal touch.
Now, to make sure everything is crystal clear, I’ll break down what you need to do.
First, you’ll need to carefully read the original text and understand its meaning. This is crucial, as we want to keep the main ideas intact.
Once you’re sure you grasp what the text is all about, it’s time to start rewriting. But here’s the kicker – we don’t want to simply rephrase it. Nope, that would be too easy. We want to get creative! We want to put our own spin on it while still getting the message across.
Think of it as giving the text a fresh coat of paint. We want it to stand out and catch people’s attention. And remember, sentence variety is key here. Mix up the length and structure to keep things interesting.
Alright, I think you’re ready to tackle Step 2. It might take a bit of practice, but I know you can do it. I’ll be here cheering you on, so let’s get started and make this text truly shine!
Hey there! So, if you want to connect your Android smartphone to your desktop computer, all you need is a trusty USB cable. Just plug in one end to your smartphone and the other end to your computer. Easy peasy!
Step 3: Run the Vysor app
Now, this is where things get interesting. Once you’ve got your phone and computer connected, it’s time to fire up the Vysor app on your smartphone. This nifty little tool will allow you to mirror your phone’s screen onto your computer. Pretty cool, right? You’ll be able to see all your phone’s apps, messages, and photos right there on your desktop. It’s like having a big-screen version of your phone, but without the pesky eye strain from squinting at a tiny screen. Who wants that? Not me, that’s for sure!
So here’s what you gotta do: fire up the Vysor app on your computer.
Step 4
In the Vysor desktop app, just hit the “View” button to link up the two machines.
Now, you have all kinds of options to customize the display and whatnot, but honestly, the defaults are totally fine.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, it’s just easier to use Instagram on your PC instead of messing around on your phone. But let’s be real, the Instagram website isn’t as powerful as the mobile app.
Don’t worry, though. There are other ways to get Instagram on your PC, and they’re actually a lot simpler than you’d think.
With this method, you can have Instagram running on your phone, but you can mirror it to your computer and be way more efficient and productive. Pretty cool, huh?
