How to Post and Upload Photos and Videos to Instagram from a Mac

Instagram is all about sharing moments that matter, whether it’s capturing the perfect golf shot, showing off an amazing outfit, or sharing your delicious game day snacks. It’s the little things that make a big difference.

But what if you want to upload photos from your Mac instead of your phone? Well, Instagram’s developers aren’t big fans of that. They believe that desktop photos are too planned and perfect, while mobile photos are spontaneous and fun.

However, thanks to a helpful update in May 2017, there’s a way to bypass this limitation and upload photos from your desktop. This update allows users to upload photos not only through the app but also through the mobile website. So, all you need to do is access the mobile website on your Mac, and you’re good to go.

This trick works for both Macs and PCs, but the instructions you’ll find online are mostly for PC users. However, don’t worry, because I’ve got you covered with instructions specifically for Mac users.

Accessing Mobile Sites on Safari

Let’s start with Safari, which is Apple’s favorite web browser. Accessing mobile sites on Safari is a breeze if you follow these simple steps:

1. First, open Safari.
2. Then, look at the Safari toolbar at the top of your screen.
3. Click on Safari to reveal the drop-down menu.
4. Choose Preferences.
5. Select Advanced.
6. Make sure to check the box that says Show Develop Menu in menu bar.

Now you’ll have access to the Develop menu, which offers new options for customizing your Safari settings. But hold on, we’re not done just yet!

1. Go to the File option in the toolbar.
2. Choose New Private Window. You can also use the hotkey Command +Shift +N for a shortcut.
3. Go to the Develop option in the toolbar.
4. Hover over User Agents to expand the menu.
5. Select Safari – iOS 10 – iPhone.

Voila! Your new Safari window will now mimic mobile sites, just like you would see on an iPhone. Visit Instagram.com to explore the mobile site and take advantage of the available tools for uploading photos and videos directly from your Mac desktop.

Accessing Mobile Sites on Chrome

So maybe you’re not a big fan of Safari. If you prefer using Google Chrome, no worries—you can still access the Instagram mobile site. And actually, it’s a little easier with Chrome than with Safari.

1. First, open up Chrome.
2. Next, go to the View option in the toolbar at the top of your screen.
3. Hover your cursor over Developer to reveal more options.
4. Choose Developer Tools. Alternatively, you can try the hotkey Command + Option + 1 to open the developer tools.
5. Now, keep an eye out for the toggle device symbol along the top row of categories in the developer tools window.
6. Click on this icon to switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile views.

There you have it—you’re all set! Now you can head over to Instagram.com and start uploading photos and videos right away.

But, There Are Some Limitations

Before you get too excited about uploading from your desktop, it’s important to remember that using the Instagram mobile site has a few more limitations compared to the app. One of the main limitations is the ability to edit your posts. Don’t worry though, you’ll still be able to share your content—it just means you might have to give up using some of your favorite filters. But if you ask me, it’s a small price to pay for the freedom to upload your photos and videos whenever and wherever you want.