Upload to Instagram on iMac

I think @bestcee Courtney uses a Mac and has a workaround.

 

If you figure that one out, maybe there's a workaround for pinning to Pinterest while still using Safari and not another browser. I had to give up on the whole event because there is no longer a pin button option.

 

I read that Instagram was created for phones and not for computers. I wish it would interact with computers. I don't have a Mac, but I would like to be able to do more with my computer.

 

I've never used Safari.

 

They deny you can use your computer anyway. Because they want you to use your phone!

Nope, PC girl here. But, let me find my workaround, it might work for MAC?

 

This is how I do it from Firefox on a PC:
Open Instagram and log in.
Cntrl+shift +I . This opens up the "Inspector" at the bottom where all the code is. Don't worry about that. We are looking at the top. I change mine to Galaxy S9/S9+ (highlight at the top). I usually have to refresh after I do this to see the upload button (highlight on bottom). In my screenshot below, I uploaded the layout shown from my computer.

 

that how I do it from safari ..

Make Instagram think you're on an iPhone
First things first, before we can fool Instagram into letting us upload an image we need to make it think we are in fact using an iPhone.

1. Open Safari and head to Safari > Preferences > Advanced.
2. Make sure Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar is toggled on.
3. Head to the Instagram website and log in to your account.
4. Then select Develop (from the menu bar) > User Agent > Safari - iOS 11.3 iPhone (or whatever version is newer).

Now the Instagram website should automatically reload (manually refresh if not) and display the mobile version of the site, complete with upload functionality.

 

That's so cool! I'm going to have to give this a try!

 

I haven't done it in years, but does Later work?

https://later.com/

You just get the free version.

 

go go go Sharron ...

 

I just accepted that it was meant to be an phone-only app. The only thing that bothered me about IG was that I wished my Mom, who has no interest in making an IG account, could see photos my daughters and I post. But when we tried a couple of years ago, it seems you have to have an IG account to look at IG. So I just started making screenshots of most of my daughters' posts for my Mom to see.

Thanks for telling us the workaround @marijke ! I tried it and it worked. It felt awkward and the Edit button didn't work though. I was forced to leave my photo square instead of the full rectangle like I would have preferred for the particular photo I uploaded. It's easy enough to use my phone, so I'll continue doing it that way.

p.s. I'd add to the instructions: Remember to go back up into the Develop menu and switch back to Safari!

 

I never knew that it was possible to post from computer! I'm so giving a try later!! thanks, ladies!!

 

If anyone uses Lightroom, there is a LR plugin that you can send directly to IG. I use it all the time.

https://www.lrinstagram.com

 

@bestcee Huh, I always thought you had a Mac. My bad! Thanks for showing your steps anyway! Hopefully it helps someone.
And to answer these comments...

...I have read some books about HCI and SNS (Social Networking Sites). This wasn't fun reading but for work, but I digress lol. From the design standpoint: A mobile app is developed separately from the the desktop website. (Designers can't just plop a website's code into an "app" and call it good. Heck, they can't just make an iPhone app work for Android lol!) Plus, mobile apps are huge money-makers via data collection--data a desktop website can't provide.

@michelepixels if your daughter's account is public then your mom should be able to Google "Instagram [your daughter's screen name]" to see her posts without logging in. I just googled my Insta handle and my Insta page popped right up. Or if your daughter has a private account, then your mom would need her own account, of course. She could have an account via the website, if she wanted, and just never post photos. You don't need the app to have an account--just to post photos (unless you have a trick, like the ones we've been discussing lol). That way she could view accounts but never post (and it would cut you out as the "screen shot middleman" lol).