Instagram is a popular photo-sharing platform currently owned by Facebook. This gargantuan internet company provides a companion app for the mobile user, especially Android, iOS, and near-death Windows Phone. But strangely enough, no full official support of Instagram for PC user (read: desktop web version).
One obvious drawback in the Instagram desktop web is the ability of uploading photo. For this reason, many users decided to use Android emulator to get Instagram’s full features. However, the emulator was generally consuming lots of memory and not so convenient.
Instead of using an emulator, we can ‘fool’ the server, so they think we enter Instagram by mobile app, even though we actually using a computer.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you a ‘secret’ way to upload a photo to Instagram using PC’s browsers, such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
#1 Upload photo to Instagram from PC using Google Chrome
1. On Google Chrome browser, go to an extension page called User-Agent Switcher for Chrome. Then, click Add to Chrome.
2. The Chrome will ask you to confirm new extension installations, click Add Extension to process. Its size is only about 120 KB and should not burden the performance.
3. After installation finished, you will see the User-Agent Switcher icon after the address bar. To activate it, click the icon, select Android, and finally click Android KitKat.
This means the Chrome will converted into ‘Android Mode’ and Instagram will show its major feature right on to your PC. If you wish, you can choose iOS or Windows Phone. Both platform also supported by Instagram.
4. Visit Instagram website. You can spot the upload button, and it will works as expected.
5. Upload the photo(s) you want to share on Instagram. The procedure is roughly the same as the app version.
Please note, when the User-Agent Switcher still active, all website you visited will use the same protocol as a platform that you have picked. In other words, it not only affects the Instagram site, but also any website you access through it.
To revert back, simply by click the User-Agent Switcher icon, select Chrome, and choose Default.
#2 Upload photo to Instagram from PC using Mozilla Firefox
Still the same way as Google Chrome, we will take advantage of the User-Agent capability. And to be honest, the add-on of Firefox is much more powerful rather than Chrome one (sorry, Chrome fans).
1. On the Mozilla Firefox browser, go to the User-Agent Switcher page. Click Add to Firefox to start installing the add-on.
2. Firefox will notify you about the new add-on, click Add to proceed.
3. After installed, click the User-Agent Switcher icon right after the search bar. Select the Mobile Device you desired, either iOS, Android, or Windows Phone because Instagram has recognized only these platforms.
4. Now, visit Instagram and start uploading your photo.
Unlike Google Chrome, this Firefox’s add-on allows you to only establish different user agent on a specific website; in this context, www.instagram.com. That way, any other website will be excluded. You don’t have to deactivate the services after you uploaded a photo to Instagram.
The same version of User-Agent Switcher for Firefox also available for Opera Mini desktop. You can download it from Opera Add-ons page.