Skip to main content

Instagram just came to Windows 10 tablets — will the iPad be next?

instagram stop motion in testing 24
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Filter fiends, get excited. Instagram has just made its Windows 10 debut. On Thursday, the Facebook-owned photo editing and sharing app announced its arrival on tablets running Windows 10. The move comes just a few months after Instagram went to Windows 10 Mobile, and now, the tablet app boasts “all your favorite features, including Instagram Stories, Direct, and Explore.” Better yet, the app notes, users will be able to capture, edit, and share directly from their Windows 10 devices.

Back in April, Instagram first became available to Windows users, but only those with Windows phones. Now, however, it has become a universal app, available across the Windows ecosystem. Users can enjoy the features for which Instagram is known best, with a live tile feed, rich, native notifications, and Instagram Direct (to let you send threaded messages with one or more people, and share posts as a message).

Of course, you can also post and edit photos, but this is only available for tablets and PCs with touchscreens and backward-facing cameras. It’s a little weird, sure, but if you have a Microsoft Surface Pro or Surface Book, you can upload just fine. Instagram for Windows 10 PCs can be downloaded from Microsoft’s Windows Store.

While the Windows community will no doubt celebrate the arrival of Instagram to its suite of products, Instagram still has yet to build a tailored app for the iPad, with Apple tablet users still forced to use an unoptimized iPhone version. Sorry, Apple users, sometimes it doesn’t pay to stay loyal to the iEmpire.

The Windows release is certainly a smart play for Instagram, given that Windows 10 is running on more than 400 million devices globally as of last month, more than double the numbers Microsoft reported in January. As for Instagram, its own monthly active users stand around 500 million.

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Apple has quietly killed its cheapest iPad
Three 2021 iPads are stacked on a table.

The iPad lineup has received a price bump after Apple quietly killed its cheapest iPad model. Apple’s 9th-generation iPad used to cost $329, but has been discontinued. At the same time, the company has reduced the 10th-gen iPad’s starting price by $100, which means it’s now priced at $349. As a result, getting the cheapest iPad means you'll now spend $20 more than before.

The 9th-gen Apple iPad was launched in 2021 with the A13 chipset and Apple's Center Stage featur,e but retained the same old design with the already-old Lightning port and home button. With Apple moving to a USB-C port on all devices to comply with EU laws, it was inevitable that Apple would discontinue the 9th-gen iPad this year. The iPhone SE remains the only Apple product with a home button and a Lightning port that's still available in the company's lineup.

Read more
Apple just did something amazing to the iPad
The yellow iPad (2022) lying face-down on a green bush.

Apple's "Let Loose" event just wrapped up, and as expected, there was a lot of iPad news. Just like the rumors suggested, Apple gave us pretty significant overhauls for the new 2024 iPad Air and 2024 iPad Pro. But there was another iPad-related announcement that I didn't expect — and it's the one I'm most excited about.

At the end of its event, Apple announced that the 10th-generation iPad will now be available for just $349. For context, Apple originally launched the 10th-gen iPad in October 2022 for $449. A $100 price cut is nothing to sneeze at, and if you ask me, it completely changes the positioning of this particular iPad.

Read more
Scores of people are downgrading back to Windows 10
The screen of the Galaxy Book4 Ultra.

Microsoft continues to struggle with the adoption of Windows 11 among its users. Recent data from Statcounter reveals a notable decline in the operating system’s market share, specifically compared with Windows 10.

After reaching an all-time high of 28.16% in February 2024, Windows 11 has experienced a drop, falling below the 26% mark.

Read more