How to Update Instagram

Make sure your Instagram app is up to date

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on April 25, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

What to Know

  • On iOS, open the App Store, tap Search in the bottom menu, search "Instagram," select Instagram and tap Update.
  • On Android, open the Google Play Store, search "Instagram" in the search field at the top, select Instagram, and tap Update.
  • Consider turning on automatic app updates for iOS or Android to avoid manual updating.

This article will show you how to update the Instagram app on your iOS or Android device.

How to Update the Instagram App on iOS

It's important to keep your Instagram app version up to date if you want access to all the latest features and to keep it performing at its best.

The following instructions and screenshots are from iOS 14. You may need to update your iOS version if your device is running on an older version.

  1. Open the App Store app on your iOS device.

  2. Tap Search in the bottom menu.

  3. Search for "Instagram" in the search field at the top and select Instagram from the suggested list of results.

  4. Tap Update to the right of the Instagram app listing.

    Steps to upgrade the Instagram iOS app, with Search, the Search field, and "Update" highlighted

    Note

    If your Instagram app is already up to date, the button will already say Open instead of Update. If you don't have Instagram installed, it will say Get, which you can tap to download the app. If you previously offloaded the app, you'll see a cloud button to re-download it.

  5. When the app has finished updating, tap Open to go to Instagram or tap more to see the update details.

    Tip

    If you haven't enabled automatic updates for your iOS apps, you may see an Updates option in the bottom menu (depending on your iOS version). In that case, you can tap to update Instagram or any app individually or in bulk. You can also tap the profile icon in the top right corner to scroll through your current apps and find Instagram to tap Update beside it.

How to Update the Instagram App on Android

Updating Instagram on Android is similar to iOS. These instructions and screenshots are from Android 10. You may need to update your Android OS if your device is running on an older version.

  1. Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.

  2. Use the search field at the top to search for "Instagram" and select Instagram from the list of suggested results.

  3. Tap Update to the right of the Instagram app listing.

    Note

    If your Instagram app is already up to date, the button will say Open instead of Update. If you don't currently have Instagram on your device, it will say Install.

  4. Wait for the app to finish updating, then tap Open to open Instagram.

    Steps to update Instagram app on Android with the search field, "Update," and "open" highlighted

    Tip

    If you don't have automatic app updates enabled on your Android device, you may see an Updates tab under My apps & games in the Google Play Store. Under this tab, you can tap Update beside Instagram and other apps that need updating.

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