3 Tools for Uploading Instagram Photos & Videos via the Desktop Web

Yes, you can use your Mac or PC to post to Instagram!

by Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau is a digital marketer, web content writer and copywriter. She has covered web trends for Lifewire and previously About.com, since 2011.
Updated November 09, 2019

Instagram is a popular photo sharing app for quickly posting photos and videos when you're on the go, but there's no way to upload from Instagram.com on the web. To post, you have to be using the official Instagram mobile app.

Since the trend has shifted toward more professionally edited content, third-party developers have integrated Instagram into their social media management software offerings. With the help of these third-party apps, you can upload and schedule photos or video to post to Instagram from a desktop computer.

Person using a software program to upload photos to Instagram on a desktop computer
 Lifewire / Theresa Chiechi

The variety of tools is somewhat limited mainly because Instagram doesn't allow uploading via its API, but you can check out some of these tools in the list below to see if any solution works best for you.

One popular tool you won't see in our list is Gramblr. Unfortunately, Gramblr is malware, masquerading as a helpful utility. See our Gramblr Virus: What It Is and How to Remove It for more.

01
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Later

Later
Screenshot of Later.com

What We Like

  • Uses Visual Content Calendar for scheduling.

  • Previews posts before they happen.

  • Modern interface design.

What We Don't Like

  • Analytics are basic.

  • Non-existent customer support.

  • No video scheduling in the free plan.

If scheduling Instagram posts so that they're posted at certain times is important to you, then Later is worth a try for its simple calendar scheduling interface, bulk upload feature, and convenient labeling to keep all your media organized. Best of all, it's free to use not only with Instagram but also with Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

With a free membership, you can schedule up to 30 photos a month to Instagram. Scheduled video posts are not offered in the free offering, but an upgrade to a Plus membership gives you 100 scheduled posts a month for both photos and videos at just $9 a month.

02
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Iconosquare

Iconosquare
Screenshot of Iconosquare.com

What We Like

  • Schedules and previews Instagram posts.

  • Easy interface to navigate.

  • Provides insights to grow followers.

What We Don't Like

  • Some features require additional payment.

  • Relatively expensive.

  • Basic analytics.

Iconosquare is a premium social media management tool geared toward businesses and brands that need to manage their Instagram and Facebook presence. In other words, you can't use this app to schedule Instagram posts for free, but you can at least do so for as little as $9 a month (plus get access to other features like analytics, comment tracking, and more).

This tool gives you a calendar that allows you to move forward in time (weeks or months ahead if you want) and see all your scheduled posts at a glance. All you have to do is click on the day and time in your calendar or alternatively the New Post button at the top to create a post, add a caption (with optional emojis) and tags before scheduling. 

Although you can crop your photos with this tool, there are no advanced editing features or filters available.

03
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Sked Social

Schedugram
Screenshot of Schedugram.com

What We Like

  • Manages multiple Instagram accounts.

  • Accommodates posts and videos containing multiple images.

  • Lots of editing tools.

  • Reliable scheduling and previewing.

What We Don't Like

  • Rudimentary story-posting tools.

  • No free plan.

  • Steep price.

Like Iconosquare, Sked Social (formerly Schedugram) focuses on its scheduling feature in addition to a variety of other Instagram features that appeal to businesses that need to manage lots of content and lots of followers. It's not free, but there's a 7-day trial, after which you'll be charged either $20 a month or $200 a year depending on which option you like best.

The tool lets you upload both photos and videos via the web and schedule all of them without a mobile device (although Sked Social mobile apps are also available for both iOS and Android devices). Unlike some of the other tools mentioned above, this one offers editing features such as cropping, filters, image rotation, and text that you can add to your posts before you schedule them.