Fifteen years after Instagram launched for iPhones, the Meta-owned social media platform has finally released a native app for iPads. Incidentally, both the original iPad and the first Instagram app were released in 2010.
Instagram officially announced the arrival of the app in a blog post, revealing how the new app would work. If you want to try it for yourself, the app is available to all users on the App Store now.
For those on Android, you may be familiar with the layout of the iPad version of Instagram. Instagram released a big-screen optimized version of Instagram for Android in 2023 alongside the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. It could also be used for other Android tablets.
How Instagram for iPad works
At a base level, the new app includes all the features you expect: your feed, stories, and the explore page.
The big difference is the emphasis on Reels.
"With Instagram for iPad, we’ve redesigned the experience to reflect how people use bigger screens today – for lean back entertainment," the announcement post reads. "Now, when you open the app, you’ll drop into Reels, so you can get the entertaining content you love on a bigger screen. You’ll also see Stories at the top, so you can easily connect with the people that matter to you, and messaging is one tap away."
Additionally, there's a new "Following" tab that lets you switch between different feeds.
- All: Recommended posts and reels from accounts you follow
- Friends: Recommended post and reels from accounts you follow, that follow you back
- Latest: Chronological posts and reels from accounts you follow, with the most recent posts appearing first.
Instagram says you can customize the order these feeds appear in so you'll see what's important to you first.
Lastly, the iPad app has a multi-column design so you can read DMs or look at notifications without going away from the feed. It also allows you to open comments without obscuring the Reels.
Instagram says this is so you can navigate with fewer taps, but mostly it seems like a way to keep you glued to the content.
Foldable future?
There have been reports that next year's iOS 27 is being designed with foldable displays in mind. Meta also recently brought WhatsApp to the iPad for the first time.
It seems that this could all be preparation for the arrival of the much-rumored foldable iPhone. That device is reportedly going to launch next fall, and Apple allegedly has huge expectations for its newest smartphone.
Like the aforementioned Galaxy Z Fold 5, a new version of Instagram is needed for a bigger and wider display. Instagram could be testing the waters with its new iPad version.
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