Instagram has finally launched a dedicated app for the iPad, ending a 15-year wait for tablet users. The new app is available now on the App Store for anyone using iPadOS 15.1 or later. Until this release, iPad owners had no choice but to use a scaled-up version of the iPhone app, which never really felt right on the bigger screen. This update brings a true native experience, built to take advantage of the larger display for browsing and multitasking. When you open the app, it starts on a feed of Reels, a clear sign that Meta is leaning even further into video.
Key Takeaways
- Instagram has finally released a dedicated iPad app after 15 years.
- The app is designed for larger screens and works on iPadOS 15.1 or newer.
- Reels take center stage on the home screen, showing Instagram’s focus on video.
- Multi-column layouts and a customizable Following tab are part of the new features.
This shift is a major change from Instagram’s long-standing position. For years, Instagram head Adam Mosseri repeatedly said that building an iPad app was not a priority. He explained that the user base on iPads was not large enough to justify the resources needed. That reasoning sparked plenty of debate and frustration across social media and in forums like Reddit and Quora, where users often voiced disappointment over being left without a proper app.
The new version takes advantage of the iPad’s size in ways that make the experience smoother. It offers multi-column layouts so you can browse DMs while a video continues playing in the main feed. Comments can also expand beside a video without interrupting playback, a feature that has become familiar to fans of short-form platforms like TikTok. Meta described the redesign as reflecting how people use tablets for “lean back entertainment.”
A redesigned Following tab is another notable addition. It gives three different ways to view posts. The “All” option shows recommended content from accounts you follow. The “Friends” view narrows things down to accounts that follow you back. The “Latest” view shows posts and Reels in chronological order, which is something many users have asked for. Together, these options give more control over how people experience their feeds.
The timing of this release is also significant. It follows Meta’s launch of a native WhatsApp app for the iPad, which hints that the company is starting to see tablets as more central to its ecosystem. With Reels now accounting for a large share of the time people spend on Instagram, making them the centerpiece of the new iPad app feels like a natural extension of that strategy.
The app is free to download on the App Store. For Instagram, this move could expand its reach on tablets and strengthen its push into video. For users who have been waiting for over a decade, it feels like long-overdue recognition that the iPad deserves a proper Instagram experience.
FAQs
Q1. Why did Instagram not have an iPad app for so long?
A. Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, repeatedly said the user base for Instagram on the iPad was not large enough to be a priority for the company’s limited resources.
Q2. What are the new features of the Instagram app for iPad?
A. The new app has a native design for larger screens with a multi-column layout, a focus on Reels, and a “Following” tab that allows users to filter their feed.
Q3. What iPadOS version is required for the new app?
A. The new Instagram app for iPad requires devices running iPadOS 15.1 or later.
Q4. Is the Instagram iPad app a completely new app or an update to the existing one?
A. The new app is an update to the existing Instagram app on the App Store. When you update the app on a compatible iPad, the new native design will be available.
Q5. Will the new iPad app allow me to post photos and videos from my tablet?
A. Yes, the new app has all the core functionalities of the mobile app, including the ability to post photos and videos directly from the iPad.
