Instagram is testing giving users the ability to post to their feeds from their desktop browser, the first time the photo sharing app has allowed posting from outside its app.
The company confirmed the test to Engadget. “We know that many people access Instagram from their computer,” a spokesperson said. “To improve that experience, we’re now testing the ability to create a Feed post on Instagram with their desktop browser.”
Desktop posting had previously been spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, who reverse engineers popular apps. But at the time, Paluzzi noted that it appeared to be an internal test only. That’s now changing, with multiple users seeing the new feature enabled from their browsers.
There doesn’t seem to be any significant difference between posts that originate outside the app. Engadget confirmed that it’s still possible to upload multiple photos, edit, and apply filters to images posted from desktop browsers. Previously, users who wanted to post from their computers came up with workarounds, like changing their user agent settings or turning to outside apps.
The change is a significant one, and would be a major step toward making Instagram’s website as functional as the app. It’s also yet another sign of Instagram becoming even more like Facebook. Earlier this week, the company confirmed it was testing another change that would insert “suggested posts” into users’ feeds ahead of content from accounts they follow.
