Hallelujah, the threat of the (once again delayed) TikTok ban might just get Instagram users the thing they’ve been waiting for since 2010—an iPad app. Over the past couple of years, Instagram repeatedly made it clear that the iPad is just not a priority for the company, but now it seems that might have changed.
According to a new report from The Information, Instagram is planning to take full advantage of TikTok’s uncertain legal status in the US to introduce some new features that would fill the void left by its competitor’s potential exit from the market.
Back in 2022, Instagram head Adam Mosseri replied to a tweet from tech influencer Marques Brownlee, denying requests for an iPad app by saying that “It’s still just not a big enough group of people to be a priority. Hoping to get to it at some point, but right now, we’re very heads down on other things.”
But now, in 2025, The Information says it’s spoken to a Meta employee who reportedly has access to the company’s plans for catching up with TikTok, which finally include (but are not limited to) an iPad app. The move would see the company release a native iPad solution that could better hold up to TikTok’s, which has full-screen video playback in vertical mode, and even a dedicated landscape mode that fills up empty space with comments and other features.
Why we desperately need an Instagram app for iPad
Instagram on a tablet just makes sense. The screen is bigger, and better, and it’s much more enjoyable to watch the new, longer form Reels content on a tablet sized screen. Not to mention the fact that so many creators user the iPad to edit the Reels and photos posted on the network anyway. Having a dedicated Instagram app would do wonders for their workflow.
Then there are people like me, who use Instagram on the Mac and iPad, to curb their iPhone addiction and screen time. I find that it’s just easier to be mindful of your social media when it’s not on your smartphone, and I’d love to not have to fiddle with the web app or iPhone app compatibility to do that.
How to add the Instagram web app to the iPad
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
But just because Meta is working on an Instagram app doesn’t mean that it’s going to be available quickly. The company could also change its plans, too.
For now, your best bet for using Instagram on an iPad is to use the web app. Recently, Instagram’s website experience has gotten much better. It’s no longer just a bare-bones website. There’s the vertical sidebar, and DMs show up in a two-pane interface that’s actually usable.
Plus, if you go to the Reels tab, you get a similar endless feed of scrolling Reels videos like you do on the Instagram app. Of course, the only difference is that it’s not going to be nearly as smooth or responsive as the official app.
You can even separate the web app from Safari. After opening the website, tap the Share button and use the Add to Home Screen option. Then, tap Add. A New Instagram “app” will show up on the home screen.
When you tap on the Instagram “app,” it will now open the Instagram website as its own little app, with no toolbars, tabs, or other websites.
You can also try using the blown up Instagram iPhone app on your iPad
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
Alternatively, you can also just install and use the iPhone Instagram app on your iPad. It works, but by default, it displays in a comically small iPhone sized window in the middle of your screen. You can expand the window size using the Zoom button, and that makes it kind of passable.
The upside to this approach, if you can deal with the blown-up interface, it that it’s more feature rich than using the website. For example, on the web app, you can’t repost to Stories or accept collaborators. Running the Instagram iPhone app, even in the ridiculous blown-up mode, has no such limitations.
