Instagram is a highly popular photo sharing program that lets those using it take pictures, edit them and then share them through social networking. Upon its initial release in 2010, Instagram was only available for the iOS platform. Now, you can use it on Android devices, too. Facebook now owns Instagram and plans to develop and market it into the one stop shop for those looking to edit photos on the go. If you are looking to give Instagram a try on your Android device, this guide will show you how to get started.
How to use Instagram on your Android
Pick up your Android phone and open up the Google Play Store. Now, search for Instagram. You will be given some brief details and reviews of what the app does.
From there, click “Download.” You will be given an overview of what permissions Instagram needs to work on your device. If you are okay with those permissions, click “Accept & download” to install the app on your phone.
A few moments later, you will be ready to use Instagram.
You can either sign up for an account through your phone or login to a pre-existing account. In order to sign up, enter your e-mail address, a username, a password and your phone number if you desire, then click “Sign up.”
When you first sign up, you will be prompted to find friends who are already using Instagram. You can skip this by clicking the “Double Arrows” at the top right of the app.
You will then be redirected to Instagram’s home screen which will be a little dull until you start using the app and working with photos.
Click the “Star Icon.”
This will load the most popular images on Instagram for you to browse through. This can be a nifty way to find some really interesting photos and editing other users have done with their images.
Now, in order to upload your own photo, click the “Camera Icon.”
Instagram will ask you to choose whether you want to take a photo or browse for one in your gallery. We will come back to this in a bit.
Now, click the “Heart Icon.”
This will show you who you are following on Instagram and who is following you. This will fill up as you start connecting with family, friends and even strangers using Instagram that interest you.
Click on the “ID Card Icon.”
This is your Instagram profile. You can edit this at any time by clicking the “Vertical Ellipse” in the top right of the app.
From here, you can find friends, edit your profile, edit sharing settings and more. You can also log out from the app at any time from this area.
Click on the “Camera Icon” again. For this example, we will pick a photo from my phone’s gallery to work with.
Instagram will let you crop the picture if you desire. Click “Accept” when you have it cropped.
Now, you can tinker with the various filters Instagram is known for to tweak your photo the way you want. You can also frame, add color and flip or change the contrast of your photo as you see fit.
When you are ready to move on, click the “Double Arrows” at the top right of the app.
Now, you can enter in various details about your photo, such as a caption, a geotag and what services you want to share the photo to.
The first time you share a photo, you will have to link your social networks to your Instagram account.
For this example, we will link our Instagram account to our Facebook one. So, we will need to accept the application permissions to move forward.
Once linked, you can share to that site. Simply click “Upload” to do so.
It will take a few moments depending on your service area to upload and share the picture from Instagram to your social networks. When done, Instagram will let you know.
You will now see your photo on the Instagram mobile app in your feed.
You can also login to Facebook to see the photo shared there with your information from the Instagram app.
This is how to get started with Instagram on your Android phone.
Should you jump on the Instagram craze?
Instagram is not for everyone, but it is a fun way to spice up otherwise dull photos. If you are looking for a way to edit photos on the run, Instagram may be the app for you no matter if you have an Android or iPhone. Instagram lets you control your photos in a way on your mobile phone that you just cannot get anywhere else. If you are interested in being able to do more with your photos before you share them, give Instagram a shot and show us what you can do when editing on the go.
