Instagram Finally Brings Official App to iPad After 15 Years of Waiting

After more than a decade of persistent demands from users, Instagram has finally released a dedicated app for iPads. The social media platform, owned by Meta, confirmed that the new app is available starting today, ending years of workarounds and frustrations for tablet users.

For years, iPad owners had only two options: stretching the iPhone app, which left awkward black borders, or using Instagram through a web browser. Neither offered the smooth experience that millions of users wanted. Now, with a proper iPad version, Instagram is promising a sleeker, more engaging interface that makes full use of the tablet’s display.

The app has been redesigned from the ground up. It opens directly to the Reels feed, reflecting the format that drives most of Instagram’s engagement today. On a larger iPad screen, Reels feel more immersive—Meta even likens it to TikTok, but “on steroids.”

From a user perspective, the app mirrors nearly everything familiar from the iPhone version but takes advantage of the bigger display. Stories sit neatly at the top, while a left-hand sidebar gives quick access to feeds, direct messages, notifications, Explore, and Search. Unlike the clunky iPhone adaptation, comments now appear alongside videos instead of taking over the entire screen.

Instagram has also introduced a new approach to feeds. Users can choose from three options:

All – a mix of recommended posts and accounts you follow.

Friends – updates exclusively from mutual connections.

Latest – a chronological feed for those who prefer a traditional timeline.

The app allows these feeds to be reordered, offering greater flexibility than before. Direct messages have also been redesigned with a split view, letting users browse all active chats on the left while holding a conversation on the right—similar to email or Slack interfaces.

So why did it take 15 years? Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has repeatedly said the company was in “no hurry” to build an iPad app. The focus, according to him, had always been on mobile growth. However, earlier this year, reports from The Information suggested that Meta had finally prioritized the project. Today, those reports have been confirmed.

In the meantime, third-party developers tried to fill the gap with apps like Retro, which offered partial solutions for iPad users. With Instagram’s official release, however, those alternatives are likely to fade away.

The app is compatible with any iPad running iOS 15.1 or later. While it may have taken Instagram nearly a decade and a half to deliver, the result is a polished, user-friendly experience designed for bigger screens.

Better late than never, right?