Instagram for iPad is an official app built for the bigger screen, free on the App Store for iPads running iPadOS 15.1 or later. It opens straight into Reels, puts Stories along the top, and adds a Following tab that lets you see posts from accounts you follow in chronological order.
That last part is the reason to try it. The Following tab's Latest feed shows posts and reels from accounts you follow with the newest first, which is the closest thing to the old chronological Instagram many people still ask for.
Below is what's different on iPad, how the Following tab works, who can get it, and whether it's worth switching from the iPhone app on your tablet. The details come from Instagram's own announcement, read in October 2026.
What Instagram for iPad is
Instagram says people had asked for an iPad version for a while, and that it took the time to design an experience that optimises the favourite parts of Instagram for a bigger screen, rather than simply stretching the phone layout.
The app is designed around what Instagram calls lean-back entertainment: settling in to watch, rather than quick checks between other things.
What's different from the phone app
| Feature | On iPad | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Opening screen | Drops you straight into Reels | Built for watching on a bigger screen |
| Stories | Shown at the top | Friends are still one glance away |
| Messages | One tap away | Chats don't get buried behind Reels |
| Following tab | New tab with All, Friends and Latest feeds | Choose recommended or chronological |
| Messages and notifications | Layouts that display both tabs | Catch up on both without switching back and forth |
| Reels comments | Expand alongside the reel while it stays full size | Read reactions without shrinking the video |
The Following tab: All, Friends and Latest
Instagram describes three ways to see what the accounts you follow have posted:
- All: recommended posts and reels from accounts you follow.
- Friends: recommended posts and reels from accounts you follow that follow you back.
- Latest: chronological posts and reels from accounts you follow, with the most recent first.
You can also choose the order of these feeds, so if Latest is the one you care about, put it first. For anyone who feels they keep missing posts from friends or favourite small businesses, this tab fixes that more directly than any setting on the phone app's main feed.
Having all three in one tab means you can switch between them in a second, depending on whether you want discovery or a quick catch-up. Friends is the interesting middle option. It filters down to mutual follows, so it tends to surface real connections rather than every brand and creator you've ever followed.
Which iPads can get it
Instagram says the app is rolling out globally on iPad models that support iPadOS 15.1 and later, and it's free to download from the App Store. If you can't see it yet, update your iPad's software first, then search for Instagram in the App Store again.
If you've been using the iPhone app on your iPad, you'll want the iPad version installed instead, so you get the tablet layout and the Following tab.
What about Android tablets?
Instagram's announcement says the new tablet design will be coming soon to Android. It didn't give a date, so for now the full tablet experience described here is an iPad thing.
How to get started on iPad
- Check your iPad is running iPadOS 15.1 or later, and update it if not.
- Open the App Store and download Instagram.
- Log in with your existing Instagram account.
- Open the Following tab and set the order of All, Friends and Latest the way you like it.
Is it worth using for business?
For browsing and research, yes. The bigger screen and the Latest feed make it easier to keep an eye on competitors, clients and collaborators without the algorithm deciding what you see. Expanding reel comments while the video stays full size is useful when you're studying what an audience reacts to.
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It's also a comfortable way to read long captions and comment threads, which can feel cramped on a phone. Instagram designed the iPad layouts to give people more features with fewer taps, while keeping it simple, and that shows most when you're working through a backlog. For creating, your phone is still the main tool for most people, since that's where your camera and content live. But for an evening of catching up, replying to messages and checking notifications side by side, the iPad app is the more comfortable seat.
The Friends feed works a lot like the phone app's Instagram Friends tab, which I've explained separately. And if your tablet feed is still full of reels you didn't ask for, here's how to stop Instagram Reels showing on your feed.
My take
The Following tab is the headline, and it's the feature I'd show anyone who says Instagram has become all reels and no friends. If you've ever said you wish Instagram just showed you posts from the people you follow, in order, open the iPad app and put Latest first. That alone makes it worth the download.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official Instagram app for iPad?
Yes. Instagram for iPad is an official app, free to download on the App Store for iPad models that support iPadOS 15.1 and later.
What is the Following tab on Instagram for iPad?
It's a tab with three feeds from accounts you follow: All shows recommended posts and reels, Friends shows recommended posts and reels from accounts that follow you back, and Latest shows posts in chronological order, newest first.
Does Instagram for iPad open in Reels?
Yes. Instagram says that when you open the app, you drop into Reels, with Stories at the top and messaging one tap away.
Is Instagram's tablet app available on Android?
Not yet. Instagram's announcement says the new tablet design will be coming soon to Android.
Can I change the order of the feeds on Instagram for iPad?
Yes. Instagram says you can choose the order of the All, Friends and Latest feeds to prioritise what you want to see first.
Is Instagram for iPad free?
Yes. Instagram says Instagram for iPad is free to download on the App Store, and it's rolling out globally on iPad models that support iPadOS 15.1 and later.
