- The Instagram launch story: Burbn, Systrom and Krieger
- Instagram milestones, dated and sourced
- How Instagram moved from square photos to video and messaging
- Instagram on Android, desktop and Windows
- Facebook buys Instagram: what changed after 2012
- What Instagram's history means for business accounts now
- Frequently asked questions
Instagram came out on 6 October 2010, when it launched as a free iPhone app on Apple's App Store. The Android version followed on 3 April 2012. Facebook announced it was buying Instagram on 9 April 2012, Stories arrived on 2 August 2016 and Reels was announced on 5 August 2020.
Last checked October 2026.
People ask when Instagram came out for all sorts of reasons: a school project, a quiz, an argument at dinner, or simply because it feels as if it's always been on our phones. It hasn't. Instagram is younger than Facebook and YouTube, and it arrived on a single platform before it reached everyone else. I've pulled every date on this page from Wikipedia and from Instagram's own announcements, so you can quote them with confidence.
If you run a small business or a creator account, the history is more useful than it looks. Each big change, from video to Stories to Reels, shifted what Instagram rewards, and knowing the order helps you see why your content mix matters.
The Instagram launch story: Burbn, Systrom and Krieger
Instagram was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Before it was Instagram, the project went by the name Burbn, and Wikipedia records the Burbn logo in use from 21 October 2009 until 6 October 2010.
On 6 October 2010, Instagram was released through Apple's App Store as a free iPhone app. It was a simple idea: take a photo, add a filter, share it with people who follow you. That iPhone-only start is why so many people remember Instagram as an iPhone app first.
If you're trying to remember which came first, Snapchat or Instagram, my guide to the day Snapchat first appeared sits nicely alongside this one.
Instagram milestones, dated and sourced
Here are the key moments in order. Every row comes from Wikipedia's Instagram article or from Instagram's own announcement posts, which are listed in the sources for this page.
| Date | What happened on Instagram |
|---|---|
| 21 October 2009 | The Burbn logo comes into use, before the Instagram name |
| 6 October 2010 | Instagram launches on the iPhone App Store |
| 3 April 2012 | Instagram arrives on Android |
| 9 April 2012 | Facebook announces it's buying Instagram |
| 6 September 2012 | The Facebook purchase of Instagram closes |
| November 2012 | A desktop web version of Instagram goes live |
| June 2013 | Instagram adds 15-second video sharing |
| December 2013 | Instagram Direct, for private messages, launches |
| 2 August 2016 | Instagram Stories is announced |
| October 2016 | A Windows 10 app arrives |
| 20 June 2018 | IGTV launches for longer videos |
| May 2019 | Instagram starts a pilot that hides like counts |
| November 2019 | Instagram starts testing Reels in Brazil |
| 5 August 2020 | Instagram Reels is announced |
| March 2022 | The separate IGTV app is shut down |
| 5 July 2023 | Meta launches Threads, linked to Instagram accounts |
How Instagram moved from square photos to video and messaging
For its first few years, Instagram was a photo app. Video came in June 2013, when Wikipedia says the app added 15-second video sharing. Private messaging followed in December 2013 with Instagram Direct, which turned Instagram into somewhere people could talk, not just scroll.
The biggest shift came on 2 August 2016. Instagram's own announcement introduced Stories: photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours and don't sit on your profile grid. Replies go to Direct rather than appearing as public comments. That one change pulled a huge amount of everyday posting away from the main feed.
Instagram then tried longer video with IGTV, launched on 20 June 2018. The standalone IGTV app was shut down in March 2022, which tells you a lot about where Instagram decided to put its energy instead.
That energy went into Reels. Wikipedia notes a test in Brazil in November 2019, and Instagram announced Reels on 5 August 2020 as a way to create and discover short videos, with a space in Explore for public accounts. I've written separately about how Reels changed the way Instagram shows content, so I won't repeat it all here.
Instagram on Android, desktop and Windows
Android users waited a while. Instagram arrived on Android on 3 April 2012, about eighteen months after the iPhone release. A desktop web interface followed in November 2012, which meant people could at least view Instagram on a computer.
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Windows support came in stages. Wikipedia records a Windows Phone beta in November 2013, a Windows 10 Mobile app in April 2016 and a Windows 10 app in October 2016. If you've ever wondered why older guides talk about Instagram as a phone-first app, this is why: for its early years, it really was.
Facebook buys Instagram: what changed after 2012
Facebook announced it was buying Instagram on 9 April 2012, and the deal closed on 6 September 2012. Instagram kept its own app and its own brand, but over time it began sharing tools and accounts with Facebook. Many business owners now manage both from one place, and features such as cross-posting grew out of that shared ownership.
Facebook, Inc. later renamed itself Meta, and on 5 July 2023 Meta launched Threads, a text-based network that you sign into with your Instagram account. It's a separate app, but it shows how closely Instagram now sits inside a wider family of Meta apps.
What Instagram's history means for business accounts now
Looking back at the dates, a clear pattern shows up. Instagram started with photos, added video, added messages, then made short-form video the centre of the app. Each step changed what people expect to see when they open it.
- Your grid is still your shop window. Photos were the original format, and people still check your profile before they follow or message you.
- Stories keep you in front of existing followers. They've been around since 2016 and suit quick updates, behind-the-scenes clips and polls.
- Reels reach new people. Instagram launched Reels with a space in Explore, which is why short video is the format most likely to put you in front of people who don't follow you yet.
- Direct is where enquiries land. Since December 2013, private messages have been part of the app, so keep an eye on your requests folder.
- Your name matters. Before you post anything, get a handle that's easy to say and search. My guide to picking a strong Instagram handle walks through it.
You don't need to use every feature. Pick the two that suit your business and do them well, and you'll get far more from Instagram than by trying to keep up with every change at once.
Frequently asked questions
When did Instagram come out on Android?
Instagram arrived on Android on 3 April 2012, about eighteen months after the iPhone app launched on 6 October 2010.
What was Instagram called before Instagram?
The project was called Burbn before it became Instagram. Wikipedia records the Burbn logo in use from 21 October 2009 until 6 October 2010.
When did Facebook buy Instagram?
Facebook announced the purchase on 9 April 2012 and the deal closed on 6 September 2012.
When did Instagram Stories come out?
Instagram announced Stories on 2 August 2016. Stories disappear after 24 hours and don't appear on your profile grid.
When did Instagram add video?
Instagram added 15-second video sharing in June 2013. Reels followed with an announcement on 5 August 2020.
