How to Create an Instagram Account — And How to Use It

Instagram is a wildly popular social media site that lets you share pictures and videos while connecting with friends, family and new people. Whether you’ve used it before or are brand new to the platform, you can follow these simple steps to create Instagram account and use it. Then you’ll be all set to enjoy Instagram and all its features.

Create Instagram Account

There are multiple ways to create an Instagram account. You can do it from your smartphone or from your computer.

From the App

The most common way to create an Instagram account is from the app on a smartphone. Here’s how to do it:

• Download the Instagram app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
• Tap on the app from your phone’s home screen once it downloads.
• On your Apple device, you’ll need to tap Create New Account first.
• The app will prompt you with different ways to sign up. One option will be to use your Facebook account. If you use this route, you’ll need to log in with your Facebook credentials.
• The other route you can take is to sign up with your email account or phone number. Choose whichever you’d like and enter the information.
• Follow the verification steps.
• Tap on the Next button.
• Create a password.

Then, you’re all set to start exploring the app.

From a Browser

If you’d like to use Instagram on your computer browser, you can sign up that way, too.

• Go to Instagram.com from your browser.
• Click on Sign up.
• You’ll follow similar prompts and choices as you would from the app. Sign up with your Facebook account or your email or phone number.
• Follow any verification steps.

These two methods take you through creating a brand-new account. What happens, though, if you want to add another account?

Creating a Second Account

You can always log into an existing account on Instagram by simply typing in your account information. If you’d like to create a new account alongside your primary one, you can do that, too. Follow these steps:

• You can add a new account from two locations. Click on and hold your profile button — the icon in the bottom right of your Instagram app. A menu will pop up with the option to Add Account.
• You can also click on your profile then tap your username in the top middle of the screen. You’ll have the same option. Both locations do the exact same.
• Click on either Log Into Existing Account or Create New Account.
• When creating a new account, you’ll need to enter a username.
• Connect the new account to an email, phone number or your Facebook account.
• Enter a password.
• Follow the verification process.

Once you’re all set with your new account, you can freely switch between all your accounts. Simply press and hold on your profile icon in the bottom right or tap your username on your profile.

Customize Instagram Account

After following the steps to create Instagram account, you can then move on to using the app. There’s plenty of do, so here’s a rundown!

You can easily change around your profile by clicking on Edit Profile. Update your name, username, bio, email and profile picture here. You can add a website or change your email, too. Then hit Done in the top right corner.

Click on the hamburger menu in the top right of your profile. Here you’ll find settings for almost everyone aspect of your account. For instance, manage notifications by going to Settings then clicking on Notifications. Customize them to your preferences.

If you want to switch between a public and private account, you can do that in Settings as well.

You can link to other social media accounts, find Facebook friends who are using Instagram and so much more. Explore your settings and keep changing it up!

Use Instagram Account

Finally, it’s time to get started. You’ll notice that at the bottom of the screen there are several icons.

From left to right, you begin with the Home button. Here is where you’ll find the posts of people you’re following. Additionally, Instagram added suggested posts that fill up your feed once you reach the end of new posts. You can watch people’s stories on the home page, too.

The magnifying glass is your Explore page. It shows you content the app thinks you’ll like. Here is also where you’ll search for people to follow by name or username. Find and follow hashtags, too.

Then, you have the center + button. Click here to post videos and pictures to your account. It comes with editing features and filters as well. Tag people in the captions or the image itself, set your location and add some hashtags. Post away and watch your feed fill up.

The heart icon is your Activity page. You’ll find notifications about people liking your posts, commenting on them, following you and accepting your follow requests.

Last is your icon, which shows the image you select for your profile. Your posts, followers and following counts are here. Scroll through and look at the feed you create!

Engage on Instagram

From the Home screen, you’ll see a camera button in the top left. This is where you can upload images and clips to post on your stories or your IGTV page. You can also go Live and now you can create a Reels video — which Instagram recently introduced.

Explore all the stickers, polls, quizzes, and features that you can add to all your content. Then post it for your followers to see!

Finally, in the top right of your Home screen, you’ll see a paper airplane icon. Here is your Messages section. Chat with your followers, send them pictures or posts and engage like never before.

An Instagram Pro

With each of these steps, you get closer to using Instagram to the best of its abilities. It has many features and ways to engage — you’ll be a pro in no time. Let your creative side out through Instagram. It’s here to stay and only becoming more relevant.