Meta subsidiary Instagram finally launches an iPad app

Instagram’s new iPad app
After years of user requests and makeshift workarounds, Meta Platform’s Instagram has officially launched a dedicated app for iPad, bringing a tailored experience to Apple’s tablets.
Announced on September 3, 2025, the app is now available for download on iPads running iPadOS 15.1 or later, optimizing the platform’s core features for larger screens.
The update addresses long-standing complaints from iPad users who previously relied on the iPhone version, which felt cramped and underutilized on bigger displays. “Today, we’re excited to announce we’re bringing Instagram to iPad. People have asked for this for a while, and we’ve taken the time to design an experience that optimizes your favorite parts of Instagram for a bigger screen,” stated Instagram in their blog post.
Key highlights include a redesigned Reels interface that launches directly into full-screen, lean-back viewing, perfect for casual scrolling.
Stories appear prominently at the top for quick access to updates from friends and family, while messaging is just one tap away.
A standout addition is the new “Following” tab, offering multiple views: “All” for recommended posts from followed accounts, “Friends” focusing on mutual follows, and “Latest” for chronological feeds with customizable sorting.
The app also enhances multitasking with side-by-side layouts for messages and notifications, reducing the need for constant switching.
Users can now expand comments while keeping Reels playing at full size, ensuring they don’t miss reactions mid-video.
This streamlined design promises fewer taps and more immersion, making Instagram feel native to the iPad ecosystem.Looking ahead, Instagram teased that a similar tablet-optimized experience will soon roll out to Android devices, expanding accessibility beyond Apple users.
For iPad owners, this launch marks the end of an era of suboptimal browsing, ushering in a more engaging and efficient way to connect, create, and consume content on the go. With these updates, Instagram is poised to capture even more screen time from its billions of users, solidifying its place in the social media landscape.
MacDailyNews Take: Early nominee for understatement of the month: “People have asked for this for a while.”

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