Bluestacks

I’ve had an Instagram account for a while now. I got my sister who has a smartphone to create an account for me to use for giveaway entries. Recently I found a need to be able to add pictures to my account.  

While searching for answers as to how to do this I realized that I’m not alone. A lot of people are looking for a way to be able to use Instagram without a smartphone. There is some good and a lot of bad information out there. I’ve tried to sort out the bad and share some helpful tips on how to create an account and add images to it.

Create An Account:
Easiest:
Do it on a friends phone

1.  Just launch the app and log out of your friends account (Go to Settings > Scroll down and tap Log Out). 
2. Once you have logged out of your friend’s account, you will be able to see the “Register” button. Create an account.

Use an Emulator:
Here are two that I know of. I’m sure there are more.

• BlueStacks App Player
• DuOS-M App Player

I used BlueStacks to create an account for my boyfriend.

1. First, download and install on your Mac or PC. After install, Bluestacks will start on its own, and then restart itself.
2. Next, search for the Instagram app: Click “Top 25 Apps,” then scroll down until you see Instagram. Click + launch Instagram
3. Install: Choose the first result in the left-most column. 
4. Now launch Instagram (Click the “My Apps” icon) and follow the steps to register a new Instagram account.

It was simple once I realized the Check Mark in the top right corner was the enter button.
It’s Sideways! Fix it – Click the settings icon, then “Change App Size.” Now, toggle Instagram to “tablet.
DuOS-M is not compatible with my system. So I can not offer any information about it.

Add Pictures to your Instagram account from your PC:

• Gramblr
• BlueStacks App Player
• DuOS-M App Player

You can use the emulator that you used to create your account. I didn’t like Bluestacks because it makes you download or pay to keep using it. But it’s fine for creating an account. I have now started using Gramblr to add pictures.

Although Gramblr is Free and Easy to Use, you cannot upload and post photos that aren’t cropped and resized. Gramblr only accepts square photos in JPG or JPEG format that are 650 x 650 pixels. Webresizer makes this easy to do.

Adding A Picture Using Gramblr:

• After Downloading, start the program, and log-in to your Instagram account.
• Next, Choose the photo you want to add and click upload. Make sure that it’s the correct size first! Just wait, Gramblr doesn’t have anything to signal that it’s working

• Add the Caption you want and Click “Save Caption” Just wait Gramblr doesn’t have anything to signal that it’s working
• When you see the image below it’s done and your image is on your Instagram account. Congratulations! You Did It!

If you choose to continue using Bluestacks after using it to create your Instagram account. You’re going to want to change Instagram settings to look at the file system, not just use the camera so that you can use it to add pictures to your account.

Here’s How:

On the Next Screen, click on Camera Settings
Now, Uncheck “Use Instagram’s Advanced Camera.”

Instagram’s quest to remain an exclusively mobile app:
They are now penalizing users of third-party apps, such as Gramblr, Bluestacks, DuOS-M. Instagram is now disabling hashtags on accounts that have used third party apps in the past, sometimes even for just one photo.  Simply put, your photos will no longer be searchable by hashtag.  

So, who should continue to use these third party apps?

• Individuals who do not have access to a smartphone
• Who don’t care about being searchable by hashtag
• Those who aren’t interested in accumulating followers