How Do I Post a Photo on Instagram?

Instagram is one of the world’s most popular photo-sharing apps, with over 116 million users in the US alone.

You know Instagram is popular, but when it comes to getting started with it yourself, it can be a bit confusing. For example, you may be wondering, ‘how do I post to my wall’?

With your Instagram account, you have the creative freedom to edit, post, and caption your beautiful photography for the world to see. But first, you need to know how to upload pictures on Instagram.

To get started, keep reading to find our easy guide on how to make your first Instagram post, from start to finish. How often should you post on social media?

Download the Instagram App

Your first step is to download the Instagram app—being an app, it’s designed to work on your smartphone, and is available for free.

Once you’ve downloaded and created an account (which only takes seconds), it’s worthwhile to play with the app for a while and look at the type of content other users are posting. Following accounts you like can provide inspiration and can give you ideas about what type of pictures you might want to post.

Hit the Plus Button

When you’re ready to make your first Instagram post, open the app and click on the plus button, which you’ll find on the bottom row of black and white icons on the app, directly in the middle.

This will then bring up all of the photos stored in your phone’s library. Note that if this is the first time you’re using the app, you may need to first give Instagram permission to access your photo library.

The app will tell you how to fix this, but it generally means adjusting your app permissions under your phone’s settings.

How Do I Actually Post to My Wall? Next, Select Your Photo

Once all of your photos are displayed, you can scroll through them and select the one you want to post.

When selecting a photo, it’s worth considering the best Instagram picture dimensions, which ensure your photo will show up clearly on the app.

You now know how to add a photo on Instagram, but what if you can’t decide which picture to post? The good news is that Instagram lets you post multiple photos at once.

To post more than one photo, select your first picture then hit the button on the bottom right of your chosen photo that looks like two overlapping squares. That button lets you select additional photos to add to the post.

The numbers on the photo represent the order, so the photo labeled a one will be first in the display.

Edit and Crop

Once you’ve selected your photo, you may want to give it some edits. This is easy since Instagram has intuitive editing features built into the app.

When your photo is ready, hit the blue ‘Next’ in the top right corner of the screen. This will bring you to the editing options.

You’ll see, on the bottom of the page, both filter and edit buttons. If you hit the filter, it will bring up all the options for customizing your photo with a preset filter—click on each image for a preview of how your photo will look.

If you select the edit option, it brings up all the tools for editing. Here, you can crop your photo, along with editing the light, contrast, shadows, saturation, and more.

Take some time to play with them all and get to know how they work—you can always go back if you don’t like the edit, so you don’t need to worry about damaging your photo.

Looking for an easy shortcut? If so, just tap the button on the top that looks like a magic wand. This will automatically update your photo to the way the app thinks it will look best.

If you’re really into photo editing, you may want to edit your photos on a platform like Lightroom before uploading.

Time for Your Captions and Hashtags

Once you’re happy with how your photo looks, hit ‘Next’ and it will bring you to the caption page.

Here, you can write a caption for your post, add hashtags, and add a location for your post, which makes it easier for other users to find your photo.

Your caption can be just about anything, so get creative! You may want to describe your photo, tell a story, use a quote, or simply just use emojis.

You can also use hashtags to help your photo get found, plus you can tag your friends, family, or even businesses that appear in the photo.

If you make a mistake, you can go back in and edit your caption after you hit publish, so no pressure!

Hit Share and Your Post Is Live!

When your post is just how you want it, tap the blue ‘Share’ button. This will publish. Congrats, you’ve just published your first post!

To help your new post get noticed, you may want to engage with other Instagram accounts, liking and commenting. This encourages them to check out your profile, which can lead to new followers and more engagement.

Try to post regularly if you want to help your account grow.

Upload Your First Instagram Photo Today

There you have it—knowing how to post to my wall and use Instagram is simpler than you may think! Use the tips above to design and publish your first Instagram post.

With so much fun to be had from sharing photos and seeing the photos posted by others, you’re sure to love the platform. Get started today and make the most of your new Instagram account.

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Biswajit Raskhit

Biswajit Rakshit is a professional blogger and writer. He loves to write on various topics.