Insta
Insta
Insta
to Instagram
Learn what the Instagram social media platform is for, and how people using
the platform interact with each other.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is a social media platform, where users can upload and share photos
and videos from their mobile device. You can access Instagram by downloading
the app to your mobile device.
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An Introduction to Instagram
At the bottom of the Home screen are icons that allow you to access:
• The Home screen
• The Search function
• Reels (videos from other Instagram users you follow)
• Shop (items for purchase based on who you follow and your search history)
• Your Profile.
You can swipe right from the Home screen to access the camera on your device
and create Posts, Reels and Stories. You can even stream live video to your
followers. Swiping left from the Home screen lets you send direct messages
to other users.
Understanding followers
Instagram lets you follow, or link to, other users, and see their posts.
You can interact with posts by:
• Liking them
• Commenting on the photos or video in them
• Sharing posts with others who you follow.
Following are the users you’ve linked to, while followers are the users
who have linked to you.
Your profile
Tap the Profile icon to see the photos and videos you
have posted, the number of followers you have, and the
number of users you follow.
Add a new photo or video by tapping the + icon, and
access your settings by tapping the Menu icon, which
looks like three horizontal lines.
You can customise your profile by adding a profile
picture and creating a Bio description.
Your profile shows information
about you
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An Introduction to Instagram
Likes, comments, and shares
Each photo or video in your feed has three small icons
below it:
• Like: Double-tap a photo or video to show your
appreciation
• Comment: Tap to add a comment using the on-
screen keyboard
• Share: Tap to share the photo or video with another Double-tap a photo or video
Instagram user. to show others that you like it
Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are short videos or photos that only display for 24 hours.
You can see suggested stories in the top of the Home screen. View a story by
tapping on the icon.
Tapping your Instagram Story icon (on the far left of the Home screen) lets
you film a short video, post some pictures, or even re-share the stories of
other users to your own Story feed.
Remember, Instagram Stories only display for 24 hours, then they are
removed automatically.
Searching by hashtag
Hashtags (#) identify Instagram content by category or topic. You can add
hashtags when you upload photos. For instance, when you post a picture of
a cake, you might add hashtags such as: #baking #food #cake.
Hashtags help to search for content by topic. For example, you can search for
the hashtag #vintagecars to view photos of old cars.
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An Introduction to Instagram
How to create an Instagram account
Instagram is owned by Facebook, so you can use your Facebook account details
to sign in. If you don’t have a Facebook account, you can use the Instagram app
to safely create a free account.
1. Download the app. Search your mobile device’s app store for
the official Instagram app, and tap it to install.
2. Sign-up. When the Instagram app is installed, tap its icon to
open it. The sign-in screen appears.
If you use an Apple iPhone or iPad, tap Create New Account.
If you use an Android phone or tablet, tap the Sign-up with
email or Phone Number icon to start the sign-up process.
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An Introduction to Instagram
You can add a profile picture by tapping the + icon in the top-left corner
of the screen. Select a photo that is already saved to your mobile device or
take a new one using the camera.
If you have signed up using Facebook, your Facebook profile picture will be
displayed. You can change the picture by tapping Edit Profile.
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An Introduction to Instagram
Private vs public accounts
The Private account option is switched off by default, which means your account
is Public and all Instagram users can see your photos and videos.
When the Private account option is switched on, your Instagram account can only
be followed and viewed by users you have approved.
Tap the switch to turn it On. A pop up will ask you to confirm this, so tap
Switch to Private.
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An Introduction to Instagram
How to Create a Close Friends group
The Close Friends option is accessed from your Instagram Profile page:
1. Tap on the Menu icon (it looks like three horizontal lines)
2. Tap Close Friends
3. Scroll through your list of Followers and tap on those users who you’d like
to add to your Close Friends group.
4. Tap Tags
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An Introduction to Instagram
5. Tap Manually Approve Tags
6. Tap the switch next to Manually approve Tags to turn it On.
A pop up explains how the Manually approve Tags feature works.
Once you’ve read it, tap Turn On.
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An Introduction to Instagram
On an Android devices, tap the arrow in the top right of the screen.
The changes you make to a photo that you upload to Instagram won’t be applied
to the original photo on your mobile device. So, you can play with filters and
editing without worrying about losing your original photo.
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An Introduction to Instagram
Step 6: Share your photo with your followers
To share your photo, tap Share in the top-right corner of the screen if you’re
using an Apple device. On an Android device, tap the tick in the top right.
If your Instagram account is not set to private, all users can see your photo,
if they know your username.
If you have set your account to private, only your followers will be able to see
the photo.
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An Introduction to Instagram
Step 3: Reviewing your photo or video
The screen shows the photo or video you just took. If you’re not quite happy
with it, tap the x symbol to delete it, and try again.
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