September 4, 2025 — Global — After 15 years of user anticipation, Meta has launched a native Instagram app tailored for the iPad, delivering a redesigned experience optimized for larger screens. This marks a major leap forward from previous makeshift solutions that scaled up the mobile interface poorly, and signals Meta’s expanded focus on tablet formats.
A New Era for Instagram on Tablets
The Instagram app for iPad now opens directly to the Reels feed, reflecting how people increasingly use their tablets for “lean-back” entertainment. Stories remain prominently displayed at the top, and messaging is just a tap away via a new sidebar layout designed for multitasking. Users can also choose from a revamped “Following” tab—offering customizable views like recommended content, friends only, or chronological feed—enhancing content navigation and personalization. These features are designed to make the most of iPad’s screen real estate by providing a richer, more natural browsing experience.
What Makes IG on iPad Stand Out
- Optimized Layout: Messages and notifications can now appear simultaneously in a split-screen view, while comments expand alongside Reels without pausing playback.
- User-Centric Feeds: The “Following” tab allows users to prioritize and reorder content based on their preference—whether that’s viewing posts from mutual accounts, recent activity, or personalized recommendations.
- Global Availability and Android Plans: The iPad app is rolling out worldwide to users running iPadOS 15.1 or later. Meta has also confirmed that a version optimized for Android tablets is in development and will launch soon.
Why This Matters
For years, iPad users had to rely on blown-up phone apps or limited web browsers—even though they desired a more seamless, immersive Instagram experience. Now, with an interface that takes full advantage of larger displays and introduces sophisticated navigation tools, the platform becomes more engaging and accessible on tablets. Plus, centering Reels shows Meta’s continued focus on video content as a key driver of user engagement.
Meta’s broader strategy appears clear: as short-form video consumption grows and competition from platforms like TikTok heats up, delivering polished, device-specific experiences is essential to maintaining user interest. The iPad rollout sets the stage for a similar upgrade across Android tablets—expanding Instagram’s optimized ecosystem beyond Apple’s hardware.
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