Instagram’s Finally Landing on iPad After 15 Years of Us Begging: What It Means For Your Doomscrolling Habits

Ah, the iPad. That magical slab of screen real estate we’ve been using for everything from binge-watching cat videos to pretending we’re productive artists with our Apple Pencils. But for 15 whole years—one and a half decades, people!—one app has been stubbornly refusing to play nice: Instagram. That’s right, the app that’s basically glued to our eyeballs on our phones has been forcing iPad users to squint at a zoomed-in iPhone version that looks like it’s wearing funhouse mirrors. Cringe-worthy black bars? Check. Awkward layouts? Double check. But hold onto your Split View multitasking, because as of today, September 3, 2025, Instagram has officially dropped a native iPad app. And we’re here for it. Let’s break down this long-overdue glow-up, BuzzFeed-style, with all the tea, memes, and reactions you crave.

First Off, The Wait Was Real—Like, 2010 Real

Instagram launched way back in 2010, just months after the iPad hit the scene. While other apps were quick to embrace the tablet life (looking at you, Netflix and Safari), Instagram? Nah. For years, Meta (Instagram’s parent company, formerly Facebook) served up excuses faster than you can say “algorithm change.” In 2021, Instagram head Adam Mosseri called an iPad app “nice to do” but not a priority because “there’s a lot to do and only so many people.” By 2022, he doubled down: “It’s still just not a big enough group of people.” Ouch. iPad users everywhere were like, “Speak for yourself, Adam—we’re out here with our 12.9-inch Pro Max screens dying for some proper feed action!”

The struggle was real. You’d fire up the iPhone app on your iPad, and boom: stretched-out interfaces, pixelated pics, and a layout that screamed “I wasn’t made for this.” Web version? Meh, it worked in a pinch but lacked the full magic (and push notifications? Forget it). Third-party apps popped up as band-aids, but nothing beat the dream of a native experience. Fast-forward to 2025, and after rumors swirled in April (thanks to reports from The Information about Meta testing it amid TikTok ban drama), Bloomberg confirmed in June that a release was coming later this year. Spoiler: It did. And now, it’s here for all iPads running iPadOS 15.1 or later. Download it from the App Store and prepare to weep tears of joy.

What’s New In This Big-Screen Glow-Up? (Spoiler: Reels Take Center Stage)

Gone are the days of that embarrassing iPhone blow-up. The new Instagram for iPad is a full-on redesign that actually uses your giant screen like it was born for it. Here’s the juicy deets:

• Reels-First Vibes: Open the app, and bam—you’re straight into Reels. No more hunting for short-form video goodness; it’s front and center for that ultimate lean-back scrolling sesh. Perfect for when you’re curled up on the couch with your iPad, pretending you’re “researching” dance trends. (Meta’s clearly gunning to steal more TikTok thunder here, especially with all the ban buzz.)
• Smarter Feeds and Tabs: The classic Feed gets a trio of options: “All” for your recommended mix of posts and Reels from followed accounts, “Friends” for mutuals-only magic, and “Latest” for that chronological throwback we all secretly miss. Stories chill at the top like always, and a left-hand sidebar lets you swipe to DMs, Search, Explore, or notifications. Fewer taps, more chill.
• Multitasking Magic: This is where the iPad shines. Watch a Reel full-screen while peeking at comments on the side? Yes. Juggle DM convos with your chat list open? Absolutely. It’s built for Stage Manager and Split View, so you can Instagram while… well, Instagramming something else. Creators, rejoice—editing and uploading feels way more pro now.
• All Your Faves, Optimized: Posting, Stories, shopping, Explore—it’s all there, just bigger and better. No more squished keyboards or tiny buttons. And yes, it supports landscape mode for those epic photo dumps.

It’s like Instagram finally remembered iPads aren’t just oversized iPhones. TechCrunch called it a “revamp to suit the big screen,” and WIRED? They straight-up said it’s time to “doomscroll on a bigger screen.” We’re obsessed.

7 Reasons We’ve Been Dying For This (And Why It Took So Freaking Long)

1. The TikTok Effect: With TikTok’s US future still shaky (ban threats, anyone?), Meta’s been on a mission to poach creators. An iPad app? Smart move to lure in tablet-loving influencers who want to edit Reels on a massive display. Reports from The Verge and MacRumors link this directly to the TikTok drama—competition is a helluva motivator.
2. Meta’s iPad Awakening: Remember when WhatsApp finally got its iPad app earlier this year after promising it in 2023? Yeah, Meta’s on a roll. Facebook’s had iPad support since 2011, but Instagram and Threads? Lagging. This could be the start of a full Meta tablet takeover.
3. Tech Hurdles? Excuses? Both? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman spilled that early delays were due to worries about low-res images looking wonky on big screens and aspect ratio nightmares. But c’mon—smartphones have evolved, and so has tech. Some speculate it was a subtle shade at Apple (Zuck vs. Tim Cook beef is legendary), but whatever. It’s here now.
4. iPad’s Glow-Up Era: With iPadOS getting fancier (hello, Apple Intelligence and multitasking upgrades), ignoring tablets was getting silly. iPads raked in $27 billion for Apple in 2024 alone— that’s no niche market!
5. Creator Dreams: Imagine editing carousels or stitching Reels with an Apple Pencil. Or just browsing your feed in landscape while sipping coffee. It’s the content creation boost we’ve needed.
6. The Meme Factor: For years, Reddit and Twitter (er, X) were flooded with rants like “Instagram on iPad is a crime against humanity.” One Redditor in r/apple said, “My mother will be pleased.” Relatable.
7. Bigger Screen, Bigger Feels: Scrolling Stories or DMs on a tablet? Immersive AF. No more neck cramps from holding your phone too close.

We Asked The Internet: Reactions Are Pure Chaos (In The Best Way)

Social media exploded today—fittingly. Here’s a roundup of the hottest takes:

• “FINALLY! It only took them over a decade. Ridiculous that a media app ignored iPad so long.” – MacRumors commenter, echoing our thoughts.
• “Better late than never? Let’s see if it’s worth the wait.” – Tech blogger on Twitter, skeptical but hopeful.
• “This app should’ve launched Day 1 in 2010. iPad is meant for photos!” – Reddit user in r/apple, dropping truth bombs.
• “Doomscrolling just got an upgrade. Thanks, Meta!” – WIRED headline we can’t unsee.
• One excited fan tweeted: “iPad Instagram is here! Time to retire my phone for feed checks.” (We’re right there with you.)

Skeptics? Sure—some say it’s “too late now” or worry it’ll be a “rushed afterthought.” But the hype train is chugging, and early App Store reviews are glowing about the Reels focus and smooth multitasking.

So, Is It Worth The Hype? (Spoiler: Yes, But…)

If you’ve got an iPad gathering dust (or one that’s your daily driver), grab this app stat. It’s free, it’s optimized, and it’s a game-changer for anyone tired of the old stretched mess. Meta’s betting big on video with that Reels default, which might irk photo purists, but hey—variety is the spice of feeds. Fingers crossed Threads gets the treatment next.

In a world where tech moves at warp speed, this feels like a win for patient users everywhere. We’ve waited 15 years; now let’s make up for lost scrolling time. What are you waiting for? Update your App Store, fire it up, and tag us in your first big-screen Reel. (Okay, we’re not on Instagram… yet.) What’s your first move with iPad Instagram? Sound off in the comments—we’re all ears (and eyes).