What an Instagram iPad app could mean for creators
An Instagram iPad app is apparently “full steam ahead” after years of speculation and waiting.
Back in April, we reported that Instagram might finally be launching a native iPad app, based on an internal leak and growing pressure from TikTok’s dominance. Now, the speculation appears to be solidifying. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Meta is “full steam ahead” with development and internal testing – and the long-awaited app could be released this year.
As quoted by 9to5Mac:
“I’m told that employees on the Meta Platforms Inc. campus are actively testing Instagram for the iPad and that development work is full steam ahead. I would expect it to be released this year if all goes to plan.”
With WhatsApp for iPad launching just days earlier, it’s clear Meta is finally filling in some long-standing gaps in its app ecosystem. What might an Instagram iPad app mean in practical terms for users and creators?
It might seem surprising that Instagram still doesn’t have a native iPad app. As noted in our previous article, TikTok’s iPad presence and looming legal uncertainty may be pushing Meta to close the gap. With Instagram supporting higher-resolution content and Meta exploring new revenue streams, expanding to iPad now makes strategic sense.
What could this mean for creators?
A native Instagram app for iPad could offer significant benefits to creators, from musicians and artists to video editors and influencers.
Plenty of people rely on mobile tools like Instagram to edit and share video content quickly and easily, both on a professional and amateur level. While head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri previously said that iPad users were “not a big enough group of people [for an Instagram iPad app] to be a priority, perhaps the launch of a native app would lead more users to utilising the iPad as a preferred tool for content creation on Instagram.
Easier content creation on one device
While video editing generally demands a desktop setup, many creators use iPads to edit content for social media. Apps like ProCreate, LumaFusion and Canva are available on iPad for editing and designing, so adding a native Instagram app would keep the creative process in one place.
Currently, creators would need to send files over to mobile once edited in order to upload and continue editing on Instagram. Being able to seamlessly create on one device would speed up workflow and save time for busy creators.
Better visuals and landscape formats
Instagram supports a range of formats including landscape (16:9), vertical (9:16), and square (1:1), with Reels now up to 15 minutes long. On phones, there is a risk of cropping and compression, affecting the visual of the finial result.
A native iPad app would let creators preview and fine-tune hi-res content before posting, helping avoid layout issues and improving overall quality.
Increased productivity for multitaskers
iPads support multitasking features like Split View and Slide Over, letting creators run Instagram alongside editing apps or notes – perfect for writing captions while tweaking visuals. With iPadOS also offering drag-and-drop between apps, creators could easily move images or text into posts or DMs, streamlining content creation. If Instagram’s iPad app supports these tools, it could make workflows faster and smoother.
Better content management
If Instagram brings over more robust features from its web or desktop tools – like post-scheduling or detailed analytics – the iPad could become a full content management station for creators who want to do more without switching to a laptop.
What to expect next
According to Gurman, if all goes to plan, the app should be released before the end of 2025. The internal testing phase is already underway, which suggests the interface and core functionality may be in a relatively developed state.
There’s no official word from Meta just yet, but after the WhatsApp release and a growing chorus of requests from users and media alike, it seems likely we’ll hear something soon.